SARAH
以利沙帮助寡妇还债
Elisha Helps a Widow Pay Her Debts
——《列王纪下》第4章
— 2 Kings Chapter 4
话说那时候，有个先知门徒的媳妇，日子过得那叫一个难。
There was a wife of one of the prophets’ disciples who was going through an extremely difficult time.
她男人刚死，家里一下子没了顶梁柱。
Her husband had just died, and suddenly the main support of the family was gone.
更麻烦的是——还欠着债！
To make matters worse—she was still in debt!
这一天，债主亲自敲门来了。
One day, the creditor came knocking on her door himself.
女人一听，心里“咯噔”一下。
When the woman heard him, her heart sank.
债主开门见山说：
The creditor got straight to the point:
“你欠我的钱得还啊！你要是还不上，你两个儿子可以抵债，让他们给我当奴仆！”
“You owe me money, and you have to pay it back! If you cannot repay me, your two sons can be taken as payment for the debt and become my servants!”
寡妇慌了。她寻思：
The widow panicked. She thought to herself:
“完了，这钱上哪儿整去啊？家里顶梁柱没了，也没啥值钱的东西，这两个孩子可是我的命啊！”
“Oh no, where am I supposed to get the money? The main support of the family is gone, and there’s nothing valuable left. These two boys are my whole life!”
她实在没招了，只能去找先知以利沙。
She truly had no idea what to do, so she went to the prophet Elisha.
见了以利沙，她赶紧说：
When she saw Elisha, she quickly said:
“以利沙啊，我男人死了，你也是知道的，他以前敬畏耶和华。
“Elisha, my husband is dead, as you know, and he used to fear the LORD.
现在债主找上门来了。
Now the creditor has come to my door.
我也没钱还，人家要把我两个儿子带走当奴仆。
I have no money to repay him, and he wants to take my two sons away as servants.
你说这可咋办啊？”
What am I supposed to do?”
以利沙听完，反倒问她：
After hearing this, Elisha asked her instead:
“我能帮助你什么呢？你先告诉我，你家里到底还有什么？”
“What can I do for you? First, tell me, what do you have in your house?”
这妇人一听，心里不好受。
When the woman heard this, she felt discouraged.
“还有什么了？家里穷得都揭不开锅了。
“What is there left? We are so poor that we can barely put food on the table.
翻箱倒柜，就剩……一瓶油。”
I searched everywhere, and all I have left is… a jar of oil.”
可谁能想到，以利沙接下来告诉她的话，完全没按常理出牌。
But who would have imagined that what Elisha told her next would be completely beyond what anyone would normally expect?
以利沙告诉她：
Elisha told her:
“你赶紧回家。
“Go home quickly.
去找你邻居们，把人家的空器皿都借过来。
Go to your neighbors and borrow all the empty containers you can.
能借多少借多少，千万别嫌多。
Borrow as many as you can—do not think you have enough.
然后你回家，把门关上。
Then go back home and shut the door.
你和你两个儿子就在屋里。
You and your two sons stay inside.
把你那瓶油往这些空器皿里倒。”
Pour the oil you have into all these empty containers.”
妇人一听， 半信半疑却还是照做了。
The woman listened, half believing and half doubting, but she did exactly what he said.
她回家以后，挨家挨户借器皿。
When she returned home, she went from house to house borrowing containers.
邻居们也都挺给力，知道她现在有难处都借给她。
The neighbors were very helpful, and knowing that she was in trouble, they all lent her their containers.
很快，家里堆满了空器皿。
Before long, the house was filled with empty containers.
大大小小的器皿摆满了桌子。
Containers of all sizes covered the tables.
然后她把门一关。
Then she shut the door.
屋里就剩她和两个儿子。
Only she and her two sons remained inside.
她拿出了家里仅剩的那一瓶油。
She took out the only jar of oil left in the house.
儿子也拿来第一个器皿。
Her son brought the first container.
她开始倒。
She began to pour.
哗——
Pour—
油倒进去了。
The oil went into it.
儿子接着又拿来第二个。
Then her son brought a second one.
她继续倒。
She continued pouring.
哗——
Pour—
又满了！
It was full again!
再拿下一个。
He brought another one.
继续倒！
She kept pouring!
儿子一个接一个地拿。
Her son brought them one after another.
她一个接一个地倒。
She poured into them one after another.
奇怪的事情发生了——
Something extraordinary happened—
这一瓶油，怎么倒都倒不完！
That one jar of oil simply would not run out, no matter how much she poured!
母子三人一边看着奇迹发生，另一边开心得不得了。
As the three of them watched the miracle happen, they were filled with incredible joy.
一瓶又一瓶最后，妇人的儿子喊：
One container after another, until finally the woman’s son shouted:
“没了。”
“There are no more.”
“什么？”
“What?”
“器皿没了。”
“There are no more containers.”
这时候——
At that moment—
就在这时油也停了。
The oil stopped flowing.
到这里妇人终于明白了。
At this point, the woman finally understood.
她赶紧去找以利沙，把刚才发生的事情告诉他。
She hurried to Elisha and told him what had just happened.
以利沙对她说：
Elisha said to her:
“现在你去把这些油卖掉。
“Now go and sell the oil.
先拿卖油的钱把债还清。
Use the money from the oil to pay off your debt first.
剩下的钱，你和你的儿子靠着它过日子吧。”
With whatever is left, you and your sons can live on it.”
故事到这里就结束了。
And that is where the story ends.