2 Chronicles 9

DOUAI-RHEIMS	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 And when the queen of Saba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to try him with hard questions at Jerusalem, with great riches, and camels, which carried spices, and abundance of gold, and precious stones. And when she was come to Solomon, she proposed to him all that was in her heart.	1 When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with subtle questions, accompanied by a very numerous retinue and by camels bearing spices, much gold, and precious stones. She came to Solomon and questioned him on every subject in which she was interested.
2 And Solomon explained to her all that she proposed: and there was not any thing that he did not make clear unto her.	2 Solomon explained to her everything she asked about, and there remained nothing hidden from Solomon that he could not explain to her.
3 And when she had seen these things, to wit, the wisdom of Solomon, and the house which he had built,	3 When the queen of Sheba witnessed Solomon's wisdom, the palace he had built,
4 And the meats of his table, and the dwelling places of his servants, and the attendance of his officers, and their apparel, his cupbearers also, and their garments, and the victims which he offered in the house of the Lord: there was no more spirit in her, she was so astonished.	4 the food at his table, the seating of his ministers, the attendance of his servants and their dress, his cupbearers and their dress, and the holocausts he offered in the house of the LORD, it took her breath away.
5 And she add to the king: The word is true which I heard in my country of thy virtues and wisdom.	5 "The account I heard in my country about your deeds and your wisdom is true," she told the king.
6 I did not believe them that told it, until I came, and my eyes had seen, and I had proved that scarce one half of thy wisdom had been told me: thou hast exceeded the same with thy virtues.	6 "Yet I did not believe the report until I came and saw with my own eyes. I have discovered that they did not tell me the half of your great wisdom; you have surpassed the stories I heard.
7 Happy are thy men, and happy are thy servants, who stand always before thee, and hear thy wisdom.	7 Happy are your men, happy these servants of yours, who stand before you always and listen to your wisdom.
8 Blessed be the Lord thy God, who hath been pleased to set thee on his throne, king of the Lord thy God. Because God loveth Israel, and will preserve them for ever: therefore hath he made thee king over them, to do judgment and justice.	8 Blessed be the LORD, your God, who has been so pleased with you as to place you on his throne as king for the LORD, your God. Because your God has so loved Israel as to will to make it last forever, he has appointed you over them as king to administer right and justice."
9 And she gave to the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and spices in great abundance, and most precious stones: there were no such spices as these which the queen of Saba gave to king Solomon.	9 Then she gave the king one hundred and twenty gold talents and a very large quantity of spices, as well as precious stones. There was no other spice like that which the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
10 And the servants also of Hiram, with the servants of Solomon, brought gold from Ophir, and thyine trees, and most precious stones:	10 The servants of Huram and of Solomon who brought gold from Ophir also brought cabinet wood and precious stones.
11 And the king made of the thyine trees stairs in the house of the Lord, and in the king's house, and harps and psalteries for the singing men: never were there seen such trees in the land of Juda.	11 With the cabinet wood the king made stairs for the temple of the LORD and the palace of the king; also lyres and harps for the chanters. The like of these had not been seen before in the land of Judah.
12 And king Solomon gave to the queen of Saba all that she desired, and that she asked, and many more things than she brought to him: so she returned, and went to her own country with her servants.	12 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she desired and asked him for, more than she had brought to the king. Then she returned to her own country with her servants.
13 And the weight of the gold, that was brought to Solomon every year, was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold:	13 The gold that Solomon received each year weighed six hundred and sixty-six gold talents,
14 Beside the sum which the deputies of divers nations, and the merchants were accustomed to bring, and all the kings of Arabia, and the lords of the lands, who I brought gold and silver to Solomon.	14 in addition to what was collected from travelers and what the merchants brought. All the kings of Arabia also, and the governors of the country, brought gold and silver to Solomon.
15 And king Solomon made two hundred golden spears, of the sum of six hundred pieces of gold, which went to every spear:	15 Moreover, King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold, six hundred shekels of beaten gold going into each shield,
16 And three hundred golden shields of three hundred pieces of gold, which went to the covering of every shield: and the king put them in the armoury, which was compassed with a wood.	16 and three hundred bucklers of beaten gold, three hundred shekels of gold going into each buckler; these the king put in the hall of the Forest of Lebanon.
17 The king also made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold.	17 King Solomon also made a large ivory throne which he overlaid with fine gold.
18 And six steps to go up to the throne, and a footstool of gold, and two arms one on either side, and two lions standing by the arms:	18 The throne had six steps; a footstool of gold was fastened to it, and there was an arm on each side of the seat, with two lions standing beside the arms.
19 Moreover twelve other little lions standing upon the steps on both sides: there was not such a throne in any kingdom.	19 Twelve other lions also stood there, one on either side of each step. Nothing like this had ever been produced in any other kingdom.
20 And all the vessels of the king's table were of gold, and the vessels of the house of the forest of Libanus were of the purest gold. For no account was made of silver in those days.	20 Furthermore, all of King Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the utensils in the hall of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; silver was not considered of value in Solomon's time.
21 For the king's ships went to Tharsis with the servants of Hiram, once in three years: and they brought thence gold and silver, and ivory, and apes, and peacocks.	21 For the king had ships that went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram. Once every three years the fleet of Tarshish would return with a cargo of gold and silver, ivory, apes and monkeys.
22 And Solomon was magnified above all the kings of the earth for riches and glory.	22 Thus King Solomon surpassed all the other kings of the earth in riches as well as in wisdom.
23 And all the kings of the earth desired to see the face of Solomon, that they might hear the wisdom which God had given in his heart.	23 All the kings of the earth sought audience with Solomon, to hear from him the wisdom which God had put in his heart.
24 And every year they brought him presents, vessels of silver and of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, and horses, and mules.	24 Year in and year out, each one would bring his tribute-silver and gold articles, garments, weapons, spices, horses and mules.
25 And Solomon had forty thousand horses in the stables, and twelve thousand chariots, and horsemen, and he placed them in the cities of the chariots, and where the king was in Jerusalem.	25 Solomon also had four thousand stalls of horses, chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, which he assigned to the chariot cities and to the king in Jerusalem.
26 And he exercised authority over all the kings from the river Euphrates to the land of the Philistines, and to the borders of Egypt.	26 He was ruler over all the kings from the River to the land of the Philistines and down to the border of Egypt.
27 And he made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones: and cedars as common as the sycamores, which grow in the plains.	27 The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, while cedars became as numerous as the sycamores of the foothills.
28 And horses were brought to him out of Egypt, and out of all countries.	28 Horses were imported for Solomon from Egypt and from all the lands.
29 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon first and last are written in the words of Nathan the prophet, and in the boobs of Ahias the Silonite, and in the vision of Addo the seer, against Jeroboam the son of Nabat.	29 The rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are written, as is well known, in the acts of Nathan the prophet, in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer which concern Jeroboam, son of Nebat.
30 And Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.	30 Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years.
31 And he slept d with his fathers: and they buried him in the city of David: and Roboam his son reigned in his stead	31 He rested with his ancestors; he was buried in his father's City of David, and his son Rehoboam succeeded him as king.