2 Nyakati 9
1 Malkia wa Sheba aliposikia habari za umaarufu wa Solomoni, huyo malkia akaja Yerusalemu kumjaribu kwa maswali magumu. Alifika 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.
The queen of Sheba heard how famous Solomon was, so she came to Jerusalem to test him with tough questions. She brought with her a very large entourage, with camels loaded with spices, large amounts of gold, and precious gemstones. She came to Solomon and asked him about everything she had on her mind.
2 Solomoni akamjibu maswali yake yote, wala hakukuwa na jambo lolote lililokuwa gumu kwake asiweze kumwelezea.
Solomon answered all her questions. There was nothing he couldn't explain to her.
3 Malkia wa Sheba alipoona hekima yote ya Solomoni na jumba la kifalme alilokuwa amejenga,
When the queen of Sheba saw Solomon's wisdom, and the palace he had built,
4 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 on the table, how his officials lived, how his servants operated and how they were dressed, the clothes of the waiters, and the burnt offerings he presented at the Lord's Temple, she was so astonished she could hardly breathe.
5 Akamwambia mfalme, “Taarifa niliyosikia kwenye nchi yangu mwenyewe kuhusu mafanikio na hekima yako ni kweli.
She told the king, “It's true what I heard in my own country about your proverbs and your wisdom!
6 Lakini sikuamini yaliyosemwa hadi nilipokuja na kuona kwa macho yangu mwenyewe. Naam, sikuambiwa hata nusu yake; katika hekima na mali umezidi sana kuliko ile taarifa niliyoisikia.
But I didn't believe what they told me until I came and saw with my own eyes. In fact, I wasn't told the half of it—the extent of your wisdom far exceeds what I heard!
7 Heri watu wako! Heri hawa maafisa wako wasimamao mbele yako daima na kusikia hekima yako!
How happy your people must be! How happy those who work for you, who stand here every day listening to your wisdom!
8 Ahimidiwe Bwana Mungu wako, ambaye amependezwa sana nawe, na akakuweka juu ya kiti chake cha ufalme utawale kwa niaba ya Bwana Mungu wako. Kwa sababu ya upendo wa Mungu wako kwa Israeli na shauku yake ya kuwadhibitisha milele, amekufanya wewe mfalme juu yao, ili kudumisha haki na uadilifu.”
Praise the Lord your God who is so pleased with you, who placed you on his throne as king to rule on his behalf. Because of the love of your God for Israel he has made them secure forever, and he has made you king over them to do what is fair and right.”
9 Naye akampa mfalme talanta 120 za dhahabu, kiasi kikubwa cha vikolezi na vito vya thamani. Haikuwahi kamwe kuletwa vikolezi vizuri kama vile Malkia wa Sheba alivyompa Mfalme Solomoni.
She presented the king with one hundred and twenty talents of gold, huge amounts of spices and precious stones. Never before had there been spices like those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
10 (Watumishi wa Hiramu na wa Solomoni wakaleta dhahabu kutoka Ofiri, tena wakaleta shehena kubwa ya miti ya msandali na vito vya thamani.
(Hiram and of Solomon's men, who brought gold from Ophir, also brought algum wood and precious stones.
11 Mfalme akatumia hiyo miti ya msandali kuwa ngazi kwa ajili 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 Yuda tangu siku ile.)
The king used the algum wood to make steps for the Temple and for the royal palace, and into lyres and harps for the musicians. Nothing like them had ever been seen before in the land of Judah.)
12 Mfalme Solomoni akampa Malkia wa Sheba kila kitu alichotamani na kukiomba, zaidi ya vile alivyokuwa amemletea mfalme. Kisha malkia akaondoka na kurudi katika nchi yake, yeye na watumishi wake.
King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all wanted, whatever she asked for. This was far more than she had brought the king. Then she and her attendants returned home to her own country.
13 Uzito wa dhahabu ambayo Solomoni alipokea kwa mwaka ulikuwa talanta 666,
The weight of gold that Solomon received each year was 666 talents,
14 mbali na mapato yaliyoletwa na wafanyabiashara na wachuuzi. Wafalme wote wa Arabuni na watawala wa nchi wakamletea Solomoni dhahabu na fedha.
not including that received from traders and merchants. All the kings of Arabia and governors of the land also brought gold and silver to Solomon.
15 Mfalme Solomoni akatengeneza ngao kubwa 200 kwa dhahabu iliyofuliwa. Kila ngao ilikuwa na dhahabu yenye uzito wa shekeli 600
King Solomon made two hundred shields of hammered gold. Each shield required six hundred shekels of hammered gold.
16 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. Each of these shields required three hundred gold coins. The king placed them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.
17 Kisha mfalme akatengeneza kiti kikubwa cha kifalme kwa kutumia pembe za ndovu na kukifunika kwa dhahabu safi.
The king also made a great throne of ivory, and covered it with pure gold.
18 Kiti hicho kilikuwa na ngazi sita na mahali pa kuwekea miguu vyote vya dhahabu. Pande zote za kiti kulikuwa na mahali pa kuegemeza mikono, na simba wawili wakisimama kando ya hiyo mikono.
The throne had six steps, with a golden footstool attached. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, with lions standing beside the armrests.
19 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 on opposite ends of each step. Nothing like this had ever been made for any kingdom.
20 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 wakati wa Solomoni.
All of King Solomon's drinking cups were gold, and all the utensils of the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. No silver was used, because it was not valued in the days of Solomon.
21 Mfalme alikuwa na meli nyingi za biashara baharini zilizoendeshwa na watu wa Hiramu. Kwa mara moja kila miaka mitatu zilirudi, zikiwa zimebeba dhahabu, fedha, pembe za ndovu na nyani wakubwa na wadogo.
The king had a fleet of ships from Tarshish crewed by Hiram's sailors. Once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive with a cargo of gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
22 Mfalme Solomoni alikuwa mkuu zaidi kwa utajiri na hekima kuliko wafalme wote wa dunia.
King Solomon was greater than any other king on earth in wealth and wisdom.
23 Wafalme wote wa dunia wakatafuta kukutana na Solomoni ili kusikia hekima ambayo Mungu alikuwa ameiweka katika moyo wake.
All the kings of the earth wanted to meet Solomon to hear the wisdom that God had placed in his mind.
24 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, every visitor would bring gifts—articles of silver and gold, clothes, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.
25 Solomoni alikuwa na mabanda 4,000 kwa ajili ya farasi na magari ya vita, farasi 12,000 ambao aliwaweka katika miji ya magari ya vita na katika Yerusalemu pamoja naye.
Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. He kept them in the chariot towns, and also with him in Jerusalem.
26 Solomoni akatawala juu ya wafalme wote kuanzia Mto Frati mpaka kwenye nchi ya Wafilisti na kuendelea hadi mpaka wa Misri.
He ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, and to the border with Egypt.
27 Mfalme akafanya fedha kuwa kitu cha kawaida kama mawe huko Yerusalemu, mierezi akaifanya kuwa mingi kama mikuyu vilimani.
The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar wood as plentiful as sycamore-figs in the foothills.
28 Farasi wa Solomoni waliletwa kutoka Misri na kutoka nchi nyingine zote.
Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt and from many other lands.
29 Kwa habari za matukio mengine ya utawala wa Solomoni, kuanzia mwanzo hadi mwisho, je, hayakuandikwa katika kumbukumbu za nabii Nathani, katika unabii wa Ahiya Mshiloni na katika maono ya Ido mwonaji kuhusu Yeroboamu mwana wa Nebati?
The rest of the acts of Solomon, from start to finish, are written in the Records of Nathan the Prophet, in the Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the Visions of Iddo the Seer about Jeroboam, son of Nebat.
30 Solomoni alitawala Israeli yote miaka arobaini, akiwa Yerusalemu.
Solomon ruled in Jerusalem over all of Israel for forty years.
31 Kisha Solomoni akalala pamoja na baba zake, naye akazikwa katika mji wa Daudi baba yake. Naye Rehoboamu mwanawe akawa mfalme baada yake.
Then Solomon died and was buried in the city of his father David. His son Rehoboam took over as king.
