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.
Solomon made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt. He took Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her into David’s city until he had finished building his own house, the LORD’s house, and the wall around Jerusalem.
2 Saa ɛberɛ no mu, na Israelfoɔ gu so bɔ afɔdeɛ wɔ sorɔnsorɔmmea, ɛfiri sɛ, na wɔnsii asɔredan, mfaa Awurade din ntoo so.
However, the people sacrificed in the high places, because there was not yet a house built for the LORD’s name.
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.
Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father, except that he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.
4 Gibeon na na afɔrebukyia no mu atitire wɔ, ɛhɔ na Salomo kɔbɔɔ ɔhyeɛ afɔdeɛ apem wɔ afɔrebukyia so.
The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.
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.”
In Gibeon, the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask for what I should give you.”
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.
Solomon said, “You have shown to your servant David my father great loving kindness, because he walked before you in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with you. You have kept for him this great loving kindness, that you have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is today.
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.
Now, LORD my God, you have made your servant king instead of David my father. I am just a little child. I don’t know how to go out or come in.
8 Ɛha na wʼakoa abɛduru wɔ nnipa a woapa wɔn no mu; nnipa a wɔn dodoɔ enti, obi ntumi nkan wɔn.
Your servant is amongst your people which you have chosen, a great people, that can’t be numbered or 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 your servant therefore an understanding heart to judge your people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this great people of yours?”
10 Awurade ani sɔɔ Salomo mmuaeɛ no, na nʼani gyee sɛ ɔbisaa nyansa.
This request pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this 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,
God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have you asked for riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice,
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 according to your word. Behold, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, and after you none will arise like you.
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.
I have also given you that which you have not asked, both riches and honour, so that there will not be any amongst the kings like you for all your days.
14 Na sɛ wodi mʼakyi, na wodi me mmara so sɛ wʼagya Dawid a, mɛma wo nkwa tenten.”
If you will walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your 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.
Solomon awoke; and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the LORD’s covenant, and offered up burnt offerings, offered peace offerings, and made a 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 two women who were prostitutes came 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.
The one woman said, “Oh, my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house. I delivered a child with her in the house.
18 Nnansa akyi no, ɔno nso woo ba. Na yɛn nko ara na yɛte fie hɔ a obiara nka yɛn baanu ho.
The third day after I delivered, this woman delivered also. We were together. There was no stranger with us in the house, just us two in the house.
19 “Nanso, anadwo no, ɔpere kɔdaa ne ba no so, kumm no.
This woman’s child died in the night, because she lay on it.
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.
She arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me while your servant slept, 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.”
When I rose in the morning to nurse my child, behold, he was dead; but when I had looked at him in the morning, behold, it was not my son whom 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.
The other woman said, “No! But the living one is my son, and the dead one is your son.” The first one said, “No! But the dead one is your son, and the living one is my son.” They argued like this 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 the king said, “One says, ‘This is my son who lives, and your son is the dead one;’ and the other says, ‘No! But your son is the dead one, and my son is the living one.’”
24 “Sɛ saa na ɛte deɛ a, mommrɛ me akofena.” Enti, wɔde akofena brɛɛ ɔhene no.
The king said, “Get me a sword.” So they 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.”
The king said, “Divide 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!”
Then the woman whose the living child was spoke to the king, for her heart yearned over her son, and she said, “Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and in no way kill him!” But the other said, “He shall be neither mine nor yours. Divide him.”
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.”
Then the king answered, “Give the first woman the living child, and definitely do not kill him. She is his mother.”
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.
All Israel heard of the judgement which the king had judged; and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice.
