SOLOMONI abengumfanyana ngalesikhatsi aba yinkhosi. Abetsandza Jehova, futsi alandzela neteluleko letinhle latinikwa ngubabe wakhe Davide. Jehova abejabula ngaSolomoni, futsi ngalobunye busuku watsi kuye ephusheni: ‘Solomoni, yini lofuna ngikuphe yona?’

Solomoni waphendvula watsi: ‘Jehova Nkulunkulu wami, ngisasemncane futsi angikwati kubusa. Ngako-ke nginike kuhlakanipha kuze ngitewukwati kubusa bantfu bakho ngendlela lefanele.’

Jehova wajabula ngaloko Solomoni lakucela. Ngako watsi kuye: ‘Ngenca yekutsi ucele kuhlakanipha, hhayi imphilo lendze nobe bunjinga, ngitakupha inhlitiyo lehlakaniphile lokungekho muntfu loke waba nayo. Ngetulu kwaloko ngitakupha naloku longakakuceli, bunjinga neludvumo.’

Ngemuva kwesikhashana, kweta bafati lababili kuSolomoni banenkinga lematima. Loyedvwa kubo wayichaza watsi: ‘Lomfati lona ngihlala naye endlini yinye. Ngibeleke umntfwana wemfana, kwatsi ngemuva kwemalanga lamabili naye wabeleka umntfwana wemfana. Ngalobunye busuku indvodzana yakhe yafa. Kodvwa kutsite ngiselele, wabeka lomntfwana wakhe lofile eceleni kwami, watsatsa lowami umtfwana. Ngitsite nangivuka ngakhandza kunemntfwana lofile, ngabona kutsi akusuye lowami lengimbelekile.’

Lomfati lomunye watsi: ‘Cha akunjalo! Lomntfwana lophilako wami, kantsi lona lofile wakhe!’ Lona wekucala wamphendvula watsi: ‘Cha! Lomntfwana lofile wakho, kantsi lona lophilako wami!’ Bebaloku baphikisana ngalendlela. Abetawukwenta njani Solomoni?

Watfumela kutsi kulandvwe inkemba, nayiletfwa watsi: ‘Sikani lomntfwana lophilako ekhatsi, ninike lona lomunye lucetu lwanganhlanye, nalona lomunye nimnike lucetu lwanganhlanye.’

Lomfati longumnikati walomntfwana wakhala: ‘Ungambulali lomntfwana. Sale umnika yena.’ kodvwa lona lomunye watsi: ‘Akubete lomtsatsako kitsi sobabili, msikeni emkhatsini.’

Ekugcineni Solomoni watsi: ‘Ningambulali lomntfwana! Mtsatseni nimnike lomfati wekucala. Ngobe nguye unina walomntfwana.’ Wakwati loku ngoba lomfati longunina abemtsandza kakhulu umntfwana wakhe. Waze watsi akatsatfwe aniketwe lona lomunye kunekutsi abulawe. Kwatsi bantfu nabeva kutsi Solomoni uyicatulule njani lenkinga, bajabula ngekuba nenkhosi lehlakaniphile.

Ngalesikhatsi Solomoni abusa, Nkulunkulu wababusisa bantfu ngekutsi ente umhlabatsi ukhone kumilisa kolo, ibhali, emagilebisi, emakhiwa kanye nekudla lokunyenti. Bantfu bebanetimphahla kanye netindlu letinhle. Bekunetintfo letinyenti letinhle lebetenele wonkhe umuntfu.