22.5
The Kebra Nagast 22.5 · Like water to the thirsty📜 Bezold's printed edition
At Solomon’s court Tamrin watches the king. The book describes his wisdom at length; this is the heart of it.
· · ·
ወጣዕመ፡1
wa-ṭāʿma
And the sweetness ofand the taste of
ነገሩ፡2
nagaru
his wordshis speech
ከመ፡3
kama
was like
ማይ፡4
māy
water
ለጽሙእ፡5
la-ṣǝmuʾ
to the thirsty,for the thirsty
, ወከመ፡6
wa-kama
and like
ኅብስት፡7
ḫǝbǝst
bread
ለ፡8
la
tofor
ርኁብ፡9
rǝḫub
the hungry,
, ወከመ፡10
wa-kama
and like
ፈውስ፡11
fawwǝs
healinga remedy
ለድዉይ፡12
la-dǝwwǝy
to the sick,for the sick
, ወከመ፡13
wa-kama
and like
ልብስ፡14
lǝbs
clothinga garment
ለዕሩቅ፡15
la-ʿǝruq
to the naked,for the naked
, ወከመ፡16
wa-kama
and like
አብ፡17
ʾab
a father
ለእጓለ፡18
la-ʾǝgʷāla
to the child offor the young of
ማውታ፤19
mawtā
the dead;
; ወይፈትሕ፡20
wa-yǝfattǝḥ
and he judgedand he judges
በጽድቅ፡21
ba-ṣǝdq
with justice,in righteousness
, ወኢያደሉ፡22
wa-ʾi-yādallu
and did not favourand does not lean
ለገጽ፤23
la-gaṣṣ
anyone’s face.toward a face
. And the sweetness of his words was like water to the thirsty, and like bread to the hungry, and like healing to the sick, and like clothing to the naked, and like a father to the orphan; and he judged with justice, and did not favour anyone’s face.
And the sweetness of his words was like water to the thirsty, and like bread to the hungry, and like healing to the sick, and like clothing to the naked, and like a father to the orphan; and he judged with justice, and did not favour anyone’s face.
23.1
The Kebra Nagast 23.1 · Tamrin asks to go home📜 Bezold's printed edition
Tamrin has traded with Solomon and watched his court closely. Chapter 23 opens with the merchant wanting to go home.
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How the merchant went back to Ethiopia. And then the merchant Tamrin wished to go back to his country, and went to Solomon, and bowed to him, and greeted him, and said to him:
Five likenesses in a row, each the cure for a need: water, bread, healing, clothing, a father. They echo the works of mercy in Matthew 25 and Isaiah 58. An orphan in Ge’ez is ʾǝgʷāla mawtā, “child of the dead”.
Then the virtue of a king: he judges with justice and “does not lean toward a face”, the biblical idiom for favouritism (Deuteronomy 1:17, “you shall not respect persons in judgment”). This is the report Tamrin will carry home to the queen.