1 Amakhosi 5
1 UHiramu inkosi yeTire wasethuma inceku zakhe kuSolomoni, ngoba wayezwile ukuthi bamgcobile ukuthi abe yinkosi esikhundleni sikayise, ngoba uHiramu wayemthanda uDavida insuku zonke.
Now when Hiram king of Tyre heard that Solomon had been anointed king in his father’s place, he sent envoys to Solomon; for Hiram had always been a friend of David.
2 USolomoni wasethumela kuHiramu esithi:
And Solomon relayed this message to Hiram:
3 Wena uyazi ukuthi uDavida ubaba wayengelakwakhela ibizo leNkosi uNkulunkulu wakhe indlu ngenxa yezimpi ezazimzingelezele, iNkosi yaze yazifaka ngaphansi kwengaphansi yenyawo zakhe.
“As you are well aware, due to the wars waged on all sides against my father David, he could not build a house for the Name of the LORD his God until the LORD had put his enemies under his feet.
4 Kodwa khathesi iNkosi uNkulunkulu inginikile ukuphumula inhlangothi zonke; kakulasitha, njalo kakulabubi obenzakalayo.
But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or crisis.
5 Khangela-ke, ngizimisele ukwakhela ibizo leNkosi uNkulunkulu wami indlu njengokutsho kweNkosi kuDavida ubaba isithi: Indodana yakho engizayibeka esihlalweni sakho sobukhosi esikhundleni sakho, yona izakwakhela ibizo lami indlu.
So behold, I plan to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God, according to what the LORD said to my father David: ‘I will put your son on your throne in your place, and he will build the house for My Name.’
6 Ngakho-ke laya ukuthi bangigamulele imisedari eLebhanoni, lenceku zami zizakuba lenceku zakho; leholo lenceku zakho ngizakunika njengakho konke okutshoyo. Ngoba wena uyakwazi ukuthi kakho phakathi kwethu okwaziyo ukugamula izihlahla njengabeSidoni.
Now therefore, order that cedars of Lebanon be cut down for me. My servants will be with your servants, and I will pay your servants whatever wages you set, for you know that there are none among us as skilled in logging as the Sidonians.”
7 Kwasekusithi uHiramu esizwa amazwi kaSolomoni wathokoza kakhulu wathi: Kayibusiswe iNkosi lamuhla emnikileyo uDavida indodana ehlakaniphileyo phezu kwalesisizwe esikhulu.
When Hiram received Solomon’s message, he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed be the LORD this day! He has given David a wise son over this great people!”
8 UHiramu wasethumela kuSolomoni esithi: Ngizwile lokho ongithumele ngakho; mina ngizakwenza zonke iziloyiso zakho mayelana lezigodo zemisedari lamayelana lezigodo zamafiri.
Then Hiram sent a reply to Solomon, saying: “I have received your message; I will do all you desire regarding the cedar and cypress timber.
9 Inceku zami zizazehlisa zisuka eLebhanoni zisiya elwandle; mina-ke ngizazenza okundendayo olwandle ukuya endaweni ozayiqamba kimi, ngizithukulule lapho; wena-ke uzazithathela khona, wena uzakwenza isifiso sami ngokupha abendlu yami ukudla.
My servants will haul the logs from Lebanon to the Sea, and I will float them as rafts by sea to the place you specify. There I will separate the logs, and you can take them away. And in exchange, you can meet my needs by providing my household with food.”
10 Ngakho uHiramu wamnika uSolomoni izigodo zemisedari lezigodo zamafiri njengokwezifiso zakhe zonke.
So Hiram provided Solomon with all the cedar and cypress timber he wanted,
11 LoSolomoni wanika uHiramu amakhori engqoloyi azinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amathathu lambili, ukudla kwabendlu yakhe, lamakhori angamatshumi amabili amafutha akhanyiweyo. Ngokunjalo uSolomoni wamupha uHiramu iminyaka ngeminyaka.
and year after year Solomon would provide Hiram with 20,000 cors of wheat as food for his household, as well as 20,000 baths of pure olive oil.
12 INkosi yasimnika uSolomoni inhlakanipho njengokutsho kwayo kuye. Kwasekusiba khona ukuthula phakathi kukaHiramu loSolomoni; benza isivumelwano bobabili.
And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as He had promised him. There was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty.
13 Inkosi uSolomoni yabutha izibhalwa kuIsrayeli wonke; lezibhalwa zazingabantu abazinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amathathu.
Then King Solomon conscripted a labor force of 30,000 men from all Israel.
14 Yasibathuma eLebhanoni, abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi ngenyanga ngamazopho, inyanga beseLebhanoni, inyanga ezimbili besekhaya. LoAdoniramu wayephezu kwezibhalwa.
He sent them to Lebanon in monthly shifts of 10,000 men, so that they would spend one month in Lebanon and two months at home. And Adoniram was in charge of the forced labor.
15 Futhi uSolomoni wayelabayizinkulungwane ezingamatshumi ayisikhombisa abathwala imithwalo, lababazi abazinkulungwane ezingamatshumi ayisificaminwembili ezintabeni,
Solomon had 70,000 porters and 80,000 stonecutters in the mountains,
16 ngaphandle kwezinduna zabaphathi bakaSolomoni, ababephethe umsebenzi, izinkulungwane ezintathu lamakhulu amathathu, ezazibusa abantu ababesenza umsebenzi.
not including his 3,300 foremen who supervised the workers.
17 Inkosi yasilaya, baletha amatshe amakhulu, amatshe aligugu, okubeka isisekelo sendlu, amatshe abaziweyo.
And the king commanded them to quarry large, costly stones to lay the foundation of the temple with dressed stones.
18 Abakhi bakaSolomoni labakhi bakaHiramu lamaGebhali basebebaza, balungisa izigodo lamatshe ukwakha indlu.
So Solomon’s and Hiram’s builders, along with the Gebalites, quarried the stone and prepared the timber and stone for the construction of the temple.
