Léctio libri Regum
3 Reg 3:16-28.
In diébus illis: Venérunt duæ mulíeres meretríces ad regem Salomónem, steterúntque coram eo, quarum una ait: Obsecro, mi dómine: ego et múlier hæc habitabámus in domo una, et péperi apud eam in cubículo. Tértia autem die postquam ego péperi, péperit et hæc: et erámus simul, nullúsque álius nobíscum in domo, excéptis nobis duábus. Mórtuus est autem fílius mulíeris hujus nocte: dórmiens quippe oppréssit eum. Et consúrgens intempéstæ noctis siléntio, tulit fílium meum de látere meo ancíllæ tuæ dormiéntis, et collocávit in sinu suo: suum autem fílium, qui erat mórtuus, pósuit in sinu meo. Cumque surrexíssem mane, ut darem lac fílio meo, appáruit mórtuus: quem diligéntius íntuens clara luce, deprehéndi non esse meum, quem genúeram. Respondítque áltera múlier: Non est ita, ut dicis, sed fílius tuus mórtuus est, meus autem vivit. E contrário illa dicébat: Mentiris: fílius quippe meus vivit, et fílius tuus mórtuus est. Atque in hunc modum contendébant coram rege. Tunc rex ait: Hæc dicit Fílius meus vivit, et fílius tuus mórtuus est. Et ista respóndit: Non, sed fílius tuus mórtuus est, meus autem vivit. Dixit ergo rex: Afférte mihi gládium. Cumque attulíssent gládium coram rege: Divídite, inquit, infántem vivum in duas partes, et dat dimídiam partem uni, et dimídiam partem álteri. Dixit autem múlier, cujus fílius erat vivus, ad regem - commóta sunt quippe víscera ejus super fílio suo: - Obsecro, dómine, date illi infántem vivum, et nolíte interfícere eum. E contrário illa dicébat: Nec mihi nec tibi sit, sed dividátur. Respóndit rex et ait: Date huic infántem vivum, et non occidátur: hæc est enim mater ejus. Audívit ítaque omnis Israël judícium, quod judicásset rex, et timuérunt regem, vidéntes sapiéntiam Dei esse in eo ad faciéndum judícium.
Lesson from the book of Kings
3 Kings 3:16-28
In those days, there came two women who were harlots, to king Solomon, and stood before him, and one of them said, I beseech you, my lord; I and this woman dwelt in one house, and I was delivered of a child with her in the chamber. And the third day after that I was delivered, she also was delivered; and we were together, and no other person with us in the house, only we two. And this woman’s child died in the night; for in her sleep she overlaid him. And rising in the dead time of the night, she took my child from my side, while I, your handmaid, was asleep, and laid it in her bosom; and laid her dead child in my bosom. And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold it was dead; but considering him more diligently when it was clear day, I found it was not mine which I bore. And the other woman answered, It is not so as you say, but your child is dead and mine is alive. On the contrary she said, You lie; for my child lives and your child is dead. And in this manner they strove before the king. Then said the king, The one says: ‘My child is alive, and your child is dead.’ And the other answers: ‘No, but your child is dead, and mine lives.’ The king therefore said, Bring me a sword. And when they had brought a sword before the king, Divide, said he, the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other. But the woman whose child was alive said to the king - for her heart was moved for her child, - I beseech you, my lord, give her the child alive, and do not kill it. But the other said, Let it neither be mine nor yours, but divide it. The king answered and said, Give the living child to this woman, and let it not be killed; for she is the mother thereof. And all Israel heard the judgment which the king had judged, and they feared the king, seeing that the wisdom of God was in him to do judgment.