1 Amakhosi 10
1 Kwathi indlovukazi yeShebha isizwile udumo lukaSolomoni ngebizo leNkosi yeza ukumhlola ngemibuzo enzima.
The queen of Sheba heard how famous Solomon was, so she came to Jerusalem to test him with tough questions.
2 Yasifika eJerusalema lodwendwe olukhulu kakhulu, lamakamela ethwele amakha legolide elinengi kakhulu lamatshe aligugu; isifikile kuSolomoni yamtshela konke okwakusenhliziyweni yayo.
She brought with her a very large entourage, with camels loaded with spices, large amounts of gold, and precious gemstones. She came to Solomon and asked him about everything she had on her mind.
3 USolomoni waseyichasisela zonke indaba zayo; kwakungelalutho olwayicatshelayo inkosi engayichasiselanga lona.
Solomon answered all her questions. There was nothing he couldn't explain to her.
4 Indlovukazi yeShebha isibonile yonke inhlakanipho kaSolomoni, lendlu ayeyakhile,
When the queen of Sheba saw Solomon's wisdom, and the palace he had built,
5 lokudla kwetafula lakhe, lokuhlala kwezinceku zakhe, lokuma kwezisebenzi zakhe, lezigqoko zazo, labaphathinkezo bakhe, lokwenyuka kwakhe enyuka ngakho endlini yeNkosi, kakusabanga lamoya kuyo.
the food on the table, how his officials lived, how his servants operated and how they were dressed, the clothes of the waiters, and the burnt offerings he presented at the Lord's Temple, she was so astonished she could hardly breathe.
6 Yasisithi enkosini: Umbiko wawuliqiniso engawuzwa elizweni lami ngamazwi akho langenhlakanipho yakho.
She told the king, “It's true what I heard in my own country about your proverbs and your wisdom!
7 Kodwa kangiyikholwanga leyomibiko ngaze ngafika lamehlo ami abona. Khangela, bengingatshelwanga ingxenye; wengezelele inhlakanipho lokulunga embikweni engiwuzwileyo.
But I didn't believe what they told me until I came and saw with my own eyes. In fact, I wasn't told the half of it—the extent of your wisdom far exceeds what I heard!
8 Bayathokoza abantu bakho, ziyathokoza lezizinceku zakho ezimi njalo phambi kwakho zisizwa inhlakanipho yakho!
How happy your people must be! How happy those who work for you, who stand here every day listening to your wisdom!
9 Kayibusiswe iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho eyathokoza ngawe, ukukubeka phezu kwesihlalo sobukhosi sikaIsrayeli. Ngoba iNkosi yamthanda uIsrayeli kuze kube phakade, ngakho ikubekile waba yinkosi ukuze wenze isahlulelo lokulunga.
Praise the Lord your God who is so pleased with you, who placed you on his throne as king to rule on his behalf. Because of the love of your God for Israel he has made them secure forever, and he has made you king over them to do what is fair and right.”
10 Yasinika inkosi amathalenta alikhulu lamatshumi amabili egolide, lamakha amanengi kakhulu, lamatshe aligugu. Kakuzange kusabuya amakha ngobunengi njengalawo indlovukazi yeShebha eyawanika inkosi uSolomoni.
She presented the king with one hundred and twenty talents of gold, huge amounts of spices and precious stones. Never before had there been spices like those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
11 Futhi lemikhumbi kaHiramu eyayithwala igolide livela eOfiri yaletha izigodo ezinengi kakhulu zomkampa, lamatshe aligugu, kuvela eOfiri.
(Hiram's fleet of ships brought gold from Ophir, and also carried algum wood and precious stones.
12 Ngezigodo zomkampa inkosi yasisenza insika zendlu kaJehova lezendlu yenkosi, lamachacho lezigubhu zezintambo kwabahlabeleli; kakuzanga kulethwe kumbe kubonwe ngokunjalo izigodo zomkampa kuze kube lamuhla.
The king used the algum wood to make steps for the Temple and for the royal palace, and into lyres and harps for the musicians. Nothing like them had ever been seen before in the land of Judah.)
13 Inkosi uSolomoni yasinika indlovukazi yeShebha sonke isiloyiso sayo, eyakucelayo, ngaphandle kwalokho eyayinika khona njengokuphana kwenkosi uSolomoni. Yasiphenduka yaya elizweni layo, yona lenceku zayo.
King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she wanted, whatever she asked for. This was in addition to the usual gifts he had generously given her. Then she and her attendants returned home to her own country.
14 Njalo isisindo segolide elalifika kuSolomoni ngomnyaka owodwa sasingamathalenta angamakhulu ayisithupha lamatshumi ayisithupha lesithupha,
The weight of gold that Solomon received each year was 666 talents,
15 ngaphandle kokuvela kubathengisi, lempahleni zabathengisi bezinongo, lemakhosini wonke eArabhiya, lakubabusi belizwe.
not including that received from traders and merchants, and all the kings of Arabia and governors of the land.
16 Inkosi uSolomoni yasisenza izihlangu ezinkulu ezingamakhulu amabili ngegolide elikhandiweyo, amashekeli angamakhulu ayisithupha egolide esihlangwini esisodwa esikhulu.
King Solomon made two hundred shields of hammered gold. Each shield required six hundred shekels of hammered gold.
17 Lamahawu angamakhulu amathathu egolide elikhandiweyo; amamane amathathu egolide ehawini elilodwa. Inkosi yasiwafaka endlini yegusu leLebhanoni.
He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold. Each of these shields required three gold minas. The king placed them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.
18 Inkosi yenza lesihlalo sobukhosi esikhulu ngempondo zendlovu, yasihuqa ngegolide elicwengekileyo.
The king also made a great throne of ivory, and covered it with pure gold.
19 Isihlalo sobukhosi sasilezikhwelo eziyisithupha, lesihloko sesihlalo sobukhosi sasiyisigombolozi emuva, lezeyamelo zengalo ngapha langapha kuze kube sendaweni yokuhlala, lezilwane ezimbili zimi eceleni kwezeyamelo zezingalo.
The throne had six steps, with a rounded top at the back. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, with lions standing beside the armrests.
20 Lezilwane ezilitshumi lambili zazimi lapho ezikhwelweni eziyisithupha, ngapha langapha. Kakwenziwanga okunjalo kuwo wonke umbuso.
Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one on opposite ends of each step. Nothing like this had ever been made for any kingdom.
21 Lazo zonke inkezo zokunatha zenkosi uSolomoni zazingezegolide, lazo zonke izitsha zendlu yegusu leLebhanoni zazingezegolide elicwengekileyo; kwakungelasiliva, lalingabalwa santo ensukwini zikaSolomoni.
All of King Solomon's drinking cups were gold, and all the utensils of the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. No silver was used, because it was not valued in the days of Solomon.
22 Ngoba inkosi yayilemikhumbi yeThashishi olwandle kanye lemikhumbi kaHiramu; kanye ngeminyaka emithathu limikhumbi yeThashishi yeza ithwele igolide lesiliva, impondo zezindlovu lezinkawu lamaphigaga.
The king had a fleet of ships from Tarshish crewed by Hiram's sailors. Once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive with a cargo of gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
23 Ngakho inkosi uSolomoni yaba nkulu kulawo wonke amakhosi omhlaba enothweni lenhlakanipheni.
King Solomon was greater than any other king on earth in wealth and wisdom.
24 Umhlaba wonke wasudinga ubuso bukaSolomoni ukuzwa inhlakanipho yakhe uNkulunkulu ayeyinike enhliziyweni yakhe.
The whole world wanted to meet Solomon to hear the wisdom that God had placed in his mind.
25 Basebeletha, ngulowo isipho sakhe, izitsha zesiliva, lezitsha zegolide, lezembatho, lezikhali, lamakha, amabhiza, lezimbongolo; into yomnyaka ngomnyaka wayo.
Year after year, every visitor would bring gifts—articles of silver and gold, clothes, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.
26 USolomoni wasebuthanisa izinqola labagadi bamabhiza; wayelezinqola ezingamakhulu alitshumi lane, labagadi bamabhiza abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili; wakubeka emizini yezinqola njalo kulenkosi eJerusalema.
Solomon accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen. He kept them in the chariot towns, and also with him in Jerusalem.
27 Inkosi yasisenza isiliva eJerusalema laba njengamatshe, lemisedari wayenza yaba njengemikhiwa yesikhamore esesihotsheni, ngobunengi.
The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar wood as plentiful as sycamore-figs in the foothills.
28 Wasengenisa ngokuthenga amabhiza avela eGibhithe, ayengekaSolomoni, lelembu elicolekileyo; labathengi benkosi babelithatha ilembu elicolekileyo ngentengo.
Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt and Kue—the royal merchants purchased them in Kue.
29 Inqola yasisenyuka yaphuma eGibhithe ngamashekeli esiliva angamakhulu ayisithupha, lebhiza ngekhulu lamatshumi amahlanu. Langokunjalo bawakhuphela wonke amakhosi amaHethi lamakhosi eSiriya ngesandla sabo.
A chariot imported from Egypt cost six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse a hundred and fifty. They also exported them to all the Hittite kings, and to the Aramean kings.
