Ii Regum 7

1 Dixit autem Eliseus: Audite verbum Domini: Haec dicit Dominus: In tempore hoc cras modius similae uno statere erit, et duo modii hordei statere uno, in porta Samariae.

And Elisaie said, Hear you the word of the Lord; Thus says the Lord, As at this time, to-morrow a measure of fine flour [shall be sold] for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gates of Samaria.

2 Respondens unus de ducibus, super cuius manum rex incumbebat, homini Dei, ait: Si Dominus fecerit etiam cataractas in caelo, numquid poterit esse quod loqueris? Qui ait: Videbis oculis tuis, et inde non comedes.

And the officer on whose hand the king rested, answered Elisaie, and said, Behold, [if] the Lord shall make flood-gates in heaven, might this thing be? and Elisaie said, Behold, you shall see with your eyes, but shall not eat thereof.

3 Quattuor ergo viri erant leprosi iuxta introitum portae: qui dixerunt ad invicem: Quid hic esse volumus donec moriamur?

And there were four leprous men by the gate of the city: and one said to his neighbour, Why sit we here until we die?

4 sive ingredi voluerimus civitatem, fame moriemur: sive manserimus hic, moriendum nobis est: venite ergo, et transfugiamus ad castra Syriae. si pepercerint nobis, vivemus: si autem occidere voluerint, nihilominus moriemur.

If we should say, Let us go into the city, then [there is] famine in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit here, then we shall die. Now then come, and let us fall upon the camp of the Syrians: if they should take us alive, then we shall live; and if they should put us to death, then we shall [only] die.

5 Surrexerunt ergo vesperi, ut venirent ad castra Syriae. Cumque venissent ad principium castrorum Syriae, nullum ibidem repererunt.

And they rose up while it was yet night, to go into the camp of Syria; and they came into a part of the camp of Syria, and behold, there [was] no man there.

6 Siquidem Dominus sonitum audiri fecerat in castris Syriae, curruum, et equorum, et exercitus plurimi: dixeruntque ad invicem: Ecce mercede conduxit adversum nos rex Israel reges Hethaeorum, et Aegyptiorum, et venerunt super nos.

For the Lord had made the army of Syria to hear a sound of chariots, and a sound of horses, [even] the sound of a great host: and [each] man said to his fellow, Now has the king of Israel hired against us the kings of the Chettites, and the kings of Egypt, to come against us.

7 Surrexerunt ergo, et fugerunt in tenebris, et dereliquerunt tentoria sua, et equos et asinos in castris, fugeruntque animas tantum suas salvare cupientes.

And they arose and fled while it was yet dark, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses in the camp, as they were, and fled for their lives.

8 Igitur cum venissent leprosi illi ad principium castrorum, ingressi sunt unum tabernaculum, et comederunt et biberunt: tuleruntque inde argentum, et aurum, et vestes, et abierunt, et absconderunt: et rursum reversi sunt ad aliud tabernaculum, et inde similiter auferentes absconderunt.

And these lepers entered a little way into the camp, and went into one tent, and ate and drank, and took thence silver, and gold, and raiment; and they went and returned thence, and entered into another tent, and took thence, and went and hid [the spoil].

9 Dixeruntque ad invicem: Non recte facimus: haec enim dies boni nuncii est. Si tacuerimus, et noluerimus nunciare usque mane, sceleris arguemur: venite, eamus, et nunciemus in aula regis.

And [one] man said to his neighbour, We are not doing [well] thus: this day is a day of glad tidings, and we hold our peace, and are waiting till the morning light, and shall find mischief: now them come, and let us go into [the city], and report to the house of the king.

10 Cumque venissent ad portam civitatis, narraverunt eis, dicentes: Ivimus ad castra Syriae, et nullum ibidem reperimus hominem, nisi equos, et asinos alligatos, et fixa tentoria.

So they went and cried towards the gate of the city, and reported to them, saying, We went into the camp of Syria, and, behold, there is not there a man, nor voice of man, only horses tied and asses, and their tents as they were.

11 Ierunt ergo portarii, et nunciaverunt in palatio regis intrinsecus.

And the porters cried aloud, and reported to the house of the king within.

12 Qui surrexit nocte, et ait ad servos suos: Dico vobis quid fecerint nobis Syri: sciunt quia fame laboramus, et idcirco egressi sunt de castris, et latitant in agris, dicentes: Cum egressi fuerint de civitate, capiemus eos vivos, et tunc civitatem ingredi poterimus.

And the king rose up by night, and said to his servants, I will now tell you what the Syrians have done to us. They knew that we are hungry; and they have gone forth from the camp and hidden themselves in the field, saying, They will come out of the city, and we shall catch them alive, and go into the city.

13 Respondit autem unus servorum eius: Tollamus quinque equos, qui remanserunt in urbe (quia ipsi tantum sunt in universa multitudine Israel, alii enim consumpti sunt) et mittentes, explorare poterimus.

And one of his servants answered and said, Let them now take five of the horses that were left, which were left here; behold, they are the number left to all the multitude of Israel; and we will send there and see.

14 Adduxerunt ergo duos equos, misitque rex in castra Syrorum, dicens: Ite, et videte.

So they took two horsemen; and the king of Israel sent after the king of Syria, saying, Go, and see.

15 Qui abierunt post eos usque ad Iordanem: ecce autem omnis via plena erat vestibus, et vasis, quae proiecerant Syri cum turbarentur: reversique nuncii indicaverunt regi.

And they went after them even to Jordan: and, behold, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their panic. and the messengers returned, and brought word to the king.

16 Et egressus populus diripuit castra Syriae: factusque est modius similae statere uno, et duo modii hordei statere uno, iuxta verbum Domini.

And the people went out, and plundered the camp of Syria: and a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, according to the word of the Lord, and two measures of barley for a shekel.

17 Porro rex ducem illum, in cuius manu incumbebat, constituit ad portam: quem conculcavit turba in introitu portae, et mortuus est, iuxta quod locutus fuerat vir Dei, quando descenderat rex ad eum.

And the king appointed the officer on whose hand the king leaned [to have charge] over the gate: and the people trampled on him in the gate, and he died, as the man of God [had] said, who spoke when the messenger came down to him.

18 Factumque est secundum sermonem viri Dei, quem dixerat regi, quando ait: Duo modii hordei statere uno erunt, et modius similae statere uno, hoc eodem tempore cras in porta Samariae:

So it came to pass as Elisaie had spoken to the king, saying, Two measures of barley [shall be sold] for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel; and it shall be as at this time to-morrow in the gate of Samaria.

19 quando responderat dux ille viro Dei, et dixerat: Etiamsi Dominus fecerit cataractas in caelo, numquid poterit fieri quod loqueris? Et dixit ei: Videbis oculis tuis, et inde non comedes.

And the officer answered Elisaie, and said, Behold, [if] the Lord makes flood-gates in heaven, shall this thing be? and Elisaie said, Behold, you shall see [it] with your eyes, but you shall not eat thereof.

20 Evenit ergo ei sicut praedictum fuerat, et conculcavit eum populus in porta, et mortuus est.

And it was so: for the people trampled on him in the gate, and he died.