SARAH
（《列王纪下》第5章）
(2 Kings, Chapter 5)
圣经中，乃缦是亚兰王手下的一员大将，他在王面前很有地位，也打过很多次胜仗，是一个不可小看的大将军。
In the Bible, Naaman was a great commander under the king of Aram. He held a high position before the king and had won many battles. He was a general who was not to be underestimated.
虽说是大将军，那他也是人啊！
Even though he was a great general, he was still just a human being!
有一天他遇到了大麻烦，什么大麻烦呢！——他得了大麻风病。
One day, he ran into a very serious problem. What was that problem? — He had leprosy.
乃缦的妻子有一个使女。
Naaman’s wife had a servant girl.
这个使女是亚兰王曾经征战时掠夺来的。
This servant girl had been taken captive by the king of Aram during one of his military campaigns.
她聪明懂事，她知道乃缦的事后，就出了一个主意。
She was wise and sensible, and after learning about Naaman’s condition, she came up with an idea.
她对乃缦的妻子说：
She said to Naaman’s wife:
“要是我主人能去见撒玛利亚的先知就好了！那个先知怎么知道把他的病治好。”
“If only my master could go to the prophet in Samaria! That prophet might know how to heal his disease.”
乃缦听了以后，就把这件事告诉了亚兰王。
After hearing this, Naaman told the king of Aram about it.
亚兰王说：
The king of Aram said:
“嗯，那你去吧！顺便我也给以色列王写封信。”
“Well, then, go! I’ll also write a letter to the king of Israel while you’re at it.”
于是，乃缦准备了很多礼物，包括大量的银子、金子和漂亮衣服，也带着亚兰王手信去了以色列。
So Naaman prepared many gifts, including a large amount of silver, gold, and beautiful clothes, and he also took the king of Aram’s letter with him to Israel.
信上写着：
The letter said:
“我派我的臣子乃缦来见你，请你把他的大麻风病治好。”
“I am sending my servant Naaman to you. Please heal him of his leprosy.”
以色列王接过信一看，吓坏了，甚至把自己的衣服都撕破了。
When the king of Israel read the letter, he was terrified and even tore his clothes.
他说：
He said:
“我又不是神，怎么可能让人死，也能让人活呢？这个亚兰王到底是什么意思呢？难道他是故意找我的麻烦，想借这个机会挑起战争？”
“I’m not God! How could I possibly make someone die or bring someone back to life? What does this king of Aram really mean? Is he deliberately looking for trouble with me and trying to use this opportunity to start a war?”
正在他不知所措，胡思乱想时，先知以利沙派人告诉以色列王：
While he was helpless and imagining all kinds of things, the prophet Elisha sent someone to tell the king of Israel:
“你撕衣服干什么？让乃缦来我这里，他就会知道，以色列有神的先知。”
“Why are you tearing your clothes? Send Naaman to me, and he will know that there is a prophet of God in Israel.”
于是，以色列王便叫乃缦到以利沙那里。
So the king of Israel sent Naaman to Elisha.
乃曼听后就照办了。
Naaman followed the king’s instructions.
本想：
He thought:
“我可是亚兰王的大将，他是不是应该亲自出来见我呢。”
“I am the great commander of the king of Aram. Shouldn’t he come out and meet me personally?”
可是，以利沙连门都没出，只派了一个人告诉乃缦：
But Elisha did not even come out of his house. He only sent someone to tell Naaman:
“你去约旦河里洗七次，你的皮肤就会恢复正常，你的病也会好了。”
“Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River, and your skin will be restored and your disease will be healed.”
乃缦一听，顿时火冒三丈。
When Naaman heard this, he became furious.
脑袋一热说：
In the heat of the moment, he said:
“我原以为他至少会亲自出来见我，站在那里呼求耶和华的名字，再伸手摸我的病处，把我的大麻风治好呢！
“I thought he would surely come out and meet me personally, stand there and call on the name of the LORD his God, then wave his hand over the diseased area and heal my leprosy!
大马士革的河水不是比你以色列的好多了吗？我在那些河里洗不更好吗？”
Aren’t the rivers of Damascus better than all the rivers in Israel? Wouldn’t washing in them be better for me?”
说完，乃缦气呼呼地转身就走。
After saying this, Naaman turned around and stormed away.
这时候，他的一个仆人赶紧跑上前劝他说：
At that moment, one of his servants quickly came forward and persuaded him:
“主人，如果先知让你做一件很难、很大的事情，你不是也会去做吗？现在他只让你去河里洗七次，这么简单的事情，为什么不试试呢？”
“My master, if the prophet had told you to do something difficult and great, wouldn’t you have done it? Now he has only told you to wash in the river seven times. Since it is such a simple thing, why not try it?”
乃缦听完，觉得：“诶，有道理呀！” 气也消了。
After hearing this, Naaman thought, “Hey, that makes sense!” And his anger went away.
于是，他带人去了约旦河。
So he went to the Jordan River with his men.
他按照以利沙的话，在河里洗了七次。
He followed Elisha’s instructions and washed himself in the river seven times.
结果你猜怎么的？奇妙的事情发生了！
And guess what happened? Something amazing happened!
他的皮肤不但完全恢复了，而且变得像小孩子的一样光滑，他的大麻风彻底好了。
Not only was his skin completely restored, but it became as smooth as a little child’s skin, and his leprosy was completely healed.
于是乃缦非常激动，马上带着所有跟随他的人回去找以利沙。
Naaman was so excited that he immediately returned to Elisha with everyone who had been traveling with him.
他站在以利沙面前恭敬地说：
He stood respectfully before Elisha and said:
“现在我终于知道了，除了以色列的神以外，全世界再也没有别的神了！”
“Now I finally know that there is no God in all the world except the God of Israel!”
他接着说：
Then he continued:
“请你收下我带来的所有礼物吧。”
“Please accept all the gifts I have brought.”
可是以利沙坚决不收。
But Elisha firmly refused to accept them.
乃缦心中有愧一再地请求，以利沙还是不接受。
Naaman felt deeply grateful and asked again and again, but Elisha still refused to accept them.
于是乃缦说：
So Naaman said:
“既然你不肯收我的礼物，那就请给我两头骡子让我驮走这儿的泥土吧。从今天开始，我不会再向其他的神献祭，我只敬拜耶和华。
“Since you refuse to accept my gifts, then please give me as much soil as two mules can carry. From today on, I will no longer offer sacrifices to other gods. I will worship only the LORD.
不过，有一件事情，我希望耶和华能够原谅我。
But there is one thing I hope the LORD will forgive me for.
我的主人亚兰王有时候会去临门庙拜神。我作为他的臣子，要扶着他一起进去。我也会跟着弯腰。
Sometimes my master, the king of Aram, goes into the temple of Rimmon to worship. As his servant, I have to support him as he goes in, and I also have to bow down with him.
我这样做的时候，希望耶和华能够饶恕我。”
When I do this, I hope the LORD will forgive me.”
以利沙对他说：
Elisha said to him:
“你平平安安地回去吧。”
“Go in peace.”
于是，乃缦离开了以利沙。
So Naaman left Elisha.