< 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.
And the queen of Saba, having; heard of the fame of Solomon in the name of the Lord, came to try him with hard 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.
And entering into Jerusalem with a great train, and riches, and camels that carried spices, and an immense quantity of gold, and precious stones, she came to king Solomon, and spoke to him all that she had in her heart.
3 Solomoni akamjibu maswali yake yote, hakukuwa na jambo lolote lililokuwa gumu kwa mfalme asiweze kumwelezea.
And Solomon informed her of all the things she proposed to him: there was not any word the king was ignorant of, and which he could not answer her.
4 Malkia wa Sheba alipoona hekima yote ya Solomoni na jumba la kifalme alilokuwa amejenga,
And when the queen of Saba saw all the wisdom of Solomon, and the house which 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.
And the meat of his table, and the apartments of his servants, and the order of his ministers, and their apparel, and the cupbearers, and the holocausts, which he offered in the house of the Lord: she had no longer any spirit in her,
6 Akamwambia mfalme, “Taarifa niliyosikia kwenye nchi yangu mwenyewe kuhusu mafanikio na hekima yako ni kweli.
And she said to the king: The report is true, which I heard in my own country,
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.
Concerning thy words, and concerning thy wisdom. And I did not believe them that told me, till I came myself, and saw with my own eyes, and have found that the half hath not been told me: thy wisdom and thy works, exceed the fame which I heard.
8 Heri watu wako! Heri hawa maafisa wako wasimamao mbele yako daima na kusikia hekima yako!
Blessed are thy men, and blessed are thy servants, who stand before thee always, and hear thy 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 thy God, whom thou hast pleased, and who hath set thee upon the throne of Israel, because the Lord hath loved Israel for ever, and hath appointed thee king, to do judgment and justice.
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.
And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices a very great store, and precious stones: there was brought no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Saba 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 navy also of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought from Ophir great plenty of thyine trees, 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.)
And the king made of the thyine trees the rails of the house of the Lord, and of the king’s house, and citterns and harps for singers: there were no such thyine trees as these brought, nor seen unto 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.
And king Solomon gave the queen of Saba all that she desired, and asked of him: besides what he offered he himself of his royal bounty. And she returned, and went to her own country with her servants.
14 Uzito wa dhahabu ambayo Solomoni alipokea kwa mwaka ulikuwa talanta 666,
And the weight of the gold that was brought to Solomon every year, was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold:
15 mbali na mapato kutoka kwa wafanyabiashara na wachuuzi, na kutoka kwa wafalme wote wa Kiarabu na watawala wa nchi.
Besides that which the men brought him that were over the tributes, and the merchants, and they that sold by retail, and all the kings of Arabia, and the governors of the country.
16 Mfalme Solomoni akatengeneza ngao kubwa 200 kwa dhahabu iliyofuliwa; kila ngao ilikuwa na dhahabu yenye uzito wa shekeli 600
And Solomon made two hundred shields of the purest gold: he allowed six hundred sides of gold for the plates of one 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.
And three hundred targets of fine gold: three hundred pounds of gold covered one target: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Libanus.
18 Kisha mfalme akatengeneza kiti kikubwa cha kifalme kwa kutumia pembe za ndovu na kukifunika kwa dhahabu safi.
King Solomon also made a great throne of ivory: and overlaid it with the finest 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.
It had six steps: and the top of the throne was round behind: and there were two hands on either side holding the seat: and two lions stood, one at each hand.
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.
And twelve little lions stood upon the six steps on the one side and on the other: there was no such work made in 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.
Moreover all the vessels, out of which king Solomon drank, were of gold: and all the furniture of the house of the forest of Libanus was of most pure gold: there was no silver, nor was any account made of it 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’s navy, once in three years, went with the navy of Hiram by sea to Tharsis, and brought from thence gold, and silver, and elephants’ teeth, and apes, and peacocks.
23 Mfalme Solomoni alikuwa mkuu zaidi kwa utajiri na hekima kuliko wafalme wote wa dunia.
And king Solomon exceeded 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.
And all the earth desired to see Solomon’s face, to hear his wisdom, which God had given 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.
And every one brought him presents, vessels of silver and of gold, garments and armour, and spices, and horses and mules every year.
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.
And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen, and he had a thousand four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horseman: and he bestowed them in fenced cities, and with the king in Jerusalem.
27 Mfalme akafanya fedha kuwa kitu cha kawaida kama mawe huko Yerusalemu, mierezi akaifanya kuwa mingi kama mikuyu vilimani.
And he made silver to be as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones: and cedars to be as common as sycamores which grow in the plains.
28 Farasi wa Solomoni waliletwa kutoka Misri na kutoka Kue. Wafanyabiashara wa mfalme waliwanunua kutoka Kue.
And horses were brought for Solomon out of Egypt, and Coa: for the king’s merchants brought them out of Coa, and bought them at a set price.
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.
And a chariot of four horses came out of Egypt, for six hundred sides of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. And after this manner did all the kings of the Hethites, and of Syria, sell horses.