Translation, 1 Kings 4-5

Another wooden, overly literal translation.

And it was the King Shlomoh [was] king over all Yisrael

Now these the captains which [were] to him: Azaryahu, son of Zadoq the priest Eliychoref and Achiyah, sons of Shiysha, scribes. Yehoshaphat son of Achiylud the chronicler (“keeper of memories”) And Benayahu the son of Yehoyada over the hosts. And Zadoq And Abiathar, priests. And Azaryahu, son of Nathan, over the foremen (“the stationed ones”). And Zabud son of Nathan the priest friend of the king. And Achiyshar over the house And Adoniyram son of Avda over the corvee.

Now to Shlomoh [were] twelve foremen (“stationed ones”) over all Yisrael And they provisioned the king and his house a month in the year it was on one to provision. Now these the names: Son of Chur in the hill of Ephraim Son of Deqer in Maqatz and in Shaalvim and Beth (“house”) -shemesh and Eylon Beth Chatan Son of Chesed in Aruboth to him [was] Sokoh and all the land of Chefer Son of Abiynadav Nafoth Dor Taphath daughter of Shlomoh was to him as wife. Baana’ son of Achiylud Ta’nak and Megiddo and all Beth (“house”) -shean which beside Tzaretanah from below to Yizree’l from Beth (“house”)- shean as far as the brook of Mecholah as far as from the other side (“crossing”) to Yaqmaam. Son of Gever in Ramoth Gile’ad to him the tent camps (villages) Ya’iyr Son of Menasseh which in Gile’ad To him the corded area of Argov Which is in Bashan Sixty cities, great ones, walls and bars of bronze. Achiynadav son of ‘Iddo’ Machanayemah. Achiyma’atz In Naphtali Also he himself took Basemath daughter of Shlomoh to wife. Baana’ son of Chushai In Asher And in Aloth. Yehoshafat son of Paruach In Yisashkar. Shimei son of ‘Ela’ in Binyamin. Gever son of ‘Uriy in the land of Gile’ad land of Siychon king of the Emoriy and ‘Og king of the Bashan and one foreman which [was] in the land.

Yehudah and Yisrael [were] Numerous As the sand Which is in front of the sea For numerousness Eating and drinking and rejoicing

(CHAPTER 5 BEGINS IN HEBREW)

Now Shlomoh was exercising dominion in all the kingdoms From the river Land of Philistines And until the border of Mizraim (Egypt) Bringing near tribute And serving Shlomoh all the days of his life.

And it was the bread of Shlomoh for one day Thirty kor semolina And sixty kor flour Ten oxen, fat ones, And twenty oxen of the pasture And one hundred sheep Besides Deer And gazelles And roebucks And fowl of the feed-trough.

For he himself ruled in all this side of the river From Tifsach And unto ‘Azzah In all the kings of this side of the river Now peace was for him from all his sides around. And dwelt Yehudah and Yisrael to safety Each under his vine And under his fig tree From Dan and unto Be’er-sheba’ all the days of Shlomoh.

And it was to Solomon forty thousand stables of horses for his chariots And twelve thousand riders. And those foremen provisioned the King Shlomoh And all the ones who drew near to the table of the King Shlomoh Each his month. And they did not lack a thing/word. Now the barley and the straw to the horses and to the teams of horses They caused to enter (brought) to the place Which was there Each according to his judgment. And Elohim gave wisdom to Shlomoh And discernment very abundant And breadth of heart as the sand which [is] on the shore of the sea. And the wisdom of Shlomoh abounded from the wisdom of all the sons of the east and from all the wisdom of Egypt. And he was wise From every Adam From ‘Eythan the ‘Ezrachi And Heyman And Kalkol And Darda’ Sons of the dance And it was his name in all the Gentiles surrounding. And he spoke three thousand riddles And it was his sons five and a thousand. And he spoke concerning trees From the cedar which[is] in Lebanon And unto the hyssop which goes up on the wall. And he spoke concerning beasts And concerning birds And concerning creepers And concerning fish. And they entered from all the peoples to hear the wisdom of Shlomoh from all the kings of the land which they heard his wisdom.

And sent Chiram king of Tzor his servants to Shlomoh For he heard that him they anointed as king in place of his father David For loving was Chiram to David All the days.

And sent Shlomoh to Chiram, saying, “You yourself know David my father that he was not able to build a house for the name of Yahweh his God from the face of the wars which [were] all around him until Yahweh gave them under the palms of his feet. But now Yahweh my God has caused rest for me from around There is not an adversary nor evil. “Now behold I say to build a house to the Name of Yahweh my God Just as Yahweh spoke to David my father, saying, ‘Your son which I give after you on your throne He will build the house for my Name.’

“But now, command and cut for me cedars from Lebanon Now my servants will be with your servants But wages of your servants I will give to you according to all which you say For you yourself know that there is not with us a man Knowing to cut trees as the Tzidonim.”

And it was according to the hearing of Chiram the words of Shlomoh And he rejoiced very much And he said, “Blessed [is] Yahweh today Who gave to David a wise son Over this great people.”

And sent Chiram to Shlomoh, saying, “I heard what you sent to me I myself will do all your pleasure In trees of cedar And in trees of junipers. My servants will cause to come down (bring down) from Lebanon to the sea And I myself will place things in the sea Until the place which you send to me And I will smash them there But you yourself will raise up And you yourself will do my pleasure to give bread to my house.” And it was Chiram gave to Shlomoh Trees of cedar And trees of juniper All his pleasure.

Now Shlomoh gave to Chiram twenty thousand kor of wheat, food for his house And twenty kor of oil beaten pure Thus gave Shlomoh to Chiram year by year.

Now Yahweh gave wisdom to Shlomoh just as he spoke to him And it was peace between Chiram and between Shlomoh And they cut a covenant, the two of them.

Then elevated the king Shlomoh a corvee from all Yisrael And it was the corvee of Shlomoh, 30,000 men. And he sent them to Lebanon, 10,000 in a month in substitutes A month they were in Lebanon, two months in his house And Adoniyram [was] over the corvee And it was to Shlomoh 70,000 carriers, And 80,000 cutters in the mountain. Besides from the captains of the foreman to Shlomoh Which [were] over the work, three thousand three hundred Ruled over the people who did in the work. And the king commanded and they quarried stones, great ones Stones rare To found the house Hewn stones And they engraved, the builders of Shlomoh and the builders of Chiram and the Gibelim And prepared/caused to stand firm the trees and the stones To build the house