2 Ahemfo 5
1 Na Aramhene bu Naaman a ɔyɛ asraafo so sahene no yiye. Efisɛ ɛnam ne so na Awurade maa Aram dii nkonim akɛse bebree. Ɛwɔ mu sɛ na Naaman yɛ ɔkofo kɛse de, nanso na ɔyare kwata.
[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 Afei, na Aram akofo adi Israel asase so, na abaawa ketewa bi ka wɔn a wɔkyeree wɔn nnommum no ho. Wɔde saa abaawa no maa Naaman yere sɛ nʼabaawa.
[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 Da bi, abaawa no ka kyerɛɛ nʼawuraa se, “Sɛ me wura kohu odiyifo a ɔwɔ Samaria no a, anka ɔbɛsa no yare ama kwata no afi ne honam ani.”
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 Enti Naaman kaa asɛm a abaawa a ofi Israel no ka kyerɛɛ no no kyerɛɛ ɔhene.
[Naaman’s wife told her husband] what the girl from Israel had said, [and] Naaman told [that] to the king.
5 Ɔhene no ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Kɔ, na kɔsra odiyifo no. Mɛkyerɛw krataa aka wo ho, na wode akɔma Israelhene.” Enti Naaman faa dwetɛ akyɛde kilogram ahaasa aduanan, sikakɔkɔɔ kilogram aduosia nkron ne ntade mmɔho du, na osii mu kɔe.
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 Krataa a ɔde rekɔma Israelhene no mu asɛm ne sɛ, “Menam krataa yi so reda me somfo Naaman adi akyerɛ wo. Mepɛ sɛ wosa no yare ma ne kwata no fi ne honam ani.”
7 Bere a Israelhene kenkan krataa no, ɔde ahometew sunsuan nʼatade mu, kae se, “Saa ɔbarima yi asoma ɔkwatani aba me nkyɛn, sɛ mensa no yare! Meyɛ Onyankopɔn a mitumi kum, san ma nkwa? Ɔrehwehwɛ kwan bi afa so, anya nnyinaso bi na wabɛtow ahyɛ yɛn so bio.”
[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 Bere a Elisa, Onyankopɔn nipa, tee sɛ ɔhene no asunsuan ne ntade mu no, ɔde nkra kɔmaa no se, “Adɛn nti na woasunsuan wo ntade mu? Soma Naaman na ɔmmra me nkyɛn na obehu sɛ odiyifo papa bi wɔ 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 Enti Naaman faa nʼapɔnkɔ ne ne nteaseɛnam, kɔtwɛn wɔ Elisa fi pon ano.
So Naaman went with his horses and chariots to Elisha’s house and waited outside the door.
10 Na Elisa somaa ɔbɔfo kɔka kyerɛɛ no se, “Kɔhohoro wo ho mpɛn ason wɔ Asubɔnten Yordan mu, na wo honam bɛba mu, ama wo kwata no akɔ.”
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 Na Naaman bo fuwii, ma osii kwan so. Ɔkae se, “Na minim sɛ, nea ɛbɛyɛ biara no, ɔbɛba abehyia me! Na minim sɛ ebia, ɔde ne nsa bɛfa kwata no so, na wabɔ Awurade a, ɔyɛ ne Nyankopɔn no din, nam so asa me yare.
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 Nsubɔnten Abana ne Parpar a ɛwɔ Damasko nsen nsubɔnten a ɛwɔ Israel nyinaa? Adɛn nti na menkɔhohoro me ho wɔ mu, na minnya ayaresa?” Enti Naaman dan ne ho de abufuw sii mu.
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 Nanso ne mpanyimfo bɔɔ mmɔden kasa kyerɛɛ no se, “Owura, sɛ odiyifo no kaa se yɛ adwuma kɛse bi a, anka worenyɛ ana? Ɛno nti, tie asɛm a waka sɛ kɔhohoro wo ho kɛkɛ, na wo ho bɛtɔ wo no, na di so.”
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 Enti Naaman kɔɔ Asubɔnten Yordan mu, kɔdɔɔ asukɔ mpɛn ason, sɛnea Onyankopɔn nipa no hyɛɛ no sɛ ɔnyɛ no. Ne honam ani daa hɔ te sɛ akokoaa, maa ne kwata no nyinaa kɔe.
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 Naaman ne ne dɔm no san kɔ kɔhwehwɛɛ Onyankopɔn nipa no akyi kwan. Wokogyinaa nʼanim, maa Naaman kae se, “Afei na mahu sɛ Onyankopɔn nni wiase ha baabiara sɛ Israel nko ara. Afei, mesrɛ wo sɛ, gye mʼakyɛde yi.”
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 Nanso Elisa buae se, “Mmere dodow a Onyankopɔn a mesom no te ase yi, merennye akyɛde biara.” Ɛwɔ mu sɛ Naaman hyɛɛ no biara sɛ onnye akyɛde no, nanso Elisa annye.
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 Afei, Naaman kae se, “Eye, ɛno de, ma me kwan na memfa ha dɔte atifi abien nsoa me furumpɔnkɔ abien, na memfa nka me ho nkɔ me kurom. Efi nnɛ, Onyankopɔn akyi no, meremmɔ ɔhyew afɔre anaa afɔre biara mma onyame bi bio.
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 Na mesrɛ sɛ, Awurade mfa saa bɔne yi nkyɛ me. Sɛ me wura ɔhene rekɔ Rimon abosomfi akɔsom, na misuso ne mu a, me nso mɛkotow nti, Awurade mfa eyi nkyɛ me.”
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 Elisa kae se, “Kɔ asomdwoe mu.” Enti Naaman san sii kwan so.
Elisha replied, “Go home, and do not worry about that.” So Naaman [and his servants] started to travel home.
20 Nanso Elisa somfo Gehasi kaa wɔ ne tirim se, “Anka ɛnsɛ sɛ me wura ma Aramni yi kɔ a wannye akyɛde yi. Mmere dodow a Awurade te ase yi, metiw no, na makogye biribi afi ne nkyɛn.”
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 Enti Gehasi tiw no. Bere a Naaman huu no sɛ ɔde mmirika reba ne so no, osi fii ne teaseɛnam mu kohyiaa no. Naaman bisaa no se, “Wobaa no asomdwoe mu ana?”
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 Gehasi buae se, “Yiw, nanso me wura asoma me sɛ memmɛka nkyerɛ wo se, mmabun baanu bi a wɔyɛ adiyifo a wofi Efraim kurow a ɛda bepɔw so no mu abedu mprempren ara. Ose ɔrehwehwɛ dwetɛ kiliogram aduasa anan ne ntade nsakramu abien de ama wɔn.”
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 Naaman kae se, “Ɛnyɛ asɛm a ɛyɛ den, gye dwetɛ kilogram aduasa anan yi.” Ɔmaa no ntade nsakramu abien, kyekyeree sika no wɔ nkotoku abien mu, yii asomfo baanu soaa akyɛde no, maa Gehasi.
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 Nanso woduu bepɔw no so no, Gehasi gyee akyɛde no fii asomfo no nkyɛn, ma wɔsan wɔn akyi kɔe. Afei, ɔde akyɛde no kosiee ofi no mu.
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 Bere a ɔkɔɔ ne wura Elisa nkyɛn no, obisaa no se, “Gehasi, wokɔɔ he?” Obuae se, “Menkɔɔ baabiara.”
When he went to Elisha, Elisha asked him, “Where did you go, Gehazi?” Gehazi replied, “I did not go anywhere.”
26 Nanso Elisa bisaa no se, “Woanhu sɛ bere a Naaman si fii ne teaseɛnam mu behyiaa wo no, na mewɔ hɔ honhom mu? Saa bere yi na ɛsɛ sɛ wugye sika ne ntade ne ngodua mfuw ne bobe mfuw ne nguan ne anantwi ne asomfo?
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 Nea woayɛ yi nti, wo ne wo mma ne wo mma mma bɛyare Naaman kwata no bi afebɔɔ.” Bere a Gehasi fii dan no mu no, na kwata ayɛ no a ne ho ahoa ayɛ sɛ sukyerɛmma.
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!
