1 UDavide wabutha zonke izikhulu zakwa-Israyeli, izikhulu zezizwe, nezinduna zezigaba ezazikhonza inkosi, nezinduna zezinkulungwane nezamakhulu, nezinduna zayo yonke imfuyo yenkosi neyamadodana ayo, nezinduna zendlunkulu, namaqhawe, nawo onke amadoda anamandla eJerusalema.
2 UDavide inkosi wayesema ngezinyawo, wathi: “Ngizweni, bafowethu nabantu bakwethu: mina-ke, kwakusenhliziyweni yami ukwakhela umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova indlu yokuphumula neyesenabelo sikaNkulunkulu wethu; ngangizilungiselele ukwakha.
3 Kepha wayesethi uNkulunkulu kimi: ‘Awuyikwakhela igama lami indlu, ngokuba uyindoda yempi, uchithile igazi.’
4 “Kodwa uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli wangikhetha endlini yonke kababa ukuba ngibe yinkosi kwa-Israyeli kuze kube phakade; ngokuba ukhethile uJuda ukuba abe ngumbusi, nasendlini kaJuda indlu kababa, naphakathi kwamadodana kababa wangenamela mina ukuba angibeke inkosi kwa-Israyeli wonke,
5 nasemadodaneni ami onke, ngokuba uJehova ungiphe amadodana amaningi, ukhethe uSolomoni indodana yami ukuba ahlale esihlalweni sobukhosi sombuso kaJehova kwa-Israyeli.
6 Wathi kimi: ‘USolomoni indodana yakho nguye oyakwakha indlu yami namagceke ami, ngokuba ngimkhethile ukuba abe yindodana yami, mina ngibe nguyise.
7 Ngiyakuqinisa umbuso wakhe kuze kube phakade, uma eqinisela ukwenza imiyalo yami nezahlulelo zami njenganamuhla.’
8 “Ngalokho emehlweni abo bonke abakwa-Israyeli, ibandla likaJehova, nasezindlebeni zikaNkulunkulu wethu funani nigcine yonke imiyalo kaJehova uNkulunkulu wenu ukuba nidle leli zwe elihle, nilishiye libe yifa labantwana benu emva kwenu kuze kube phakade.
9 “Wena Solomoni, ndodana yami, yazi uNkulunkulu kayihlo, umkhonze ngenhliziyo epheleleyo nangenhliziyo ethokozayo, ngokuba uJehova uhlola izinhliziyo zonke, uqonda zonke izizindlo zemicabango; uma umfuna, uyakufunyanwa nguye; kepha uma umshiya, uyakukulahla kuze kube phakade.
10 Bheka manje, ngokuba uJehova ekukhethile ukwakha indlu ibe yindlu engcwele, qina, ukwenze.”
11 UDavide wamnika uSolomoni indodana yakhe isifanekiso sompheme nesezindlu zethempeli, nesengcebo yalo, nesamakamelo alo aphezulu, nesamakamelo alo angaphakathi, nesendlu yesihlalo somusa;
12 nesifanekiso sakho konke ayenakho emicabangweni yakhe ngamagceke endlu kaJehova, nangamakamelo nxazonke, nangengcebo yendlu kaNkulunkulu, nangengcebo yezinto ezingcwele;
13 nangezigaba zabapristi nezamaLevi, nangawo wonke umsebenzi wenkonzo yendlu kaJehova, nangazo zonke izitsha zenkonzo endlini kaJehova;
14 nangegolide isisindo segolide lezinto zonke zezinkonzo ngezinkonzo, nangezinto zonke zesiliva isisindo sazo, zonke izinto zezinkonzo ngezinkonzo;
15 nangesisindo sezinti zezibani zegolide kanye nezibani zazo zegolide, nesisindo salolo nalolo luthi lwesibani kanye nezibani zalo, nangesezinti zesiliva isisindo sothi kanye nezibani zalo njengomsebenzi walolo nalolo luthi;
16 nangesisindo segolide lamatafula ezinkwa zokubukwa, amatafula ngamatafula, nangesiliva lamatafula esiliva;
17 nangezingwegwe zenyama, nangezinkamba, nangezitsha zegolide elicwengekileyo, nangezindebe zonke zegolide, isisindo saleso naleso sitsha;
18 nange-altare lempepho legolide elicwengekileyo isisindo salo, nesifanekiso senqola, namakherubi* egolide ayelula amaphiko awo, asibekela umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova.
19 “Konke lokho,” washo uDavide, “ngikuqondisiwe ngokubhalwe ngesandla sikaJehova, yebo, wonke umsebenzi walesi sifanekiso.”
20 Wayesethi uDavide kuSolomoni indodana yakhe: “Qina, ume isibindi, ukwenze; ungesabi, ungabi naluvalo, ngokuba uJehova uNkulunkulu, yebo, uNkulunkulu wami, unawe; akayikukuyeka, akayikukushiya uze uphele wonke umsebenzi wenkonzo yendlu kaJehova.
21 Nazi izigaba zabapristi nezamaLevi zazo zonke izinkonzo zendlu kaNkulunkulu; kuyakuba nawe emsebenzini wonke abantu abazinikela ngenhliziyo naba yizingcweti ezinkonzweni zonke; nezikhulu nabantu bonke bayakulalela konke okukhulumayo.”