1 N ow Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man with his master, and highly respected, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man was also a valiant warrior, but he was a leper.

كانَ 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.

2 N ow the Arameans had gone out in bands and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel; and she waited on Naaman’s wife.

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

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

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

4 N aaman went in and told his master, saying, “Thus and thus spoke the girl who is from the land of Israel.”

فَذَهَبَ نُعْمانُ إلَى سَيِّدِهِ وَأخْبَرَهُ بِما قالَتِ الخادِمَةُ الَّتِي مِنْ إسْرائِيلَ.

5 T hen the king of Aram 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 shekels of gold and ten changes of clothes.

فَقالَ 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.

6 H e brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, “And now as this letter comes to you, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may cure him of his leprosy.”

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

7 W hen the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “ Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man is sending word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? But consider now, and see how he is seeking a quarrel against me.”

فَلَمّا 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!»

8 I t happened when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent word to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Now let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.”

وَسَمِعَ 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!»

9 S o Naaman came with his horses and his chariots and stood at the doorway of the house of Elisha.

فَجاءَ نُعمانُ بِخَيلِهِ وَمَرْكَباتِهِ إلَى بَيتِ ألِيشَعَ وَوَقَفَ عِنْدَ البابِ.

10 E lisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “ Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean.”

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

11 B ut Naaman was furious and went away and said, “Behold, I thought, ‘He will surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.’

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

12 A re not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.

إنَّ 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.

13 T hen his servants came near and spoke to him and said, “ My father, had the prophet told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it ? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”

غَيرَ 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.›»

14 S o he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child and he was clean. Gehazi’s Greed

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

15 W hen he returned to the man of God with all his company, and came and stood before him, he said, “Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel; so please take a present from your servant now.”

فَعادَ 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.»

16 B ut he said, “ As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will take nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused.

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

17 N aaman said, “If not, please let your servant at least be given two mules’ load of earth; for your servant will no longer offer burnt offering nor will he sacrifice to other gods, but to the Lord.

فَقالَ 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.

18 I n this matter may the Lord 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, the Lord pardon your servant in this matter.”

وَليَغْفِرْ 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.»

19 H e said to him, “ Go in peace.” So he departed from him some distance.

فَقالَ ألِيشَعُ لِنُعْمانَ: «اذْهَبْ بِسَلامٍ.» وَلَمْ يَكَنْ نُعْمانُ قَدِ ابتَعَدَ كثِيراً،

20 B ut Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, thought, “Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Aramean, by not receiving from his hands what he brought. As the Lord lives, I will run after him and take something from him.”

حَتَّى 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!»

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

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

22 H e said, “ All is well. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Behold, just 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 clothes.’”

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

23 N aaman said, “ Be pleased to take two talents.” And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags with two changes of clothes and gave them to two of his servants; and they carried them before him.

وقال 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.

24 W hen he came to the hill, he took them from their hand and deposited them in the house, and he sent the men away, and they departed.

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

25 B ut he went in and stood before his master. And Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” And he said, “ Your servant went nowhere.”

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

26 T hen he said to him, “Did not 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 clothes and olive groves and vineyards and sheep and oxen and male and female servants?

فَقالَ 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؟

27 T herefore, the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever.” So he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

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