1 Wafalme 5
1 Hiramu mfalme wa Tiro aliposikia kuwa Solomoni ametiwa mafuta awe mfalme mahali pa Daudi baba yake, akatuma wajumbe kwa Solomoni, kwa sababu Hiramu siku zote alikuwa na uhusiano mzuri wa kirafiki na Daudi.
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 Solomoni akapeleka ujumbe huu kwa Hiramu:
And Solomon relayed this message to Hiram:
3 “Unajua kwamba kwa sababu ya vita vilivyopiganwa dhidi ya baba yangu Daudi kutoka pande zote, hakuweza kujenga Hekalu kwa ajili ya Jina la Bwana Mungu wake, hadi Bwana alipowaweka adui zake chini ya miguu yake.
“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 Lakini sasa Bwana Mungu wangu amenipa utulivu kila upande hakuna adui wala maafa.
But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or crisis.
5 Kwa hiyo, ninakusudia kujenga Hekalu kwa ajili ya Jina la Bwana, Mungu wangu, kama Bwana alivyomwambia baba yangu Daudi, wakati aliposema, ‘Mwanao nitakayemweka kwenye kiti cha ufalme mahali pako, ndiye atajenga Hekalu kwa ajili ya Jina langu.’
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 “Hivyo toa amri ili mierezi ya Lebanoni ikatwe kwa ajili yangu. Watu wangu watafanya kazi na watu wako, nami nitawalipa watu wako kwa ujira wowote utakaoupanga. Unajua kwamba hatuna mtu yeyote mwenye ustadi katika kukata miti kama Wasidoni.”
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 Hiramu aliposikia ujumbe wa Solomoni, akafurahishwa sana akasema, “Ahimidiwe Bwana leo, kwa kuwa amempa Daudi mwana mwenye hekima kutawala juu ya taifa hili kubwa.”
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 Hiramu akatuma neno kwa Solomoni: “Nimepokea ujumbe ulionipelekea na nitafanya yote unayohitaji katika kukupatia magogo ya mierezi na misunobari.
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 Watu wangu watayakokota kutoka Lebanoni hadi kwenye bahari, nami nitayafunga mafungu mafungu yaelee juu ya maji hadi utakapoelekeza. Huko nitayatenganisha, nawe utaweza kuyachukua. Wewe utakidhi haja yangu kwa kunipatia chakula kwa ajili ya watu wa nyumbani mwangu.”
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 Kwa njia hii Hiramu akampa Solomoni miti yote ya mierezi na magogo ya misunobari kama alivyohitaji,
So Hiram provided Solomon with all the cedar and cypress timber he wanted,
11 naye Solomoni akampa Hiramu kori 20,000 za ngano kama chakula kwa ajili ya watu wa nyumbani mwake, pamoja na mafuta safi ya zeituni yaliyokamuliwa bathi 20,000. Solomoni aliendelea kumfanyia Hiramu hivyo mwaka baada ya mwaka.
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 Bwana akampa Solomoni hekima, kama alivyomwahidi. Palikuwepo na uhusiano wa amani kati ya Hiramu na Solomoni, na wote wawili wakafanya mkataba.
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 Mfalme Solomoni akakusanya wafanyakazi 30,000 kutoka Israeli yote.
Then King Solomon conscripted a labor force of 30,000 men from all Israel.
14 Akawapeleka Lebanoni kwa zamu za watu 10,000 kwa mwezi, hivyo walikaa Lebanoni kwa mwezi mmoja na miezi miwili nyumbani. Adoniramu ndiye alikuwa kiongozi wa shokoa.
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 Solomoni alikuwa na wachukuzi wa mizigo 70,000 na wachonga mawe 80,000 huko vilimani,
Solomon had 70,000 porters and 80,000 stonecutters in the mountains,
16 pamoja na wasimamizi 3,300 ambao walisimamia kazi hiyo na kuwaongoza wafanyakazi.
not including his 3,300 foremen who supervised the workers.
17 Kwa amri ya mfalme walitoa kwenye machimbo ya mawe, mawe makubwa, yaliyo bora kwa kujengea msingi wa nyumba yaliyochongwa kwa ajili ya Hekalu.
And the king commanded them to quarry large, costly stones to lay the foundation of the temple with dressed stones.
18 Mafundi wa Solomoni, wa Hiramu na watu wa Gebali walikata na kuandaa mbao na mawe kwa ajili ya ujenzi wa Hekalu.
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.
