Section 30
And Shəlomah answered and said to her, “ I swear to you that I will not take you by force, but you must swear to me that you will not take by force anything that is in my house.” And the Queen laughed and said to him, “ Being a wise man why do you speak as a fool? Shall I steal anything, or shall I carry out of the house of the King that which the King has not given to me? Do not imagine that I have come here through love of riches. Moreover, my own kingdom is as wealthy as your, and there is nothing which I wish for that I lack. Assuredly I have only come in quest of your wisdom.” And he said to her, “ If you wouldst make me swear, swear you to me, for a swearing is meet for both [of us], so that neither of us may be unjustly treated. And if you will not make me swear I will not make you swear.” And she said to him, “ Swear to me that you will not take me by force, and I on my part will sw r ear not to take by force your possessions ”; and he swore to her and made her swear. And the King went up on his bed on the one side [of the chamber], and the servants made ready for her a bed on the other side. And Shəlomah said to a young manservant, “ Wash out the bowl and set in it a vessel of water whilst the Queen is looking on, and shut the doors and go and sleep.” And Shəlomah spoke to the servant in another tongue which the Queen did not understand, and he did as the King commanded, and went and slept. And the King had not as yet fallen asleep, but he only pretended to be asleep, and he was watching the Queen intently. Now the house of Shəlomah the King was illumined.as by day, for in his wisdom he had made shining pearls which were like to the sun, and moon, and stars [and had set them] in the roof of his house. And the Queen slept a little. And when she woke up her mouth was dry with thirst, for the food which Shəlomah had given her in his wisdom had made her thirsty, and she was very thirsty indeed, and her mouth was dry; and she moved her lips and sucked with her mouth and found no moisture. And she determined to drink the water which she had seen, and she looked at King Shəlomah and watched him carefully, and she thought that he was sleeping a sound sleep. But he was not asleep, and he was waiting until she should rise up to steal the water to [quench] her thirst. And she rose up and, making no sound with her feet, she went to the water in the bowl and lifted up the jar to drink the water. And Shəlomah seized her hand before she could drink the water, and said to her, “ Why hast you broken the oath that you hast sworn that you wouldst not take by force anything that is in my house? And she answered and said to him in fear, “ Is the oath broken by my drinking water? ” And the King said to her, “ Is there anything that you hast seen under the heavens that is better than water? ” And the Queen said, “ I have sinned against myself, and you are free from [your] oath. But let me drink water for my thirst.” Then Shəlomah said to her, “ Am I perchance free from the oath which you hast made me swear? ” And the Queen said, “ Be free from your oath, only let me drink water.” And he permitted her to drink water, and after she had drunk water he worked his will with her and they slept together. And after he slept there appeared to King Shəlomah [in a dream] a brilliant sun, and it came down from heaven and shed exceedingly great splendour over Yisra'el. And when it had tarried there for a time it suddenly withdrew itself, and it flew away to the country of Ethiopia, and it shone there with exceedingly great brightness for ever, for it willed to dwell there. And [the King said], “ I waited [to see] if it would come back to Yisra'el, but it did not return. And again while I waited a light rose up in the heavens, and a Sun came down from them in the country of Yehudah, and it sent forth light which was very much stronger than before.” And Yisra'el, because of the flame of that Sun entreated that Sun evilly and would not walk in the light of it. And that Sun paid no heed to Yisra'el, and the beney Yisra'el hated Him, and it became impossible that peace should exist between them and the Sun. And they lifted up their hands against Him with staves and knives, and they wished to extinguish that Sun. And they cast darkness upon the whole world with earthquake and thick darkness, and they imagined that that Sun would never more rise upon them. And they destroyed His light and cast themselves upon Him and they set a guard over His tomb in which they had cast Him. And He came forth where they did not look for Him, and illumined the whole world, more especially the First Sea and the Last Sea, Ethiopia and Rom. And He paid no heed whatever to Yisra'el, and He ascended His former throne. And when Shəlomah the King saw this vision in his sleep, his soul became disturbed, and his understanding was snatched away as by [a flash of] lightning, and he woke up with an agitated mind. And moreover, Shəlomah marvelled concerning the Queen, for she was vigorous in strength, and beautiful of form, and she was undefiled in her virginity; and she had reigned for six years in her own country, and, notwithstanding her gracious attraction and her splendid form, had preserved her body pure. And the Queen said to Shəlomah, “ Dismiss me, and let me depart to my own country.” And he went into his house and gave to her whatever she wished for of splendid things and riches, and beautiful apparel which bewitched the eyes, and everything on which great store was set in the country of Ethiopia, and camels and wagons, six thousand in number, which were laden with beautiful things of the most desirable kind, and wagons in which loads were carried over the desert, and a vessel in which one could travel over the sea, and a vessel in which one could traverse the air (or winds), which Shəlomah had made by the wisdom that Elohim had given to him.