Kebra Nagast 53

1And they halted by Gaza, the city of the mother of the king, which Solomon the king had given to the Queen of Ethiopia when she came to him.

2And from there they came in one day to the border of Gebes.

3(Egypt), the name of which is "Mesrin."

4And when the sons of the warriors of Israel saw that they had come in one day a distance of thirteen days' march, and that they were not tired, or hungry, or thirsty, neither man nor beast, and that they all [felt] that they had eaten and drunk their fill, these sons of the warriors of Israel knew and believed that this thing was from God.

5And they said unto their king, "Let us let down the wagons, for we have come to the water of Ethiopia.

6This is the Takkazi which floweth down from Ethiopia, and watereth the Valley of Egypt"; and they let down their wagons there, and set up their tents.

7And the sons of the warriors of Israel went and drove away all the people, and they said unto [David] their king, "Shall we tell thee a matter?

8Canst thou hold it [secret]?"

9And the King said unto them, "Yes, I can [hold it secret].

10And if ye will tell it to me I will never let it go forth or repeat it to the day of my death."

11And they said unto him, "The sun descended from heaven, and was given on Sinai to Israel, and it became the salvation of the race of Adam, from Moses to the seed of Jesse, and behold, it is with thee by the Will of God.

12It is not through us that this hath been done, but by the Will of God; it is not through us that this hath been done, but by the Will of Him that fashioned it and made it hath this happened.

13We wished, and God hath fulfilled [our wish]; we agreed concerning it, and God made it good; we held converse [concerning it], and God performed; we meditated [upon it], and God devised the plan; we spoke, and God was well pleased; we directed our gaze, and God directed it rightly; we meditated, and God hath justified.

14And now God hath chosen thee, and is well pleased with thy city, to be the servant of the holy and heavenly Zion, the Tabernacle of the Law of God; and it shall be to thee a guide for ever, to thee and thy seed after thee if thou wilt keep His command and perform the Will of the Lord thy God.

15For thou wilt not be able to take it back, even if thou wishest, and thy father cannot seize it, even if he wisheth, for it goeth of its own free will whithersoever it wisheth, and it cannot be removed from its seat if it doth not desire it.

16And behold, it is our Lady, our Mother and our salvation, our fortress and our place of refuge, our glory and the haven of our safety, to those who lean upon it."

17And Azaryas made a sign to Elmeyas, and he said unto him, "Go, beautify, and dress our Lady, so that our King may see her."

18And when Azaryas had said this, King David was perturbed and he laid both hands upon his breast, and he drew breath three times and said, "Hast thou in truth, O Lord, remembered us in Thy mercy, the castaways, the people whom Thou hast rejected, so that I may see Thy pure habitation, which is in heaven, the holy and heavenly Zion?

19With what shall we requite the Lord in return for all the good things which He hath done for us? there being with Him no glory and praise!

20He hath crowned us with His grace, so that we may know upon earth His praise and may all serve Him according to His greatness.

21For He is the Good One to His chosen ones, and unto Him belongeth praise for ever."

22And King [David] rose up and skipped about like a young sheep and like a kid of the goats that hath sucked milk in abundance from his mother, even as his grandfather David rejoiced before the Tabernacle of the Law of God.

23He smote the ground with his feet, and rejoiced in his heart, and uttered cries of joy with his mouth.

24And what shall I say of the great joy and gladness that were in the camp of the King of Ethiopia?

25One man told his neighbour, and they smote the ground with their feet like young bulls, and they clapped their hands together, and marvelled, and stretched out their hands to heaven, and they cast themselves down with their faces to the ground, and they gave thanks unto God in their hearts.