2 مُلُوك 5

١ 1 وَكَانَ نُعْمَانُ قَائِدُ جَيْشِ مَلِكِ أَرَامَ يَتَمَتَّعُ بِمَكَانَةٍ سَامِيَةٍ عِنْدَ سَيِّدِهِ لأَنَّ الرَّبَّ حَقَّقَ لأَرَامَ النَّصْرَ عَلَى يَدِهِ. وَكَانَ نُعْمَانُ بَطَلاً صِنْدِيداً، إِلّا أَنَّهُ كَانَ مُصَاباً بِالْبَرَصِ.

Naaman, the king of Aram's army commander was considered a great man by his master and highly respected, for through him the Lord had made the Arameans victorious. He was a mighty warrior, but he was a leper.

٢ 2 وَسَبَى الأَرَامِيُّونَ فِي إِحْدَى غَزَوَاتِهِمِ الَّتِي أَغَارُوا فِيهَا عَلَى أَرْضِ إِسْرَائِيلَ فَتَاةً صَغِيرَةً، صَارَتْ خَادِمَةً لِزَوْجَةِ نُعْمَانَ.

Some Arameans had gone on a raid and had captured a young girl from the land of Israel. She had been made a servant to Naaman's wife.

٣ 3 فَقَالَتْ لِمَوْلاتِهَا: «يَا لَيْتَ سَيِّدِي يَمْثُلُ أَمَامَ النَّبِيِّ الَّذِي فِي السَّامِرَةِ، فَيَنَالَ الشِّفَاءَ مِنْ بَرَصِهِ».

She told her mistress, “If only my master would go and see the prophet who lives in Samaria. I'm sure he could cure him of his leprosy.”

٤ 4 فَمَثَلَ نُعْمَانُ أَمَامَ الْمَلِكِ وَأَبْلَغَهُ حَدِيثَ الْجَارِيَةِ الإِسْرَائِيلِيَّةِ.

Naaman went to his master and explained what the Israelite girl had said.

٥ 5 فَقَالَ مَلِكُ أَرَامَ: «انْطَلِقْ، وَسَأَبْعَثُ رِسَالَةً إِلَى مَلِكِ إِسْرَائِيلَ». فَتَوَجَّهَ نُعْمَانُ إِلَى أَرْضِ إِسْرَائِيلَ حَامِلاً مَعَهُ وَعَشَرَ وَزَنَاتٍ مِنَ الْفِضَّةِ (نَحْوَ سِتَّةٍ وَثَلاثِينَ كِيلُو جِرَاماً) وَسِتَّةَ آلافِ شَاقِلٍ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ (نَحْوَ اثْنَيْنِ وَسَبْعِينَ كِيلُو جِرَاماً)، وَعَشَرَ حُلَلٍ مِنَ الثِّيَابِ،

“You can go,” said the king of Aram, “and I will send a letter with you to the king of Israel.” So Naaman left. He took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of clothing.

٦ 6 وَسَلَّمَ الرِّسَالَةَ إِلَى مَلِكِ إِسْرَائِيلَ، وَقَدْ وَرَدَ فِيهَا: «وَحَالَ تَسَلُّمِكَ لِهَذِهِ الرِّسَالَةِ اشْفِ نُعْمَانَ خَادِمِي الَّذِي أَرْسَلْتُهُ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ بَرَصِهِ».

The letter he took to the king of Israel read: “This letter accompanies my servant Naaman, sent to you so you can heal him of his leprosy.”

٧ 7 فَلَمَّا اطَّلَعَ مَلِكُ إِسْرَائِيلَ عَلَى الرِّسَالَةِ مَزَّقَ ثِيَابَهُ وَقَالَ: «هَلْ أَنَا اللهُ حَتَّى أُمِيتَ وَأُحْيِيَ، فَيُرْسِلَ إِلَيَّ هَذَا لِكَيْ أَشْفِيَ رَجُلاً مِنْ بَرَصِهِ؟ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّهُ يُحَاوِلُ أَنْ يَجِدَ مُبَرِّراً لِمُحَارَبَتِنَا».

When the king of Israel read the letter, he ripped his clothes in panic and said, “Does this man think I'm God, having power over life and death, sending me a leper to heal? Obviously he's just trying to invent an excuse to attack me, as anyone can see!”

٨ 8 وَلَمَّا سَمِعَ أَلِيشَعُ رَجُلُ اللهِ أَنَّ مَلِكَ إِسْرَائِيلَ قَدْ مَزَّقَ ثِيَابَهُ، بَعَثَ إِلَيْهِ يَقُولُ: «لِمَاذَا مَزَّقْتَ ثِيَابَكَ؟ دَعْهُ يَأْتِي إِلَيَّ فَيَعْلَمَ أَنَّهُ يُوْجَدُ حَقّاً نَبِيٌّ فِي إِسْرَائِيلَ».

But when Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had ripped his clothes in panic, he sent a message to the king, saying: “What did you rip your clothes for? Please send the man to me, so he will be convinced there is a prophet in Israel.”

٩ 9 فَأَقْبَلَ نُعْمَانُ بِخَيْلِهِ وَمَرْكَبَاتِهِ وَوَقَفَ عِنْدَ بَابِ بَيْتِ أَلِيْشَعَ،

So Naaman arrived with his horses and chariots and stood waiting at the door of Elisha's house.

١٠ 10 فَوَجَّهَ إِلَيْهِ أَلِيشَعُ رَسُولاً يَقُولُ: «اذْهَبْ وَاغْتَسِلْ سَبْعَ مَرَّاتٍ فِي نَهْرِ الأُرْدُنِّ، فَتَنَالَ الشِّفَاءَ».

Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan. Then your body will be healed, and you will be clean.”

١١ 11 فَغَضِبَ نُعْمَانُ وَانْصَرَفَ قَائِلاً: «ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ يَخْرُجُ لِلِقَائِي وَيَقِفُ أَمَامِي، وَيَدْعُو بِاسْمِ الرَّبِّ إِلَهِهِ، وَيَمُرُّ بِيَدِهِ فَوْقَ مَوْضِعِ الْبَرَصِ، فَأَبْرَأُ.

But Naaman got angry and left, saying, “I expected he would at least come out, stand there and invoke the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over where my leprosy is and heal it.

١٢ 12 أَلَيْسَ أَبَانَةُ وَفَرْفَرُ نَهْرَا دِمَشْقَ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ جَمِيعِ مِيَاهِ إِسْرَائِيلَ؟ أَلَمْ يَكُنْ فِي إِمْكَانِي الاغْتِسَالُ فِيهِمَا فَأَطْهُرَ؟» فَانْصَرَفَ وَقَدِ اعْتَرَاهُ الْغَيْظُ.

Aren't the rivers of Damascus, Abanah and Pharpar, better than any of these streams of Israel? Couldn't I have washed in them and been healed?” So he turned around and went off in a rage.

١٣ 13 فَتَقَدَّمَ مِنْهُ رِجَالُهُ وَقَالُوا: «يَا أَبَانَا، لَوْ طَلَبَ النَّبِيُّ مِنْكَ الْقِيَامَ بِأَمْرٍ عَظِيمٍ، أَمَا كُنْتَ تَصْنَعُهُ؟ فَكَمْ بِالأَحْرَى إِنْ قَالَ لَكَ اغْتَسِلْ وَاطْهُرْ؟»

But Naaman's officials went to him and said, “Sir, if the prophet had told you that you had to do something extraordinary, wouldn't you have done it? How much easier is it to do what he says, ‘Wash and you'll be healed’?”

١٤ 14 فَنَزَلَ نُعْمَانُ إِلَى نَهْرِ الأُرْدُنِّ وَغَطَسَ فِيهِ سَبْعَ مَرَّاتٍ، كَمَا أَمَرَ رَجُلُ اللهِ، فَرَجَعَ لَحْمُهُ كَلَحْمِ صَبِيٍّ صَغِيرٍ، وَطَهُرَ مِنْ بَرَصِهِ.

So Naaman went down and plunged himself underwater in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him. His body was healed, his skin became like a baby's, and he was clean.

١٥ 15 فَرَجَعَ إِلَى رَجُلِ اللهِ مَعَ سَائِرِ جَيْشِهِ وَدَخَلَ وَوَقَفَ أَمَامَهُ قَائِلاً: «لَقَدْ أَدْرَكْتُ أَنَّهُ لَا يُوْجَدُ إِلَهٌ فِي كُلِّ الأَرْضِ إِلّا فِي إِسْرَائِيلَ، فَأَرْجُوكَ أَنْ تَقْبَلَ الآنَ هَدِيَّةً مِنْ عَبْدِكَ».

Then Naaman and his whole entourage went back to the man of God, stood before him, and Naaman announced, “Now I'm convinced that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. Please accept a gift from me, your servant.”

١٦ 16 فَأَجَابَ أَلِيشَعُ: «حَيٌّ هُوَ الرَّبُّ الَّذِي أَنَا وَاقِفٌ فِي حَضْرَتِهِ، إِنِّي لَا أَقْبَلُ مِنْكَ هَدِيَّةً». فَأَلَحَّ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَقْبَلَ مِنْهُ الْهَدِيَّةَ، فَأَبَى أَلِيشَعُ.

But Elisha replied, “As the Lord lives, the one I serve, I will not accept anything.” Even though Naaman tried to persuade him to take the gift, he refused.

١٧ 17 عِنْدَئِذٍ قَالَ نُعْمَانُ: «إِذاً، أَرْجُو أَنْ يُعْطَى عَبْدُكَ حِمْلَ بَغْلَيْنِ مِنَ التُّرَابِ، لأَنَّهُ لَنْ يُقَرِّبَ بَعْدَ الْيَوْمِ مُحْرَقَةً وَلا ذَبِيحَةً لِآلِهَةٍ أُخْرَى، بَلْ لِلرَّبِّ وَحْدَهُ.

So Naaman said, “If you won't, please let me, your servant, take back with me two mule loads of earth, for I will never again bring a burnt offering or make a sacrifice to any other god but the Lord.

١٨ 18 وَلَكِنْ لِيَصْفَحِ الرَّبُّ عَنْ عَبْدِكَ عِنْدَمَا يَدْخُلُ مَعَ سَيِّدِهِ الْمَلِكِ إِلَى بَيْتِ الإِلَهِ رِمُّونَ، حَيْثُ يَذْهَبُ الْمَلِكُ مُسْتَنِداً عَلَى ذِرَاعِي لِيَسْجُدَ هُنَاكَ. فَعَلَيَّ آنَئِذٍ أَنْ أَسْجُدَ أَيْضاً. لِهَذَا لِيَصْفَحِ الرَّبُّ لِعَبْدِكَ عَنْ هَذَا الأَمْرِ».

In addition, may the Lord forgive me for doing this: When my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to worship there, and I assist him, and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive me for doing so.”

١٩ 19 فَقَالَ لَهُ أَلِيشَعُ: «امْضِ بِسَلامٍ». وَمَا إِنْ ابْتَعَدَ مَسَافَةً

“Go in peace,” said Elisha, and Naaman left. But he had only gone a short way

٢٠ 20 حَتَّى حَدَّثَ جِيحَزِي خَادِمُ أَلِيشَعَ نَفْسَهُ: «سَيِّدِي امْتَنَعَ عَنْ قُبُولِ مَا أَحْضَرَهُ نُعْمَانُ مِنْ هَدَايَا. حَيٌّ هُوَ الرَّبُّ لأُسْرِعَنَّ وَرَاءَهُ وَآخُذُ مِنْهُ شَيْئاً».

when Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, “Just look how my master has let this Naaman the Syrian off the hook by not accepting the gifts he brought! As the Lord lives, I'll run after him and get something from him.”

٢١ 21 فَلَحِقَ جِيحَزِي بِنُعْمَانَ. وَلَمَّا أَبْصَرَهُ نُعْمَانُ رَاكِضاً نَحْوَهُ، تَرَجَّلَ عَنِ الْمَرْكَبَةِ لِلِقَائِهِ سَائِلاً: «أَلِلْخَيْرِ جِئْتَ؟»

So Gehazi chased after Naaman. When Naaman saw him running after him, he jumped down from the chariot to meet him and asked, “Is everything all right?”

٢٢ 22 فَأَجَابَ: «لِلْخَيْرِ. إِنَّ سَيِّدِي قَدْ أَرْسَلَنِي قَائِلاً: جَاءَه رَجُلَانِ مِنْ جَبَلِ أَفْرَايِمَ مِنْ بَنِي الأَنْبِيَاءِ، فَأَرْجُوكَ أَنْ تُعْطِيَهُمَا وَزْنَةً مِنَ الْفِضَّةِ وَحُلَّتَيْ ثِيَابٍ».

“Everything's fine,” Gehazi replied. “My master sent me to tell you, ‘I've just found out that two young men have arrived to see me from the sons of the prophets who live the hill country of Ephraim. Please let them have a talent of silver and two sets of clothing.’”

٢٣ 23 فَقَالَ نُعْمَانُ: «أَرْجُوكَ أَنْ تَأْخُذَ وَزْنَتَيْنِ» وَأَلَحَّ عَلَيْهِ، وَصَرَّهُمَا فِي كِيسَيْنِ وَحُلَّتَيْ ثِيَابٍ، وَأَعْطَاهُمَا لِرَجُلَيْنِ مِنْ رِجَالِهِ، فَحَمَلاهُمَا وَانْطَلَقَا أَمَامَ جِيحَزِي.

But Naaman replied, “Please, take two talents.” He insisted that Gehazi to accept them. Then he tied up two talents of silver in two bags as well as two sets of clothing. He gave them to two of his servants, who carried them for Gehazi.

٢٤ 24 وَعِنْدَمَا وَصَلَ إِلَى الأَكَمَةِ حَيْثُ يُقِيمُ أَلِيشَعُ أَخَذَهَا مِنْهُمَا وَأَخْفَاهَا فِي الْبَيْتِ، وَصَرَفَ الرَّجُلَيْنِ.

When Gehazi arrived at the hill fortress, he took the gifts from the servants and put them in the house. He told the men they could go, and they left.

٢٥ 25 ثُمَّ دَخَلَ إِلَى أَلِيشَعَ، فَسَأَلَهُ: «مِنْ أَيْنَ جِئْتَ يَا جِيحَزِي؟» فَأَجَابَ: «لَمْ يَذْهَبْ عَبْدُكَ إِلَى أَيِّ مَكَانٍ».

When Gehazi got back and attended his master, Elisha asked him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” “Your servant hasn't been anywhere,” he replied.

٢٦ 26 فَقَالَ لَهُ: «أَلا تَعْرِفُ أَنَّ قَلْبِي كَانَ حَاضِراً هُنَاكَ حِينَ تَرَجَّلَ الرَّجُلُ مِنْ مَرْكَبَتِهِ لِلِقَائِكَ؟ أَهَذَا وَقْتُ الْحُصُولِ عَلَى فِضَّةٍ أَوْ أَخْذِ ثِيَابٍ وَزَيْتُونٍ وَكُرُومٍ وَغَنَمٍ وَبَقَرٍ وَعَبِيدٍ وَجَوَارٍ؟

But Elisha told him, “Didn't I see you in my mind's eye when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money and clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants?

٢٧ 27 فَلْيَحُلَّ بَرَصُ نُعْمَانَ بِكَ وَبِنَسْلِكَ إِلَى الأَبَدِ». فَخَرَجَ مِنْ أَمَامِهِ وَجِلْدُهُ أَبْرَصُ فِي لَوْنِ الثَّلْجِ.

Consequently Naaman's leprosy will stick to you and your descendants forever!” As Gehazi left him, he had leprosy—he looked as white as snow.