1 Kings 3

1And 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.

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

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

4He 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.

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

6And Solomon said: Thou hast showed great mercy to thy servant David, my father, even as 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.

7And 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;

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

9Give 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?

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

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

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

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

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

15And 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.

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

17And 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.

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

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

20And 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.

21And when I arose 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.

22And the other woman answered: It is not so as thou sayst, 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.

23Then 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.

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

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

26But 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.

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

28And 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.

1Confirmatum est igitur regnum in manu Salomonis, et affinitate conjunctus est Pharaoni regi Ægypti : accepit namque filiam ejus, et adduxit in civitatem David, donec compleret ædificans domum suam, et domum Domini, et murum Jerusalem per circuitum.

2Attamen populus immolabat in excelsis : non enim ædificatum erat templum nomini Domini usque in diem illum.

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

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

5Apparuit autem Dominus Salomoni per somnium nocte, dicens : Postula quod vis ut dem tibi.

6Et 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 est hodie.

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

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

9Dabis ergo servo tuo cor docile, ut populum tuum judicare possit, et discernere inter bonum et malum. Quis enim poterit judicare populum istum, populum tuum hunc multum?

10Placuit ergo sermo coram Domino, quod Salomon postulasset hujuscemodi rem.

11Et dixit Dominus Salomoni : Quia postulasti verbum hoc, et non petisti tibi dies multos, nec divitias, aut animas inimicorum tuorum, sed postulasti tibi sapientiam ad discernendum judicium:

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

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

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

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

16Tunc venerunt duæ mulieres meretrices ad regem, steteruntque coram eo:

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

18Tertia autem die postquam ego peperi, peperit et hæc : et eramus simul, nullusque alius nobiscum in domo, exceptis nobis duabus.

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

20Et consurgens intempestæ noctis silentio, tulit filium meum de latere meo, ancillæ tuæ dormientis, et collocavit in sinu suo : suum autem filium, qui erat mortuus, posuit in sinu meo.

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

22Responditque altera mulier : Non est ita ut dicis, 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.

23Tunc rex ait : Hæc dicit : Filius meus vivit, et filius tuus mortuus est : et ista respondit : Non, sed filius tuus mortuus est, meus autem vivit.

24Dixit ergo rex : Afferte mihi gladium. Cumque attulissent gladium coram rege,

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

26Dixit 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. E contrario illa dicebat : Nec mihi nec tibi sit, sed dividatur.

27Respondit rex, et ait : Date huic infantem vivum, et non occidatur : hæc est enim mater ejus.

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

2πλὴν ὁ λαὸς ἦσαν θυμιῶντες ἐπὶ τοῖς ὑψηλοῖς ὅτι οὐκ ᾠκοδομήθη οἶκος τῷ ὀνόματι κυρίου ἕως νῦν

3καὶ ἠγάπησεν Σαλωμων τὸν κύριον πορεύεσθαι ἐν τοῖς προστάγμασιν Δαυιδ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ πλὴν ἐν τοῖς ὑψηλοῖς ἔθυεν καὶ ἐθυμία

4καὶ ἀνέστη καὶ ἐπορεύθη εἰς Γαβαων θῦσαι ἐκεῖ ὅτι αὐτὴ ὑψηλοτάτη καὶ μεγάλη χιλίαν ὁλοκαύτωσιν ἀνήνεγκεν Σαλωμων ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον ἐν Γαβαων

5καὶ ὤφθη κύριος τῷ Σαλωμων ἐν ὕπνῳ τὴν νύκτα καὶ εἶπεν κύριος πρὸς Σαλωμων αἴτησαί τι αἴτημα σαυτῷ

6καὶ εἶπεν Σαλωμων σὺ ἐποίησας μετὰ τοῦ δούλου σου Δαυιδ τοῦ πατρός μου ἔλεος μέγα καθὼς διῆλθεν ἐνώπιόν σου ἐν ἀληθείᾳ καὶ ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ ἐν εὐθύτητι καρδίας μετὰ σοῦ καὶ ἐφύλαξας αὐτῷ τὸ ἔλεος τὸ μέγα τοῦτο δοῦναι τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου αὐτοῦ ὡς ἡ ἡμέρα αὕτη

7καὶ νῦν κύριε ὁ θεός μου σὺ ἔδωκας τὸν δοῦλόν σου ἀντὶ Δαυιδ τοῦ πατρός μου καὶ ἐγώ εἰμι παιδάριον μικρὸν καὶ οὐκ οἶδα τὴν ἔξοδόν μου καὶ τὴν εἴσοδόν μου

8ὁ δὲ δοῦλός σου ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ λαοῦ σου ὃν ἐξελέξω λαὸν πολύν ὃς οὐκ ἀριθμηθήσεται

9καὶ δώσεις τῷ δούλῳ σου καρδίαν ἀκούειν καὶ διακρίνειν τὸν λαόν σου ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ τοῦ συνίειν ἀνὰ μέσον ἀγαθοῦ καὶ κακοῦ ὅτι τίς δυνήσεται κρίνειν τὸν λαόν σου τὸν βαρὺν τοῦτον

10καὶ ἤρεσεν ἐνώπιον κυρίου ὅτι ᾐτήσατο Σαλωμων τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο

11καὶ εἶπεν κύριος πρὸς αὐτόν ἀνθ' ὧν ᾐτήσω παρ' ἐμοῦ τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο καὶ οὐκ ᾐτήσω σαυτῷ ἡμέρας πολλὰς καὶ οὐκ ᾐτήσω πλοῦτον οὐδὲ ᾐτήσω ψυχὰς ἐχθρῶν σου ἀλλ' ᾐτήσω σαυτῷ σύνεσιν τοῦ εἰσακούειν κρίμα

12ἰδοὺ πεποίηκα κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμά σου ἰδοὺ δέδωκά σοι καρδίαν φρονίμην καὶ σοφήν ὡς σὺ οὐ γέγονεν ἔμπροσθέν σου καὶ μετὰ σὲ οὐκ ἀναστήσεται ὅμοιός σοι

13καὶ ἃ οὐκ ᾐτήσω δέδωκά σοι καὶ πλοῦτον καὶ δόξαν ὡς οὐ γέγονεν ἀνὴρ ὅμοιός σοι ἐν βασιλεῦσιν

14καὶ ἐὰν πορευθῇς ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ μου φυλάσσειν τὰς ἐντολάς μου καὶ τὰ προστάγματά μου ὡς ἐπορεύθη Δαυιδ ὁ πατήρ σου καὶ πληθυνῶ τὰς ἡμέρας σου

15καὶ ἐξυπνίσθη Σαλωμων καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐνύπνιον καὶ ἀνέστη καὶ παραγίνεται εἰς Ιερουσαλημ καὶ ἔστη κατὰ πρόσωπον τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου τοῦ κατὰ πρόσωπον κιβωτοῦ διαθήκης κυρίου ἐν Σιων καὶ ἀνήγαγεν ὁλοκαυτώσεις καὶ ἐποίησεν εἰρηνικὰς καὶ ἐποίησεν πότον μέγαν ἑαυτῷ καὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς παισὶν αὐτοῦ

16τότε ὤφθησαν δύο γυναῖκες πόρναι τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ ἔστησαν ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ

17καὶ εἶπεν ἡ γυνὴ ἡ μία ἐν ἐμοί κύριε ἐγὼ καὶ ἡ γυνὴ αὕτη οἰκοῦμεν ἐν οἴκῳ ἑνὶ καὶ ἐτέκομεν ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ

18καὶ ἐγενήθη ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ τεκούσης μου καὶ ἔτεκεν καὶ ἡ γυνὴ αὕτη καὶ ἡμεῖς κατὰ τὸ αὐτό καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν οὐθεὶς μεθ' ἡμῶν πάρεξ ἀμφοτέρων ἡμῶν ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ

19καὶ ἀπέθανεν ὁ υἱὸς τῆς γυναικὸς ταύτης τὴν νύκτα ὡς ἐπεκοιμήθη ἐπ' αὐτόν

20καὶ ἀνέστη μέσης τῆς νυκτὸς καὶ ἔλαβεν τὸν υἱόν μου ἐκ τῶν ἀγκαλῶν μου καὶ ἐκοίμισεν αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ αὐτῆς καὶ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτῆς τὸν τεθνηκότα ἐκοίμισεν ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ μου

21καὶ ἀνέστην τὸ πρωὶ θηλάσαι τὸν υἱόν μου καὶ ἐκεῖνος ἦν τεθνηκώς καὶ ἰδοὺ κατενόησα αὐτὸν πρωί καὶ ἰδοὺ οὐκ ἦν ὁ υἱός μου ὃν ἔτεκον

22καὶ εἶπεν ἡ γυνὴ ἡ ἑτέρα οὐχί ἀλλὰ ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ζῶν ὁ δὲ υἱός σου ὁ τεθνηκώς καὶ ἐλάλησαν ἐνώπιον τοῦ βασιλέως

23καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς αὐταῖς σὺ λέγεις οὗτος ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ζῶν καὶ ὁ υἱὸς ταύτης ὁ τεθνηκώς καὶ σὺ λέγεις οὐχί ἀλλὰ ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ζῶν καὶ ὁ υἱός σου ὁ τεθνηκώς

24καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς λάβετέ μοι μάχαιραν καὶ προσήνεγκαν τὴν μάχαιραν ἐνώπιον τοῦ βασιλέως

25καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς διέλετε τὸ παιδίον τὸ θηλάζον τὸ ζῶν εἰς δύο καὶ δότε τὸ ἥμισυ αὐτοῦ ταύτῃ καὶ τὸ ἥμισυ αὐτοῦ ταύτῃ

26καὶ ἀπεκρίθη ἡ γυνή ἧς ἦν ὁ υἱὸς ὁ ζῶν καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα ὅτι ἐταράχθη ἡ μήτρα αὐτῆς ἐπὶ τῷ υἱῷ αὐτῆς καὶ εἶπεν ἐν ἐμοί κύριε δότε αὐτῇ τὸ παιδίον καὶ θανάτῳ μὴ θανατώσητε αὐτόν καὶ αὕτη εἶπεν μήτε ἐμοὶ μήτε αὐτῇ ἔστω διέλετε

27καὶ ἀπεκρίθη ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ εἶπεν δότε τὸ παιδίον τῇ εἰπούσῃ δότε αὐτῇ αὐτὸ καὶ θανάτῳ μὴ θανατώσητε αὐτόν αὐτὴ ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ

28καὶ ἤκουσαν πᾶς Ισραηλ τὸ κρίμα τοῦτο ὃ ἔκρινεν ὁ βασιλεύς καὶ ἐφοβήθησαν ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ βασιλέως ὅτι εἶδον ὅτι φρόνησις θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ τοῦ ποιεῖν δικαίωμα