1 Wafalme 10
1 Malkia wa Sheba aliposikia habari za umaarufu wa Solomoni na uhusiano wake na jina la Bwana, akaja kumjaribu kwa maswali magumu.
Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with difficult questions.
2 Alifika Yerusalemu akiwa na msafara mkubwa sana: pamoja na ngamia waliobeba vikolezi, kiasi kikubwa cha dhahabu na vito vya thamani; alikuja kwa Solomoni na kuzungumza naye kuhusu yote ambayo alikuwa nayo moyoni mwake.
She arrived in Jerusalem with a very large caravan—with camels bearing spices, gold in great abundance, and precious stones. So she came to Solomon and spoke to him all that was on her mind.
3 Solomoni akamjibu maswali yake yote, hakukuwa na jambo lolote lililokuwa gumu kwa mfalme asiweze kumwelezea.
And Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for the king to explain.
4 Malkia wa Sheba alipoona hekima yote ya Solomoni na jumba la kifalme alilokuwa amejenga,
When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon, the palace he had built,
5 chakula kilichokuwa mezani pake, jinsi maafisa wake walivyokaa, wahudumu katika majoho yao, wanyweshaji wake na sadaka za kuteketezwa alizotoa katika hekalu la Bwana, alipatwa na mshangao.
the food at his table, the seating of his servants, the service and attire of his attendants and cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he presented at the house of the LORD, it took her breath away.
6 Akamwambia mfalme, “Taarifa niliyosikia kwenye nchi yangu mwenyewe kuhusu mafanikio na hekima yako ni kweli.
She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your words and wisdom is true.
7 Lakini sikuamini mambo haya hadi nilipokuja na kuona kwa macho yangu mwenyewe. Naam, sikuambiwa hata nusu yake; katika hekima na mali umezidi sana ile taarifa niliyoisikia.
But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told to me. Your wisdom and prosperity have far exceeded the report I heard.
8 Heri watu wako! Heri hawa maafisa wako wasimamao mbele yako daima na kusikia hekima yako!
How blessed are your men! How blessed are these servants of yours who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom!
9 Ahimidiwe Bwana Mungu wako, ambaye amependezwa sana nawe na kukuweka juu ya kiti cha ufalme cha Israeli. Kwa sababu ya upendo wake Bwana wa milele ajili ya Israeli, amekufanya mfalme, ili kudumisha haki na uadilifu.”
Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you to set you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD’s eternal love for Israel, He has made you king to carry out justice and righteousness.”
10 Naye akampa mfalme talanta 120 za dhahabu, kiasi kikubwa sana cha vikolezi na vito vya thamani. Haikuwahi kamwe kuletwa tena vikolezi vingi hivyo kuletwa kama vile malkia wa Sheba alivyompa Mfalme Solomoni.
Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again was such an abundance of spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
11 (Meli za Hiramu zilileta dhahabu kutoka Ofiri; tena kutoka huko zilileta shehena kubwa ya miti ya msandali na vito vya thamani.
(The fleet of Hiram that brought gold from Ophir also brought from Ophir a great cargo of almug wood and precious stones.
12 Mfalme akatumia miti ya msandali kuwa nguzo ya Hekalu la Bwana na kwa jumba la kifalme, pia kwa kutengeneza vinubi na zeze kwa ajili ya waimbaji. Kiasi hicho kingi cha msandali hakijawahi kuingizwa au kuonekana humo tangu siku ile.)
The king made the almug wood into steps for the house of the LORD and for the king’s palace, and into lyres and harps for the singers. Never before had such almug wood been brought in, nor has such been seen to this day.)
13 Mfalme Solomoni akampa malkia wa Sheba kila kitu alichotamani na kukiomba, kando na vile mfalme alivyokuwa amempa kwa ukarimu wake wa kifalme. Kisha malkia akaondoka na kurudi katika nchi yake, yeye na watumishi wake.
King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired—whatever she asked—besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she left and returned to her own country, along with her servants.
14 Uzito wa dhahabu ambayo Solomoni alipokea kwa mwaka ulikuwa talanta 666,
The weight of gold that came to Solomon each year was 666 talents,
15 mbali na mapato kutoka kwa wafanyabiashara na wachuuzi, na kutoka kwa wafalme wote wa Kiarabu na watawala wa nchi.
not including the revenue from the merchants, traders, and all the Arabian kings and governors of the land.
16 Mfalme Solomoni akatengeneza ngao kubwa 200 kwa dhahabu iliyofuliwa; kila ngao ilikuwa na dhahabu yenye uzito wa shekeli 600
King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of gold went into each shield.
17 Akatengeneza pia ngao ndogo 300 za dhahabu iliyofuliwa, kila ngao ikiwa na uzito wa mane tatu za dhahabu. Mfalme akaziweka katika Jumba la Kifalme la Msitu wa Lebanoni.
He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; three minas of gold went into each shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.
18 Kisha mfalme akatengeneza kiti kikubwa cha kifalme kwa kutumia pembe za ndovu na kukifunika kwa dhahabu safi.
Additionally, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold.
19 Kiti hicho kilikuwa na ngazi sita na egemeo la nyuma lilikuwa la mviringo kwa juu. Pande zote za kiti kulikuwa na mahali pa kuegemeza mikono, na simba wawili wakisimama kando ya hiyo mikono.
The throne had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, with a lion standing beside each armrest.
20 Simba kumi na wawili walisimama kwenye ngazi sita, mmoja katika kila upande wa kila ngazi. Hakuna kitu kama hicho kilichokuwa kimefanyika kwenye ufalme mwingine wowote.
Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like this had ever been made for any kingdom.
21 Vikombe vyote vya Mfalme Solomoni vya kunywea vilikuwa vya dhahabu na vyombo vyote vya nyumbani katika Jumba la Kifalme la Msitu wa Lebanoni vilikuwa vya dhahabu safi. Hakukuwa na kitu kilichotengenezwa kwa fedha, kwa sababu fedha ilionekana ya thamani ndogo siku za Solomoni.
All King Solomon’s drinking cups were gold, and all the utensils of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. There was no silver, because it was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon.
22 Mfalme alikuwa na meli nyingi za biashara baharini zilizokuwa zikiandamana na meli za Hiramu. Kwa mara moja kila miaka mitatu zilirudi, zikiwa zimebeba dhahabu, fedha, pembe za ndovu na nyani wakubwa na wadogo.
For the king had the ships of Tarshish at sea with Hiram’s fleet, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
23 Mfalme Solomoni alikuwa mkuu zaidi kwa utajiri na hekima kuliko wafalme wote wa dunia.
So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.
24 Dunia yote ikatafuta kukutana na Solomoni ili kusikia hekima ambayo Mungu alikuwa ameiweka katika moyo wake.
The whole world sought an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom that God had put in his heart.
25 Mwaka baada ya mwaka, kila mmoja ambaye alikuja alileta zawadi: vyombo vya fedha na dhahabu, majoho, silaha na vikolezi, farasi na nyumbu.
Year after year, each visitor would bring his tribute: articles of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.
26 Solomoni akakusanya magari ya vita na farasi. Alikuwa na magari 1,400 na farasi 12,000, ambayo aliyaweka katika miji ya magari na mengine akawa nayo huko Yerusalemu.
Solomon accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.
27 Mfalme akafanya fedha kuwa kitu cha kawaida kama mawe huko Yerusalemu, mierezi akaifanya kuwa mingi kama mikuyu vilimani.
The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as abundant as sycamore in the foothills.
28 Farasi wa Solomoni waliletwa kutoka Misri na kutoka Kue. Wafanyabiashara wa mfalme waliwanunua kutoka Kue.
Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and Kue; the royal merchants purchased them from Kue.
29 Waliagiza magari kutoka Misri kwa bei ya shekeli 600 za fedha na farasi kwa shekeli 150. Pia waliwauza nje kwa wafalme wote wa Wahiti na wa Waaramu.
A chariot could be imported from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. Likewise, they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Aram.
