< 2 Kings 5 >
1 Naaman, the leader of the military of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man with his lord. For through him the Lord gave salvation to Syria. And he was a strong and rich man, but a leper.
阿蘭王的軍長納阿曼在他的主上面前,是個很受尊重愛戴的人,因為上主曾藉他使阿蘭人獲得勝利;這人雖英勇有為,無奈患了癩病。
2 Now robbers had gone out from Syria, and they had led away captive, from the land of Israel, a little girl. And she was in the service of the wife of Naaman.
阿蘭人先前曾結隊出外劫掠,從以色列地擄來一個少女,這少女做了服侍納阿曼妻子的婢女;
3 And she said to her lady: “I wish that my lord had been with the prophet who is in Samaria. Certainly, he would have cured him of the leprosy that he has.”
她對自己的主母說:「哎! 如果我的主人去見撒瑪黎雅的先知,他一定會治好他的癩病。」
4 And so, Naaman entered to his lord, and he reported to him, saying: “The girl from the land of Israel spoke in such a manner.”
納阿曼去告訴他的主上說:「以色列地的少女曾如此如此說。」
5 And the king of Syria said to him, “Go, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” And when he had set out, he had taken with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand gold coins, and ten changes of fine clothing.
阿蘭王說:「你去! 我也給以色列王寫一封信。」納阿曼於是帶了十「塔冷通」銀子,六千「協刻耳」金子和十套禮服去了。
6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, in these words: “When you will receive this letter, know that I have sent to you my servant, Naaman, so that you may heal him of his leprosy.”
他給以色列王呈上信,信上說:「你收到這封信,就知道我打發我的臣僕納阿曼來見你,是要你醫好他的癩病。」
7 And when the king of Israel had read the letter, he tore his garments, and he said: “Am I God, so that I could take or give life, or so that this man would send to me to cure a man from his leprosy? Take notice and see that he is seeking occasions against me.”
以色列王一念了這信,就撕裂自己的衣服說:「難道我是天主,能使人死使人活嗎﹖這人竟然給送這個人來,叫我醫好他的癩病! 你們只要想一想,便可看出,他是找機會來與我為難。」
8 And when Elisha, the man of God, had heard this, specifically, that the king of Israel had torn his garments, he sent to him, saying: “Why have you torn your garments? Let him come to me, and let him know that there is a prophet in Israel.”
天主的人厄里叟聽說以色列王撕裂了自己的衣服,叫他來見我,他就會知道在以色列有先知。」
9 Therefore, Naaman arrived with his horses and chariots, and he stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
納阿曼於是乘坐車馬來到厄里叟的屋門口,就停下了。
10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go, and wash seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will receive health, and you will be clean.”
厄里叟派了一個使者對他說:「你去,在約旦河裏洗七次,你的肌肉就會復原,得到潔淨。」
11 And becoming angry, Naaman went away, saying: “I thought that he would have come out to me, and, standing, would have invoked the name of the Lord, his God, and that he would have touched the place of the leprosy with his hand, and so have healed me.
納阿曼生了氣,且走且說:「看,我原想他會出來見我,站在我面前,呼求上主他的天主的名,在患處揮動他的手,治好這癩病。
12 Are not the Abana and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel, so that I might wash in them and be cleansed?” But then, after he had turned himself away and was leaving with indignation,
大馬士革的阿巴納河和帕爾帕爾河,不比以色列所有的河水都好嗎﹖我不能在那裏洗得潔淨嗎﹖」他於是轉過車來,氣憤憤地走了。
13 his servants approached him, and they said to him: “If the prophet had told you, father, to do something great, certainly you ought to have done it. How much more so, now that he has said to you: ‘Wash, and you will be clean?’”
他的僕人們前來對他說:「我父! 如果先知吩咐你作一件難事,你豈不是也要做嗎﹖何況他只對你說:你去洗洗,就潔淨了呢! 」
14 So he descended and washed in the Jordan seven times, in accord with the word of the man of God. And his flesh was restored, like the flesh of a little child. And he was made clean.
納阿曼便下去,按照天主的人的話,在約旦河裏浸了七次;他的肌肉就復了原,如同嬰兒的肌肉一樣,完全潔淨了。
15 And returning to the man of God, with his entire retinue, he arrived, and stood before him, and he said: “Truly, I know there is no other God, in all the earth, except in Israel. And so I beg you to accept a blessing from your servant.”
納阿曼於是同他的全體隨員,再回到天主的人那裏,站在他面前說:「現在我確實知道:全世界只在以色列有天主。現在,請你收下你僕人的禮物罷! 」
16 But he responded, “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will not accept it.” And though he urged him strongly, he did not agree at all.
厄里叟回答說:「我指著我所服事的永生上主起誓:我決不接受。」納阿曼再三催促他接受,厄里叟只有拒絕。
17 And Naaman said: “As you wish. But I beg you to grant to me, your servant, that I may take from here the burden of two mules from the ground. For your servant will no longer offer holocaust or victim to other gods, except to the Lord.
納阿曼遂說:「你既不接受,至少請你讓你的僕人裝去兩個驢子所能馱的土,因為你的僕人從此不再給別的神,只給上主奉獻全燔祭和祭祀;
18 But there is still this matter, for which you will entreat the Lord on behalf of your servant: when my lord enters the temple of Rimmon, so that he may adore there, and he leans on my hand, if I will bow down in the temple of Rimmon, while he is adoring in the same place, that the Lord may ignore me, your servant, concerning this matter.”
但有一件事,願上主寬赦你的僕人:就是當我的主上進入黎孟廟宇叩拜時,常是攙扶著我的手,這樣我也得隨他在黎孟廟宇參拜。當我在黎孟廟宇參拜時,願上主在這件事上赦免你的僕人! 」
19 And he said to him, “Go in peace.” Then he went away from him, in the elect time of the earth.
先知對他說:「你放心去罷! 」
20 And Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, said: “My lord has spared Naaman, this Syrian, by not receiving from him what he brought. As the Lord lives, I will run after him, and take something from him.”
納阿曼離開先知,已走了一段路。 那時,天主的人厄里叟的僕人革哈齊心裏想。「我的主人白白放過了這個阿蘭人納阿曼,沒有接受他所贈送的禮物;我指著永生的上主起誓:我一定要去追上他,向他要點東西。」
21 And so, Gehazi followed after the back of Naaman. And when he had seen him running toward him, he leaped down from his chariot to meet him, and he said, “Is all well?”
革哈齊遂去追趕納阿曼。納阿曼見他在後面追來,便下車迎接他說「都好嗎﹖」
22 And he said: “It is well. My lord has sent me to you, saying: ‘Just now two youths from the sons of the prophets have come to me from mount Ephraim. Give them a talent of silver, and two changes of clothing.’”
革哈齊回答說:「都好。我主人打發我來對你說:剛才有先知的兩個青年弟子,從厄弗辣因山地來看我,請你給他們一「塔冷通」銀子和兩套禮服。」
23 And Naaman said, “It is better that you accept two talents.” And he urged him, and he bound the two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing. And he set them upon two of his servants, who carried them before him.
納阿曼說:「好,就請拿兩「塔冷通」罷! 」它再三催促革哈齊,將兩「塔冷通」銀子,放在兩個布袋裏;還有兩套禮服。將這些東西交給兩個僕人,叫他們在革哈齊前面拿著。
24 And when now he had arrived in the evening, he took them from their hands, and he stored them in the house. And he dismissed the men, and they went away.
當革哈齊到了一座山崗上,便從他們手中接過來,藏在家裏;然後辭別他們兩人,讓他們回去了。
25 Then, having entered, he stood before his lord. And Elisha said, “Where are you coming from, Gehazi?” He responded, “Your servant did not go anywhere.”
當革哈齊進去侍立在主人面前時,厄里叟問他說:「革哈齊,你從那裏來! 」他回答說:「你僕人那裏也沒有去。」
26 But he said: “Was my heart not present, when the man turned back from his chariot to meet you? And now you have received money, and you have received garments, so that you might buy olive groves, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and men and women servants.
先知對他說:「那人下車轉來迎接你的時候,我的心豈沒有跟你去嗎﹖好罷! 現在你既然收下銀子,自然也可以買衣服、橄欖園、葡萄園、牛、羊、僕婢了。
27 So then, the leprosy of Naaman shall adhere to you, and to your offspring forever.” And he departed from him a leper, as white as snow.
但是,納阿曼的癲病也要附在你身上和你的後裔身上,直到永遠。」革哈齊從厄里叟面前出來,就患了癩病,像雪那樣白。