2 Kings 7

1 And Elisha said: 'Hear ye the word of the LORD; thus saith the LORD: To-morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.'

厄里叟說：「請聽上主的話：上主這樣說：明天這個時候，在撒瑪黎雅城門口，一「色阿」上等麵粉只值一「協刻耳，」兩「色阿」大麥，只值一「協刻耳。」

2 Then the captain on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said: 'Behold, if the LORD should make windows in heaven, might this thing be?' And he said: 'Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.'

那個手扶君王的侍衛回答天主的人說：「縱使上主打開天上的閘，也不會有這樣的事! 」先知說：「你必親眼看到，只是吃不上。」

3 Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate; and they said one to another: 'Why sit we here until we die?

在城門口有四個癩病人，他們彼此說：「我們為什麼在這裏坐著等死呢﹖

4 If we say: We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there; and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Arameans; if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.'

如果我們決意進城去，城裏也有饑荒，我們必死在那裏；如果留在這裏，我們也是一樣死；不如去投到阿蘭人營中，假如他們讓我們活著，我們就活著；假如他們要殺我們，我們就死罷。」

5 And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Arameans; and when they were come to the outermost part of the camp of the Arameans, behold, there was no man there.

他們於是在黃昏時起身，往阿蘭人的營盤那裏去；及至到了阿蘭人的營盤邊時，哦! 那裏一個人也沒有了。

6 For the Lord had made the host of the Arameans to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host; and they said one to another: 'Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.'

原來上主早已使阿蘭人的營盤中聽到戰車馬隊和大軍的喧囂聲，他們就彼此說：「呀! 以色列王雇用了赫特人王和慕茲黎人王來攻打我們了。」

7 Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life.

所以，他們在黃昏時，即起身逃走，丟下了他們的帳幕騾馬，只顧逃命，留下營盤未動。

8 And when these lepers came to the outermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and they came back, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it.

這些癩病人到了營盤邊，進了一個帳幕，又吃又喝，將那裏的金銀和衣服拿走，去收藏起來；然後又回來，進了另一帳幕，拿走了那裏的東西，去收藏起來。

9 Then they said one to another: 'We do not well; this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace; if we tarry till the morning light, punishment will overtake us; now therefore come, let us go and tell the king's household.'

以後，癩病人彼此說：「我們這樣做得不對，今天原是報喜訊的日子，我們竟然不聲不響；如果等到早晨天亮，我們就有罪了。來，現在我們就去向王室報信! 」

10 So they came and called unto the porters of the city; and they told them, saying. 'We came to the camp of the Arameans, and, behold, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but the horses tied, and the asses tied, and the tents as they were.'

他們於是去向把守城門的人喊叫，給他們報告說：「我們曾到過罷蘭人的營盤，那裏一個人也沒有，也沒有人聲，只有栓著的馬，栓著的驢；帳幕一點未動。」

11 And the porters called, and they told it to the king's household within.

把守城門的人就高聲喊叫，向王室傳報消息。

12 And the king arose in the night, and said unto his servants: 'I will now tell you what the Arameans have done to us. They know that we are hungry; therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying: When they come out of the city, we shall take them alive, and get into the city.'

君王夜間起來，對自己的臣僕說：「現在讓我給你們解釋，阿蘭人對我們所做得事：他們知道我們鬧饑荒，所以離開營盤，埋伏在田間，心想：以色列人必由城裏出來，那時，我們可將他們活活捉住，然後開進城去。」

13 And one of his servants answered and said: 'Let some take, I pray thee, five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city — behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel that are left in it; behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel that are consumed — and let us send and see.'

有個臣僕回答說：「請叫人從這裏所剩下的馬中，牽出五匹來，無論怎樣，同別的一樣要死，倒不如派人去看看。

14 They took therefore two chariots with horses; and the king sent after the host of the Arameans, saying: 'Go and see.'

他們於是推出兩輛戰車，五匹馬，君王就派他們去追趕阿蘭軍隊說：「你們去看看! 」

15 And they went after them unto the Jordan; and, lo, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Arameans had cast away in their haste. And the messengers returned, and told the king.

那些人追蹤阿蘭人，直到約旦河，見路上滿是阿蘭人在倉卒逃走中，丟下的衣服和裝備；使者們便回來報告了君王。

16 And the people went out, and spoiled the camp of the Arameans. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD.

人民便出來搶掠了阿蘭人的營盤。於是一「色阿」上等麵粉，只值一「協刻耳，」兩「色阿」大麥，只值一「協刻耳，」正應驗了上主所說的話。

17 And the king appointed the captain on whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the gate; and the people trod upon him in the gate, and he died as the man of God had said, who spoke when the king came down to him.

君王派定那手扶自己的侍衛，把守城門；但人民在城門口把他踏死了，應驗了天主的人，在君王下來見他時，所說的話。

18 And it came to pass, as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying: 'Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, shall be to-morrow about this time in the gate of Samaria';

原來，天主的人對君王說過：「明天這個時候，在撒瑪黎雅城門口一『色阿』上等麵粉，只值一『協刻耳。』兩『色阿』大麥，只值一『協刻耳。』」

19 and that captain answered the man of God, and said: 'Now, behold, if the LORD should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be?' and he said: 'Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof';

那侍衛曾回答天主的人說：「縱然上主打開天上的閘，也不會有這樣的事! 」先知回答說：「你必親眼看到，只是吃不上。」

20 it came to pass even so unto him; for the people trod upon him in the gate, and he died.

這事果然發生在他身上了：人民在城門口把他踏死了。