Liber I Regum, 3

1. confirmatum est igitur regnum in manu Salomonis et adfinitate coniunctus est Pharaoni regi Ægypti accepit namque filiam ejus et adduxit in civitatem David donec conpleret ædificans domum suam et domum Domini et murum Hierusalem per circuitum

1. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon, and he made affinity with Pharao the king of Egypt: for he took his daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the Lord, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.

2. et tamen populus immolabat in excelsis non enim ædificatum erat templum nomini Domini usque in die illo

2. But yet the people sacrificed in the high places: far there was no temple built to the name of the Lord until that day.

3. dilexit autem Salomon Dominum ambulans in præceptis David patris sui excepto quod in excelsis immolabat et accendebat thymiama

3. And Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the precepts of David his father, only he sacrificed in the high places: and burnt incense.

4. abiit itaque in Gabaon ut immolaret ibi illud quippe erat excelsum maximum mille hostias in holocaustum obtulit Salomon super altare illud in Gabaon

4. He went therefore to Gabaon, to sacrifice there: for that was the great high place: a thousand victims for holocausts did Solomon offer upon that altar in Gabaon.

5. apparuit Dominus Salomoni per somnium nocte dicens postula quod vis ut dem tibi

5. And the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, saying : Ask what thou wilt that I should give thee.

6. et ait Salomon tu fecisti cum servo tuo David patre meo misericordiam magnam sicut ambulavit in conspectu tuo in veritate et justitia et recto corde tecum custodisti ei misericordiam tuam grandem et dedisti ei filium sedentem super thronum ejus sicut et hodie

6. And Solomon said: Thou hast shewn great mercy to thy servant David my father, even at, he walked before thee in truth, and justice, and an upright heart with thee: and thou hast kept thy great mercy for him, and hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.

7. et nunc Domine Deus tu regnare fecisti servum tuum pro David patre meo ego autem sum puer parvus et ignorans egressum et introitum meum

7. And now, O Lord God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a child, and know not how to go out and come in.

8. et servus tuus in medio est populi quem elegisti populi infiniti qui numerari et supputari non potest præ multitudine

8. And thy servant is in the midst of the people which thou hast chosen, an immense people, which cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.

9. dabis ergo servo tuo cor docile ut judicare possit populum tuum et discernere inter malum et bonum quis enim potest judicare populum istum populum tuum hunc multum

9. Give therefore to thy servant an understanding heart, to judge thy people, and discern between good and evil. For who shall be able to judge this people, thy people which is so numerous?

10. placuit ergo sermo coram Domino quod Salomon rem hujuscemodi postulasset

10. And the word was pleasing to the Lord that Solomon had asked such a thing.

11. et dixit Deus Salomoni quia postulasti verbum hoc et non petisti tibi dies multos nec divitias aut animam inimicorum tuorum sed postulasti tibi sapientiam ad discernendum judicium

11. And the Lord said to Solomon: Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life or riches, nor the lives of thy enemies, but hast asked for thyself wisdom to discern judgment,

12. ecce feci tibi secundum sermones tuos et dedi tibi cor sapiens et intellegens in tantum ut nullus ante te similis tui fuerit nec post te surrecturus sit

12. Behold I have done for thee according to thy words, and have given thee a wise and understanding heart, insomuch that there hath been no one like thee before thee, nor shall arise after thee.

13. sed et hæc quæ non postulasti dedi tibi divitias scilicet et gloriam ut nemo fuerit similis tui in regibus cunctis retro diebus

13. Yea and the things also which thou didst not ask, I have given thee: to wit riches and glory, as that no one hath been like thee among the kings in all days heretofore.

14. si autem ambulaveris in viis meis et custodieris præcepta mea et mandata mea sicut ambulavit pater tuus longos faciam dies tuos

14. And if thou wilt walk in my ways, and Beep my precepts, and my commandments, as thy father walked, I will lengthen thy days.

15. igitur evigilavit Salomon et intellexit quod esset somnium cumque venisset Hierusalem stetit coram arca fœderis Domini et obtulit holocausta et fecit victimas pacificas et grande convivium universis famulis suis

15. And Solomon awaked, and perceived that it was a dream: and when he was come to Jerusalem, he stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered holocausts, and sacrificed victims of peace offerings, and made a great feast for all his servants.

16. tunc venerunt duæ mulieres meretrices ad regem steteruntque coram eo

16. Then there came two women that were harlots, to the king, and stood before him:

17. quarum una ait obsecro mi domine ego et mulier hæc habitabamus in domo una et peperi apud eam in cubiculo

17. And one of them said: I beseech thee, my lord, I and this woman dwelt in one house, and I was delivered of a child with her in the chamber.

18. tertia vero die postquam ego peperi peperit et hæc et eramus simul nullusque alius in domo nobiscum exceptis nobis duabus

18. And the third day, after that I was delivered, she also was delivered, and we were together, and no other person with us in the house, only we two.

19. mortuus est autem filius mulieris hujus nocte dormiens quippe oppressit eum

19. And this woman's child died in the night: for in her sleep she overlaid him.

20. et consurgens intempesta nocte silentio tulit filium meum de latere meo ancillæ tuæ dormientis et conlocavit in sinu suo suum autem filium qui erat mortuus posuit in sinu meo

20. And rising in the dead time of the night, she took my child from my side, while I thy handmaid was asleep, and laid it in her bosom: and laid her dead child in my bosom.

21. cumque surrexissem mane ut darem lac filio meo apparuit mortuus quem diligentius intuens clara luce deprehendi non esse meum quem genueram

21. And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold it was dead: but considering him more diligently when it was clear day, I found that it was not mine which I bore.

22. responditque altera mulier non est ita sed filius tuus mortuus est meus autem vivit e contrario illa dicebat mentiris filius quippe meus vivit et filius tuus mortuus est atque in hunc modum contendebant coram rege

22. And the other woman answered: It is not so as thou sayest, but thy child is dead, and mine is alive. On the contrary she said: Thou liest: for my child liveth, and thy child is dead. And in this manner they strove before the king.

23. tunc rex ait hæc dicit filius meus vivit et filius tuus mortuus est et ista respondit non sed filius tuus mortuus est et filius meus vivit

23. Then said the king: The one saith, My child is alive, and thy child is dead. And the other answereth: Nay, but thy child is dead, and mine liveth.

24. dixit ergo rex adferte mihi gladium cumque adtulissent gladium coram rege

24. The king therefore said: Bring me a sword. And when they had brought a sword before the king,

25. dividite inquit infantem vivum in duas partes et date dimidiam partem uni et dimidiam partem alteri

25. Divide, said he, the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.

26. dixit autem mulier cujus filius erat vivus ad regem commota sunt quippe viscera ejus super filio suo obsecro domine date illi infantem vivum et nolite interficere eum contra illa dicebat nec mihi nec tibi sit dividatur

26. But the woman whose child was alive, said to the king, (for her bowels were moved upon her child,) I beseech thee, my lord, give her the child alive, and do not kill it. But the other said: Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.

27. respondens rex ait date huic infantem vivum et non occidatur hæc est mater ejus

27. The king answered, and said: Give the living child to this woman, and let it not be killed, for she is the mother thereof.

28. audivit itaque omnis Israël judicium quod judicasset rex et timuerunt regem videntes sapientiam Dei esse in eo ad faciendum judicium

28. And all Israel heard the judgment which the king had judged, and they feared the king, seeing that the wisdom of God was in him to do judgment.