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
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 Selemani, akamwambia yaliyokuwa moyoni mwake. Selemani akamjibu maswaali yake yote; hakuna kitu kilichokuwa kigumu sana kwa Selemani; hakuna swali ambalo hakulijibu.
Solomon answered all her questions. There wasn’t anything hidden from Solomon which he didn’t tell her.
3 Malikia wa Sheba alipoiona hekima ya Selemani na ikulu aliyokuwa amejenga,
When the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house that 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 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 Akasema kwa mfalme, “Ni kweli, taarifa ninioisikia katika nchi yangu kuhusu maneno yako na hekima yako.
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 Sikuamini nilichokisika mpaka nilipokuja hapa, na sasa macho yangu yamekiona. Sikuambiwa nusu kuhusu hekima yako na utajiri wako! Umeuzidi umaarufu niliokuwa nimesikia kuhusu wewe.
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 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).
Happy are your men, and happy are these your servants, 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 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 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.
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 Hiramau na wa mfalme Selemani, ambaye alileta dhahabu kutoka Ofiri, 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 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 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 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 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 Sasa uzito wa dhahabu ambayo ililetwa kwa Selemani ndani ya mwaka mmoja ulikuwa talanta 666 za dhahabu,
Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold,
14 nje na dhahabu ambayo waliileta wachukuzi na wafanya biashara. Walme wote wa Arabuni na maliwali katika nchi pia wakamletea Selemanai 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 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 beaten gold. Six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one large 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 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 atengeneza kiti cha enzi kikubwa cha pembe na kufunika kwa dhahabu safi.
Moreover 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.
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 juu ya zile ngazi, mmoja kila upande wa ngazi sita.
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 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 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 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 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 Kwa hiyo Mfalme Selemani aliawazidi utajiri na hekima wafalme wote wa dunia.
So King Solomon exceeded 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 the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which 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.
They each brought tribute: vessels of silver, vessels of gold, clothing, armour, spices, horses, and mules every year.
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 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 Akatawala juu ya wafalme wote kutoka mto Efrati hadi nchi ya Wafilisti, na hadi mpaka wa Misiri.
He ruled over all the kings from the River even to the land of the Philistines, and to 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 he made cedars to be as abundant as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland.
28 Wakaleta farasi kutoka Misri na kutoka nchi zote kwa ajili ya Selemani.
They brought horses for Solomon out of Egypt and out of all 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?
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 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.
Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in his father David’s city; and Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.
