1 Wafalme 5
1 Hiramu mfalme wa Tiro aliwatuma watumishi wake kwa Sulemani kwa kuwa alisikia kuwa walikuwa wamemtawaza kuwa mfalme mahali pa baba yake, kwani Hiramu alimpenda 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 Sulemani akatuma ujumbe kwa Hiramu, akisema,
And Solomon relayed this message to Hiram:
3 “Unajua kuwa Daudi baba yangu hakujenga nyumba kwa jina la BWANA, Mungu wake kwa sababu ya vile vita vilivyomzunguka, kwa kuwa wakati wa uhai wake BWANA alikuwa akiweka maadui wake chini ya nyayo za 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 amenipa mimi pumziko toka pande zote. Hakuna maadui wala majanga.
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 jina la BWANA, Mungu wangu, kama BWANA alivyosema kwa Daudi baba yangu, akisema, 'Mwanao ambaye nitamweka kwenye kiti chako cha enzi mahali pako, ndiye atakayenijengea hekalu kwa 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 Kwa hiyo sasa amuru wakate mierezi kutoka Lebanoni kwa ajili yangu. Watumishi wangu wataungana na watumishi wako, nami nitakulipa kwa ajili ya watumishi wako ili kwamba upate malipo mazuri kwa kila kitu utakchokubali kukifanya. Kwa kuwa unajua kuwa hakuna mtu mioingoni mwetu anayejua 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 maneno ya Sulemani, akafurahi sana akasema, “BWANA na abarikiwe leo, ambaye amempa Daudi mwana wa hekiima juu ya kundi 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 Sulemani, akisema, “Nimeupata ujumbe ule ulionitumia. Nitatoa miti yote ya mierezi na miti ya miberoshi ambayo unahitaji.
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 Watumishi wangu wataileta miti kutoka Lebanoni hadi baharini, nami nitaiendesha baharini mpaka mahali utakaponielekeza. Nitaigawa pale, nawe utaichukua. Utafanya kile ninachohitaji kwa kuwapa chakula watumishi wangu.”
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 hiyo Hiramu akampa Sulemani miti yote ya mierezi na miti ya miberoshi ambayo alihitaji.
So Hiram provided Solomon with all the cedar and cypress timber he wanted,
11 Sulemani akampa Hiramu kori ishirini elfu za ngano kwa ajili ya chakula cha watumishi wake na kori ishirii za mafuta safi. Sulemani akavitoa hivi kwa Hiramu mwaka baad 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 Sulemani hekima, kama alivyokuwa amemwahidi. Kulikuwa na amani kati ya Hiramu na Sulemani na wote wawili wakafanya agano.
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 Sulemani akaandaa wafanya kazi kutoka Israeli yote. Idadi ya watenda kazi walioandaliwa ilikuwa wanaume elfu thelathini.
Then King Solomon conscripted a labor force of 30,000 men from all Israel.
14 Aliwatuma kwenda Lebanoni, aliwatuma kwa zamu ya watu elfu kumi kila mwezi. Kwa mwezi mmoja walienda Lebanoni na miezi miwili walikaa nyumbani. Adoniramu ndiye aliyekuwa msimamizi wa watenda kazi.
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 Sulemani alikuwa na watu elfu sabini waliokuwa wabeba mizigo na watu elfu themanini wa kukata mawe milimani,
Solomon had 70,000 porters and 80,000 stonecutters in the mountains,
16 zaidi ya hao, walikuwepo maakida 3, 300 ambao pia waliokuwa wakiisimamia hiyo kazi.
not including his 3,300 foremen who supervised the workers.
17 Kwa amri ya mfalme walileta mawe makubwa ya thamani kwa ajili ya kulaza kwenye msingi wa hekalu.
And the king commanded them to quarry large, costly stones to lay the foundation of the temple with dressed stones.
18 Kwa hiyo wajenzi wa Sulemani na wajenzi wa Hiramu na Wagebaliti walifanya kazi ya kukata na kuandaa mbao 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.
