Section 36
And Joas (Benayahu), the son of Yodahe, went out and brought Mənəlik inside. And when King Shəlomah saw him he rose up, and moved forward to welcome him, and he loosed the band of his apparel from his shoulder, and he embraced him, with his hands [resting] on his breast, and he kissed his mouth, and forehead, and eyes, and he said to him, “ Behold, my father Daviyd has renewed his youth and has risen from the dead.” And Shəlomah the King turned round to those who had announced the arrival of the young man, and he said to them, “ you said to me, c He resembleth you, 5 but this is not my stature, but the stature of Daviyd my father in the days of his early manhood, and he is handsomer than I am.” And Shəlomah the King rose up straightway, and he went into his chamber, and he arrayed the young man in apparel made of cloth embroidered with gold, and a belt of gold, and he set a crown upon his head, and a ring upon his finger. And having arrayed him in glorious apparel which bewitched the eyes, he seated him upon his throne, that he might be equal in rank to himself. And he said to the nobles and officers of Yisra'el, “ O you who treat me with contumely among yourselves and say that I have no son, look you, this is my son, the fruit that has gone forth from my body, whom Yahuah Elohim of Yisra'el* has given me, when I expected it not.” And his nobles answered and said to him, “ Blessed be the mother who has brought forth this young man* and blessed be the day in which you hadst union with the mother of this young man. For there has risen upon us from the root of Yishai a shining man who shall be king of the posterity of our posterity of his seed. Concerning his father none shall ask questions, and none shall say, 4 from where is his coming? Verily he is an one of Yisra'el of the seed of Daviyd, fashioned perfectly in the likeness of his father’s form and appearance; we are his servants, and he shall be our king.” And they brought to him gifts, each according to his greatness. And the young man took that ring which his mother had given him when they were alone together, and he said to his father, “ Take this ring, and remember the word which you did speak to the Queen, and give to us a portion of the fringe of the covering of the Tabot of the Torah of Elohim, so that we may worship it all our days, and all those who are subject to us, and those who are in the kingdom of the Queen.” And the King answered and said to him, “ Why givest you me the ring as a sign? Without your giving me a sign I discovered the likeness of your form to myself, for you are indeed my son.” And the merchant Tamrin spoke again to King Shəlomah, saying, “ Hearken, O King, to the message which your handmaiden, the Queen my mistress, sent by me: ‘ Take this young man, anoint him, consecrate him, and bless him, and make him king over our country, and give him the command that a woman shall never again reign [in this country], and send him back in peace. And peace be with the might of your kingdom, and with your brilliant wisdom. As for me, I never wished that he should come where you are, but he urged me exceedingly that he should be allowed to come to you. And besides, I was afraid for him lest he should fall sick on the journey, either through thirst for water, or the heat of the sun, and I should bring my grey hairs down to the grave with sorrow. Then I put my trust in the qodesh, heavenly Tsiyon, the Tabot of the Torah of Elohim, that you will not withhold it in your wisdom. For your nobles cannot return to their houses and look upon their children, by reason of the abundance of wisdom and food which you givest them, according to their desire, and they say, The table of Shəlomah is better for us than enjoying and gratifying ourselves in our own houses. And because of this I, through my fear, sought protection so that you mightest not stab-lish him with you, but mightest send him [back] to me in peace, without sickness and suffering, in love and in peace, that my heart might rejoice at having encountered you.’ ” And the King answered and said to him, “ Besides travailing with him and suckling him, what else has a woman to do with a son? A daughter belongs to the mother, and a boy to the father. Elohim cursed Eve, saying, ‘ Bring forth children in anguish 1 and with sorrow of heart, and [after] your bringing forth shall take place your return to your husband ’; with an oath He said, ‘ Bring forth,’ and having sworn, your return to your husband [shall follow]. As for this my son, I will not give him to the Queen, but I will make him king over Yisra'el. For this is my firstborn, the first of my race whom Elohim has given me.” And then Shəlomah sent to the young man evening and morning dainty meats, and apparel of honour, and gold and silver. And he said to him, “ It is better for you to dwell here in our country with us, where the House of Elohim is, and where the Tabot of the Torah of Elohim is, and where Elohim dwells.” And the young man his son sent a message to him, saying, “ Gold, and silver, and [rich] apparel are not wanting in our country. But I came here in order to hear your wisdom, and to see your face, and to salute you, and to pay homage to your kingdom, and to make obeisance to you, and then [I intended you] to send me away to my mother and to my own country. For no man hateth the place where he was born, and everyone loveth the things of his native country. And though you givest me dainty meats I do not love them, and they are not suitable for my body, but the meats by which I grow and become strong are those that are gratifying to me. And although [your] country pleaseth me even as does a garden, yet is not my heart gratified with it; the mountains of the land of my mother where I was born are far better in my sight. And as for the Tabot of the Elohim of Yisra'el, if I adore it where I am, it will give me glory, and I shall look upon the House of Elohim which you hast builded, and I will make offering and make supplication to it there. And as for Tsiyon, the Tabot of the Torah of Elohim, give me [a portion of] the fringe of the covering of it, and I will worship it with my mother and with all those who are subject to my sovereignty. For my Lady the Queen has already rooted out all those who served idols, and those who worshipped strange objects, and stones and trees, and she has rooted them out and has brought them to Tsiyon, the Tabot of the Torah of Elohim. For she had heard from you and had learned, and she did according to your word, and we worship Elohim.” And the King was not able to make his son consent to remain [in Yerushalayim] with all [his persuadings].