1 و َسَمِعَتْ مَلِكَةُ سَبَأَ بِسُلَيْمانَ وَبِما فَعَلَهُ مِنْ أجلِ مَجدِ اللهِ. فَجاءَتْ لِتَمتَحِنَهُ بِأسئِلَةٍ صَعْبَةٍ.

When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon with the name of the Lord, she came to prove him with hard questions (problems and riddles).

2 ف َسافَرَتْ إلَى مَدينَةِ القُدْسِ مع حاشِيَةٍ كَبِيرَةٍ فِي مَوْكِبٍ ضَخمٍ بَهِيٍّ. فَكانَ مَعَها جِمالٌ كَثِيرَةٌ تَحمِلُ تَوابِلَ وَجَواهِرَ وَذَهَباً كَثِيراً. فَقابَلَتْ سُلَيْمانَ وَطَرَحَتْ عَلَيهِ كُلَّ ما خَطَرَ بِبالِها مِنْ أسئِلَةٍ.

She came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels bearing spices, very much gold, and precious stones. When she had come to Solomon, she communed with him about all that was in her mind.

3 ف َأجابَ سُلَيْمانُ عَنْ أسئِلَتِها، وَلَمْ يَصعُبْ عَلَيهِ أيُّ سُؤالٍ مِنْها.

Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king which he failed to explain to her.

4 ف َأدرَكَتْ مَلِكَةُ سَبَأَ عَظَمَةَ حِكْمَةِ سُلَيْمانَ. رَأتْ القَصْرَ الَّذِي بَناهُ،

When the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon’s wisdom and skill, the house he had built,

5 و َالطَّعامَ عَلَى مائِدَتِهِ، وَمَجلِسَ كِبارِ مَسْؤُولِيهِ، وَحاشِيَةَ خَدَمِهِ وَثِيابَهُمُ وَالذَّبائِحَ الَّتِي قَدَّمَها فِي بَيتِ اللهِ. فانحَبَسَتْ أنفاسُها دَهشَةً!

The food of his table, the seating of his officials, the standing at attention of his servants, their apparel, his cupbearers, his ascent by which he went up to the house of the Lord, she was breathless and overcome.

6 ف َقالَتِ المَلِكَةُ لِلمَلِكِ: «سَمِعْتُ فِي بَلَدَي الكَثِيرَ عَنْ حِكْمَتِكَ وَأعمالِكَ. وَكُلُّ ما سَمِعْتُهُ صَحِيحٌ!

She said to the king, It was a true report I heard in my own land of your acts and sayings and wisdom.

7 ل َمْ أُصَدِّقْ ما سَمِعْتُ بِهِ إلَى أنْ رَأيتُهُ بِأُمِّ عَينِي. وَالآنَ أُدرِكُ أنَّ ما أراهُ أعظَمُ بِكَثِيرٍ مِمّا سَمِعْتُ بِهِ. فَثَراؤُكَ وَحِكمَتُكَ تَفُوقُ ما أُخبِرْتُ بِهِ.

I did not believe it until I came and my eyes had seen. Behold, the half was not told me. You have added wisdom and goodness exceeding the fame I heard.

8 ف َهَنِيئاً لِزَوجاتِكَ وَمُوَظَّفِيكَ! إذْ يُمكِنُهُمْ أنْ يَخدِمُوكَ وَيَسمَعُوا حِكمَتَكَ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ.

Happy are your men! Happy are these your servants who stand continually before you, hearing your wisdom!

9 ت َبارَكَ إلَهُكَ الَّذِي سُرَّ بِأنْ يُنَصِّبَكَ مَلِكاً عَلَى إسْرائِيلَ. فَقَدْ أحَبَّ اللهُ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ بِلا حُدُودٍ، فَجَعَلَكَ مَلِكاً لِتُقيمَ العَدلَ وَالاسْتِقامَةَ.»

Blessed be the Lord your God, Who delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord loved Israel forever, He made you king to execute justice and righteousness.

10 ث ُمَّ أعطَتْ مَلِكَةُ سَبَأَ المَلِكَ مِئَةً وَعِشْرِينَ قِنْطاراً مِنَ الذَّهَبِ، وَكَمِّيَّةً كَبيرَةً مِنَ التَّوابِلِ وَالحِجارَةِ الكَرِيمَةِ. وَلَمْ يُقَدِّمْ إنسانٌ تَوابِلَ فاخِرَةً لِلمَلِكِ سُلَيْمانَ كَتِلكَ الَّتِي قَدَّمَتْها لَهُ مَلِكَةُ سَبَأَ.

And she gave the king 120 talents of gold and of spices a very great store and precious stones. Never again came such abundance of spices as these the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon.

11 و َكانَتْ سُفُنُ حِيرامَ أيضاً تُحضِرُ مِنْ مَدينَةِ أُوفِيرَ ذَهَباً وَخَشَبَ صَنْدَلٍ فاخِراً وَجَواهِرَ كَثِيرَةً.

The navy also of Hiram brought from Ophir gold and a great plenty of almug (algum) wood and precious stones.

12 ف َاسْتَخدَمَ سُلَيْمانُ هَذا الخَشَبَ فِي بِناءِ دَعاماتٍ فِي الهَيكَلِ وَفِي القَصْرِ، وَفِي صُنْعِ الأعوادِ وَالقَياثِيرَ لِلمُوسِيقِيِّينَ. فَلَمْ يُحضِرْ أحَدٌ أوْ يَرَ ذَلِكَ النَّوعَ مِنَ الخَشَبِ فِي إسْرائِيلَ مُنذُ ذَلِكَ الوَقتِ.

Of the almug wood the king made pillars for the house of the Lord and for the king’s house, and lyres also and harps for the singers. No such almug wood came again or has been seen to this day.

13 ث ُمَّ أعطَى المَلِكُ سُلَيْمانُ مَلِكَةَ سَبَأَ هَدايا كَثِيرَةً حَسَبَ كَرَمِهِ المَلَكِيِّ. وَأعطاها فَوقَ ذَلِكَ كُلَّ ما طَلَبَتْهُ، حَتَّى أنَّهُ أعْطاها أكْثَرَ مِمّا جاءَتْ بِهِ. وَبَعدَ ذَلِكَ رَجِعَتِ المَلِكَةُ وَحاشِيَتُها إلَى مَوطِنِها. ثروةُ سُلَيمان

King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all she wanted, whatever she asked, besides his gifts to her from his royal bounty. So she returned to her own country, she and her servants.

14 و َجَمَعَ سُلَيْمانُ في سَنَةٍ واحِدَةٍ سِتَّ مِئَةٍ وَسِتَّةً وَسِتِّينَ قِنْطاراً مِنَ الذَّهَبِ.

Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold,

15 و َفَضلاً عَنْ شُحناتِ الذَّهَبِ الكَبِيرَةِ، كانَ يَحْصُلُ عَلى ذَهَبٍ مِنَ التُّجّارِ الكِبارِ وَالصِّغارِ، وَمِنْ مُلُوكِ العَرَبِ وَوُلاةِ الأرْضِ.

Besides what the traders brought and the traffic of the merchants and from all the kings and governors of the land of Arabia.

16 ف َصَنَعَ المَلِكُ سُلَيْمانُ مِئَتَي تُرسٍ منَ الذَّهَبِ المَطرُوقِ. في كُلِّ تُرسٍ سِتُّ مِئِةِ مِثْقالٍ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ.

King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold; 600 shekels of gold went into each shield.

17 و َصَنَعَ سُلَيْمانُ أيضاً ثَلاثَ مئَةِ تُرسٍ صَغِيرٍ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ المَطرُوقِ. في كُلِّ تُرسٍ ثَلاثَةُ أرْطالٍ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ. وَوَضَعَها فِي المَبنَى المُسَمَّى «بَيْتَ غابَةِ لُبْنانَ.»

And he made 300 shields of beaten gold; three minas of gold went into each shield. The king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.

18 و َبَنَى سُلَيْمانُ أيضاً عَرشاً عاجِيّاً ضَخْماً، وَغَشَّاهُ بِذَهَبٍ نَقِيٍّ.

Also the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with the finest gold.

19 و َكانَتْ لِلعَرشِ سِتُّ دَرَجاتٍ، وَكانَ مُسْتَدِيراً مِنْ فَوقُ. وَلَهُ عَلَى جانِبَيهِ يَدانِ. وَكانَ عَلَى جانِبَيِّ العَرشِ، تَحتَ اليَدَينِ تَماماً، نَحْتاً عَلَى شَكلِ أسَدينِ.

The throne had six steps, and attached at the rear of the top of the throne was a round covering or canopy. On either side of the seat were armrests, and two lions stood beside the armrests.

20 ك َما كانَ هُناكَ تِمثالانِ لِأسَدَينِ عَلَى كُلِّ دَرَجَةٍ مِنْ دَرَجاتِ العَرشِ السِّتِّ، واحِدٌ عِندَ كُلِّ طَرَفٍ. وَلَمْ يَكُنْ فِي أيَّةِ مَملَكَةٍ أُخْرَى مِثلُ هَذا العَرشِ.

Twelve lions stood there, one on either end of each of the six steps; there was nothing like it ever made in any kingdom.

21 و َقَدْ صُنِعَتْ أقداحُ سُلَيْمانَ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ. وَكانَتِ الأطباقُ فِي المَبنَى المُسَمَّى «بَيْتَ غابَةِ لُبْنانَ.» مَصنُوعَةً مِنْ ذَهَبٍ نَقِيٍّ. وَلَمْ يَكُنْ فِي القَصْرِ شيءٌ مَصنُوعٌ مِنَ الفِضَّةِ. فَقَدْ كانَ الذَّهَبُ وَفِيراً فِي زَمَنِ سُلَيْمانَ، حَتَّى إنَّ الفِضَّةَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَها اعْتِبارٌ!

All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. None were of silver; it was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon.

22 و َامتَلَكَ المَلِكُ أُسطُولاً مِنَ السُّفُنِ كانَ يُرسِلُها إلَى مَدِينَةِ تَرْشِيشَ مَعَ سُفُنِ حِيرامَ. وَكانَتِ السُّفُنُ تعُودُ كُلَّ ثَلاثِ سَنَواتٍ مُحَمَّلَةً بِحُمُولَةٍ جَدِيدَةٍ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ وَالفِضَّةِ وَالعاجِ وَالقُرودِ وَالطَّواوِيسِ.

For the king had a fleet of ships of Tarshish at sea with the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years the fleet of ships of Tarshish came bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

23 و َفاقَ سُلَيْمانُ كُلَّ مُلُوكِ الأرْضِ غِنَى وَحِكمَةً.

So King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom (skill).

24 و َتَلَهَّفَ كُلُّ النّاسِ عَلَى رُؤْيَةِ سُلَيْمانَ وَالاسْتِماعِ إلَى أقوالِهِ الحَكِيمَةِ الَّتِي وَضَعَها اللهُ فِي قَلبِهِ.

And all the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom which God had put in his mind.

25 ف َكانَ يَتَوافَدُ عَلَيهِ النّاسُ كُلَّ سَنَةٍ حامِلِينَ هَدايا مِنْ فِضَّةٍ وَمِنْ ذَهَبٍ وَأسلِحَةً وَتَوابِلَ وَخُيُولاً وَبِغالاً.

Every man brought tribute: vessels of silver and gold, garments, equipment, spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.

26 و َاقتَنَى سُلَيْمانُ عَدَداً هائِلاً مِنَ المَركَباتِ وَالخُيُولِ. فَكانَ لَدَيهِ ألفٌ وَأربَعُ مِئَةِ مَركَبَةٍ وَاثنا عَشَرَ ألفَ حِصانٍ. وَبَنَى سُلَيْمانُ مُدُناً خاصَّةً لِحِفظِ المَركَباتِ. وَأبقَى بَعضاً مِنَ المَركَباتِ مَعَهُ فِي القُدْسِ.

Solomon collected chariots and horsemen; he had 1, 400 chariots and 12, 000 horsemen, which he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

27 و َأثْرَى المَلِكُ إسْرائِيلَ كَثِيراً. فَكانَتِ الفِضَّةُ فِي القُدسِ بِكَثْرَةِ الحِجارَةِ، وَخَشَبُ الأرْزِ بِكَثْرَةِ أشجارِ الجُمَيز النّامِيَةِ عَلَى التِّلالِ الغَربيَّةِ.

The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars as plentiful as the sycamore trees in the lowlands.

28 و َجَلَبَ سُلَيْمانُ خُيُولاً مِنْ مِصْرَ وَمِنْ قُوي، حَيثُ اشتَراها لَهُ تُجّارُهُ.

Solomon’s horses were brought out of Egypt, and the king’s merchants received them in droves, each at a price.

29 و َكانَ ثَمَنُ المَركَبَةِ مِنْ مِصْرَ سِتَّ مِئَةِ مِثْقالٍ مِنَ الفِضَّةِ، بَينَما كانَ ثَمَنُ الحِصانِ مِئَةً وَخَمْسِينَ مِثْقالاً مِنَ الفِضَّةِ. وَكانَ سُلَيْمانُ بِدَورِهِ يَبِيعُ خُيُولاً وَمَركِباتٍ لِمُلُوكِ الحِثِّيِّينَ وَالأرامِيِّينَ.

A chariot could be brought out of Egypt for 600 shekels of silver, and a horse for 150. And so to all the kings of the Hittites and of Syria they were exported by the king’s merchants.