1
Huyo Sulemani akafanya ujamaa na Farao, mfalme wa Misri, akamwoa binti yake Farao, akamleta mjini mwa Daudi, hata alipokwisha kuijenga nyumba yake, na nyumba ya Bwana, na ukuta wa kuuzunguka Yerusalemu.
Later, Solomon formed an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt by marrying his daughter. Solomon brought her to the City of David until he had finished building his palace and the house of the LORD, as well as the wall around Jerusalem.
2
Ila watu walikuwa wakichinja dhabihu katika mahali pa juu, kwa sababu haikuwapo nyumba iliyojengwa kwa jina la Bwana, hata siku zile.
The people, however, were still sacrificing on the high places because a house for the Name of the LORD had not yet been built.
3
Sulemani naye akampenda Bwana, akienda katika amri za Daudi babaye, ila hutoa dhabihu na kufukiza uvumba katika mahali pa juu.
And Solomon loved the LORD and walked in the statutes of his father David, except that he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.
4
Basi mfalme akaenda Gibeoni, ili atoe dhabihu huko; kwa kuwa ndipo mahali pa juu palipo pakuu. Sulemani akatoa sadaka elfu za kuteketezwa juu ya madhabahu ile.
Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for it was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on the altar there.
5
Na huko Gibeoni Bwana akamtokea Sulemani katika ndoto ya usiku; Mungu akamwambia, Omba utakalo nikupe.
One night at Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “Ask, and I will give it to you!”
6
Sulemani akasema, Umemfanyia mtumwa wako Daudi baba yangu fadhili kuu, kadiri alivyoenenda mbele zako katika kweli, na katika haki, na katika unyofu wa moyo pamoja nawe; nawe umemwekea na fadhili hii kubwa, maana umempa mwana wa kuketi kitini pake kama ilivyo leo.
Solomon replied, “You have shown much loving devotion to Your servant, my father David, because he walked before You in faithfulness, righteousness, and uprightness of heart. And You have maintained this loving devotion by giving him a son to sit on his throne this very day.
7
Na sasa, Ee Bwana, Mungu wangu, umenitawaza niwe mfalme mimi mtumwa wako badala ya Daudi baba yangu; nami ni mtoto mdogo tu; sijui jinsi inipasavyo kutoka wala kuingia.
And now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king in my father David’s place. But I am only a little child, not knowing how to go out or come in.
8
Na mtumwa wako yu katikati ya watu wako uliowachagua, watu wengi wasioweza kuhesabiwa, wala kufahamiwa idadi yao, kwa kuwa ni wengi.
Your servant is here among the people You have chosen, a people too numerous to count or number.
9
Kwa hiyo nipe mimi mtumwa wako moyo wa adili niwahukumu watu wako, na kupambanua mema na mabaya; maana ni nani awezaye kuwahukumu hawa watu wako walio wengi?
Therefore give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to govern this great people of Yours?”
10
Neno hili likawa jema machoni pa Bwana, ya kuwa Sulemani ameomba neno hili.
Now it pleased the Lord that Solomon had made this request.
11
Mungu akamwambia, Kwa kuwa umeomba neno hili, wala hukujitakia maisha ya siku nyingi; wala hukutaka utajiri kwa nafsi yako; wala hukutaka roho za adui zako; bali umejitakia akili za kujua kuhukumu;
So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this instead of requesting long life or wealth for yourself or death for your enemies—but you have asked for discernment to administer justice—
12
basi, tazama, nimefanya kama ulivyosema. Tazama, nimekupa moyo wa hekima na wa akili; hata kabla yako hapakuwa na mtu kama wewe, wala baada yako hatainuka mtu kama wewe.
behold, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been another like you, nor will there ever be.
13
Na mambo yale usiyoyaomba nimekupa, mali na fahari, hata hapatakuwa na mtu katika wafalme kama wewe, siku zako zote.
Moreover, I will give you what you did not request—both riches and honor—so that during all your days no man in any kingdom will be your equal.
14
Nawe ukienda katika njia zangu, na kuyashika mausia yangu, na amri zangu, kama baba yako Daudi alivyokwenda, basi nitazifanya siku zako kuwa nyingi.
So if you walk in My ways and keep My statutes and commandments, just as your father David did, I will prolong your days.”
15
Naye Sulemani akaamka, na kumbe! Ni ndoto. Akaenda Yerusalemu, akasimama mbele ya sanduku la agano la Bwana, akatoa sadaka za kuteketezwa, akatoa na sadaka za amani; akawafanyia karamu watumishi wake wote.
Then Solomon awoke, and indeed it had been a dream. So he returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. Then he held a feast for all his servants.
16
Ndipo wanawake wawili, makahaba, walimwendea mfalme, wakasimama mbele yake.
At that time two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him.
17
Na mwanamke mmoja akasema, Ee bwana wangu, mimi na mwanamke huyu tunakaa katika nyumba moja; nami nalizaa nilipokuwa pamoja naye nyumbani.
One woman said, “Please, my lord, this woman and I live in the same house, and I gave birth while she was in the house.
18
Kisha, siku ya tatu baada ya kuzaa kwangu, ikawa mwanamke huyu naye akazaa; na sisi tulikuwa pamoja; hapakuwa na mtu mwingine pamoja nasi nyumbani, isipokuwa sisi wawili tu.
On the third day after I gave birth, this woman also had a baby. We were alone, with no one in the house but the two of us.
19
Na mtoto wa mwanamke huyu akafa usiku, maana alimlalia.
During the night this woman’s son died because she rolled over on him.
20
Akaondoka kati ya usiku, akamwondoa mtoto wangu ubavuni pangu, mimi mjakazi wako nilipokuwa usingizini, akamweka kifuani pake, na mtoto wake mwenyewe, aliyekuwa amekufa, akamweka kifuani pangu.
So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I was asleep. She laid him in her bosom and put her dead son at my bosom.
21
Nilipoondoka asubuhi nimnyonyeshe mtoto wangu, kumbe? Amekufa. Hata asubuhi nilipomtazama sana, kumbe! Siye mtoto wangu niliyemzaa.
The next morning, when I got up to nurse my son, I discovered he was dead. But when I examined him, I realized that he was not the son I had borne.”
22
Ndipo yule mwanamke wa pili akasema, Sivyo hivyo; bali mtoto wangu ndiye aliye hai, na mtoto wako ndiye aliyekufa. Na mwenzake akasema, Sivyo hivyo; bali mtoto wako ndiye aliyekufa, na mtoto wangu ndiye aliye hai. Ndivyo walivyosema mbele ya mfalme.
“No,” said the other woman, “the living one is my son and the dead one is your son.” But the first woman insisted, “No, the dead one is yours and the living one is mine.” So they argued before the king.
23
Ndipo mfalme akasema, Huyu anasema, Mtoto wangu yu hai, na mtoto wako amekufa. Na huyu anasema, Sivyo hivyo; bali mtoto aliyekufa ni wako, na mtoto aliye hai ni wangu.
Then the king replied, “This woman says, ‘My son is alive and yours is dead,’ but that woman says, ‘No, your son is dead and mine is alive.’”
24
Mfalme akasema, Nileteeni upanga. Wakaleta upanga mbele ya mfalme.
The king continued, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought him a sword,
25
Mfalme akasema, Mkate mtoto aliye hai vipande viwili, kampe huyu nusu, na huyu nusu.
and the king declared, “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.”
26
Ndipo mwanamke yule, ambaye mtoto aliye hai ni wake, akamwambia mfalme kwa maana moyoni mwake alimwonea mtoto wake huruma, akasema, Ee bwana wangu, mpe huyu mtoto aliye hai, wala usimwue kamwe. Lakini yule mwingine akasema, Asiwe wangu wala wako; na akatwe.
Then the woman whose son was alive spoke to the king because she yearned with compassion for her son. “Please, my lord,” she said, “give her the living baby. Do not kill him!” But the other woman said, “He will be neither mine nor yours. Cut him in two!”
27
Ndipo mfalme akajibu, akasema, Mpe huyu wa kwanza mtoto aliye hai, maana yeye ndiye mama yake.
Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. By no means should you kill him; she is his mother.”
28
Na Israeli wote wakapata habari za hukumu ile aliyoihukumu mfalme wakamwogopa mfalme; maana waliona ya kuwa hekima ya Mungu ilikuwa ndani yake, ili afanye hukumu.
When all Israel heard of the judgment the king had given, they stood in awe of him, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.