1 Ke kaloku uSolomon wazimisela ukwakhela igama *likaNdikhoyo indlu, kunye nelakhe ibhotwe.
2 Wamisa amadoda angamawaka angamashumi asixhenxe ukuze athwale izinto zokwakha, namanye angamashumi asibhozo amawaka awayeza kuqingqa amatye ezindulini phaya, kunye neenduna ezingamawaka amathathu anamakhulu amathandathu.
3 USolomon wathumela umyalezo kukumkani uHiram waseTire, esithi: “Nam khawundithumele izikhuni zomsedare kwanjengoko wenzayo kubawo uDavide ngokuya wayeza kuzakhela ibhotwe.
4 Ngoku mna ndiza kwakhela igama likaNdikhoyo uThixo wam indlu. Yona ndoyinikela kuye, kuyo kutshiswe iziqhumiso ezivumba limnandi, kusenzelwa yena. Kwalapho kuyo kohlala kubekwa isonka esinikelwa kuye, kwenziwe namadini atshiswayo mihla le kusasa nasemalanga, *ngeMihla yokuPhumla, nangamathuba okuthwasa kwenyanga, nangamatheko amisiweyo kaNdikhoyo uThixo wethu. Lowo ke ngummiselo wakwaSirayeli ongasoze waphela.
5 “Le ndlu ndiza kuyakha iza kuba yimbalasane, kuba uThixo wethu akalingani nathixo ngobukhulu.
6 Ewe, akukho namntu ungamakhela ndlu; kuba kaloku namazulu, nditsho amazulu asemajuku-jukwini, akanako ukumqulatha. Bendingubani ke mna, ukuba ndide ndimakhele indlu, ngaphandle nje kokuba ndakhe indawo yokutshisa amadini phambi kwakhe?
7 “Ngoko ke nceda undithumele indoda elichule ngokusebenza ngegolide nesiliva, ubhedu nentsimbi; ichule kumalaphu amsobo, amfusa, naluhlaza; nditsho ingcali yokukrola; ukuze isebenze kwaJuda naseJerusalem ikunye nezam iingcali, ezo zafunwa ngubawo uDavide.
8 “Kananjalo ndithumele izikhuni zomsedare, ipayini, nom-algumi, kuloo mahlathi aseLebhanon. Kaloku ndiyazi ukuba amadoda akho ziingcali ekugawuleni imithi apho eLebhanon. Amadoda am osebenzisana nawakho,
9 andilungiselele intaphane yemithi, kuba le ndlu ndiza kuyakha kufuneka ibe nkulu, ibe yinzwakazi.
10 Izicaka zakho ezigawula imithi ndozinika amawaka amabini eetoni zengqolowa, namawaka amabini eetoni zerhasi, kunye namakhulu amane amawaka eelitha zewayini, namakhulu amane amawaka eelitha zamafutha omnquma.”
11 Ke ukumkani uHiram waseTire waphendula uSolomon ngeleta wenjeje: “Ngenxa yokubathanda kwakhe uNdikhoyo abantu bakhe, umise wena wangukumkani wabo.”
12 Waqhuba uHiram wathi: “Makadunyiswe uNdikhoyo uThixo kaSirayeli, umenzi wamazulu nehlabathi! Ukumkani uDavide umphe unyana osisilumko, othiwe jize ngengqiqo neliso elibukhali, yena oza kwakhela uNdikhoyo indlu, naye azakhele ibhotwe.
13 “Ngoko ke ndikuthumelela uHuram-abhi, indoda elichule kunene.
14 Unina ngowakwaDan, uyise ngumTire. Uqeqeshelwe ukusebenza ngegolide, isiliva, ubhedu, intsimbi, ilitye, nomthi, kanti nangamalaphu elinen amsobo, aluhlaza, namfusa, nditsho nacikizekileyo. Unamava kuwo wonke umsebenzi wokukrola; akukho plani imxakayo. Ke uya kusebenza naloo machule akho kunye nalawo omhlekazi uDavide uyihlo.
15 “Ngoko ke umhlekazi makathumelele izicaka zakhe ingqolowa abethethe ngayo, kunye nerhasi, namafutha omnquma, newayini.
16 Ke thina sokugawulela eLebhanon yonke imithi oyifunayo, siyenze iinyanda, siyifake elwandle, idade iyokutsho eJopa. Ke wena woyithatha khona, uyise eJerusalem.”
17 USolomon wazibala zonke iintlanga ezazihlala apho kwaSirayeli, ngokoluya balo lwalenziwe nguyise uDavide, zafumaneka zingamawaka alikhulu elinamashumi amahlanu anantathu anamakhulu amathandathu.
18 Amashumi asixhenxe amawaka kuzo wawamisela ukuthwala izinto zokwakha, amashumi asibhozo amawaka wawamisa angabaqingqi bamatye, aza ke amawaka amathathu anamakhulu amathandathu aziinduna zokujonga ukuba umsebenzi uqhubeke.