< 2 Kings 5 >
1 Naaman, prince of the chyualrye of the kyng of Syrie, was a greet man, and worschipid anentis his lord; for bi hym the Lord yaf helthe to Sirie; sotheli he was a strong man and riche, but leprouse.
Now Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria; he was also a mighty man of valour, but he was a leper.
2 Forsothe theues yede out of Sirie, and ledden prisonere fro the lond of Israel a litil damysele, that was in the seruyce of the wijf of Naaman.
The Syrians had gone out in bands, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little girl, and she waited on Naaman’s wife.
3 `Which damysele seide to hir ladi, `Y wolde, that my lord hadde be at the prophete which is in Samarie; sotheli the prophete schulde haue curid hym of the lepre which he hath.
She said to her mistress, “I wish that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would heal him of his leprosy.”
4 Therfor Naaman entride to his lord, and telde to hym, and seide, A damysel of the lond of Israel spak so and so.
Someone went in and told his lord, saying, “The girl who is from the land of Israel said this.”
5 Therfor the kyng of Syrie seide to hym, Go thou, and Y schal sende lettris to the kyng of Israel. And whanne he hadde go forth, and hadde take with hym ten talentis of siluer, and sixe thousynde goldun platis, `ether floreyns, and ten chaungyngis of clothis,
The king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” He departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of clothing.
6 he brouyte lettris to the kyng of Israel bi these wordis; Whanne thou hast take this pistle, wite thou, that Y haue sent to thee Naaman, my seruaunt, that thou cure hym of his lepre.
He brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, “Now when this letter has come to you, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy.”
7 And whanne the kyng of Israel hadde red the lettris, he to-rente his clothis, and seide, Whether Y am God, that may sle and quykene, for this kyng sente to me, that Y cure a man of his lepre? Perseyue ye, and se, that he sekith occasiouns ayens me.
When the king of Israel had read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends to me to heal a man of his leprosy? But please consider and see how he seeks a quarrel against me.”
8 And whanne Elisee, the man of God, hadde herd this, that is, that the kyng of Israel hadde to-rente hise clothis, he sente to the kyng, and seide, Whi to-rentist thou thi clothis? come he to me, and wite he, that a prophete is in Israel.
It was so, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.”
9 Therfor Naaman cam with horsis and charis, and stood at the dore of the hows of Elisee.
So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariots, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
10 And Elisee sente to hym a messanger, and seide, Go thou, and be thou waischun seuensithis in Jordan; and thi fleisch shal resseyue helthe, and thou schalt be clensid.
Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall come again to you, and you shall be clean.”
11 Naaman was wrooth, and yede awei, and seide, Y gesside, that he schulde go out to me, and that he schulde stonde, and clepe the name of `the Lord his God, and that he schulde touche with his hond the place of lepre, and schulde cure me.
But Naaman was angry, and went away and said, “Behold, I thought, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leper.’
12 Whether Abana and Pharphar, floodis of Damask, ben not betere than alle the watris of Israel, that Y be waischun in tho, and be clensid?
Aren’t Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.
13 Therfor whanne he hadde turned hym silf, and yede awei, hauynge indignacioun, hise seruauntis neiyiden to hym, and spaken to hym, Fadir, thouy the prophete hadde seid to thee a greet thing, certis thou owist to do; hou myche more for now he seide to thee, Be thou waischun, and thou schalt be clensid.
His servants came near and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had asked you do some great thing, wouldn’t you have done it? How much rather then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”
14 He yede doun, and waischide hym seuensithis in Jordan, bi the word of the man of God; and his fleisch was restored as the fleisch of a litil child, and he was clensid.
Then went he down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
15 And he turnede ayen with al his felouschipe to the man of God, and cam, and stood bifor hym; and seide, Verili Y knowe, that noon other God is in al erthe, no but oneli God of Israel; therfor, Y biseche, that thou take blessyng of thi seruaunt.
He returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him; and he said, “See now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel. Now therefore, please take a gift from your servant.”
16 And he answeride, The Lord lyueth bifor whom Y stonde, for Y schal not take. And whanne he made `strengthe, that is, greet preier, Elisee assentide not outirli.
But he said, “As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none.” He urged him to take it; but he refused.
17 Therfor Naaman seide, As thou wolt; but, I biseche, graunte thou to me, thi seruaunt, that Y take of `the lond the birthun of twei burdones; for thi seruaunt schal no more make brent sacrifice, ether slayn sacrifice, to alien goddis, no but to the Lord.
Naaman said, “If not, then, please let two mules’ load of earth be given to your servant; for your servant will from now on offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice to other gods, but to the LORD.
18 Forsothe this thing is oneli, of which thou schalt preie the Lord for thi seruaunt, whanne my lord shal entre into the temple of Remmon, that he worschipe, and while he `schal lene on myn hond, if Y worschipe in the temple of Remmon, while he worschipith in the same place, that the Lord foryyue to thi seruaunt for this thing.
In this thing may the LORD pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon. When I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, may the LORD pardon your servant in this thing.”
19 Which Elisee seide to hym, Go thou in pees. `Therfor he yede fro Elisee in a chosun tyme of the lond.
He said to him, “Go in peace.” So he departed from him a little way.
20 And Giezi, the child of the man of God, seide, My lord sparide this Naaman of Syrie, that he took not of hym that, that he brouyte; the Lord lyueth, for Y schal renne aftir hym, and Y schal take of hym sum thing.
But Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought. As the LORD lives, I will run after him, and take something from him.”
21 And Giezi suede aftir the bak of Naaman; and whanne Naaman hadde seyn Giezi rennynge to hym, he skippide doun of the chare in to the metyng of Giezi; and seide, Whether alle thingis ben riytfuli?
So Gehazi followed after Naaman. When Naaman saw one running after him, he came down from the chariot to meet him, and said, “Is all well?”
22 And he seide, Riytfuli; my lord sente me to thee, and seide, Twey yonge men of the hille of Effraym, of the sones of prophetis, camen now to me; yyue thou to hem a talent of siluer, and double chaungyng clothis.
He said, “All is well. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Behold, even now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.’”
23 And Naaman seide, It is betere that thou take twei talentis. And Naaman constreynede hym; and Naaman boond twei talentis of siluer in twei sackis, and double clothis, and puttide on his twey children, `that is, seruauntis, whiche also baren bifor Giezi.
Naaman said, “Be pleased to take two talents.” He urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing, and laid them on two of his servants; and they carried them before him.
24 And whanne he hadde come thanne in the euentid, he took fro the hond of hem, and leide vp in the hows; and he delyuerede the men, and thei yeden.
When he came to the hill, he took them from their hand, and stored them in the house. Then he let the men go, and they departed.
25 Forsothe Giezi entride, and stood bifor his lord. And Elise seide, Giezi, fro whennus comest thou? Which answeride, Thi seruaunt yede not to ony place.
But he went in, and stood before his master. Elisha said to him, “Where did you come from, Gehazi?” He said, “Your servant went nowhere.”
26 And Elise seide, Whether myn herte was not in present, whanne the man turnede ayen fro his chare in to the metyng of thee? Now therfor thou hast take siluer, and thou hast take clothis, that thou bie places of olyues, and vyneris, and scheep, and oxis, and seruauntis, and handmaydis;
He said to him, “Didn’t my heart go with you when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and olive groves and vineyards, and sheep and cattle, and male servants and female servants?
27 but also the lepre of Naaman schal cleue to thee, and to thi seed withouten ende. And Giezi yede leprouse as snow, `fro hym.
Therefore the leprosy of Naaman will cling to you and to your offspring forever.” He went out from his presence a leper, as white as snow.