1 Ahemfo 3
1 Salomo ne Misraimhene Farao yɛɛ apam, nam so waree ne babea. Ɔde no bɛtenaa Dawid kurom, kosii sɛ osii nʼahemfi sii Awurade Asɔredan, na ɔtoo Yerusalem ho fasu nso wiei.
And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon, and he made affinity with Pharao the king of Egypt: for he took his daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the Lord, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.
2 Saa bere no mu, na Israelfo bɔ afɔre wɔ sorɔnsorɔmmea, efisɛ na wonsii asɔredan, mfaa Awurade din ntoo so ɛ.
But yet the people sacrificed in the high places: far there was no temple built to the name of the Lord until that day.
3 Salomo kyerɛɛ ne dɔ a ɔwɔ ma Awurade, efisɛ na ɔnam nʼagya Dawid nkyerɛkyerɛ anammɔn so pɛpɛɛpɛ. Mmom na ɔbɔ afɔre wɔ sorɔnsorɔmmea hɔ, hyew aduhuam wɔ hɔ nso.
And Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the precepts of David his father, only he sacrificed in the high places: and burnt incense.
4 Gibeon na na afɔremuka no mu atitiriw wɔ, ɛhɔ na Salomo kɔbɔɔ ɔhyew afɔre apem wɔ afɔremuka so.
He went therefore to Gabaon, to sacrifice there: for that was the great high place: a thousand victims for holocausts did Solomon offer upon that altar in Gabaon.
5 Anadwo no, Awurade daa ne ho adi kyerɛɛ Salomo wɔ dae mu. Onyankopɔn ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Dɛn na wopɛ? Bisa na mede bɛma wo.”
And the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, saying: Ask what thou wilt that I should give thee.
6 Salomo kae se, “Woada adɔe kɛse pa ara adi akyerɛ mʼagya Dawid, efisɛ na odi wo nokware, yɛ ɔtreneeni a ne koma mu nso da hɔ. Woatoa so ayɛ no saa adɔe kɛse yi ara, na nnɛ yi ara, woama no ɔbabarima sɛ ɔntena nʼahengua nso so.
And Solomon said: Thou hast shewn great mercy to thy servant David my father, even at, he walked before thee in truth, and justice, and an upright heart with thee: and thou hast kept thy great mercy for him, and hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
7 “Afei, Awurade, me Nyankopɔn, woasi wʼakoa ɔhene, sɛ minsi mʼagya Dawid anan mu, nanso meyɛ abofra ketewaa bi a minnim sɛnea mesi ayɛ mʼadwuma.
And now, O Lord God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a child, and know not how to go out and come in.
8 Ɛha na wʼakoa abedu wɔ nnipa a woapaw wɔn no mu; nnipa a wɔn dodow nti, obi ntumi nkan wɔn.
And thy servant is in the midst of the people which thou hast chosen, an immense people, which cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
9 Ɛno nti, ma wʼakoa nhumu koma a obetumi de adi wo nkurɔfo so, na obetumi ahu papa ne bɔne ntam nsonoe. Na hena koraa na ɔno nko ara betumi adi saa ɔman a wodi mu, a wɔyɛ wo de yi so?”
Give therefore to thy servant an understanding heart, to judge thy people, and discern between good and evil. For who shall be able to judge this people, thy people which is so numerous?
10 Awurade ani sɔɔ Salomo mmuae no, na nʼani gyee sɛ obisaa nyansa.
And the word was pleasing to the Lord that Solomon had asked such a thing.
11 Enti Awurade buae se, “Esiane sɛ woabisa nyansa a wode bedi me manfo so, na woammisa nkwa tenten anaa sika amma wo ho anaa woammisa sɛ wo tamfo bi nwu no nti,
And the Lord said to Solomon: Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life or riches, nor the lives of thy enemies, but hast asked for thyself wisdom to discern judgment,
12 mede nea woabisa no bɛma wo. Mɛma wo nyansa ne ntease a obiara nnyaa bi da, na obiara nso renya bi da.
Behold I have done for thee according to thy words, and have given thee a wise and understanding heart, insomuch that there hath been no one like thee before thee, nor shall arise after thee.
13 Na nea woammisa no nso, mede bɛka wo ho—sika ne anuonyam. Na ɔhene biara a ɔwɔ wiase nso rentumi mfa ne ho nto wo ho, wo nkwa nna nyinaa mu.
Yea and the things also which thou didst not ask, I have given thee: to wit riches and glory, as that no one hath been like thee among the kings in all days heretofore.
14 Na sɛ wudi mʼakyi, na wudi me mmara so sɛ wʼagya Dawid a, mɛma wo nkwa tenten.”
And if thou wilt walk in my ways, and Beep my precepts, and my commandments, as thy father walked, I will lengthen thy days.
15 Na Salomo nyanee, na ohuu sɛ ɛyɛ dae. Ɔkɔɔ Yerusalem kogyinaa Awurade Apam Adaka no anim, na ɔbɔɔ ɔhyew afɔre ne asomdwoe afɔre. Na ohyiaa ne mpanyimfo nyinaa, too wɔn pon.
And Solomon awaked, and perceived that it was a dream: and when he was come to Jerusalem, he stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered holocausts, and sacrificed victims of peace offerings, and made a great feast for all his servants.
16 Akyiri no, mmea nguamanfo baanu bi baa ɔhene no nkyɛn, pɛɛ sɛ ɔka wɔn asɛm bi ma wɔn.
Then there came two women that were harlots, to the king, and stood before him:
17 Wɔn mu baako fitii ase se, “Me wura, mesrɛ wo meka se, saa ɔbea yi ne me te fi koro mu. Mewoo ɔba bere a ɔne me te fie hɔ.
And one of them said: I beseech thee, my lord, I and this woman dwelt in one house, and I was delivered of a child with her in the chamber.
18 Nnansa akyi no, ɔno nso woo ba. Na yɛn nko ara na yɛte fie hɔ a obiara nka yɛn baanu no ho.
And the third day, after that I was delivered, she also was delivered, and we were together, and no other person with us in the house, only we two.
19 “Nanso anadwo no, ɔpere kɔdaa ne ba no so, kum no.
And this woman’s child died in the night: for in her sleep she overlaid him.
20 Na ɔsɔree anadwo no faa me ba fii me nkyɛn bere a mada no. Ɔde ne ba a wawu no too me basa so, na ɔfaa me de no kɔtoo ne nkyɛn, ma ɔdae.
And rising in the dead time of the night, she took my child from my side, while I thy handmaid was asleep, and laid it in her bosom: and laid her dead child in my bosom.
21 Ade kyee a mepɛɛ sɛ mema me ba no nufu no, na wawu. Nanso anim tetew kakra a mehwɛɛ abofra no yiye no, mihuu sɛ ɛnyɛ me ba no koraa.”
And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold it was dead: but considering him more diligently when it was clear day, I found that it was not mine which I bore.
22 Ɛhɔ ara na ɔbea baako no gyee hwanyan kae se, “Abofra a wawu no yɛ wo ba no, ɛnna nea onwui no nso yɛ me de no.” Ɛnna ɔbea a odi kan no nso se, “Dabi da, nea wawu no yɛ wo ba no, na nea onwui no nso yɛ me de no.” Enti wɔtwee asɛm no saa ara wɔ ɔhene no anim.
And the other woman answered: It is not so as thou sayest, but thy child is dead, and mine is alive. On the contrary she said: Thou liest: for my child liveth, and thy child is dead. And in this manner they strove before the king.
23 Ɔhene no kae se, “Momma yɛmpɛ asɛm no mu nokware yiye. Mo baanu nyinaa, obiara se abofra a onwui no yɛ ne dea, na abofra a wawu no de, ɔnyɛ obiara dea.
Then said the king: The one saith, My child is alive, and thy child is dead. And the other answereth: Nay, but thy child is dead, and mine liveth.
24 “Sɛ saa na ɛte de a, mommrɛ me afoa.” Enti wɔde afoa brɛɛ ɔhene no.
The king therefore said: Bring me a sword. And when they had brought a sword before the king,
25 Afei, ɔkae se, “Mompae abofra a onwui no mu abien, na momfa fa mma mmea no mu biara.”
Divide, said he, the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.
26 Na ɔbea a nokware, ɔyɛ abofra a ɔte ase no na a ɔpɛ ne ba yi asɛm yiye no teɛteɛɛ mu se, “Ao! Dabi me wura! Fa abofra no ma no. Mesrɛ wo nkum no!” Nanso ɔbea baako no kae se, “Eye, ɛbɛbɔ yɛn baanu nyinaa. Kyɛ ne mu ma yɛn!”
But the woman whose child was alive, said to the king, (for her bowels were moved upon her child, ) I beseech thee, my lord, give her the child alive, and do not kill it. But the other said: Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.
27 Ɛhɔ na ɔhene no kae se, “Munnkum no, na mmom, momfa abofra no mma ɔbea a ɔpɛ sɛ abofra no tena ase no, na ɔno ne ne na no.”
The king answered, and said: Give the living child to this woman, and let it not be killed, for she is the mother thereof.
28 Ɔhene yi atemmu no trɛw faa Israel mmaa nyinaa, na ɔmanfo no ho dwiriw wɔn wɔ nyansa a Onyankopɔn de ama no, a ɛma no bu atɛntrenee no ho.
And all Israel heard the judgment which the king had judged, and they feared the king, seeing that the wisdom of God was in him to do judgment.
