The story of the three kings who follow the star to Bethlehem to worship the newborn Messiah is widely known. But did you know that they were neither kings nor three in number? The greek text calls them “magoi”, which can be translated as wise men, or just as a proper name of a people, located in the East.
The story aims to convey that even the non-Jewish world learns about the coming of the Messiah, and non-Jews themselves come to worship him. The three kings of the legend represent the three known continents of that time.
By the way, their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh are symbolic.
- Gold, because Jesus is a king;
- frankincense, because he is God;
- and myrrh signifies his death.
Read for yourself the first lines of the story in Toki Pona:
1 jan Jesu li kama sin lon ma tomo Petelen pi ma Juta lon tenpo pi jan lawa Eloto la, o lukin! jan pi sona mute li kama tawa ma tomo Jelusalen tan ma pi suno kama. 2 ona li toki e ni: ma seme la jan lawa sin pi kulupu Juta li kama lon. mi lukin e mun kama la mi kama mi wile anpa sewi tawa ona. 3 kute la jan lawa Eloto en jan ale pi kulupu pi ma tomo Jelusalen li pilin nasa. 4 ona li kulupu e jan pi pali sewi e jan sona pi lipu sewi li wile kama sona e ni: ma seme la jan pi telo sewi li kama lon.
lipu pi toki pona pi jan Matajo 2,1-4
1 jan [jelo.suno.] li kama sin lon ma tomo [pona e telo.len:] pi(ma [jan uta:]) lon tenpo pi(jan lawa [e loje.tomo.]) la
lipu pi(toki pona) pi(jan [ma:tawa.jo:])
zz o lukin.
jan pi(sona mute) li kama tawa ma tomo [jelo.lukin.sama.len:] tan ma pi(suno kama).
2 ona li toki e ni:
zz ma seme la jan lawa sin pi(kulupu [jan uta:]) li kama lon.
zz mi lukin e mun kama la
zz zz mi kama mi wile anpa sewi tawa ona.
3 kute la
jan lawa [e loje.tomo.] en jan ale pi kulupu pi ma tomo [jelo.lukin.sama.len:] li pilin nasa.
4 ona li kulupu e jan pi(pali sewi) e jan sona pi(lipu sewi) li wile kama sona e ni:
zz ma seme la
zz zz jan pi(telo sewi) li kama lon.
You can find the whole story within our project.