< 1 Wafalme 3 >
1 Solomoni akafanya urafiki na Mfalme Farao wa Misri na kumwoa binti yake. Akamleta huyo binti katika Mji wa Daudi mpaka alipomaliza kujenga jumba lake la kifalme na Hekalu la Bwana, pamoja na ukuta kuzunguka Yerusalemu.
And Solomon allied himself by marriage with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had ended building his own house, and the house of Jehovah, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.
2 Hata hivyo, watu bado walikuwa wakitoa dhabihu huko kwenye vilima, kwa sababu Hekalu lilikuwa bado halijajengwa kwa ajili ya Jina la Bwana.
Only, the people sacrificed on the high places; for there was no house built to the name of Jehovah, until those days.
3 Solomoni akaonyesha upendo wake kwa Bwana kwa kuenenda sawasawa na amri za Daudi baba yake, ila yeye alitoa dhabihu na kufukiza uvumba huko mahali pa juu.
And Solomon loved Jehovah, walking in the statutes of David his father; only, he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.
4 Mfalme akaenda Gibeoni kutoa dhabihu, kwa maana ndipo palipokuwa mahali pa juu pa kuabudia, naye Solomoni akatoa sadaka elfu moja za kuteketezwa juu ya hayo madhabahu.
And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt-offerings did Solomon offer up upon that altar.
5 Bwana akamtokea Solomoni huko Gibeoni wakati wa usiku katika ndoto, naye Mungu akasema, “Omba lolote utakalo nikupe.”
In Gibeon Jehovah appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.
6 Solomoni akajibu, “Umemfanyia mtumishi wako, baba yangu Daudi, fadhili nyingi, kwa kuwa alikuwa mwaminifu kwako na mwenye haki, tena mnyofu wa moyo. Nawe umemzidishia fadhili hii kuu kwani umempa mwana wa kuketi kwenye kiti chake cha ufalme, kama ilivyo leo.
And Solomon said, Thou hast shewn unto thy servant David my father great loving-kindness, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great loving-kindness, that thou hast given him a son who sits upon his throne, as it is this day.
7 “Sasa, Ee Bwana Mungu wangu, umemfanya mtumishi wako mfalme badala ya baba yangu Daudi. Lakini mimi ni mtoto mdogo tu, wala sijui jinsi ya kutekeleza wajibu wangu.
And now, Jehovah my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father; and I am but a little child: I know not to go out and to come in.
8 Mtumishi wako yuko hapa miongoni mwa watu uliowachagua: taifa kubwa, watu wengi wasioweza kuhesabika wala kutoa idadi yao.
And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
9 Hivyo mpe mtumishi wako moyo wa ufahamu ili kutawala watu wako na kupambanua kati ya mema na mabaya. Kwa maana, ni nani awezaye kutawala watu wako hawa walio wengi hivi?”
Give therefore to thy servant an understanding heart, to judge thy people, to discern between good and bad; for who is able to judge this thy numerous people?
10 Bwana akapendezwa kwamba Solomoni ameliomba jambo hili.
And the word pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
11 Basi Mungu akamwambia, “Kwa kuwa umeomba neno hili na hukuomba maisha marefu au upate utajiri kwa nafsi yako, wala adui zako wafe, bali umeomba ufahamu katika kutoa haki,
And God said to him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life, neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies, but hast asked for thyself discernment to understand judgment;
12 nitafanya lile uliloomba. Nitakupa moyo wa hekima na wa ufahamu, kiasi kwamba hajakuwepo mtu mwingine kama wewe, wala kamwe hatakuwepo baada yako.
behold, I have done according to thy word: behold, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart, so that there hath been none like unto thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.
13 Zaidi ya hayo, nitakupa yale ambayo hukuomba, yaani utajiri na heshima, ili kwamba maisha yako yote hapatakuwa na mtu kama wewe miongoni mwa wafalme.
And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and glory; so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.
14 Nawe kama ukienenda katika njia zangu na kutii sheria na amri zangu kama baba yako Daudi alivyofanya, nitakupa maisha marefu.”
And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will prolong thy days.
15 Ndipo Solomoni akaamka, akatambua kuwa ilikuwa ndoto. Akarudi Yerusalemu, akasimama mbele ya Sanduku la Agano la Bwana, naye akatoa dhabihu za kuteketezwa na sadaka za amani. Kisha akawafanyia watumishi wake wote karamu.
And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and offered up burnt-offerings, and offered peace-offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.
16 Basi wanawake wawili makahaba walikuja kwa mfalme na kusimama mbele yake.
Then came two women, harlots, to the king, and stood before him.
17 Mmojawapo akasema, “Bwana wangu, mimi na mwanamke huyu tunaishi kwenye nyumba moja. Nilikuwa nimezaa alipokuwa pamoja nami.
And the first woman said, Ah, my lord! I and this woman abode in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house.
18 Siku ya tatu baada ya mtoto wangu kuzaliwa, mwanamke huyu pia naye akazaa mtoto. Tulikuwa peke yetu, hapakuwa na mtu mwingine yeyote katika nyumba isipokuwa sisi wawili.
And it came to pass the third day after I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also; and we were together; no stranger was with us in the house, only we two were in the house.
19 “Wakati wa usiku mwana wa huyu mwanamke akafa kwa sababu alimlalia.
And this woman's child died in the night; because she had lain upon it.
20 Hivyo akaondoka katikati ya usiku na kumchukua mwanangu kutoka ubavuni pangu wakati mimi mtumishi wako nilipokuwa nimelala. Akamweka kifuani mwake na kumweka mwanawe aliyekufa kifuani mwangu.
And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thy handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead son in my bosom.
21 Asubuhi yake, nikaamka ili kumnyonyesha mwanangu, naye alikuwa amekufa! Lakini nilipomwangalia sana katika nuru ya asubuhi, niliona kuwa hakuwa yule mwana niliyekuwa nimemzaa.”
And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead; and I considered it in the morning, and behold, it was not my son, whom I bore.
22 Huyo mwanamke mwingine akasema, “Hapana! Mwana aliye hai ndiye wangu, aliyekufa ni wako.” Lakini yule wa kwanza akasisitiza, “Hapana! Mwana aliyekufa ni wako, aliye hai ni wangu.” Hivi ndivyo walivyobishana mbele ya mfalme.
And the other woman said, No, for the living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And this one said, No, but the dead is thy son, and the living is my son. Thus they spoke before the king.
23 Mfalme akasema, “Huyu anasema, ‘Mwanangu ndiye aliye hai, na aliyekufa ndiye mwanao,’ maadamu yule anasema, ‘Hapana! Aliyekufa ni wako, na aliye hai ni wangu.’”
Then said the king, The one says, This that is living is my son, and thy son is the dead; and the other says, No, for thy son is the dead, and my son is the living.
24 Kisha mfalme akasema, “Nileteeni upanga.” Basi wakamletea mfalme upanga.
And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king.
25 Ndipo mfalme akatoa amri: “Mkate mtoto aliye hai vipande viwili; mpe huyu nusu na mwingine nusu.”
And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.
26 Mwanamke ambaye mwanawe alikuwa hai akajawa na huruma kwa ajili ya mwanawe na kumwambia mfalme, “Tafadhali, bwana wangu, mpe yeye mtoto aliye hai! Usimuue!” Lakini yule mwanamke mwingine akasema, “Mkate vipande viwili. Asiwe wangu au wake!”
Then spoke the woman whose was the living child to the king, for her bowels yearned over her son, and she said, Ah, my lord! give her the living child, and in no wise put it to death. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine; divide it.
27 Kisha mfalme akatoa uamuzi wake: “Mpeni mama wa kwanza mtoto aliye hai. Msimuue; ndiye mama yake.”
And the king answered and said, Give this one the living child, and in no wise put it to death: she is its mother.
28 Wakati Israeli yote iliposikia hukumu aliyotoa mfalme, wakamwogopa mfalme, kwa sababu waliona kuwa alikuwa na hekima kutoka kwa Mungu kwa kutoa haki.
And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do justice.