2 Kings 4

1 One day the widow of one of [Yahweh’s] prophets came to Elisha and cried out to him, “My husband, who worked with you, is dead. You know that he revered Yahweh [very much]. But now a man to whom he owed a lot of money has come to me. [And because I cannot pay back the money, he is threatening] to take away my two sons to be his slaves [as payment for what I owe him]!”

Or una donna di tra le mogli de’ discepoli de’ profeti esclamò e disse ad Eliseo: “Il mio marito, tuo servo, è morto; e tu sai che il tuo servo temeva l’Eterno; e il suo creditore è venuto per prendersi i miei due figliuoli e farsene degli schiavi”.

2 Elisha replied, “What can I do to help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?” She replied, “We have only a container of [olive] oil; we have nothing else.”

Eliseo le disse: “Che debbo io fare per te? Dimmi; che hai tu in casa?” Ella rispose: “La tua serva non ha nulla in casa, tranne un vasetto d’olio”.

3 Elisha said, “Go to your neighbors and borrow from them as many empty jars as you can.

Allora egli disse: “Va’ fuori, chiedi in prestito da tutti i tuoi vicini de’ vasi vuoti; e non ne chieder pochi.

4 Then take the jars into your house with your sons. Shut the door. Then pour olive oil from your container into the other jars. When each jar is full, set it aside [and fill another jar. Keep doing that until all the jars are full].”

Poi torna, serra l’uscio dietro a te ed ai tuoi figliuoli, e versa dell’olio in tutti que’ vasi; e, man mano che saran pieni, falli mettere da parte”.

5 [So she did what Elisha told her to do]. Her sons kept bringing jars to her, and she kept filling them.

Ella dunque si partì da lui, e si chiuse in casa coi suoi figliuoli; questi le portavano i vasi, ed ella vi versava l’olio.

6 Soon all the jars were full. So she said to one of her sons, “Bring me another jar!” But he replied, “There are no more jars!” And then the olive oil stopped flowing.

E quando i vasi furono pieni, ella disse al suo figliuolo: “Portami ancora un vaso”. Quegli le rispose: “Non ce n’è più dei vasi”. E l’olio si fermò.

7 When she told Elijah [what had happened], he said to her, “Now sell the jars of oil. And [with the money you get, ] pay what you owe, and there will be enough extra money to keep buying food for yourself and your sons.” [So she did that].

Allora ella andò e riferì tutto all’uomo di Dio, che le disse: “Va’ a vender l’olio, e paga il tuo debito; e di quel che resta sostentati tu ed i tuoi figliuoli”.

8 One day Elisha went to Shunem [town]. There was a wealthy woman who lived there [with her husband]. One day she invited Elisha to her house for a meal. [Elisha went there and] from then on, every time Elisha was in Shunem, he went to their house to eat a meal.

Or avvenne che un giorno Eliseo passava per Shunem, e c’era quivi una donna ricca che lo trattenne con premura perché prendesse cibo da lei; e tutte le volte che passava di là, si recava da lei a mangiare.

9 One day the woman said to her husband, “I am sure that this man who often comes here is a prophet [who brings messages] from God.

Ed ella disse a suo marito: “Ecco, io son convinta che quest’uomo che passa sempre da noi, e un santo uomo di Dio.

10 I think we should make a small room for him on our [flat] roof, and put a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp in it. If we do that, whenever he comes here, he will have a place to stay.” [So they did that].

Ti prego, facciamogli costruire, di sopra, una piccola camera in muratura, e mettiamoci per lui un letto, un tavolino, una sedia e un candeliere, affinché, quando verrà da noi, egli possa ritirarvisi”.

11 One day Elisha returned to Shunem, and he went up to that room to rest.

Così, un giorno ch’egli giunse a Shunem, si ritirò su in quella camera, e vi dormì.

12 He said to his servant Gehazi, “Tell the woman that I want to speak to her.” [So the servant went and told her]. When she came [to the doorway of Elisha’s room],

E disse a Ghehazi, suo servo: “Chiama questa Shunamita”. Quegli la chiamò, ed ella si presentò davanti a lui.

13 Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tell her that we both appreciate all the kind things that she has done for us. Then ask her what we can do for her. Ask, ‘Do you want [me to go to] the king or the army commander, to request something for you?’” [Gehazi told her, ] and she replied, “No, [he does not need to do that, because] my family/relatives are able to give me what I need.”

Ed Eliseo disse a Ghehazi: “Or dille così: Ecco, tu hai avuto per noi tutta questa premura; che si può fare per te? Hai bisogno che si parli per te al re o al capo dell’esercito?” Ella rispose:

14 [Later, ] Elisha asked Gehazi, “What do you think that we can do for that woman?” He replied, “She does not have a son, and her husband is an old man. [So maybe we should ask Yahweh to enable her to have a son].”

“Io vivo in mezzo al mio popolo”. Ed Eliseo disse: “Che si potrebbe fare per lei?” Ghehazi rispose: “Ma! ella non ha figliuoli, e il suo marito è vecchio”.

15 Elisha told Gehazi, “Call her back again.” [So Gehazi went and called her]. And when the woman returned, as she stood in the doorway,

Eliseo gli disse: “Chiamala!” Ghehazi la chiamò, ed ella si presentò alla porta.

16 Elisha said to her, “About this time next year you will be holding your [infant] son in your arms.” But she protested, “O, sir, you are a prophet [who brings messages] from God, so please do not deceive/lie to me by saying things like that!”

Ed Eliseo le disse: “L’anno prossimo, in questo stesso tempo, tu abbraccerai un figliuolo”. Ella rispose: “No, signor mio, tu che sei un uomo di Dio, non ingannare la tua serva!”

17 But a few months later, the woman became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son at that time the following year, just like Elisha had predicted.

E questa donna concepì e partorì un figliuolo, in quel medesimo tempo, l’anno dopo, come Eliseo le aveva detto.

18 When the child was older, one day he went out to the fields to see his father, who was [working] with the men who were harvesting [grain].

Il bambino si fe’ grande; e, un giorno ch’era uscito per andare da suo padre presso i mietitori,

19 [Suddenly] the boy exclaimed, “My head [hurts]! My head [hurts a lot]!” His father said to one of the servants, “Carry him home to his mother!”

disse a suo padre: “Oh! la mia testa! la mia testa!” Il padre disse al suo servo: “Portalo a sua madre!”

20 So the servant carried him home, and his mother held him on her lap. But at noontime the boy died.

Il servo lo portò via e lo recò a sua madre. Il fanciullo rimase sulle ginocchia di lei fino a mezzogiorno, poi si morì.

21 She carried him up [the steps] to the prophet’s room and laid him on the bed. She left him there and went out and shut the door.

Allora ella salì, lo adagiò sul letto dell’uomo di Dio, chiuse la porta, ed uscì.

22 She then called out to her husband, saying, “Send to me one of the servants and a donkey, so that I can ride [on it] quickly to the prophet, and then come back!” [But she did not tell her husband that their son had died].

E, chiamato il suo marito, disse: “Ti prego, mandami uno de’ servi e un’asina, perché voglio correre dall’uomo di Dio, e tornare”.

23 Her husband [called out to her and] said, “Why [do you want to go] today? This is not the day when we celebrate the Festival of the New Moon, and it is not a Sabbath day!” But she only replied, “[Just do what I requested and] everything will be all right.”

Il marito le chiese: “Perché vuoi andar da lui quest’oggi? Non è il novilunio, e non è sabato”. Ella rispose: “Lascia fare!”

24 So she [told the servant to] put saddles on [two] donkeys, and as they left, she said, “Hurry! Do not slow down unless t tell you to do that!”

Poi fece sellar l’asina, e disse al suo servo: “Guidala, e tira via; non mi fermare per istrada, a meno ch’io tel dica”.

25 As they approached Carmel Mountain, where Elisha was, Elisha saw her in the distance. He said to Gehazi, “Look, the woman from Shunem is coming!

Ella dunque partì, e giunse dall’uomo di Dio, sul monte Carmel. E come l’uomo di Dio l’ebbe scorta di lontano, disse a Ghehazi, suo servo: “Ecco la Shunamita che viene!

26 Run to her, and ask her if everything is all right with her and her husband and with her child!” [So Gehazi ran to her and asked her, but she did not tell Gehazi anything.] She only said, “Yes, everything is fine.”

Ti prego, corri ad incontrarla, e dille: Stai bene? Sta bene tuo marito? E il bimbo sta bene?” Ella rispose: “Stanno bene”.

27 But when she came to where Elisha was, she [prostrated herself on the ground in front of Elisha and] took hold of his feet. Gehazi started to push her away, but Elisha said, “(Do not push her away/Leave her alone)! Something is troubling her very much, but Yahweh has not told me what it is.”

E come fu giunta dall’uomo di Dio, sul monte, gli abbracciò i piedi. Ghehazi si appressò per respingerla; ma l’uomo di Dio disse: “Lasciala stare, poiché l’anima sua e in amarezza, e l’Eterno me l’ha nascosto, e non me l’ha rivelato”.

28 Then she said to Elisha, “O, sir, I did not ask you to enable me to give birth to a son [RHQ]. And I told you not to lie to me about that!” [RHQ]

La donna disse: “Avevo io forse domandato al mio signore un figliuolo? Non ti diss’io: Non m’ingannare?”

29 Then Elisha [realized that something must have happened to her son. So he] said to Gehazi, “Get ready [to leave immediately]. Take my staff/walking stick and go [to her home]. Do not [stop to] talk to anyone on the way. Go quickly [to where her son is] and lay the staff on the child’s face. [If you do that, perhaps Yahweh will enable him to be well].”

Allora Eliseo disse a Ghehazi: “Cingiti i fianchi, prendi in mano il mio bastone e parti. Se t’imbatti in qualcuno, non lo salutare; e se alcuno ti saluta, non gli rispondere; e poserai il mio bastone sulla faccia del fanciullo”.

30 But the boy’s mother said, “Just [as certain] as Yahweh lives and you live, I will not go home if you do not go with me.” So Elisha returned with her [to her home].

La madre del fanciullo disse ad Eliseo: “Com’è vero che l’Eterno vive, e che vive l’anima tua, io non ti lascerò”. Ed Eliseo si levò e le andò appresso.

31 Gehazi hurried quickly, and [when he got to the woman’s home, ] he laid the staff/walking stick on the child’s face, but the child did not move or say anything. So Gehazi returned to meet Elisha [along the road], and told him, “The child is still dead.”

Or Ghehazi, che li avea preceduti, pose il bastone sulla faccia del fanciullo, ma non ci fu né voce né segno alcuno di vita. Tornò quindi incontro ad Eliseo, e gli riferì la cosa, dicendo: “Il fanciullo non s’è svegliato”.

32 When Elisha reached the house, he saw that the boy was lying dead on his bed.

E quando Eliseo arrivò in casa, ecco che il fanciullo era morto e adagiato sul letto di lui.

33 Elisha went into the room by himself and shut the door and prayed to Yahweh.

Egli entrò, si chiuse dentro col fanciullo, e pregò l’Eterno.

34 Then he lay down on the boy’s body, and put his mouth on the boy’s mouth, and put his eyes on the boy’s eyes, and put his hands on the boy’s hands. Then the boy’s body started to become warm!

Poi salì sul letto e si coricò sul fanciullo; pose la sua bocca sulla bocca di lui, i suoi occhi sugli occhi di lui, le sue mani sulle mani di lui; si distese sopra di lui, e le carni del fanciullo si riscaldarono.

35 Elisha got up and walked back and forth in the room [several times]. Then he stretched his body on the boy’s body again. The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes!

Poi Eliseo s’allontanò, andò qua e là per la casa; poi risalì, e si ridistese sopra il fanciullo; e il fanciullo starnutì sette volte, ed aperse gli occhi.

36 Then Elisha summoned Gehazi. He said, “Call the boy’s mother!” [So Gehazi went and called her, ] and when she came in, Elisha said, “Here, take your son!”

Allora Eliseo chiamò Ghehazi, e gli disse: “Chiama questa Shunamita”. Egli la chiamò; e com’ella fu giunta da Eliseo, questi le disse: “Prendi il tuo figliuolo”.

37 She [gratefully] prostrated herself at Elisha’s feet. Then she picked up her son and carried him downstairs.

Ed ella entrò, gli si gettò ai piedi, e si prostrò in terra; poi prese il suo figliuolo, ed uscì.

38 Then Elisha returned to Gilgal. But at that time there was (a famine/very little food) in that area. One day as the group of prophets was sitting in front of Elisha [listening to what he was teaching], he said to his servant, “Put a large pot on [the stove] and make some stew for these men.”

Eliseo se ne tornò a Ghilgal, e v’era carestia nel paese. Or mentre i discepoli de’ profeti stavan seduti davanti a lui, egli disse al suo servo: “Metti il marmittone al fuoco, e cuoci una minestra per i discepoli dei profeti”.

39 One of the prophets went out to the fields to gather some vegetables. But he gathered [only] some wild gourds and put them in his cloak and brought them back. He shredded them and put them in the pot, but he did not know that the gourds were poisonous.

E uno di questi uscì fuori nei campi per coglier delle erbe; trovò una specie di vite salvatica, ne colse delle colloquintide, e se n’empì la veste; e, tornato che fu, le tagliò a pezzi nella marmitta dov’era la minestra; perché non si sapeva che cosa fossero.

40 He served the stew to the prophets, but after the men had eaten only a couple bites, they cried out, “Elisha, there is something in the pot that will kill us!” So they would not eat it.

Poi versarono della minestra a quegli uomini perché mangiassero; ma com’essi l’ebbero gustata, esclamarono: “C’è la morte, nella marmitta, o uomo di Dio!” E non ne poteron mangiare.

41 Elisha said, “Bring me some flour.” [They brought him some, and] he threw it in the pot and he said, “It is all right now. You can eat it.” And they ate it, and it did not harm them.

Eliseo disse: “Ebbene, portatemi della farina!” La gettò nella marmitta, e disse: “Versatene a questa gente che mangi”. E non c’era più nulla di cattivo nella marmitta.

42 One day a man from Baal-Shalishah [town] brought to Elisha a sack of freshly cut grain and 20 loaves of barley bread, made from the first grain that they harvested [that year]. Elisha said [to his servant], “Give it to the group of prophets, so that they can eat it.”

Giunse poi un uomo da Baal-Shalisha, che portò all’uomo di Dio del pane delle primizie: venti pani d’orzo, e del grano nuovo nella sua bisaccia. Eliseo disse al suo servo: “Danne alla gente che mangi”.

43 But his servant exclaimed, “Do you think that we can feed 100 of us prophets with only that much?” [RHQ] But Elisha replied, “Give it to the prophets so that they can eat it, because Yahweh says that there will be plenty for all of them, and there will be some left over!”

Quegli rispose: “Come fare a por questo davanti a cento persone?” Ma Eliseo disse: “Danne alla gente che mangi; perché così dice l’Eterno: Mangeranno, e ne avanzerà”.

44 After his servant gave it to the prophets, they ate [all that they wanted], and there was food left over, just as Yahweh had promised.

Così egli pose quelle provviste davanti alla gente, che mangiò e ne lasciò d’avanzo, secondo la parola dell’Eterno.