1 ك انَ نُعْمانُ قائِدَ جَيشِ مَلِكِ أرامَ. وَكانَ مُكَرَّماً جِدّاً عِنْدَهُ وَعَزِيزاً عَلَيهِ، لِأنَّ اللهَ حَقَّقَ لِآرامَ نَصْراً عَظِيماً عَلَى يَدِهِ. وَمَعْ أنَّ نُعْمانَ هَذا كانَ عَظِيماً وَقَوِيّاً، إلّا أنَّهُ كانَ مُصاباً بِالبَرَصِ.

Now Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honorable, because by him Yahweh had given victory to Syria: he was also a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper.

2 و َكانَ الأرامِيُّونَ قَدْ خَرَجُوا فِي غَزَواتٍ عَدِيدَةٍ ضِدَّ إسْرائِيلَ. وَفِي إحدَى غَزَواتِهِمْ أسَرُوا بِنْتاً صَغِيرَةً مِنْ أرْضِ إسْرائِيلَ. فَصارَتْ خادِمَةً لِزَوْجَةِ نُعْمانَ.

The Syrians had gone out in bands, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maiden; and she waited on Naaman’s wife.

3 ف َقالَتِ البِنْتُ لِزَوْجَتِهِ: «لَيتَ سَيِّدِي يَذْهَبُ لِرُؤْيَةِ النَّبِيِّ الَّذِي فِي السّامِرَةِ، فَهُوَ يَقْدِرُ أنْ يَشفِيَهُ مِنْ بَرَصِهِ.»

She said to her mistress, “I wish that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would heal him of his leprosy.”

4 ف َذَهَبَ نُعْمانُ إلَى سَيِّدِهِ وَأخْبَرَهُ بِما قالَتِ الخادِمَةُ الَّتِي مِنْ إسْرائِيلَ.

Someone went in, and told his lord, saying, “The maiden who is from the land of Israel said this.”

5 ف َقالَ مَلِكُ أرامَ لَهُ: «اذْهَبْ فَوْراً، وَسَأُرْسِلُ مَعَكَ رِسالَةً إلَى مَلِكِ إسْرائِيلَ.» فَذَهَبَ نُعْمانُ إلَى إسْرائِيلَ، وَأخَذَ مَعَهُ عَشْرَةَ قَناطِيرَ مِنَ الفِضَّةِ، وَسِتَّةَ آلافِ مِثْقالٍ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ، وَعَشْرَةَ أثْوابٍ.

The king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” He departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of clothing.

6 و َأحضَرَ نُعْمانُ الرِّسالَةَ إلَى مَلِكِ إسْرائِيل، وَجاءَ فِيها: «… وَالآنَ، أُبَيِّنُ لَكَ بِمُوجِبِ هَذِهِ الرِّسالَةِ أنِّي مُرْسِلٌ خادِمِي نُعْمانَ إلَيكَ فاشْفِهِ مِنْ بَرَصِهِ.»

He brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, “Now when this letter has come to you, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy.”

7 ف َلَمّا قَرَأ مَلِكُ إسْرائِيلَ الرِّسالَةَ، شَقَّ ثِيابَهُ وَقالَ: «أأنا اللهَ الَّذِي يَقدِرُ أنْ يُحيِيَ وَيُمِيتَ؟ فَلِماذا أرْسَلَ إلَيَّ مَلِكُ أرامَ رَجُلاً أبْرَصَ حَتَّى أشْفِيَهِ؟ إنَّهُ يُضْمِرُ لِيَ الشَّرَّ!»

When the king of Israel had read the letter, he tore his clothes, and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends to me to heal a man of his leprosy? But please consider and see how he seeks a quarrel against me.”

8 و َسَمِعَ ألِيشَعُ، رَجُلُ اللهِ، أنَّ مَلِكَ إسْرائِيلَ قَدْ شَقَّ ثِيابَهُ. فَأرْسَلَ إلَيهِ ألِيشَعُ رِسالَةً يَقُولُ فِيها: «لِماذا شَقَقْتَ ثِيابَكَ؟ أرْسِلْ نُعمانَ إلَيَّ. حِينَئِذٍ، سَيَعلَمُ أنَّ هُناكَ نَبِيّاً فِي إسْرائِيلَ!»

It was so, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.”

9 ف َجاءَ نُعمانُ بِخَيلِهِ وَمَرْكَباتِهِ إلَى بَيتِ ألِيشَعَ وَوَقَفَ عِنْدَ البابِ.

So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariots, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.

10 ف َأرْسَلَ ألِيشَعُ رَسُولاً لِنُعْمانَ يَقُولُ لَهُ: «اذْهَبْ وَاغتَسِلْ فِي نَهْرِ الأُردُنِّ سَبْعَ مَرّاتٍ. حِينَئِذٍ، سَيُشْفَى جِلْدُكَ. وَتَصِيرُ طاهِراً.»

Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall come again to you, and you shall be clean.”

11 ف َغَضِبَ نُعمانُ وَمَضَى وَهْوَ يَقُولُ: «تَوَقَّعْتُ أنْ يَخرُجَ ألِيشَعُ لاسْتِقبالِي عَلَى الأقَلِّ ويَقِفَ أمامِي وَيَدعُو بِاسْمِ إلَهِهِ. تَوَقَّعْتُ أنْ يَضَعَ يَدَهُ فَوْقَ جَسَدِي فَيُشْفَى.

But Naaman was angry, and went away, and said, “Behold, I thought, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of Yahweh his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leper.’

12 إ نَّ أبانَةَ، وَفَرْفَرَ، نَهْرَي دِمَشْقَ، أفضَلُ مِنْ كُلِّ أنْهارِ إسْرائِيلَ. فَلِماذا لا يُمكِنُنِي أنْ أغتَسِلَ فِي نَهرَي دِمَشْقَ وَأطْهُرَ؟» غَضِبَ نُعمانُ كَثِيراً وَأرادَ مُواصَلَةَ طَرِيقِ العَوْدَةِ.

Aren’t Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them, and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.

13 غ َيرَ أنَّ خُدّامَ نُعْمانَ ذَهَبُوا إلَيهِ وَقالُوا لَهُ: «يا أبانا، لَوْ طَلَبَ مِنْكَ النَّبِيُّ أنْ تَفْعَلَ شَيئاً صَعْباً، أما كُنْتَ تَفْعَلُهُ؟ لَكِنَّهُ لَمْ يَطلُبْ مِنْكَ إلّا أمْراً بَسِيطاً جِدّاً، إذْ قالَ لَكَ: ‹اغْتَسِلْ وَاطهُرْ.›»

His servants came near, and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had asked you do some great thing, wouldn’t you have done it? How much rather then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean?’”

14 ف َعَمِلَ نُعمانُ بِما أوْصاهُ رَجُلُ اللهِ. فَنَزَلَ وَغَطَسَ فِي نَهْرِ الأُردُنِّ سَبْعَ مَرّاتٍ، فَطَهُرَ تَماماً! بَلْ صارَ جِلْدُهُ ناعِماً كَجِلْدِ طِفلٍ رَضِيعٍ.

Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

15 ف َعادَ نُعْمانُ وَجَماعَتُهُ إلَى رَجُلِ اللهِ. وَوَقَفَ أمامَ ألِيشَعَ وَقالَ: «ها أنا قَدْ عَلِمْتُ أنَّهُ لا يُوجَدُ إلَهٌ إلّا فِي إسْرائِيلَ! وَالآنَ، أرجُو أنْ تَقبَلَ هَدِيَّةً مِنِّي، أنا عَبْدَكَ.»

He returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him; and he said, “See now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel. Now therefore, please take a gift from your servant.”

16 ل َكِنَّ ألِيشَعَ قالَ: «أُقْسِمُ بِاللهِ الحَيِّ الَّذِي أخدِمُهُ، لَنْ آخُذَ هَدِيَّةً مِنْكَ.» وَألَحَّ نُعْمانُ عَلَى الِيشَعَ أنْ يَأْخُذَ الهَدِيَّةَ، فَلَمْ يَقْبَلْ.

But he said, “As Yahweh lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none.” He urged him to take it; but he refused.

17 ف َقالَ نُعْمانُ: «لا تُرِيدُ أنْ تَقْبَلَ هَدِيَّتِي، فاسْمَحْ لِي أنْ آخُذَ حِملَ بَغلَينِ مِنَ التُّرابِ. فَأنا لا أُرِيدُ أنْ أُقَدِّمَ ذَبِيحَةً أوْ تَقْدِمَةً فِيما بَعْدُ لأيِّ إلَهٍ سِوَى يهوه.

Naaman said, “If not, then, please let two mules’ burden of earth be given to your servant; for your servant will from now on offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice to other gods, but to Yahweh.

18 و َليَغْفِرْ لَيَ يهوه! فَعِندَما يَذهَبُ مَولايَ مَلِكُ أرامَ فِي المُستَقبَلِ إلَى هَيكَلِ رَمُّونَ لِيَعبُدَهُ، سَيَسْتَنِدُ المَلِكُ عَلَيَّ. فَأنا مُضْطَرٌّ إلَى أنْ أسْجُدَ فِي هَيكَلِ رَمُّونَ. وَأنا أطلُبُ أنْ يَغفِرَ لِيَ يهوه ذَلِكَ.»

In this thing may Yahweh pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon. When I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, may Yahweh pardon your servant in this thing.”

19 ف َقالَ ألِيشَعُ لِنُعْمانَ: «اذْهَبْ بِسَلامٍ.» وَلَمْ يَكَنْ نُعْمانُ قَدِ ابتَعَدَ كثِيراً،

He said to him, “Go in peace.” So he departed from him a little way.

20 ح َتَّى قالَ جِيحَزِي خادِمُ ألِيشَعَ رَجُلِ اللهِ فِي نَفْسِهِ: «ها قَدْ رَفَضَ سَيِّدِي أنْ يَأْخُذَ الهَدِيَّةَ الَّتِي أحضَرَها نُعْمانُ. أُقْسِمُ بِاللهِ الحَيِّ، سَألْحَقُ أنا بِهِ وَآخُذُ شَيئاً مِنْهُ!»

But Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought. As Yahweh lives, I will run after him, and take something from him.”

21 ف َرَكَضَ جِيحَزِي إلَى نُعْمانَ. فَلَمّا رَآهُ نُعْمانُ راكِضاً خَلْفَهُ، أوْقَفَ المَرْكَبَةَ وَنَزَلَ لِلِقائِهِ. وَسَألَهُ: «أكُلُّ شَيءِ عَلَى ما يُرامُ؟»

So Gehazi followed after Naaman. When Naaman saw one running after him, he came down from the chariot to meet him, and said, “Is all well?”

22 ف َقالَ جِيحَزِي: «نَعَمْ، لَكِنَّ سَيِّدِي أرْسَلَنِي إلَيكَ. وَهُوَ يَقُولُ: ‹جاءَنِي ضَيفانِ مِنْ جَماعَةِ الأنبِياءِ فِي أفْرايِمَ، فَأعْطِهِما قِنطاراً مِنَ الفِضَّةِ وَثَوْبَينِ.›»

He said, “All is well. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Behold, even now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.’”

23 و قال نعمان: «أرْجُو أنْ تَأْخُذَ قِنْطارَينِ.» وَألَحَّ نُعمانُ عَلَى جِيحَزِي أنْ يَأْخُذَ الفِضَّةَ. فَوَضَعَ قِنْطارَيِّ الفِضَّةِ فِي كِيسَينِ، وَأخَذَ ثَوْبَينِ وَأعَطاهُما لاثْنَينِ مِنْ خُدّامِهِ. فَحَمَلا هَذا كُلَّهُ، وَسارا أمامَ جِيحَزِي.

Naaman said, “Be pleased to take two talents.” He urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing, and laid them on two of his servants; and they carried them before him.

24 و َلَمّا وَصَلَ إلَى التَّلَّةِ، أخَذَ هَذِهِ الأشْياءَ مِنَ الخادِمَينِ، ثُمَّ صَرَفَ الخادِمَينِ، فانْصَرَفا. وَبَعْدَ ذَلِكَ خَبَّأها فِي بَيتِهِ.

When he came to the hill, he took them from their hand, and stored them in the house. Then he let the men go, and they departed.

25 ث ُمَّ رَجِعَ جِيحَزِي وَدَخَلَ وَوَقَفَ أمامَ سَيِّدِهِ. فَقالَ ألِيشَعُ لِجِيحَزِي: «أينَ كُنْتَ؟» فَأجابَ جِيحَزِي: «لَمْ أتَحَرَّكْ مِنْ هَذا المَكانِ.»

But he went in, and stood before his master. Elisha said to him, “Where did you come from, Gehazi?” He said, “Your servant went nowhere.”

26 ف َقالَ ألِيشَعُ لِجِيحَزِي: «لَيسَ هَذا صَحِيحاً! فَقَدْ كُنْتُ مَعَكَ بِرُوحِي عِنْدَما التَفَتَ ذَلِكَ الرَّجُلُ وَنَزَلَ مِنْ مَركَبَتِهِ لِلِقائِكَ! أهَذا وَقْتُ أخذِ مالٍ وَثِيابٍ وَزَيتُونٍ وَعِنَبٍ وَغَنَمٍ وَبَقَرٍ وَعَبِيدٍ وَجَوارٍ؟

He said to him, “Didn’t my heart go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and olive groves and vineyards, and sheep and cattle, and male servants and female servants?

27 و َالآنَ، سَيَنتَقِلُ بَرَصُ نُعمانَ إلَيكَ وَإلَى أولادِكَ إلَى الأبَدِ!» فَلَمّا خَرَجَ جِيحَزِي مِنْ عِنْدِ ألِيشَعَ، صارَ جِلْدُهُ أبْيَضَ كَالثَّلْجِ بِسَبَبِ البَرَصِ.

Therefore the leprosy of Naaman will cling to you and to your offspring forever.” He went out from his presence a leper, as white as snow.