1 Ahemfo 3
1 Salomo ne Misraimhene Farao yɛɛ apam, nam so waree ne babaa. Ɔde no bɛtenaa Dawid kurom kɔsii sɛ ɔsii nʼahemfie, sii Awurade Asɔredan, na ɔtoo Yerusalem ho ɔfasuo nso wieeɛ.
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 ɛberɛ no mu, na Israelfoɔ gu so bɔ afɔdeɛ wɔ sorɔnsorɔmmea, ɛfiri sɛ, na wɔnsii asɔredan, mfaa Awurade din ntoo so.
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 maa Awurade, ɛfiri sɛ, na ɔnam nʼagya Dawid nkyerɛkyerɛ anammɔn so pɛpɛɛpɛ. Mmom na ɔbɔ afɔdeɛ wɔ sorɔnsorɔmmea hɔ, hye aduhwam 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 afɔrebukyia no mu atitire wɔ, ɛhɔ na Salomo kɔbɔɔ ɔhyeɛ afɔdeɛ apem wɔ afɔrebukyia 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 daeɛ mu. Onyankopɔn ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Ɛdeɛn 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 kaa sɛ, “Woada adɔeɛ kɛseɛ pa ara adi akyerɛ mʼagya Dawid, ɛfiri sɛ, na ɔdi wo nokorɛ, yɛ ɔteneneeni a nʼakoma mu nso da hɔ. Woatoa so ayɛ no saa adɔeɛ kɛseɛ yi ara, na ɛnnɛ yi ara, woama no ɔbabarima sɛ ɔntena nʼahennwa 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, Ao Awurade, me Onyankopɔn, woasi wʼakoa ɔhene, sɛ mensi mʼagya Dawid anan mu, nanso meyɛ abɔfra ketewaa bi a mennim sɛdeɛ mɛsi 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 abɛduru wɔ nnipa a woapa wɔn no mu; nnipa a wɔn dodoɔ enti, 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 enti, ma wʼakoa nhunumu akoma a ɔbɛtumi de adi wo nkurɔfoɔ so, na ɔbɛtumi ahunu papa ne bɔne ntam nsonsonoeɛ. Na hwan koraa na ɔno nko ara bɛtumi adi saa ɔman a wɔdi mu, a wɔyɛ wo dea 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 mmuaeɛ no, na nʼani gyee sɛ ɔbisaa nyansa.
And the word was pleasing to the Lord that Solomon had asked such a thing.
11 Enti, Awurade buaa sɛ, “Esiane sɛ woabisa nyansa a wode bɛdi me manfoɔ so, na woammisa nkwa tenten anaa sika amma wo ho anaa woammisa sɛ wo ɔtamfoɔ bi nwu no enti,
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 deɛ woabisa no bɛma wo. Mɛma wo nyansa ne nteaseɛ a obiara nnyaa bi da, na obiara nso nnya 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 deɛ woammisa no nso, mede bɛka wo ho—sika ne animuonyam. Na ɔhene biara a ɔwɔ ewiase 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 wodi mʼakyi, na wodi 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 nyaneeɛ, na ɔhunuu sɛ ɛyɛ daeɛ. Ɔkɔɔ Yerusalem kɔgyinaa Awurade Apam Adaka no anim, na ɔbɔɔ ɔhyeɛ afɔdeɛ ne asomdwoeɛ afɔdeɛ. Na ɔhyiaa ne mpanimfoɔ nyinaa, too wɔn ɛpono.
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 Akyire yi, mmaa nnwamanfoɔ 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 hyɛɛ aseɛ sɛ, “Me wura, mesrɛ wo meka sɛ, saa ɔbaa yi ne me te fi korɔ mu. Mewoo ɔba ɛberɛ a ɔne me te efie 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 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, kumm 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 firii me nkyɛn ɛberɛ a mada. Ɔde ne ba a wawu no too mʼabasa so, na ɔfaa me deɛ no kɔtoo ne nkyɛn, ma ɔdaeɛ.
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 Adeɛ kyeeɛ a mepɛɛ sɛ mema me ba no nufoɔ no, na wawu. Nanso, anim tetee kakra a mehwɛɛ abɔfra no yie no, mehunuu 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 ɔbaa baako no gyee hwanyan kaa sɛ, “Abɔfra a wawuo no yɛ wo ba no, ɛnna deɛ ɔnwuiɛ no nso yɛ me deɛ no.” Ɛnna ɔbaa a ɔdi ɛkan no nso se, “Dabi, deɛ wawuo no yɛ wo ba no, ɛnna deɛ ɔnwuiɛ no nso yɛ me deɛ 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 kaa sɛ, “Momma yɛmpɛ asɛm no mu nokorɛ yie. Mo baanu nyinaa, obiara se abɔfra a ɔnwuiɛ no yɛ ne dea, na abɔfra a wawuo no deɛ, 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 deɛ a, mommrɛ me akofena.” Enti, wɔde akofena brɛɛ ɔhene no.
The king therefore said: Bring me a sword. And when they had brought a sword before the king,
25 Afei, ɔkaa sɛ, “Mompae abɔfra a ɔnwuiɛ no mu mmienu, na momfa ɛfa mma mmaa no mu biara.”
Divide, said he, the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.
26 Na ɔbaa a nokorɛm, ɔyɛ abɔfra a ɔte ase no maame a ɔpɛ ne ba yi asɛm yie no teateaam sɛ, “Ao! Dabi me wura! Fa abɔfra no ma no. Mesrɛ wo nku no!” Nanso, ɔbaa baako no kaa sɛ, “Ɛyɛ, 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 kaa sɛ, “Monnku no, na mmom, momfa abɔfra no mma ɔbaa a ɔpɛ sɛ abɔfra no tena ase no, na ɔno ne ne maame 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 atemmuo no trɛ faa Israel mmaa nyinaa, na ɔmanfoɔ no ho dwirii wɔn wɔ nyansabun a Onyankopɔn de ama no, a ɛma no bu atɛntenenee 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.
