列王記Ⅱ 4
1 預言者のともがらの、ひとりの妻がエリシャに呼ばわって言った、「あなたのしもべであるわたしの夫が死にました。ごぞんじのように、あなたのしもべは主を恐れる者でありましたが、今、債主がきて、わたしのふたりの子供を取って奴隷にしようとしているのです」。
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]!”
2 エリシャは彼女に言った、「あなたのために何をしましょうか。あなたの家にどんな物があるか、言いなさい」。彼女は言った、「一びんの油のほかは、はしための家に何もありません」。
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.”
3 彼は言った、「ほかへ行って、隣の人々から器を借りなさい。あいた器を借りなさい。少しばかりではいけません。
Elisha said, “Go to your neighbors and borrow from them as many empty jars as you can.
4 そして内にはいって、あなたの子供たちと一緒に戸の内に閉じこもり、そのすべての器に油をついで、いっぱいになったとき、一つずつそれを取りのけておきなさい」。
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].”
5 彼女は彼を離れて去り、子供たちと一緒に戸の内に閉じこもり、子供たちの持って来る器に油をついだ。
[So she did what Elisha told her to do]. Her sons kept bringing jars to her, and she kept filling them.
6 油が満ちたとき、彼女は子供に「もっと器を持ってきなさい」と言ったが、子供が「器はもうありません」と言ったので、油はとまった。
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.
7 そこで彼女は神の人のところにきて告げたので、彼は言った、「行って、その油を売って負債を払いなさい。あなたと、あなたの子供たちはその残りで暮すことができます」。
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].
8 ある日エリシャはシュネムへ行ったが、そこにひとりの裕福な婦人がいて、しきりに彼に食事をすすめたので、彼はそこを通るごとに、そこに寄って食事をした。
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.
9 その女は夫に言った、「いつもわたしたちの所を通るあの人は確かに神の聖なる人です。
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.
10 わたしたちは屋上に壁のある一つの小さいへやを造り、そこに寝台と机といすと燭台とを彼のために備えましょう。そうすれば彼がわたしたちの所に来るとき、そこに、はいることができます」。
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].
11 さて、ある日エリシャはそこにきて、そのへやにはいり、そこに休んだが、
One day Elisha returned to Shunem, and he went up to that room to rest.
12 彼はそのしもべゲハジに「このシュネムの女を呼んできなさい」と言った。彼がその女を呼ぶと、彼女はきてエリシャの前に立ったので、
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],
13 エリシャはゲハジに言った、「彼女に言いなさい、『あなたはこんなにねんごろに、わたしたちのために心を用いられたが、あなたのためには何をしたらよいでしょうか。王または軍勢の長にあなたの事をよろしく頼むことをお望みですか』」。彼女は答えて言った、「わたしは自分の民のうちに住んでいます」。
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.”
14 エリシャは言った、「それでは彼女のために何をしようか」。ゲハジは言った、「彼女には子供がなく、その夫は老いています」。
[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].”
15 するとエリシャが「彼女を呼びなさい」と言ったので、彼女を呼ぶと、来て戸口に立った。
Elisha told Gehazi, “Call her back again.” [So Gehazi went and called her]. And when the woman returned, as she stood in the doorway,
16 エリシャは言った、「来年の今ごろ、あなたはひとりの子を抱くでしょう」。彼女は言った、「いいえ、わが主よ、神の人よ、はしためを欺かないでください」。
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!”
17 しかし女はついに身ごもって、エリシャが彼女に言ったように、次の年のそのころに子を産んだ。
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.
18 その子が成長して、ある日、刈入れびとの所へ出ていって、父のもとへ行ったが、
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].
19 父にむかって「頭が、頭が」と言ったので、父はしもべに「彼を母のもとへ背負っていきなさい」と言った。
[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!”
20 彼を背負って母のもとへ行くと、昼まで母のひざの上にすわっていたが、ついに死んだ。
So the servant carried him home, and his mother held him on her lap. But at noontime the boy died.
21 母は上がっていって、これを神の人の寝台の上に置き、戸を閉じて出てきた。
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.
22 そして夫を呼んで言った、「どうぞ、しもべひとりと、ろば一頭をわたしにかしてください。急いで神の人の所へ行って、また帰ってきます」。
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].
23 夫は言った、「どうしてきょう彼の所へ行こうとするのか。きょうは、ついたちでもなく、安息日でもない」。彼女は言った、「よろしいのです」。
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.”
24 そして彼女はろばにくらを置いて、しもべに言った、「速く駆けさせなさい。わたしが命じる時でなければ、歩調をゆるめてはなりません」。
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!”
25 こうして彼女は出発してカルメル山へ行き、神の人の所へ行った。神の人は彼女の近づいてくるのを見て、しもべゲハジに言った、「向こうから、あのシュネムの女が来る。
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!
26 すぐ走って行って、彼女を迎えて言いなさい、『あなたは無事ですか。あなたの夫は無事ですか。あなたの子供は無事ですか』」。彼女は答えた、「無事です」。
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.”
27 ところが彼女は山にきて、神の人の所へくるとエリシャの足にすがりついた。ゲハジが彼女を追いのけようと近よった時、神の人は言った、「かまわずにおきなさい。彼女は心に苦しみがあるのだから。主はそれを隠して、まだわたしにお告げにならないのだ」。
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.”
28 そこで彼女は言った、「わたしがあなたに子を求めましたか。わたしを欺かないでくださいと言ったではありませんか」。
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]
29 エリシャはゲハジに言った、「腰をひきからげ、わたしのつえを手に持って行きなさい。だれに会っても、あいさつしてはならない。またあなたにあいさつする者があっても、それに答えてはならない。わたしのつえを子供の顔の上に置きなさい」。
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].”
30 子供の母は言った、「主は生きておられます。あなたも生きておられます。わたしはあなたを離れません」。そこでエリシャはついに立ちあがって彼女のあとについて行った。
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].
31 ゲハジは彼らの先に行って、つえを子供の顔の上に置いたが、なんの声もなく、生きかえったしるしもなかったので、帰ってきてエリシャに会い、彼に告げて「子供はまだ目をさましません」と言った。
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.”
32 エリシャが家にはいって見ると、子供は死んで、寝台の上に横たわっていたので、
When Elisha reached the house, he saw that the boy was lying dead on his bed.
33 彼ははいって戸を閉じ、彼らふたりだけ内にいて主に祈った。
Elisha went into the room by himself and shut the door and prayed to Yahweh.
34 そしてエリシャが上がって子供の上に伏し、自分の口を子供の口の上に、自分の目を子供の目の上に、自分の両手を子供の両手の上にあて、その身を子供の上に伸ばしたとき、子供のからだは暖かになった。
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!
35 こうしてエリシャは再び起きあがって、家の中をあちらこちらと歩み、また上がって、その身を子供の上に伸ばすと、子供は七たびくしゃみをして目を開いた。
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!
36 エリシャはただちにゲハジを呼んで、「あのシュネムの女を呼べ」と言ったので、彼女を呼んだ。彼女がはいってくるとエリシャは言った、「あなたの子供をつれて行きなさい」。
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!”
37 彼女ははいってきて、エリシャの足もとに伏し、地に身をかがめた。そしてその子供を取りあげて出ていった。
She [gratefully] prostrated herself at Elisha’s feet. Then she picked up her son and carried him downstairs.
38 エリシャはギルガルに帰ったが、その地にききんがあった。預言者のともがらが彼の前に座していたので、エリシャはそのしもべに言った、「大きなかまをすえて、預言者のともがらのために野菜の煮物をつくりなさい」。
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.”
39 彼らのうちのひとりが畑に出ていって青物をつんだが、つる草のあるのを見て、その野うりを一包つんできて、煮物のかまの中に切り込んだ。彼らはそれが何であるかを知らなかったからである。
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.
40 やがてこれを盛って人々に食べさせようとしたが、彼らがその煮物を食べようとした時、叫んで、「ああ神の人よ、かまの中に、たべると死ぬものがはいっています」と言って、食べることができなかったので、
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.
41 エリシャは「それでは粉を持って来なさい」と言って、それをかまに投げ入れ、「盛って人々に食べさせなさい」と言った。かまの中には、なんの毒物もなくなった。
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.
42 その時、バアル・シャリシャから人がきて、初穂のパンと、大麦のパン二十個と、新穀一袋とを神の人のもとに持ってきたので、エリシャは「人々に与えて食べさせなさい」と言ったが、
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.”
43 その召使は言った、「どうしてこれを百人の前に供えるのですか」。しかし彼は言った、「人々に与えて食べさせなさい。主はこう言われる、『彼らは食べてなお余すであろう』」。
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!”
44 そこで彼はそれを彼らの前に供えたので、彼らは食べてなお余した。主の言葉のとおりであった。
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.
