1 Solomon prayed:
“Our Lord, you said that you
would live in a dark cloud.
2 Now I've built a glorious temple
where you can live forever.”
Solomon Speaks to the People
(1 Kings 8.14-21)3 Solomon turned toward the people standing there. Then he blessed them 4-6 and said:
Praise the Lord God of Israel! He brought his people out of Egypt long ago and later kept his promise to make my father David the king of Israel. The Lord also promised him that Jerusalem would be the city where his temple will be built, and now that promise has come true.
7 When my father wanted to build a temple for the Lord God of Israel, 8 the Lord said, “It's good that you want to build a temple where I can be worshiped. 9 But you're not the one to do it. Your son will build the temple to honor me.”
10 The Lord has done what he promised. I am now the king of Israel, and I've built a temple for the Lord our God. 11 I've also put the sacred chest in the temple. And in that chest are the two flat stones on which is written the solemn agreement the Lord made with our ancestors when he rescued them from Egypt.
Solomon Prays at the Temple
(1 Kings 8.22-53)12-13 Earlier, Solomon had a bronze platform made that was about two meters square and over a meter high, and he put it in the center of the outer courtyard near the altar. Solomon stood on the platform facing the altar with everyone standing behind him. Then he lifted his arms toward heaven; he knelt down 14 and prayed:
Lord God of Israel, no other god in heaven or on earth is like you!
You never forget the agreement you made with your people, and you are loyal to anyone who faithfully obeys your teachings. 15 My father David was your servant, and today you have kept every promise you made to him.
16 You promised that someone from his family would always be king of Israel, if they do their best to obey you, just as he did. 17 Please keep this promise you made to your servant David. 18 There's not enough room in all of heaven for you, Lord God. How could you possibly live on earth in this temple I have built? 19 But I ask you to answer my prayer. 20 This is the temple where you have chosen to be worshiped. Please watch over it day and night and listen when I turn toward it and pray. 21 I am your servant, and the people of Israel belong to you, and so whenever any of us look toward this temple and pray, answer from your home in heaven and forgive our sins.
22 Suppose someone accuses a person of a crime, and the accused has to stand in front of the altar in your temple and say, “I swear I am innocent!” 23 Listen from heaven and decide who is right. Then punish the guilty person and let the innocent one go free.
24 Suppose your people Israel sin against you, and then an enemy defeats them. If they come to this temple and beg for forgiveness, 25 listen from your home in heaven. Forgive them and bring them back to the land you gave their ancestors.
26 Suppose your people sin against you, and you punish them by holding back the rain. If they stop sinning and turn toward this temple to pray in your name, 27 listen from your home in heaven and forgive them. The people of Israel are your servants, so teach them to live right. And send rain on the land you promised them forever.
28 Sometimes the crops may dry up or rot or be eaten by locusts or grasshoppers, and your people will be starving. Sometimes enemies may surround their towns, or your people will become sick with deadly diseases. 29 Please listen when anyone in Israel truly feels sorry and sincerely prays with arms lifted toward your temple. 30 You know what is in everyone's heart. So from your home in heaven answer their prayers, according to what they do and what is in their hearts. 31 Then your people will worship you and obey you for as long as they live in the land you gave their ancestors.
32 Foreigners will hear about you and your mighty power, and some of them will come to live among your people Israel. If any of them pray toward this temple, 33 listen from your home in heaven and answer their prayers. Then everyone on earth will worship you, just as your own people Israel do, and they will know that I have built this temple in your honor.
34 Sometimes you will order your people to attack their enemies. Then your people will turn toward this temple I have built for you in your chosen city, and they will pray to you. 35 Answer their prayers from heaven and give them victory.
36 Everyone sins. But when your people sin against you, suppose you get angry enough to let their enemies drag them away to foreign countries. 37-39 Later, they may feel sorry for what they did and ask your forgiveness. Answer them when they pray toward this temple I have built for you in your chosen city, here in this land you gave their ancestors. From your home in heaven, listen to their sincere prayers and forgive your people who have sinned against you.
40 Lord God, hear us when we pray in this temple. 41 Come to your new home, where we have already placed the sacred chest, which is the symbol of your strength. I pray that when the priests announce your power to save people, those who are faithful to you will celebrate what you've done for them. 42 Always remember the love you had for your servant David, so that you will not reject your chosen kings.
Salomo ma hungire notjiwaṋa
(1Ozo 8:12-21)1 Salomo wa kumba a tja: “Muhona, ove we ritoororera okukara movikamba na monḓorera. 2 Nambano ami mbe ku tungire ondjuwo ondjapuke mu mo tura nga aruhe.”
3 Otjiwaṋa atjihe tjOvaisrael tja kurama mbo. Nombara Salomo wa tanauka okutara ku tjo ne tji ningirire ondaya ya Ndjambi. 4 Eye wa tja: “Nga tangwe Muhona, Ndjambi wa Israel! Eye wa yenenisa omakwizikiro, nga tjita ku tate David, indu tja tja: 5 ‘Okuza keyuva, ndi mba pitisa otjiwaṋa tjandje mOengipte, ami hi toororere otjihuro ngamwa mehi arihe ra Israel mu mwa sokutungwa ondjuwo ondjapuke mu me kumbirwa; nami hi toororere omurumendu ngamwa auhe okuhongorera otjiwaṋa tjandje Israel.’ ” 6 Nungwari nambano ami mba toorora Jerusalem okurira poṋa pu me kumbirwa, na ove, David, okurira ombara yotjiwaṋa tjandje Israel. 7 Salomo wa hungira komurungu a tja: “Tate David wa vanga okutungira Muhona, Ndjambi wa Israel, ondjuwo ondjapuke. 8 Nungwari Muhona wa tja nai ku tate David: ‘Ami mbi nohange na ove kutja wa vanga okundjitungira ondjuwo ondjapuke. 9 Nungwari kaove, David, ngu mo ndji tungire ondjuwo ndji; ma rire omuzandu woye ongu me ndji tungire ondjuwo ndji.’ ” 10 “Nambano Muhona wa yenenisa omakwizikiro we nga tjita. Ami mba pingena tate David okurira ombara ya Israel, nu mba tungira Muhona, Ndjambi wa Israel, ondjuwo ondjapuke ndji. 11 Mondjuwo ndji ami mba twa mo Otjipwikiro tjOmerikutiropamwe mu mu novitjangero vivari vyomawe vyomerikutiropamwe Muhona nga tjita puna Ovaisrael.”
Ongumbiro ya Salomo
(1Ozo 8:22-53)12 Otjiwaṋa atjihe ngunda atji ri mbo, Salomo wa kakurama komurungu wotjipunguhiro tja Muhona na yere omaoko we ama kumbu. 13 Salomo wa ungurire otjitongameno tjongoporo ne tji twa mokati korupanda. Otjo tja ri nozometa mbari koure na kouparanga, nometa imwe nohinga koutonga. Eye wa ronda kotjitongameno hi na kawora ozongoro poṋa puya sora okumunika ku ngamwa auhe, na yere omaoko keyuru. 14 Eye wa kumba a tja: “Muhona, Ndjambi wa Israel, kapena mukuru ngu ri otja ove, meyuru poo kombanda yehi. Ove oove omuṱakame komerikutiropamwe woye, nu u raisa orusuvero rwoye orukarerere kotjiwaṋa tjoye tji tji nonḓuviro kove nomutima watjo auhe. 15 Ove wa ṱakamisa omakwizikiro ngu wa tjita ku tate David, omukarere woye; nu ndinondi wa yenenisa imbi mbi wa kwizika.
16 “Nambano, Muhona, Ndjambi wa Israel, ami me kumbu kutja ove u ṱakamise omakwizikiro nga omakwao ngu wa tjita ku tate David, indu tji we mu raera nai: ‘Ami aruhe me ku pe ondekurona, ndji mai ku pingene okurira ombara ya Israel, indu ozondekurona zoye tji maze kara nonḓuviro ku ami tjimuna ove tji wa kara na yo ku ami.’ 17 Nu komuhingo mbwi otji me kumbu, Muhona, Ndjambi wa Israel, kutja ove u yenenise omakwizikiro nga ngu wa tjita ku tate David, omukarere woye.
18 “Ndjambi, tjiri, hapo mape ya ove o tura mokati kovandu kombanda yehi? Nandarire eyuru arihe kari oruveze ndwa yenene kove, nu ondjuwo ndji ndji mba tunga mai yenene vi kove? 19 Arikana, ndji zuvira ongumbiro yandje nomeriyarikaṋeno wandje, Muhona, Ndjambi wandje, ndji zuvira ondjuriro nongumbiro yandje, ndji me kumbu kove. 20 Tjevera ondjuwo ndji omutenya nouṱuku; poṋa mba ove pu wa toorora okukumbirwa po. Ndji zuvira tji me kumbire mondjuwo ndji. 21 Zuvira ozongumbiro zandje nozotjiwaṋa tjoye Israel, aruhe tji matji tara kondjuwo ndji ama tji kumbu kove. Moyoye meyuru tu zuvira nu tu isira.
22 “Omundu tji ma kumininwa kutja wa tjiti ouvi komukwao, na etwa kotjipunguhiro tjoye mondjuwo ndji a yane kutja ke nondjo, 23 Muhona, zuva meyuru, nu pangura ovakarere voye. Vera ingwi omunandjo pu pa yenene, nu u kuture ingwi omuhinandjo.
24 “Otjiwaṋa tjoye tji tja haverwa i ovanavita na tjo mena rokutja tja tura ondjo komurungu woye, nu tjazumba otjo atji ritanaurire kove natji ku yozike natji ningire ondjesiro mondjuwo ndji, 25 tji zuvira meyuru. Isira otjiwaṋa tjoye Israel omauvi watjo, nu u tji yarure kehi, ndi wa yandja ku wo na kooihe mukururume.
26 “Otjiwaṋa tjoye tji tja tura ondjo komurungu woye, nove tji we tji vere nokuhinokutjipa ombura, nu tjazumba otjo atji ritanaura natji tara kondjuwo ndji natji kumbu nokukutanga, 27 tji zuvira meyuru. Isira ourunde wovakarere voye, ihi otjiwaṋa tjoye Israel. Ve honga ondjira osemba mu mave sokuryanga, nu tjazumba u rokise ombura mehi roye, ndi wa yandja kotjiwaṋa tjoye ri rire ouini watjo oukarerere.
28 “Tji mu nourumbu mehi poo omutjise omuzeu poo ovikunwa tji vya nyonwa i ombepo ombyu poo i omutjise wovikokotwa poo i ehapu rozombahu poo otjiwaṋa tjoye tji tja rwisiwa i ovanavita na tjo poo tji mu na omutjise poo ouvere mokati katjo, 29 tji zuvira ozongumbiro zatjo. Tji pe novandu motjiwaṋa tjoye Israel mbe noruhoze momitima nave roporora omaoko wawo mongumbiro kondjuwo ndji, 30 ve zuvira ongumbiro yawo. Ve zuvira moyoye meyuru, u ve isire nu u tjite ku auhe otja pa pu pokutjitwa, ove tjinga au tjiwa omeripura wovandu avehe. 31 Ovandu voye otji mave ku tira nave kara nonḓuviro kove, oruveze aruhe ngunda ava tura mehi, ndi wa yandja kootate mukururume.
32 “Owozonganda ngu tura kehi rokokure tja zuu ena roye enene na imbi oviṋa ovinene, mbi wa tjita kotjiwaṋa tjoye, nu tje ya okukumbira mondjuwo ndji, 33 mu zuvira ongumbiro ye. Mu zuvira meyuru mu u tura, nu u yenenise imbi eye mbi me ku ningire okutjita, ovandu avehe mouye ve ku tjiwe nu ve ku tire i tjimuna otjiwaṋa tjoye omuini Israel tji tji tjita. Nowo otji mave tjiwa kutja ondjuwo ndji, ndji mba tunga, ove omu u kumbirwa mo.
34 “Ove tji wa rakiza kotjiwaṋa tjoye okukarwa novanavita na tjo, notjo tji matji kumbu kove ama tji tara kotjihuro hi tji wa toorora, na kondjuwo ndji ndji mbe ku tungira, 35 tji zuvira ozongumbiro zatjo. Tji zuvira meyuru, nu u tji pe outoṋi.
36 “Otjiwaṋa tjoye tji tja tura ondjo komurungu woye, tjinga ape hari omundu ngu ha tura ondjo, nu momazenge woye tji wa tjiti kutja ovanavita na tjo ve tji havere nokutjitwara kehi rarwe otja ovahuurwa, nandarire kutja okokure, 37 tji zuvira ozongumbiro zatjo. Tji tje ritanaurire mehi ndo natji kumbu kove, ama tji rihepura kutja otjinauvi nu tja tjita ouvi, zuvira ozongumbiro zatjo, Muhona. 38 Nu tji tje ritanaurire tjiri kove nomitima vyawo avihe mehi ndo, natji kumbu kove ngunda ama tji tara kehi ndi ndi wa yandja kooihe mukururume na kotjihuro tji wa toorora, na kondjuwo ndji ndji mbe ku tungira, 39 zuvira ozongumbiro zatjo. Tji zuvira moyoye meyuru, nu u tji tjariparere. Isira otjiwaṋa tjoye omauvi nozongatukiro zatjo komurungu woye.
40 “Nambano, Ndjambi wandje, paturura omeho nomatwi woye kozongumbiro ndu maze kumbirwa mba.
41 Nambano sekama, Muhona Ndjambi,
nu hita mondjuwo ndji,
ove nOtjipwikiro tjOmerikutiropamwe tji
tji ri otjisanekero tjomasa woye,
nu kara mo nga aruhe.
Sera ovapristeri voye ondaya
mu avihe mbi mave tjiti;
notjiwaṋa tjoye atjihe ngatji yoroke
mena rouwa mbu wa tjita ku tjo.
42 Muhona Ndjambi, o nakaura ombara,
ndji wa toorora.
Zemburuka orusuvero ndu wa ri na rwo
komukarere woye David.”
