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.
When Hiram king of Tyre heard that Solomon had been anointed king to succeed his father, he sent ambassadors to Solomon because Hiram had always been David's friend.
2 Solomoni akapeleka ujumbe huu kwa Hiramu:
So Solomon sent this message back 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 know, my father David was not able to build a Temple to honor the Lord his God because of the wars fought against him from every direction, until the Lord had conquered his enemies.
4 Lakini sasa Bwana Mungu wangu amenipa utulivu kila upande hakuna adui wala maafa.
But now the Lord my God has given me peace all around—no enemies, no bad things happening.
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 I plan to build a Temple to honor the Lord my God, as the Lord told my father David. He said to him, ‘Your son whom I will place on your throne to succeed you will build the Temple to honor me.’
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.”
So please order some cedars of Lebanon to be cut down for me. My workers will assist your workers, and I will pay your workers at the rate that you decide, for you know that we don't have anyone who knows how to cut timber like 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 heard Solomon's message, he was very happy and said, “Praise the Lord today, for he has given David a wise son to lead this great nation!”
8 Hiramu akatuma neno kwa Solomoni: “Nimepokea ujumbe ulionipelekea na nitafanya yote unayohitaji katika kukupatia magogo ya mierezi na misunobari.
Hiram sent this reply to Solomon: “Thank you for your message. As for the cedar and cypress timber, I will do everything you want.
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 workers will bring the logs down from Lebanon to the sea, and I will have them floated in rafts by sea to wherever you decide. I will have the rafts broken apart there, and you can take the logs away. In return I would like you to provide food for my household.”
10 Kwa njia hii Hiramu akampa Solomoni miti yote ya mierezi na magogo ya misunobari kama alivyohitaji,
So Hiram provided Solomon with as much cedar and cypress timber that 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.
Solomon gave Hiram 20,000 cors of wheat for food and 20,000 cors of olive oil for his household. Solomon provided this to Hiram every year.
12 Bwana akampa Solomoni hekima, kama alivyomwahidi. Palikuwepo na uhusiano wa amani kati ya Hiramu na Solomoni, na wote wawili wakafanya mkataba.
The Lord gave Solomon wisdom just as he had promised him. Hiram and Solomon had a good relationship and they made a peace treaty with each other.
13 Mfalme Solomoni akakusanya wafanyakazi 30,000 kutoka Israeli yote.
King Solomon drafted a labor force of 30,000 from all of 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 in shifts of 10,000 each month to Lebanon, so that they were one month in Lebanon and two months at home, Adoniram was in charge of the labor force.
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 hill country,
16 pamoja na wasimamizi 3,300 ambao walisimamia kazi hiyo na kuwaongoza wafanyakazi.
as well as 3,300 foremen he placed in charge of 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.
Following the king's orders, they quarried large blocks of stone that were expensive to produce, and laid these dressed stones as the foundation for the Temple.
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, together with the Gebalites, cut the stone. They prepared the timber and stone to build the Temple.
