2 Nyakati 9
1 Malikia wa Sheba aliposikia kuhusu umaarufu wa Selemani, akaja Yerusalemu kumjaribu kwa maswali magumu. Akaja pamoja na msafara mkubwa sana, pamoja na ngamia waliosheheni manukato, dhahabu nyingi, na vito vingi vya thamani. Alipofika kwa
Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon, she came to test him with difficult questions. She arrived in Jerusalem with a very large caravan—with camels bearing spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones. So she came to Solomon and spoke with him about all that was on her mind.
2 Selemani, akamwambia yaliyokuwa moyoni mwake. Selemani akamjibu maswaali yake yote; hakuna kitu kilichokuwa kigumu sana kwa Selemani; hakuna swali ambalo hakulijibu.
And Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for him to explain.
3 Malikia wa Sheba alipoiona hekima ya Selemani na ikulu aliyokuwa amejenga,
When the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon, the palace he had built,
4 chakula mezani kwake, mahali pa kukaa watumishi wake, kazi ya watumisshi wake na mavazi yao, pia wabebakikombe na mavazi yao, na namna alivyotoa sadaka za kuteketezwa katika nyumba ya Yahwe, hapakuwa na roho zaidi ndani yake.
the food at his table, the seating of his servants, the service and attire of his attendants and cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he presented at the house of the LORD, it took her breath away.
5 Akasema kwa mfalme, “Ni kweli, taarifa ninioisikia katika nchi yangu kuhusu maneno yako na hekima yako.
She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your words and wisdom is true.
6 Sikuamini nilichokisika mpaka nilipokuja hapa, na sasa macho yangu yamekiona. Sikuambiwa nusu kuhusu hekima yako na utajiri wako! Umeuzidi umaarufu niliokuwa nimesikia kuhusu wewe.
But I did not believe the reports until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not half of the greatness of your wisdom was told to me. You have far exceeded the report I heard.
7 Wamebarikiwa watu wako, na watumishi wako ambao husimama mbele yako, kwa sababu wanaisikia hekima yako. (Baadhi ya maandiko yanasema, “Wambarikiwa wake zako”, ikidhaniwa kwamba kifungu hicho kinapaswa kusomeka kama ilivyo katika Wafalme 10: 8).
How blessed are your men! How blessed are these servants of yours who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom!
8 Amebarikiwa Yahwe Mungu wako, ambaye amepata raha ndani yako, aliyekuweka juu ya kiti chake cha enzi, ili uwe mfalme kwa ajili ya Yahwe Mungu wako. Kwa sababu Mungu wako inaipenda Israeli, ili kuwathibisha milele, amekufanya kuwa mfalme juu yao, ili ufanye hukumu na haki.
Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you to set you on His throne to be king for the LORD your God. Because your God loved Israel enough to establish them forever, He has made you king over them to carry out justice and righteousness.”
9 Akampa mfalme talanta 120 za dhahabu na kiasi kikubwa manukato na vit vya thamani. Selemani hakupewa tena kiasi kikubwa cha manukato kama hiki amabacho alipewa na malakia wa Sheba.
Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. There had never been such spices as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
10 Watumishi wa Hiramau na wa mfalme Selemani, ambaye alileta dhahabu kutoka Ofiri, miti ya msandali, na vito vya thamani.
(The servants of Hiram and of Solomon who brought gold from Ophir also brought algum wood and precious stones.
11 Kwa miti hiyo ya msandali, mfalme Selemani akatengeneza madari ya nyumba ya Yahwe na nyumba yake, na vinubi na vinanda kwa ajili ya wanamziki. Hapajaonekana tena mbao kama hiyo katika nchi ya Yuda.
The king made the algum wood into steps for the house of the LORD and for the king’s palace, and into lyres and harps for the singers. Never before had anything like them been seen in the land of Judah.)
12 Mfalme Selemani akampa malkia wa Sheba kila kitu alichotaka, chochote alichoomba, zaidi ya vile alivyoleta kwa mfalme Selemani. Kwa hiyo akaondoka na kurudi kwenye nchi yake, yeye na wataumishsi wake.
King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired—whatever she asked—far more than she had brought the king. Then she left and returned to her own country, along with her servants.
13 Sasa uzito wa dhahabu ambayo ililetwa kwa Selemani ndani ya mwaka mmoja ulikuwa talanta 666 za dhahabu,
The weight of gold that came to Solomon each year was 666 talents,
14 nje na dhahabu ambayo waliileta wachukuzi na wafanya biashara. Walme wote wa Arabuni na maliwali katika nchi pia wakamletea Selemanai dhahabu na fedha.
not including the revenue from the merchants and traders. And all the Arabian kings and governors of the land also brought gold and silver to Solomon.
15 Mfalme Selemani akatengeneza ngao kubwa mia mbili za dhahabu iliyofuliwa. Shekeli mia sita za dhahabu zikatumika kwa kila ngao.
King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of hammered gold went into each shield.
16 Pia akatengeneza ngao mia tatu za shahabu iliyopigwa. Minas tatu za dhahabu zikaenda kwa kila ngao; mfalme akaziweka kwenye ikulu ya Msitu wa Lebanoni.
He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; three hundred shekels of gold went into each shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.
17 Kisha mfalme atengeneza kiti cha enzi kikubwa cha pembe na kufunika kwa dhahabu safi.
Additionally, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold.
18 Kulikuwa na ngazi sita kwenda kwenye kiti cha enzi, na sehemu ya juu ya kiti cha enzi ilikuwa duara. Kulikuwa na mikono kila upande wa kiti, na simba wawili wamesimama pembeni na hiyo mikono.
The throne had six steps, and a footstool of gold was attached to it. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, with a lion standing beside each armrest.
19 Simba kumi na wawili walisimama juu ya zile ngazi, mmoja kila upande wa ngazi sita.
Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like this had ever been made for any kingdom.
20 Hapakuwa na kiti cha enzi kama hicho katika ufalme wowote mwingine. Vikombe vyote vya kunywea vya Selemani vilikuwa vya dhahabu, na vikombe vyote vya mfalme katika Nyumba ya Msitu wa Lebanoni vilikuwa vya dhahabu halisi. Hakuna hata kimoja kilichokuwa cha fedha kwa sababu fedha haikuchuliwa kuwa ya thamani katika siku za Selemani.
All King Solomon’s drinking cups were gold, and all the utensils of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. There was no silver, because it was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon.
21 Mfalme alikuwa na meli zilizosafiri baharini, pamoja na meli za Hiramu. Mara moja kwa mwaka meli zilileta dhahabu, fedha, na pembe, na manukato, na pia nyani na tausi.
For the king had the ships of Tarshish that went with Hiram’s servants, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
22 Kwa hiyo Mfalme Selemani aliawazidi utajiri na hekima wafalme wote wa dunia.
So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.
23 Dunia yote waliutafuta uwepo wa Selemanai ili kusikia hekima yake, ambayo Mungu alikuwa ameiweka katika moyo wake.
All the kings of the earth sought an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom that God had put in his heart.
24 Waliomtembelea walileta kodi, vyombo vya shaba na dhahabu, nguo, silaha, na manukato, na farasi na anyumbu, mwaka baada ya mwaka.
Year after year, each visitor would bring his tribute: articles of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.
25 Selemani alikuwa na mazizi elfu nne kwa ajili ya farasi na magari, na wapanda farasi kumi na mbili elfu, ambao waliwaweka katika miji ya magari na pamoja naye katika Yerusalemu.
Solomon had 4,000 stalls for horses and chariots, and 12,000 horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.
26 Akatawala juu ya wafalme wote kutoka mto Efrati hadi nchi ya Wafilisti, na hadi mpaka wa Misiri.
He reigned over all the kings from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt.
27 Mfalme alikuwa na fedha katika Yerusalemu, nyingi kama mawe juu ya aridhi. Akazifanya mbao za mierezi kuwa nyingi kama miti ya mikuyu ambayo iko nyanda za chini.
The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as abundant as sycamore in the foothills.
28 Wakaleta farasi kutoka Misri na kutoka nchi zote kwa ajili ya Selemani.
Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from all the lands.
29 Kwa mambo mengine kuhusu Selemani, mwanzo na mwisho, hayajandikwa katika Historia ya Nathani Nabii, katika unabii wa Abiya Mshinoni, na katika Maono ya Ido mwonaji wa mambo ya Yeroboamu mwana wa Nabati?
As for the rest of the acts of Solomon, from beginning to end, are they not written in the Records of Nathan the Prophet, in the Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the Visions of Iddo the Seer concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat?
30 Selemani akatawala katika Yerusalemu juu ya Israeli yote kwa miaka arobaini.
Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.
31 Akalala na babu zake na watu wakamzika katika mji wa Daudi baba yake. Rehoboamu, mwanaye, akawa mfalme katika sehemu yake.
And Solomon rested with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father David. And his son Rehoboam reigned in his place.
