Ii Regum 5
1 Naaman princeps militiae regis Syriae, erat vir magnus apud dominum suum, et honoratus: per illum enim dedit Dominus salutem Syriae: erat autem vir fortis et dives, sed leprosus.
[A man named] Naaman was the commander of the army of Syria. Yahweh had enabled him to win many victories/battles. He was a great warrior, and as a result the king of Syria greatly respected him. But he had (leprosy/a dreaded skin disease).
2 Porro de Syria egressi fuerant latrunculi, et captivam duxerant de Terra Israel puellam parvulam, quae erat in obsequio uxoris Naaman,
[Some time previously, ] groups of soldiers/marauders from Syria had raided/attacked the land of Israel, and they had captured a young girl [and taken her to Syria]. She became a servant for Naaman’s wife.
3 quae ait ad dominam suam: Utinam fuisset dominus meus ad prophetam, qui est in Samaria: profecto curasset eum a lepra, quam habet.
One day, that girl said to her, “I wish that (my master/your husband) would go to see the prophet in Samaria. That prophet would heal your husband from his leprosy.”
4 Ingressus est itaque Naaman ad dominum suum, et nunciavit ei, dicens: Sic et sic locuta est puella de Terra Israel.
[Naaman’s wife told her husband] what the girl from Israel had said, [and] Naaman told [that] to the king.
5 Dixitque ei rex Syriae: Vade, et mittam litteras ad regem Israel. Qui cum profectus esset, et tulisset secum decem talenta argenti, et sex millia aureos, et decem mutatoria vestimentorum,
The king said to him, “Okay, go [and see the prophet]. I will [write] a letter for you to take to the king of Israel, [saying that I sent you].” The king wrote in the letter, “I am sending this letter with [my army commander] Naaman, who serves me [faithfully]. I want you to heal him of his disease.” So Naaman, [assuming/thinking that the king of Israel was the prophet, took the letter and] 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and ten sets of clothing, to give to the king of Israel, [and he went to Samaria, taking along several servants].
6 detulit litteras ad regem Israel, in haec verba: Cum acceperis epistolam hanc, scito quod miserim ad te Naaman servum meum, ut cures eum a lepra sua.
7 Cumque legisset rex Israel litteras, scidit vestimenta sua, et ait: Numquid Deus ego sum, ut occidere possim, et vivificare, quia iste misit ad me, ut curem hominem a lepra sua? animadvertite, et videte quod occasiones quaerat adversum me.
[When he arrived in Samaria, he gave the letter to the king] of Israel. The king read the letter. Then, being very dismayed, the king tore his clothes and said, “I am not God [RHQ]! I am not able to enable people to live or to die [RHQ]! Why does [the king] who wrote this letter request me to cure this man of his leprosy? I think that he is just wanting to start a fight with me!”
8 Quod cum audisset Eliseus vir Dei, scidisse videlicet regem Israel vestimenta sua, misit ad eum, dicens: Quare scidisti vestimenta tua? veniat ad me, et sciat esse prophetam in Israel.
But the prophet Elisha heard that the king of Israel had torn his robe [and said that]. So he sent a message to the king, saying, “Why are you upset/frustrated [RHQ]? Send Naaman to me, and he will find out that [because] I am a true prophet [here] in Israel, [I can help/heal him].”
9 Venit ergo Naaman cum equis, et curribus, et stetit ad ostium domus Elisei:
So Naaman went with his horses and chariots to Elisha’s house and waited outside the door.
10 misitque ad eum Eliseus nuncium, dicens: Vade, et lavare septies in Iordane, et recipiet sanitatem caro tua, atque mundaberis.
But Elisha [did not come to the door. Instead, he] sent a messenger to Naaman, to tell him, “Go to the Jordan [River] and wash yourself seven times in the river. Then your skin will be restored/healed, and you will no longer have leprosy.”
11 Iratus Naaman recedebat, dicens: Putabam quod egrederetur ad me, et stans invocaret nomen Domini Dei sui, et tangeret manu sua locum leprae, et curaret me.
But Naaman became very angry. He said, “I thought that surely he would wave his hand over the leprosy, and pray to Yahweh his god, and heal me!
12 Numquid non meliores sunt Abana, et Pharphar fluvii Damasci omnibus aquis Israel, ut laver in eis, et munder? Cum ergo vertisset se, et abiret indignans,
Surely the Abana River and the Pharpar River in Damascus [in my own country of Syria] are [RHQ] better than any of the rivers in Israel! Why can I not wash in those rivers and be healed?” [RHQ] So he turned and walked away with great anger/disgust.
13 accesserunt ad eum servi sui, et locuti sunt ei: Pater, et si rem grandem dixisset tibi propheta, certe facere debueras: quanto magis quia tantum dixit tibi: Lavare, et mundaberis?
But his servants came to him, and [one of them] said, “Sir, if that prophet had told you to do something difficult, you would certainly [RHQ] have done it. So you should certainly do what he says and wash [in the Jordan River] to be healed!” [RHQ]
14 Descendit, et lavit in Iordane septies iuxta sermonem viri Dei, et restituta est caro eius, sicut caro pueri parvuli, et mundatus est.
So Naaman went down to the Jordan [River] and washed himself seven times, as (the prophet/Elisha) told him to do. Then his skin was restored/healed, and it became healthy/smooth, like the skin of a young child.
15 Reversusque ad virum Dei cum universo comitatu suo, venit, et stetit coram eo, et ait: Vere scio quod non sit alius Deus in universa terra, nisi tantum in Israel. Obsecro itaque ut accipias benedictionem a servo tuo.
Then Naaman and those who were with him went back to talk to Elisha. They stood in front of him, and Naaman said, “Now I know that there are no real gods anywhere else in the world, but there is a God here in Israel! So now please accept these gifts that I [have brought to you]!”
16 At ille respondit: Vivit Dominus, ante quem sto, quia non accipiam. Cumque vim faceret, penitus non acquievit.
But Elisha replied, “Just as certainly as Yahweh, the one whom I serve, lives, I will not accept any gifts.” Naaman kept urging him [to accept the gifts], but Elisha kept refusing.
17 Dixitque Naaman: Si vis: sed, obsecro, concede mihi servo tuo ut tollam onus duorum burdonum de terra: non enim faciet ultra servus tuus holocaustum, aut victimam diis alienis, nisi domino.
Then Naaman said, “Okay, but [I have one request. This dirt here in Israel is holy, so] please allow me to take some dirt from this place and put it [in sacks] on two mules. Then I will take it back home with me [and make an altar on this dirt]. From now on, I will offer sacrifices to Yahweh [on that altar]. I will not offer sacrifices to any other god.
18 Hoc autem solum est, de quo depreceris Dominum pro servo tuo, quando ingredietur dominus meus templum Remmon, ut adoret: et illo innitente super manum meam, si adoravero in templo Remmon, adorante eo in eodem loco, ut ignoscat mihi Dominus servo tuo pro hac re.
However, when my master, [the king, ] goes into the temple of the god Rimmon to worship him/it there, and he is leaning on my arm, I hope/desire that Yahweh will forgive me because I will have to bow down, too.”
19 Qui dixit ei: Vade in pace. Abiit ergo ab eo electo terrae tempore.
Elisha replied, “Go home, and do not worry about that.” So Naaman [and his servants] started to travel home.
20 Dixitque Giezi puer viri Dei: Pepercit dominus meus Naaman Syro isti, ut non acciperet ab eo quae attulit: vivit Dominus, quia curram post eum, et accipiam ab eo aliquid.
But then Elisha’s servant Gehazi said to himself, “It is not good that my master allowed this Syrian man to leave like this. He should have accepted his gifts. So just as certainly as Yahweh lives, I will go and catch up with Naaman and get something from him.”
21 Et secutus est Giezi post tergum Naaman: quem cum vidisset ille currentem ad se, desiliit de curru in occursum eius, et ait: Recte ne sunt omnia?
So Gehazi hurried to catch up with Naaman. When Naaman saw Gehazi running toward him, he [stopped] the chariot [in which he was riding, ] jumped out, and went to see what Gehazi wanted. He asked him, “Is everything all right?”
22 Et ille ait: Recte. dominus meus misit me ad te, dicens: Modo venerunt ad me duo adolescentes de monte Ephraim, ex filiis prophetarum: da eis talentum argenti, et vestes mutatorias duplices.
Gehazi replied, “Yes, but two young prophets from the hilly area where the descendants of Ephraim live have just arrived. Elisha has sent me to tell you that he would like 75 pounds of silver and two sets of clothing to give to them.”
23 Dixitque Naaman: Melius est ut accipias duo talenta. Et coegit eum, ligavitque duo talenta argenti in duobus saccis, et duplicia vestimenta, et imposuit duobus pueris suis, qui et portaverunt coram eo.
Naaman replied, “Certainly! You can have 150 pounds of silver!” He urged Gehazi to take it. He also gave him two sets of clothing. He tied up the silver in two bags and gave them to two of his servants to carry back to Elisha.
24 Cumque venisset iam vesperi, tulit de manu eorum, et reposuit in domo, dimisitque viros, et abierunt.
But when they arrived at the hill [where Elisha lived], Gehazi took the silver and the clothes from Naaman’s servants and sent the servants back to Naaman. Then he took those things into his house and hid them.
25 ipse autem ingressus, stetit coram domino suo. Et dixit Eliseus: Unde venis Giezi? Qui respondit: Non ivit servus tuus quoquam.
When he went to Elisha, Elisha asked him, “Where did you go, Gehazi?” Gehazi replied, “I did not go anywhere.”
26 At ille ait: Nonne cor meum in praesenti erat, quando reversus est homo de curru suo in occursum tui? Nunc igitur accepisti argentum, et accepisti vestes ut emas oliveta, et vineas, et oves, et boves, et servos, et ancillas.
Elisha asked him, [“Do you not realize that] my spirit was there when Naaman got out of his chariot to talk with you? This is certainly not [RHQ] the time to accept gifts of money and clothes and olive groves and vineyards and sheep and oxen and servants!
27 Sed et lepra Naaman adhaerebit tibi, et semini tuo, usque in sempiternum. Et egressus est ab eo leprosus quasi nix.
Because you have done this, you and your children and all your descendants, forever, will have leprosy just like Naaman had!” And when Gehazi left the room, he was a leper! His skin was as white as snow!
