1 Wafalme 3
1 Solomoni akafanya urafiki na Mfalme Farao wa Misri na kumwoa binti yake. Akamleta huyo binti katika Mji wa Daudi mpaka alipomaliza kujenga jumba lake la kifalme na Hekalu la Bwana, pamoja na ukuta kuzunguka Yerusalemu.
Solomon allied himself by marriage with Pharaoh king of Egypt. He took Pharaoh's daughter and brought her into the city of David until he had finished building his own house, the house of Yahweh, and the wall around Jerusalem.
2 Hata hivyo, watu bado walikuwa wakitoa dhabihu huko kwenye vilima, kwa sababu Hekalu lilikuwa bado halijajengwa kwa ajili ya Jina la Bwana.
The people were sacrificing at the high places, because no house had yet been built for the name of Yahweh.
3 Solomoni akaonyesha upendo wake kwa Bwana kwa kuenenda sawasawa na amri za Daudi baba yake, ila yeye alitoa dhabihu na kufukiza uvumba huko mahali pa juu.
Solomon showed his love for Yahweh by walking in the statutes of David his father, except that he sacrificed and burned incense at the high places.
4 Mfalme akaenda Gibeoni kutoa dhabihu, kwa maana ndipo palipokuwa mahali pa juu pa kuabudia, naye Solomoni akatoa sadaka elfu moja za kuteketezwa juu ya hayo madhabahu.
The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place there. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.
5 Bwana akamtokea Solomoni huko Gibeoni wakati wa usiku katika ndoto, naye Mungu akasema, “Omba lolote utakalo nikupe.”
Yahweh appeared at Gibeon to Solomon in a dream by night; he said, “Ask! What should I give you?”
6 Solomoni akajibu, “Umemfanyia mtumishi wako, baba yangu Daudi, fadhili nyingi, kwa kuwa alikuwa mwaminifu kwako na mwenye haki, tena mnyofu wa moyo. Nawe umemzidishia fadhili hii kuu kwani umempa mwana wa kuketi kwenye kiti chake cha ufalme, kama ilivyo leo.
So Solomon said, “You have shown great covenant faithfulness to your servant, David my father, because he walked before you in trustworthiness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart. You have kept for him this great covenant faithfulness and have given him a son to sit on his throne today.
7 “Sasa, Ee Bwana Mungu wangu, umemfanya mtumishi wako mfalme badala ya baba yangu Daudi. Lakini mimi ni mtoto mdogo tu, wala sijui jinsi ya kutekeleza wajibu wangu.
Now Yahweh my God, you have made your servant king in the place of David my father, though I am only a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in.
8 Mtumishi wako yuko hapa miongoni mwa watu uliowachagua: taifa kubwa, watu wengi wasioweza kuhesabika wala kutoa idadi yao.
Your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted.
9 Hivyo mpe mtumishi wako moyo wa ufahamu ili kutawala watu wako na kupambanua kati ya mema na mabaya. Kwa maana, ni nani awezaye kutawala watu wako hawa walio wengi hivi?”
So give your servant an understanding heart to judge your people, so that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of yours?”
10 Bwana akapendezwa kwamba Solomoni ameliomba jambo hili.
This request of Solomon pleased the Lord.
11 Basi Mungu akamwambia, “Kwa kuwa umeomba neno hili na hukuomba maisha marefu au upate utajiri kwa nafsi yako, wala adui zako wafe, bali umeomba ufahamu katika kutoa haki,
So God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice.
12 nitafanya lile uliloomba. Nitakupa moyo wa hekima na wa ufahamu, kiasi kwamba hajakuwepo mtu mwingine kama wewe, wala kamwe hatakuwepo baada yako.
See, now I will do all you asked of me when you gave me your request. I give you a wise and an understanding heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, and no one like you will rise up after you.
13 Zaidi ya hayo, nitakupa yale ambayo hukuomba, yaani utajiri na heshima, ili kwamba maisha yako yote hapatakuwa na mtu kama wewe miongoni mwa wafalme.
I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be any among the kings like you all your days.
14 Nawe kama ukienenda katika njia zangu na kutii sheria na amri zangu kama baba yako Daudi alivyofanya, nitakupa maisha marefu.”
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 Ndipo Solomoni akaamka, akatambua kuwa ilikuwa ndoto. Akarudi Yerusalemu, akasimama mbele ya Sanduku la Agano la Bwana, naye akatoa dhabihu za kuteketezwa na sadaka za amani. Kisha akawafanyia watumishi wake wote karamu.
Then Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. He came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. He offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.
16 Basi wanawake wawili makahaba walikuja kwa mfalme na kusimama mbele yake.
Then two women who were prostitutes came to the king and stood before him.
17 Mmojawapo akasema, “Bwana wangu, mimi na mwanamke huyu tunaishi kwenye nyumba moja. Nilikuwa nimezaa alipokuwa pamoja nami.
One woman said, “Oh, my master, this woman and I live in the same house, and I gave birth to a child with her in the house.
18 Siku ya tatu baada ya mtoto wangu kuzaliwa, mwanamke huyu pia naye akazaa mtoto. Tulikuwa peke yetu, hapakuwa na mtu mwingine yeyote katika nyumba isipokuwa sisi wawili.
It happened on the third day after I gave birth that this woman also gave birth. We were together. There was no one else with us in the house, but only the two of us in the house.
19 “Wakati wa usiku mwana wa huyu mwanamke akafa kwa sababu alimlalia.
Then this woman's son died in the night, because she lay on him.
20 Hivyo akaondoka katikati ya usiku na kumchukua mwanangu kutoka ubavuni pangu wakati mimi mtumishi wako nilipokuwa nimelala. Akamweka kifuani mwake na kumweka mwanawe aliyekufa kifuani mwangu.
So she arose at midnight and took my son from beside me, while your servant slept, and laid him at her breast, and laid her dead son at my breast.
21 Asubuhi yake, nikaamka ili kumnyonyesha mwanangu, naye alikuwa amekufa! Lakini nilipomwangalia sana katika nuru ya asubuhi, niliona kuwa hakuwa yule mwana niliyekuwa nimemzaa.”
When I rose in the morning to nurse my child, he was dead. But when I had looked at him carefully in the morning, he was not my son, whom I had borne.”
22 Huyo mwanamke mwingine akasema, “Hapana! Mwana aliye hai ndiye wangu, aliyekufa ni wako.” Lakini yule wa kwanza akasisitiza, “Hapana! Mwana aliyekufa ni wako, aliye hai ni wangu.” Hivi ndivyo walivyobishana mbele ya mfalme.
Then the other woman said, “No, the living one is my son, and the dead one is your son.” The first woman said, “No, the dead one is your son, and the living one is my son.” This is how they spoke before the king.
23 Mfalme akasema, “Huyu anasema, ‘Mwanangu ndiye aliye hai, na aliyekufa ndiye mwanao,’ maadamu yule anasema, ‘Hapana! Aliyekufa ni wako, na aliye hai ni wangu.’”
Then the king said, “One of you says, 'This is my son who is alive, and your son is dead,' and the other says, 'No, your son is the dead one, and my son is the living one.'”
24 Kisha mfalme akasema, “Nileteeni upanga.” Basi wakamletea mfalme upanga.
The king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword before the king.
25 Ndipo mfalme akatoa amri: “Mkate mtoto aliye hai vipande viwili; mpe huyu nusu na mwingine nusu.”
Then the king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to this woman and half to the other.”
26 Mwanamke ambaye mwanawe alikuwa hai akajawa na huruma kwa ajili ya mwanawe na kumwambia mfalme, “Tafadhali, bwana wangu, mpe yeye mtoto aliye hai! Usimuue!” Lakini yule mwanamke mwingine akasema, “Mkate vipande viwili. Asiwe wangu au wake!”
Then the woman whose son was alive spoke to the king, for her heart was full of compassion for her son, and she said, “Oh, my master, give her the living child, and by no means kill him.” But the other woman said, “He shall be neither mine nor yours. Divide him.”
27 Kisha mfalme akatoa uamuzi wake: “Mpeni mama wa kwanza mtoto aliye hai. Msimuue; ndiye mama yake.”
Then the king answered and said, “Give the first woman the living child, and by no means kill him. She is his mother.”
28 Wakati Israeli yote iliposikia hukumu aliyotoa mfalme, wakamwogopa mfalme, kwa sababu waliona kuwa alikuwa na hekima kutoka kwa Mungu kwa kutoa haki.
When all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had rendered, they feared the king, because they saw that the wisdom of God was in him for giving judgments.
