Liber II Regum, 6

1. Dixerunt autem filii prophetarum ad Eliseum: “Ecce locus, in quo habitamus coram te, angustus est nobis.

1. Now the sons of the prophets said to Eli'sha, "See, the place where we dwell under your charge is too small for us.

2. Eamus usque ad Iordanem, et tollant singuli de silva materias singulas, ut aedificemus nobis ibi locum ad habitandum”. Qui dixit: “Ite”.

2. Let us go to the Jordan and each of us get there a log, and let us make a place for us to dwell there." And he answered, "Go."

3. Et ait unus ex illis: “Veni ergo et tu cum servis tuis”. Respondit: “Ego veniam”.

3. Then one of them said, "Be pleased to go with your servants." And he answered, "I will go."

4. Et abiit cum eis. Cumque venissent ad Iordanem, caedebant ligna.

4. So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees.

5. Accidit autem, ut, cum unus materiam succidisset, caderet ferrum securis in aquam; exclamavitque ille et ait: “Heu, domine mi! Et hoc ipsum mutuo acceperam!”.

5. But as one was felling a log, his axe head fell into the water; and he cried out, "Alas, my master! It was borrowed."

6. Dixit autem homo Dei: “Ubi cecidit?”. At ille monstravit ei locum. Praecidit ergo lignum et misit illuc, natavitque ferrum.

6. Then the man of God said, "Where did it fall?" When he showed him the place, he cut off a stick, and threw it in there, and made the iron float.

7. Et ait: “Tolle!”. Qui extendit manum et tulit illud.

7. And he said, "Take it up." So he reached out his hand and took it.

8. Rex autem Syriae pugnabat contra Israel; consiliumque iniit cum servis suis dicens: “In loco illo et illo ponamus insidias”.

8. Once when the king of Syria was warring against Israel, he took counsel with his servants, saying, "At such and such a place shall be my camp."

9. Misit itaque vir Dei ad regem Israel dicens: “Cave, ne transeas in loco illo, quia ibi Syri in insidiis sunt”.

9. But the man of God sent word to the king of Israel, "Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Syrians are going down there."

10. Misit rex Israel ad locum, quem dixerat ei vir Dei et de quo praemonuerat eum, et observavit se ibi non semel neque bis.

10. And the king of Israel sent to the place of which the man of God told him. Thus he used to warn him, so that he saved himself there more than once or twice.

11. Conturbatumque est cor regis Syriae pro hac re et, convocatis servis suis, ait: “Quare non indicatis mihi quis proditor mei sit apud regem Israel?”.

11. And the mind of the king of Syria was greatly troubled because of this thing; and he called his servants and said to them, "Will you not show me who of us is for the king of Israel?"

12. Dixitque unus servorum eius: “Nequaquam, domine mi rex. Sed Eliseus propheta, qui est in Israel, indicat regi Israel omnia verba, quaecumque locutus fueris in conclavi tuo”.

12. And one of his servants said, "None, my lord, O king; but Eli'sha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedchamber."

13. Dixit eis: “Ite et videte ubi sit, ut mittam et capiam eum”. Annuntiaveruntque ei dicentes: “Ecce in Dothain”.

13. And he said, "Go and see where he is, that I may send and seize him." It was told him, "Behold, he is in Dothan."

14. Misit ergo illuc equos et currus et robur exercitus; qui cum venissent nocte, circumdederunt civitatem.

14. So he sent there horses and chariots and a great army; and they came by night, and surrounded the city.

15. Consurgens autem diluculo minister viri Dei egressus est viditque exercitum in circuitu civitatis et equos et currus nuntiavitque ei dicens: “Heu, domine mi, quid faciemus?”.

15. When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was round about the city. And the servant said, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?"

16. At ille respondit: “Noli timere; plures enim nobiscum sunt quam cum illis”.

16. He said, "Fear not, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."

17. Oravitque Eliseus dicens: “Domine, aperi oculos huius, ut videat”. Et aperuit Dominus oculos pueri, et vidit, et ecce mons plenus equorum et curruum igneorum in circuitu Elisei.

17. Then Eli'sha prayed, and said, "O LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes that he may see." So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Eli'sha.

18. Hostes vero descenderunt ad eum. Porro Eliseus oravit Dominum dicens: “Percute, obsecro, gentem hanc caecitate!”. Percussitque eos Dominus, ne viderent iuxta verbum Elisei.

18. And when the Syrians came down against him, Eli'sha prayed to the LORD, and said, "Strike this people, I pray thee, with blindness." So he struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Eli'sha.

19. Dixit autem ad eos Eliseus: “Non est haec via, nec ista est civitas; sequimini me, et ostendam vobis virum, quem quaeritis”. Duxit ergo eos in Samariam.

19. And Eli'sha said to them, "This is not the way, and this is not the city; follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek." And he led them to Sama'ria.

20. Cumque ingressi fuissent in Samaria, dixit Eliseus: “Domine, aperi oculos istorum, ut videant”. Aperuitque Dominus oculos eorum, et viderunt esse se in medio Samariae.

20. As soon as they entered Sama'ria, Eli'sha said, "O LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see." So the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and lo, they were in the midst of Sama'ria.

21. Dixitque rex Israel ad Eliseum, cum vidisset eos: “Numquid percutiam eos, pater mi?”.

21. When the king of Israel saw them he said to Eli'sha, "My father, shall I slay them? Shall I slay them?"

22. At ille ait: “Non percuties; neque enim, quos cepisti gladio et arcu tuo, percutis. Pone panem et aquam coram eis, ut comedant et bibant et vadant ad dominum suum”.

22. He answered, "You shall not slay them. Would you slay those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master."

23. Appositaque est eis ciborum magna praeparatio, et comederunt et biberunt, et dimisit eos; abieruntque ad dominum suum, et ultra non venerunt turmae Syriae in terram Israel.

23. So he prepared for them a great feast; and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the Syrians came no more on raids into the land of Israel.

24. Factum est autem post haec, congregavit Benadad rex Syriae universum exercitum suum et ascendit et obsidebat Samariam.

24. Afterward Ben-ha'dad king of Syria mustered his entire army, and went up, and besieged Sama'ria.

25. Factaque est fames magna in Samaria et tamdiu obsessa est, donec venumdaretur caput asini octoginta argenteis et quarta pars cabi stercoris columbarum quinque argenteis.

25. And there was a great famine in Sama'ria, as they besieged it, until an ass's head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and the fourth part of a kab of dove's dung for five shekels of silver.

26. Cumque rex Israel transiret per murum, mulier exclamavit ad eum dicens: “Salva me, domine mi rex!”.

26. Now as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, a woman cried out to him, saying, "Help, my lord, O king!"

27. Qui ait: “Non, salvet te te Dominus. Unde salvare te possum? De area an de torculari?”. Dixitque ad eam rex: “Quid tibi vis?”. Quae respondit:

27. And he said, "If the LORD will not help you, whence shall I help you? From the threshing floor, or from the wine press?"

28. “Mulier ista dixit mihi: “Da filium tuum, ut comedamus eum hodie, et filium meum comedemus cras”.

28. And the king asked her, "What is your trouble?" She answered, "This woman said to me, `Give your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.'

29. Coximus ergo filium meum et comedimus. Dixique ei die altera: Da filium tuum, ut comedamus eum; quae abscondit filium suum”.

29. So we boiled my son, and ate him. And on the next day I said to her, `Give your son, that we may eat him'; but she has hidden her son."

30. Quod cum audisset rex, scidit vestimenta sua. Et transibat super murum, viditque omnis populus cilicium, quo vestitus erat ad carnem intrinsecus.

30. When the king heard the words of the woman he rent his clothes -- now he was passing by upon the wall -- and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth beneath upon his body --

31. Et ait: “Haec mihi faciat Deus et haec addat, si steterit caput Elisei filii Saphat super eum hodie”.

31. and he said, "May God do so to me, and more also, if the head of Eli'sha the son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today."

32. Eliseus autem sedebat in domo sua, et senes sedebant cum eo. Praemisit itaque rex virum. Sed antequam veniret nuntius, Eliseus dixit ad senes: “Numquid scitis quod miserit filius homicidae hic, ut praecidatur caput meum? Videte ergo, cum venerit nuntius, claudite ostium et non sinatis eum introire; ecce enim sonitus pedum domini eius post eum est”.

32. Eli'sha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. Now the king had dispatched a man from his presence; but before the messenger arrived Eli'sha said to the elders, "Do you see how this murderer has sent to take off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door, and hold the door fast against him. Is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?"

33. Et adhuc illo loquente eis, apparuit rex, qui veniebat ad eum, et ait: “Ecce, tantum malum a Domino est; quid amplius exspectabo a Domino?”.

33. And while he was still speaking with them, the king came down to him and said, "This trouble is from the LORD! Why should I wait for the LORD any longer?"