1
Na malkia wa Sheba aliposikia habari za Sulemani juu ya jina la Bwana, alikuja ili amjaribu kwa maswali ya fumbo.
Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with difficult questions.
2
Akaingia Yerusalemu na wafuasi wengi sana, na ngamia wachukuao manukato, na dhahabu nyingi sana, na vito vya thamani; alipomfikilia Sulemani, akazungumza naye mambo yote aliyokuwa nayo moyoni.
She arrived in Jerusalem with a very large caravan—with camels bearing spices, gold in great abundance, and precious stones. And she came to Solomon and spoke to him all that was on her mind.
3
Naye Sulemani akamfumbulia maswali yake yote; wala hakukuwa na neno alilofichiwa mfalme asimwambie.
And Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for the king to explain.
4
Naye malkia wa Sheba alipoona hekima yote ya Sulemani, na nyumba aliyokuwa ameijenga,
When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon, the palace he had built,
5
na chakula cha mezani pake, na watumishi wake walivyokaa, na kusimamia kwao wangoje wake, na mavazi yao, na wanyweshaji wake, na daraja yake ya kupandia mpaka nyumba ya Bwana, roho yake ilizimia.
the food at his table, the seating of his servants, the service and attire of his attendants, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he presented at the house of the LORD, it took her breath away.
6
Akamwambia mfalme, Ndizo kweli habari zile nilizozisikia katika nchi yangu za mambo yako na za hekima yako.
She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your words and wisdom is true.
7
Lakini mimi sikuzisadiki habari hizo, hata nilipokuja na kuona kwa macho yangu; tena, tazama, sikuambiwa nusu; wewe umezidi kwa hekima na kufanikiwa kuliko habari nilizozisikia.
But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told to me. Your wisdom and prosperity have far exceeded the report I heard.
8
Heri watu wako, na heri watumishi hawa wako, wasimamao mbele yako siku zote, wakisikia hekima yako.
How blessed are your men! How blessed are these servants of yours who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom!
9
Na ahimidiwe Bwana, Mungu wako, aliyependezwa nawe, ili akuweke juu ya kiti cha enzi cha Israeli; kwa kuwa Bwana amewapenda Israeli milele, kwa hiyo amekufanya kuwa mfalme, ufanye hukumu na haki.
Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you to set you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD’s eternal love for Israel, He has made you king to carry out justice and righteousness.”
10
Basi akampa mfalme talanta za dhahabu mia na ishirini, na manukato mengi, mengi sana, na vito vya thamani; wala haukuja tena wingi wa manukato, kama hayo malkia wa Sheba aliyompa mfalme Sulemani.
Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again were spices in such abundance brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
11
Tena merikebu za Hiramu, zilizochukua dhahabu kutoka Ofiri, zikaleta kutoka Ofiri miti ya msandali mingi sana, na vito vya thamani.
(The fleet of Hiram that brought gold from Ophir also brought from Ophir a great cargo of almug wood and precious stones.
12
Mfalme akafanya kwa mia hiyo ya msandali nguzo za nyumba ya Bwana, na za nyumba ya mfalme, na vinubi na vinanda vya hao waimbaji; wala haikuja miti ya msandali kama hiyo, wala haikuonekana, hata leo.
The king made the almug 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 such almug wood been brought in, nor has such been seen again to this day.)
13
Naye mfalme Sulemani akampa malkia wa Sheba haja yake yote, kila alilotaka, zaidi ya hayo aliyopewa na Sulemani kwa ukarimu wake wa kifalme. Basi, akarudi akaenda zake katika nchi yake, yeye na watumishi wake.
King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired—whatever she asked—besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she left and returned to her own country, along with her servants.
14
Basi uzani wa dhahabu iliyomfikia Sulemani mwaka mmoja, ndio talanta mia sita sitini na sita,
The weight of gold that came to Solomon each year was 666 talents,
15
zaidi ya faida ya wachuuzi, na bidhaa ya wafanya biashara, na ya wafalme wote wa hao waliochanganyika, na ya maliwali wa nchi.
not including the revenue from the merchants, traders, and all the Arabian kings and governors of the land.
16
Mfalme Sulemani akafanya ngao mia mbili za dhahabu iliyofuliwa; kila ngao moja ilipata shekeli mia sita za dhahabu.
King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of gold went into each shield.
17
Na vigao mia tatu vya dhahabu iliyofuliwa; kila kigao kimoja kilipata mane tatu za dhahabu. Mfalme akaviweka katika nyumba ya mwitu wa Lebanoni.
He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; three minas of gold went into each shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.
18
Tena mfalme akafanya kiti cha enzi kikubwa cha pembe, akakifunikiza kwa dhahabu iliyo safi.
Additionally, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold.
19
Kiti kile kilikuwa na daraja sita, na juu yake kimeviringana nyuma; na mikono huko na huko mahali pa kuketi, na simba wawili wakisimama kando ya hiyo mikono.
The throne had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, with a lion standing beside each armrest.
20
Na simba kumi na wawili wamesimama juu ya daraja sita huko na huko; wala hakikufanyika kwa mkono wake katika ufalme wo wote.
Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like this had ever been made for any kingdom.
21
Na vyombo vyote vya kunywea vya mfalme Sulemani vilikuwa vya dhahabu, na vyombo vyote vya nyumba ya mwitu wa Lebanoni vilikuwa vya dhahabu iliyosafika; hakuna vya fedha, fedha haikuhesabiwa kuwa kitu siku za Sulemani.
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.
22
Kwa kuwa mfalme alikuwa na merikebu za Tarshishi baharini pamoja na merikebu za Hiramu; mara moja katika miaka mitatu huja merikebu za Tarshishi, zikileta dhahabu, na fedha, na pembe, na nyani, na tausi.
For the king had the ships of Tarshish at sea with Hiram’s fleet, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
23
Basi mfalme Sulemani akawapita wafalme wote wa duniani kwa mali, na kwa hekima.
So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.
24
Ulimwengu wote ukamtafuta Sulemani uso wake, ili waisikie hekima yake, Mungu aliyomtia moyoni.
The whole world sought an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom that God had put in his heart.
25
Wakaleta kila mtu zawadi yake, vyombo vya fedha, na vyombo vya dhahabu, na mavazi, na silaha, na manukato, na farasi, na nyumbu, hesabu yake ya mwaka kwa mwaka.
Year after year, each visitor would bring his tribute: articles of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.
26
Sulemani akakusanya magari na wapandao farasi; naye alikuwa na magari elfu na mia nne, na wapandao farasi kumi na mbili elfu, aliowaweka katika miji ya magari, na pamoja na mfalme huko Yerusalemu.
Solomon accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.
27
Mfalme akafanya fedha humo Yerusalemu kuwa kama mawe, na mierezi akaifinya kuwa kama mikuyu iliyomo Shefela, kwa kuwa mingi.
The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as abundant as sycamore in the foothills.
28
Nao farasi aliokuwa nao Sulemani wakaletwa toka Misri; wakapewa wafanya biashara wake mfalme kwa makundi, kila kundi na thamani yake.
Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and Kue; the royal merchants purchased them from Kue.
29
Tena gari huja kutoka katika Misri kwa shekeli mia sita za fedha, na farasi mmoja kwa mia hamsini; vivyo watu wakawaletea wafalme wote wa Wahiti, na wafalme wa Shamu, mikononi mwao.
A chariot could be imported from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. Likewise, they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Aram.