Ukumkanikazi waseShebha Ufuna Ubulumko

Ukumkanikazi waseShebha ufika ukuza kuvavanya ubulumko uBawo wethu abunika uSolomon, aze ahambe engasenamoya, esithi amadaba abalisa ingaphantsi kwesiqingatha. Igolide, neempondo zeendlovu, namakhaka, namahashe kuyafumba kude isilivere ingabi nto eYerusalem, yaye ukumkani ngamnye ufuna ukubonana naye.

Isahluko 10.

Wathi ukumkanikazi waseShebha akuva udumo lukaSolomon, oluhambelana negama likaBawo wethu, weza kumvavanya ngemibuzo enzima. Wafika eJerusalem enomkhosi omkhulu kunene, eneenkamela ezithwele ubulawu, negolide eninzi kakhulu, namatye anqabileyo. Wakufika kuSolomon, wamxelela konke abekusentliziyweni yakhe. USolomon waphendula yonke imibuzo yakhe; akubangakho nto ifihlakeleyo kangaka engenokumxelela yona ukumkani. Wathi ukumkanikazi waseShebha akubona bonke ubulumko bukaSolomon, nendlu awayakhayo, nokudla okusetafileni yakhe, nabathetheli bakhe behleli, nezicaka zakhe zisebenza zinxibe iingubo zazo, nabangcamli bakhe, namadini anyukayo awayenza endlwini kaBawo wethu, akabanga saba nomoya. Wathi kukumkani: “Lubunyaniso udaba endaluvayo ezweni lam ngawo amazwi akho nangobulumko bakho. Bendingakholwa ngawo loo madaba, ndada ndeza ndabona ngawam amehlo. Yabona, bendingaxelelwanga nesiqingatha! Ubulumko bakho nokuchuma kwakho kungaphezu kodaba endaluvayo. Hayi, uyolo lwabantu bakho! Hayi, uyolo lwezi zicaka zakho ezihlala zimi phambi kwakho, ziva ubulumko bakho! Makabongwe uNdikhoyo uThixo wakho, owakholiswayo nguwe, waza wakubeka etroneni yamaSirayeli! Ngenxa yokuba uNdikhoyo uwathandile amaSirayeli ngonaphakade, wakumisela ukuba ube ngukumkani, ukuze usebenze okusesikweni nobulungisa.” Wamnika ukumkani ikhulu elinamanci mabini eetalente zegolide, nobulawu obuninzi kunene, namatye anqabileyo. Akuzange kubuya kufike bulawu buninzi kangaka njengoko wabunika ukumkanikazi waseShebha kukumkani uSolomon.

Isinqanawa sikaHiram, ebesizisa igolide evela kwaOfire, saye sizisa nemithi yealimugi eminzi kakhulu, namatye anqabileyo, evela kwaOfire. Ukumkani wayenza imithi yealimugi leyo iziinsika zendlu kaBawo wethu nendlu yokumkani, neehadi nemirhubhe zabavumi. Ayizange ifike okanye ibonwe imithi yealimugi enjeya ukususela ngaloo mhla.

Ukumkani uSolomon wamnika ukumkanikazi waseShebha konke akunqwenelayo, nantoni na awayeyicela, ngaphandle koko wamnika kona esuka ebukumkanini bakhe. Wandula ke wabuyela ezweni lakhe, yena nezicaka zakhe.

Ubunewunewu bukaSolomon, iSipho sikaBawo

Ubunzima begolide eyafika kuSolomon ngomnyaka omnye yaba ngamakhulu amathandathu anamanci mathandathu anesithandathu eetalente, ngaphandle koko kwafika kubarhwebi, nongeniselo lwabathengisi, nabo bonke ookumkani basemaArabhini, nababusi belizwe. Ukumkani uSolomon wenza amakhaka amakhulu angamakhulu amabini ngegolide ekhandiweyo; waba yimanqe amathandathu egolide kwikhaka ngalinye. Wenza amakhaka amancinane angamakhulu amathathu ngegolide ekhandiweyo; yaba yimanqe emithathu yegolide kwelinye; ukumkani wawabeka eNdlwini yeHlathi laseLebhanon. Ukumkani wenza netrone enkulu ngeempondo zeendlovu, wayaleka ngegolide ebengezelayo. Itrone yayinezinyuko ezithandathu, nesiqu esingqukuva emva. Kumacala omabini esihlalo kwakukho iindawo zokuphumza izingalo, nazimbi iingonyama zimi ngasezingaleni. Iingonyama ezilishumi elinambini zema phezu kwezinyuko ezithandathu, inye kwelinye icala. Akuzange kwenziwe nto injalo nakubuphi na ubukumkani. Zonke iimpahla zokusela zokumkani uSolomon zazizezegolide, nazo zonke iimpahla zaseNdlwini yeHlathi laseLebhanon zazizezegolide ecocekileyo. Akubangakho zazisilivere; emihleni kaSolomon isilivere yayibalelwa engontweni. Ukumkani wayeneenqanawa zokurhweba elwandle kunye nesinqanawa sikaHiram. Rhoqo kweminyaka emithathu zazibuya zizisa igolide, nesilivere, neempondo zeendlovu, neenkawu, neemfene.

Watsho ke ukumkani uSolomon wagqithisa bonke ookumkani behlabathi ngobutyebi nangobulumko. Lonke ihlabathi laye lifuna ubuso bukaSolomon, ukuze live ubulumko uBawo wethu abebubeke entliziyweni yakhe. Umnyaka nomnyaka elowo wayezisa isipho sakhe: iimpahla zesilivere nezegolide, neengubo, nezikhali, nobulawu, namahashe, noondlebende.

USolomon wahlanganisa iinqwelo zokulwa nabamahashe: iinqwelo zokulwa ezingamawaka anesine anamakhulu amane, nabamahashe abe lishumi elinamabini lamawaka, wabamisa emizini yeenqwelo zokulwa nakukumkani eJerusalem. Ukumkani wenza isilivere ukuba ibe lula njengamatye eJerusalem, nemisedare yaba ninzi njengemithombe esihlanjeni. Amahashe kaSolomon ayephuma eYiputa naseKhuwe; abarhwebi bokumkani babewathenga eKhuwe ngexabiso lentengiso. Inqwelo yokulwa yayithengwa eYiputa ngamanqe alishumi elinamahlanu esilivere, ihashe lithengwe ngamanqe amane; ngabo ke aba barhwebi iinqwelo zokulwa namahashe aya kubo bonke ookumkani bamaHeti nama-Aram.