< 2 Wafalme 5 >
1 Wakati huu, Naamani alikuwa jemadari wa jeshi la mfalme wa Aramu. Alikuwa mtu mkuu mbele ya bwana wake na aliyeheshimiwa sana, kwa sababu kupitia kwake, Bwana alikuwa amewapa Aramu ushindi. Alikuwa askari shujaa, lakini alikuwa na ukoma.
Naaman, the leader of the military of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man with his lord. For through him the Lord gave salvation to Syria. And he was a strong and rich man, but a leper.
2 Siku hizo vikosi kutoka Aramu vilikuwa vimekwenda na vikawa vimemteka msichana kutoka Israeli, naye akamtumikia mkewe Naamani.
Now robbers had gone out from Syria, and they had led away captive, from the land of Israel, a little girl. And she was in the service of the wife of Naaman.
3 Akamwambia bibi yake, “Kama bwana wangu angelimwona nabii aliyeko Samaria! Angemponya ukoma wake.”
And she said to her lady: “I wish that my lord had been with the prophet who is in Samaria. Certainly, he would have cured him of the leprosy that he has.”
4 Naamani akaenda kwa bwana wake na kumwambia alichosema yule msichana kutoka Israeli.
And so, Naaman entered to his lord, and he reported to him, saying: “The girl from the land of Israel spoke in such a manner.”
5 Mfalme wa Aramu akamjibu, “Hakika, nenda. Nitatuma barua kwa mfalme wa Israeli.” Kwa hiyo Naamani akaondoka, akiwa amechukua talanta kumi za fedha, shekeli 6,000 za dhahabu, na mivao kumi ya mavazi.
And the king of Syria said to him, “Go, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” And when he had set out, he had taken with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand gold coins, and ten changes of fine clothing.
6 Barua aliyopelekea mfalme wa Israeli iliandikwa hivi: “Pamoja na barua hii ninamtuma mtumishi wangu, Naamani, kwako ili uweze kumponya ukoma wake.”
And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, in these words: “When you will receive this letter, know that I have sent to you my servant, Naaman, so that you may heal him of his leprosy.”
7 Mara mfalme wa Israeli alipomaliza kuisoma ile barua, akararua mavazi yake na kusema, “Je, mimi ni Mungu? Je, mimi naweza kuua na kufufua tena? Kwa nini huyu mtu anamtuma mtu ili mimi nipate kumponya ukoma wake? Tazama jinsi anavyotafuta kuanzisha ugomvi nami!”
And when the king of Israel had read the letter, he tore his garments, and he said: “Am I God, so that I could take or give life, or so that this man would send to me to cure a man from his leprosy? Take notice and see that he is seeking occasions against me.”
8 Elisha mtu wa Mungu aliposikia kwamba mfalme wa Israeli alikuwa amerarua mavazi yake, akamtumia ujumbe huu: “Kwa nini umerarua mavazi yako? Mwamuru mtu huyo aje kwangu, naye atajua ya kuwa yuko nabii katika Israeli.”
And when Elisha, the man of God, had heard this, specifically, that the king of Israel had torn his garments, he sent to him, saying: “Why have you torn your garments? Let him come to me, and let him know that there is a prophet in Israel.”
9 Kwa hiyo Naamani akaenda, akiwa na farasi zake na magari yake, na kusimama mlangoni mwa nyumba ya Elisha.
Therefore, Naaman arrived with his horses and chariots, and he stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
10 Elisha akamtuma mjumbe kumwambia, “Nenda uoge katika Yordani mara saba, na nyama ya mwili wako itapona, nawe utatakasika.”
And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go, and wash seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will receive health, and you will be clean.”
11 Lakini Naamani akaondoka akiwa amekasirika, akasema, “Hakika nilidhani kwamba angetoka nje, asimame na kuliitia jina la Bwana Mungu wake, na kuweka mkono wake juu ya mahali pagonjwa, aniponye ukoma wangu.
And becoming angry, Naaman went away, saying: “I thought that he would have come out to me, and, standing, would have invoked the name of the Lord, his God, and that he would have touched the place of the leprosy with his hand, and so have healed me.
12 Je, Abana na Farpari, mito ya Dameski, si bora zaidi kuliko mito yoyote ya Israeli? Je, nisingeweza kuoga ndani ya hiyo mito na kutakasika?” Basi akageuka na kuondoka kwa hasira kuu.
Are not the Abana and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel, so that I might wash in them and be cleansed?” But then, after he had turned himself away and was leaving with indignation,
13 Watumishi wa Naamani wakamwendea na kumwambia, “Baba yangu, kama huyo nabii angekuambia kufanya jambo lililo kubwa, je, usingelifanya? Je, si zaidi sana basi, anapokuambia, ‘Oga na utakasike!’”
his servants approached him, and they said to him: “If the prophet had told you, father, to do something great, certainly you ought to have done it. How much more so, now that he has said to you: ‘Wash, and you will be clean?’”
14 Hivyo akashuka na kujizamisha ndani ya Yordani mara saba, kama vile huyo mtu wa Mungu alivyokuwa amemwambia, nayo nyama ya mwili wake ikapona na kutakasika kama ya mwili wa mvulana mdogo.
So he descended and washed in the Jordan seven times, in accord with the word of the man of God. And his flesh was restored, like the flesh of a little child. And he was made clean.
15 Kisha Naamani na wahudumu wake wote wakarudi kwa yule mtu wa Mungu. Akasimama mbele yake na kusema, “Sasa najua kwamba hakuna Mungu katika ulimwengu wote isipokuwa katika Israeli. Tafadhali sasa upokee zawadi kutoka kwa mtumishi wako.”
And returning to the man of God, with his entire retinue, he arrived, and stood before him, and he said: “Truly, I know there is no other God, in all the earth, except in Israel. And so I beg you to accept a blessing from your servant.”
16 Nabii akajibu, “Hakika kama Bwana aishivyo, ambaye ninamtumikia, sitapokea kitu hata kimoja.” Ingawa Naamani alimsihi sana, yeye alikataa.
But he responded, “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will not accept it.” And though he urged him strongly, he did not agree at all.
17 Naamani akasema, “Ikiwa hutapokea, tafadhali mtumishi wako na apewe udongo kiasi cha mzigo wa kuweza kubebwa na punda wawili, kwa sababu mtumishi wako hatatoa tena sadaka ya kuteketezwa na dhabihu kwa mungu mwingine isipokuwa Bwana.
And Naaman said: “As you wish. But I beg you to grant to me, your servant, that I may take from here the burden of two mules from the ground. For your servant will no longer offer holocaust or victim to other gods, except to the Lord.
18 Lakini Bwana na amsamehe mtumishi wake kwa kitu hiki kimoja: Wakati bwana wangu atakapoingia kwenye hekalu la Rimoni ili kusujudu, naye akiwa anauegemea mkono wangu, nami nikasujudu huko pia, wakati nitakaposujudu ndani ya hekalu la Rimoni, Bwana na amsamehe mtumishi wako kwa ajili ya jambo hili.”
But there is still this matter, for which you will entreat the Lord on behalf of your servant: when my lord enters the temple of Rimmon, so that he may adore there, and he leans on my hand, if I will bow down in the temple of Rimmon, while he is adoring in the same place, that the Lord may ignore me, your servant, concerning this matter.”
19 Elisha akamwambia, “Nenda kwa amani.” Baada ya Naamani kusafiri umbali fulani,
And he said to him, “Go in peace.” Then he went away from him, in the elect time of the earth.
20 Gehazi, mtumishi wa Elisha mtu wa Mungu, akajiambia mwenyewe, “Bwana wangu amemwachia kirahisi sana Naamani, huyu Mwaramu, kwa kutokupokea kutoka kwake vile alivyovileta. Hakika kama Bwana aishivyo, nitamkimbilia na kupata kitu kutoka kwake.”
And Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, said: “My lord has spared Naaman, this Syrian, by not receiving from him what he brought. As the Lord lives, I will run after him, and take something from him.”
21 Hivyo Gehazi akaharakisha kumfuatilia Naamani. Naamani alipomwona akikimbia kumwelekea, akashuka chini kutoka kwenye gari lake na kwenda kumlaki. Akauliza, “Je, mambo yote ni sawa?”
And so, Gehazi followed after the back of Naaman. And when he had seen him running toward him, he leaped down from his chariot to meet him, and he said, “Is all well?”
22 Gehazi akajibu, “Mambo yote ni sawa. Bwana wangu amenituma nikuambie, ‘Vijana wawili kutoka kwa wana wa manabii wamenijia kutoka nchi ya vilima ya Efraimu. Tafadhali wape talanta ya fedha na mivao miwili ya mavazi.’”
And he said: “It is well. My lord has sent me to you, saying: ‘Just now two youths from the sons of the prophets have come to me from mount Ephraim. Give them a talent of silver, and two changes of clothing.’”
23 Naamani akasema, “Hakika, chukua talanta mbili za fedha.” Akamsihi Gehazi azipokee, kisha akafunga talanta mbili za fedha katika mifuko miwili pamoja na mivao miwili ya mavazi. Akawapa watumishi wake wawili mizigo hiyo, nao wakaibeba wakitangulia mbele ya Gehazi.
And Naaman said, “It is better that you accept two talents.” And he urged him, and he bound the two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing. And he set them upon two of his servants, who carried them before him.
24 Gehazi alipofika kwenye kilima, akavichukua vile vitu kutoka kwa wale watumishi na kuvificha ndani ya nyumba. Akawaaga wale watu, nao wakaondoka.
And when now he had arrived in the evening, he took them from their hands, and he stored them in the house. And he dismissed the men, and they went away.
25 Kisha akaingia ndani na kusimama mbele ya Elisha bwana wake. Elisha akamuuliza, “Gehazi, ulikuwa wapi?” Gehazi akajibu, “Mtumishi wako hakwenda popote.”
Then, having entered, he stood before his lord. And Elisha said, “Where are you coming from, Gehazi?” He responded, “Your servant did not go anywhere.”
26 Lakini Elisha akamwambia, “Je, roho yangu haikuwa pamoja nawe wakati yule mtu aliposhuka kutoka kwenye gari lake ili kukulaki? Je, huu ni wakati wa kupokea fedha au kupokea nguo, mashamba ya mizeituni, mashamba ya mizabibu, makundi ya kondoo na mbuzi, makundi ya ngʼombe, au watumishi wa kiume na wa kike?
But he said: “Was my heart not present, when the man turned back from his chariot to meet you? And now you have received money, and you have received garments, so that you might buy olive groves, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and men and women servants.
27 Ukoma wa Naamani utakushika wewe na wazao wako milele.” Kisha Gehazi akaondoka mbele ya Elisha, mwenye ukoma, mweupe kama theluji.
So then, the leprosy of Naaman shall adhere to you, and to your offspring forever.” And he departed from him a leper, as white as snow.