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The Kebra Nagast (The Glory of Kings)

Ethiopian national epic (14th century) · tr. E. A. Wallis Budge · 1922 · 77,472 words

The Queen of Sheba’s journey to Solomon, the birth of their son Menelik, and how the Ark of the Covenant, “Zion”, came to Ethiopia: the sacred history of the Solomonic kings, woven with prophecy and allegory.

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Opening

1. Concerning the Glory of Kings

IN PRAISING GOD THE FATHER, THE SUSTAINER OF THE UNIVERSE, AND HIS SON JESUS CHRIST, THROUGH WHOM EVERYTHING CAME INTO BEING, AND WITHOUT WHOM NOTHING CAME INTO BEING, AND THE HOLY TRIUNE SPIRIT, THE PARACLETE, WHO GOETH FORTH FROM THE FATHER, AND DERIVETH FROM THE SON, WE BELIEVE IN AND ADORE THE TRINITY, ONE GOD, THE FATHER, AND THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.

The interpretation and explanation of the Three Hundred and Eighteen Orthodox [Fathers] concerning splendour, and greatness, and dignity, and how God gave them to the children of ADAM, and especially concerning the greatness and splendour of ZION, the Tabernacle (tâbôt) of the Law of God, of which He Himself is the Maker and Fashioner, in the fortress of His holiness before all created things, [both] angels and men. For the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit with good fellowship and right good will and cordial agreement together made the Heavenly ZION to be the place of habitation of their Glory. And then the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit said, "Let Us make man in Our similitude and likeness," and with ready agreement and good will They were all of this opinion. And the Son said, "I will put on the body of ADAM," and the Holy Spirit said, "I will dwell in the heart of the Prophets and the Righteous," and this common agreement and covenant was [fulfilled] in ZION, the City of their Glory. And DAVID said, "Remember Thine agreement which Thou didst make of old for salvation, the rod of Thine inheritance, in Mount ZION wherein Thou dost dwell."

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Contents

  1. 1. Concerning the Glory of Kings
  2. 2. Concerning the Greatness of Kings
  3. 3. Concerning the Kingdom of Adam
  4. 4. Concerning Envy
  5. 5. Concerning the Kingdom of Seth
  6. 6. Concerning the Sin of Cain
  7. 7. Concerning Noah
  8. 8. Concerning the Flood
  9. 9. Concerning the Covenant of Noah
  10. 10. Concerning Zion
  11. 11. The Unanimous Declaration of the Three Hundred and Eighteen Orthodox Fathers
  12. 12. Concerning Canaan
  13. 13. Concerning Abraham
  14. 14. Concerning the Covenant of Abraham
  15. 15. Concerning Isaac and Jacob
  16. 16. Concerning Rôbêl (Reuben)
  17. 17. Concerning the Glory of Zion
  18. 18. How the Orthodox Fathers and Bishops Agreed
  19. 19. How this Book came to be found
  20. 20. Concerning the Division of the Earth
  21. 21. Concerning the Queen of the South
  22. 22. Concerning Tâmrîn, the Merchant
  23. 23. How the Merchant returned to Ethiopia
  24. 24. How the Queen made ready to set out on her Journey
  25. 25. How the Queen came to Solomon the King
  26. 26. How the King held converse with the Queen
  27. 27. Concerning the Labourer
  28. 28. How Solomon gave Commandments to the Queen
  29. 29. Concerning the Three Hundred and Eighteen [Patriarchs]
  30. 30. Concerning how King Solomon swore to the Queen
  31. 31. Concerning the sign which Solomon gave the Queen
  32. 32. How the Queen brought forth and came to her own Country
  33. 33. How the King of Ethiopia travelled
  34. 34. How the young man arrived in his mother's country
  35. 35. How King Solomon sent to his son the commander of his army
  36. 36. How King Solomon held intercourse with his son
  37. 37. How Solomon asked His Son Questions
  38. 38. How the King planned to send away his son with the children of the nobles
  39. 39. How they made the Son of Solomon King
  40. 40. How Zadok the priest gave commands to David the King
  41. 41. Concerning the blessing of Kings
  42. 42. Concerning the Ten Commandments
  43. 43. How the men of the Army of Israel received [their] orders
  44. 44. How it is not a seemly thing to revile the King
  45. 45. How those who were sent away wept and made a plan
  46. 46. How they made a plan concerning Zion
  47. 47. Concerning the offering of Azâryâs (Azariah) and the King
  48. 48. How they carried away Zion
  49. 49. How his Father blessed his Son
  50. 50. How they bade farewell to his Father and how the city mourned
  51. 51. How he said unto Zadok the Priest, "Go and bring the Covering (or, Clothing) which is upon…
  52. 52. How Zadok the Priest Departed
  53. 53. How the Wagon was given to Ethiopia
  54. 54. How David [the King of Ethiopia] Prophesied and Saluted Zion
  55. 55. How the People of Ethiopia Rejoiced
  56. 56. Of the Return of Zadok the Priest, and the giving of the Gift
  57. 57. Concerning the Fall of Zadok the Priest
  58. 58. How Solomon Rose up to Slay them
  59. 59. How the King Questioned an Egyptian, the Servant of Pharaoh
  60. 60. How Solomon Lamented for Zion
  61. 61. How Solomon Returned to Jerusalem
  62. 62. Concerning the answer which Solomon made to them
  63. 63. How the Nobles of Israel agreed [with the King]
  64. 64. How the Daughter of Pharaoh Seduced Solomon
  65. 65. Concerning the sin of Solomon
  66. 66. Concerning the prophecy of Christ
  67. 67. Concerning the lamentation of Solomon
  68. 68. Concerning Mary, Our Lady of Salvation
  69. 69. Concerning the Question of Solomon
  70. 70. How Rehoboam reigned
  71. 71. Concerning Mary, the daughter of David
  72. 72. Concerning the King of Rômê (Constantinople)
  73. 73. Concerning the first judgment of ’Adrâmî, King of Rômê
  74. 74. Concerning the King of Medyâm
  75. 75. Concerning the King of Babylon
  76. 76. Concerning lying witnesses
  77. 77. Concerning the King of Persia
  78. 78. Concerning the King of Moab
  79. 79. Concerning the King of Amalek
  80. 80. Concerning the King of the Philistines
  81. 81. How the son of Samson slew the son of the King of the Philistines
  82. 82. Concerning the going down of Abraham into Egypt
  83. 83. Concerning the King of the Ishmaelites
  84. 84. Concerning the King of Ethiopia and how he returned to his country
  85. 85. Concerning the rejoicing of Queen Mâkĕdâ
  86. 86. How Queen Mâkĕdâ made her son King
  87. 87. How the nobles (or governors) of Ethiopia took the oath
  88. 88. How he himself related to his mother how they made him King
  89. 89. How the Queen talked to the Children of Israel
  90. 90. How Azariah praised the Queen and her city
  91. 91. This is what ye shall eat: the clean and the unclean
  92. 92. How they renewed the kingdom of David
  93. 93. How the Men of Rômê destroyed the Faith
  94. 94. The first war of the King of Ethiopia
  95. 95. How the honourable estate of the King of Ethiopia was universally accepted
  96. 96. Concerning the Prophecy about Christ
  97. 97. Concerning the Murmuring of Israel
  98. 98. Concerning the Rod of Moses and the Rod of Aaron
  99. 99. Concerning the Two Servants
  100. 100. Concerning the Angels who rebelled
  101. 101. Concerning Him that existeth in Everything and Everywhere
  102. 102. Concerning the Beginning
  103. 103. Concerning the Horns of the Altar
  104. 104. More concerning the Ark and the Talk of the Wicked
  105. 105. Concerning the belief of Abraham
  106. 106. A Prophecy concerning the Coming of Christ
  107. 107. Concerning His entrance into Jerusalem in Glory
  108. 108. Concerning the wickedness of the iniquitous Jews
  109. 109. Concerning His Crucifixion
  110. 110. Concerning His Resurrection
  111. 111. Concerning His Ascension and His Second Coming
  112. 112. How the Prophets foreshadowed Him in their persons
  113. 113. Concerning the Chariot and the Vanquisher of the Enemy
  114. 114. Concerning the return of Zion
  115. 115. Concerning the Judgement of Israel
  116. 116. Concerning the Chariot of Ethiopia
  117. 117. Concerning the King of Rômê and the King of Ethiopia
  118. Colophon

About this edition

Source: Internet Sacred Text Archive · archive.org

Public domain: Public domain: published 1922; Budge died 1934.

What’s included: Budge’s complete translation: all 117 chapters and the colophon. His introduction, the illustrations and the footnotes are not included.

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