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.
When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to test Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great caravan, including camels that bore spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones. When she had come to Solomon, she talked with him about all that was in her heart.
2 Solomoni akamjibu maswali yake yote, wala hakukuwa na jambo lolote lililokuwa gumu kwake asiweze kumwelezea.
Solomon answered all her questions. There wasn’t anything hidden from Solomon which he didn’t tell her.
3 Malkia wa Sheba alipoona hekima yote ya Solomoni na jumba la kifalme alilokuwa amejenga,
When the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house that 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 of his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his ministers, their clothing, his cup bearers and their clothing, and his ascent by which he went up to the LORD’s house, there was no more spirit in her.
5 Akamwambia mfalme, “Taarifa niliyosikia kwenye nchi yangu mwenyewe kuhusu mafanikio na hekima yako ni kweli.
She said to the king, “It was a true report that I heard in my own land of your acts and of 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.
However I didn’t believe their words until I came, and my eyes had seen it; and behold half of the greatness of your wisdom wasn’t told me. You exceed the fame that I heard!
7 Heri watu wako! Heri hawa maafisa wako wasimamao mbele yako daima na kusikia hekima yako!
Happy are your men, and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear 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.”
Blessed be the LORD your God, who delighted in you and set you on his throne to be king for the LORD your God, because your God loved Israel, to establish them forever. Therefore he made you king over them, to do justice and righteousness.”
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 gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, spices in great abundance, and precious stones. There was never before such spice as 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.
The servants of Huram and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, also brought algum trees 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 algum tree wood to make terraces for the LORD’s house and for the king’s house, and harps and stringed instruments for the singers. There were none like these 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 to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, more than that which she had brought to the king. So she turned and went to her own land, she and her servants.
13 Uzito wa dhahabu ambayo Solomoni alipokea kwa mwaka ulikuwa talanta 666,
Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold,
14 mbali na mapato yaliyoletwa na wafanyabiashara na wachuuzi. Wafalme wote wa Arabuni na watawala wa nchi wakamletea Solomoni dhahabu na fedha.
in addition to that which the traders and merchants brought. All the kings of Arabia and the governors of the country 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 large shields of beaten gold. Six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one large shield.
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 made three hundred shields of beaten gold. Three hundred shekels of gold went to one shield. The king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.
17 Kisha mfalme akatengeneza kiti kikubwa cha kifalme kwa kutumia pembe za ndovu na kukifunika kwa dhahabu safi.
Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid 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.
There were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and armrests on either side by the place of the seat, and two 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 there on the one side and on the other on the six steps. There was nothing like it made in any other 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 King Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. Silver was not considered valuable 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.
For the king had ships that went to Tarshish with Huram’s servants. Once every three years, the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
22 Mfalme Solomoni alikuwa mkuu zaidi kwa utajiri na hekima kuliko wafalme wote wa dunia.
So King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches 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 sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.
24 Mwaka baada ya mwaka, kila mmoja ambaye alikuja, alileta zawadi, vyombo vya fedha na dhahabu, majoho, silaha na vikolezi, farasi na nyumbu.
They each brought tribute: vessels of silver, vessels of gold, clothing, armour, spices, horses, and mules every year.
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 that he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king at 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 River even to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of 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 common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedars to be as abundant as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland.
28 Farasi wa Solomoni waliletwa kutoka Misri na kutoka nchi nyingine zote.
They brought horses for Solomon out of Egypt and out of all 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?
Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, aren’t they written in the history of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat?
30 Solomoni alitawala Israeli yote miaka arobaini, akiwa Yerusalemu.
Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel 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.
Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in his father David’s city; and Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.
