Liber IV Regum

Dixit autem Eliseus: Audite verbum Domini: Hæc dicit Dominus: In tempore hoc cras modius similæ uno statere erit, et duo modii hordei statere uno, in porta Samariæ.

And Eliseus said: Hear ye the word of the Lord: Thus saith the Lord: Tomorrow, about this time, a bushel of fine flour shall be sold for a stater, and two bushels of barley for a stater, in the gate of Samaria.

Eliseo autem dic: audi verbo de Domino: Domino dic hoc: in tempore hoc cras modio de simila uno statere es, et duo modio de hordeo statere uno, in porta de Samaria.

Respondens unus de ducibus, super cujus manum rex incumbebat, homini Dei, ait: Si Dominus fecerit etiam cataractas in cælo, numquid poterit esse quod loqueris? Qui ait: Videbis oculis tuis, et inde non comedes.

Then one of the lords, upon whose hand the king leaned, answering the man of God, said: If the Lord should make flood-gates in heaven, can that possibly be which thou sayest? And he said: Thou shalt see it with thy eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.

Respondente uno de duces, super que manu rege incumbe, ad homine de Deo, dic: si Domino fac etiam catara in caelo, numquid pote es quod loque? Qui dic: vide oculos tuo, et inde non comede.

Quatuor ergo viri erant leprosi juxta introitum portæ: qui dixerunt ad invicem: Quid hic esse volumus donec moriamur?

Now there were four lepers, at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another: What mean we to stay here till we die?

Quatuore ergo viros es leproso juxta introitu de portas: qui dic ad invicem: quid hoc es vol usque que more?

sive ingredi voluerimus civitatem, fame moriemur: sive manserimus hic, moriendum nobis est: venite ergo, et transfugiamus ad castra Syriæ: si pepercerint nobis, vivemus: si autem occidere voluerint, nihilominus moriemur.

If we will enter into the city, we shall die with the famine: and if we will remain here, we must also die: come therefore, and let us run over to the camp of the Syrians. If they spare us, we shall live: but if they kill us, we shall but die.

Sive ingredior vol civitate, fame more: sive mane hoc, more ad nos es: veni ergo, et transfugie ad castros de Syria: si pererce ad nos, vive: si autem occide vol, nihilominus more.

Surrexerunt ergo vesperi, ut venirent ad castra Syriæ. Cumque venissent ad principium castrorum Syriæ, nullum ibidem repererunt.

So they arose in the evening, to go to the Syrian camp. And when they were come to the first part of the camp of the Syrians, they found no man there.

Surge ergo ad vespere, ut veni ad castros de Syria. Cumque veni ad principio de castros de Syria, nullo ibidem reperi.

Siquidem Dominus sonitum audiri fecerat in castris Syriæ, curruum, et equorum, et exercitus plurimi: dixeruntque ad invicem: Ecce mercede conduxit adversum nos rex Israël reges Hethæorum et Ægyptiorum, et venerunt super nos.

For the Lord had made them hear, in the camp of Syria, the noise of chariots, and of horses, and of a very great army: and they said one to another: Behold, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hethites, and of the Egyptians; and they are come upon us.

Siquidem Domino sonitu audi fac in castros de Syria, de currus, et de equos, et de exercitu multo: et dic ad invicem: ecce mercede rege contra nos Israële reges de Hethaeis et de Aegyptiis conduce, et veni super nos.

Surrexerunt ergo, et fugerunt in tenebris, et dereliquerunt tentoria sua, et equos et asinos, in castris, fugeruntque animas tantum suas salvare cupientes.

Wherefore they arose, and fled away in the dark, and left their tents, and their horses and asses in the camp, and fled, desiring to save their lives.

Surge ergo, et fuge in tenebras, et derelinque tentorias suo, et equos et asinos, in castros, et fuge animas tanto suo salva cupie.

Igitur cum venissent leprosi illi ad principium castrorum, ingressi sunt unum tabernaculum, et comederunt et biberunt: tuleruntque inde argentum, et aurum, et vestes, et abierunt, et absconderunt: et rursum reversi sunt ad aliud tabernaculum, et inde similiter auferentes absconderunt.

So when these lepers were come to the beginning of the camp, they went into one tent, and ate and drank: and they took from thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went, and hid it: and they came again, and went into another tent, and carried from thence in like manner, and hid it.

Ergo cum leproso veni illo ad principio de castros, ingredior es uno tabernaculo, et comede et bibe: et fer inde argento, et auro, et vestes, et i ab, et absconde: et iterum reverte es ad alio tabernaculo, et inde similiter aufer absconde.

Dixeruntque ad invicem: Non recte facimus: hæc enim dies boni nuntii est. Si tacuerimus et noluerimus nuntiare usque mane, sceleris arguemur: venite, eamus, et nuntiemus in aula regis.

Then they said one to another: We do not well: for this is a day of good tidings. If we hold our peace, and do not tell it till the morning, we shall be charged with a crime: come, let us go, and tell it in the king's court.

Et dic ad invicem: non recte fac: hoc nam dies bono nuntios es. Si tace et ne vol nuntia usque mane, de scelere argue: veni, i, et nuntia in aula de rege.

Cumque venissent ad portam civitatis, narraverunt eis, dicentes: Ivimus ad castra Syriæ, et nullum ibidem reperimus hominem, nisi equos et asinos alligatos, et fixa tentoria.

So they came to the gate of the city, and told them, saying: We went to the camp of the Syrians, and we found no man there, but horses, and asses tied, and the tents standing.

Cumque veni ad porta de civitate, narra ad illos, dicente: ivimo ad castros de Syria, et nullo ibidem reperi homine, nisi equos et asinos alliga, et fixe tentorias.

Ierunt ergo portarii, et nuntiaverunt in palatio regis intrinsecus.

Then the guards of the gate went, and told it within in the king's palace.

Portario ergo cera, et nuntia in palatio de rege intrinsecus.

Qui surrexit nocte, et ait ad servos suos: Dico vobis quid fecerint nobis Syri: sciunt quia fame laboramus, et idcirco egressi sunt de castris, et latitant in agris, dicentes: Cum egressi fuerint de civitate, capiemus eos vivos, et tunc civitatem ingredi poterimus.

And he arose in the night, and said to his servants: I tell you what the Syrians have done to us: They know that we suffer great famine, and therefore they are gone out of the camp, and lie hid in the fields, saying: When they come out of the city, we shall take them alive, and then we may get into the city.

Qui surge nocte, et dic ad servos suo: dic ad vos Syros fac ad nos quid: sci quia fame labora, et ergo egredior es de castros, et latita in agros, dicente: cum egredior es de civitate, cape illos vivo, et tunc civitate ingredior pote.

Respondit autem unus servorum ejus: Tollamus quinque equos qui remanserunt in urbe (quia ipsi tantum sunt in universa multitudine Israël, alii enim consumpti sunt), et mittentes, explorare poterimus.

And one of his servants answered: Let us take the five horses that are remaining in the city (because there are no more in the whole multitude of Israel, for the rest are consumed), and let us send and see.

Uno autem de servos de illo responde: tolle quinque equo qui remane in urbe (quia ipso tanto es in universa multitudine Israële, alio nam consume es), et mitte, explora pote.

Adduxerunt ergo duos equos, misitque rex in castra Syrorum, dicens: Ite, et videte.

They brought therefore two horses, and the king sent into the camp of the Syrians, saying: Go, and see.

Adduce ergo duo equo, et rege mitte in castros Syroro, dicente: greek.expression, et vide.

Qui abierunt post eos usque ad Jordanem: ecce autem omnis via plena erat vestibus et vasis quæ projecerant Syri cum turbarentur: reversique nuntii indicaverunt regi.

And they went after them, as far as the Jordan: and behold, all the way was full of garments, and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away, in their fright, and the messengers returned, and told the king.

Qui i ab post illos usque ad Iordane: ecce autem omni via plena es vestes et vases que proicie Syros cum turba: et reverte nuntios indica ad rege.

Et egressus populus diripuit castra Syriæ: factusque est modius similæ statere uno, et duo modii hordei statere uno, juxta verbum Domini.

And the people going out, pillaged the camp of the Syrians: and a bushel of fine flour was sold for a stater, and two bushels of barley for a stater, according to the word of the Lord.

Et egredior populo diripe castros de Syria: et facto es modio de simila statere uno, et duo modio de hordeo statere uno, juxta verbo de Domino.

Porro rex ducem illum, in cujus manu incumbebat, constituit ad portam: quem conculcavit turba in introitu portæ, et mortuus est, juxta quod locutus fuerat vir Dei, quando descenderat rex ad eum.

And the king appointed that lord on whose hand he leaned, to stand at the gate: and the people trod upon him in the entrance of the gate; and he died, as the man of God had said, when the king came down to him.

Porro rege duce illo, in que manu incumbe, constitue ad porta: turba conculca quem in introitu de porta, et morto es, juxta quod locuto es viro de Deo, quando rege descende ad illo.

Factumque est secundum sermonem viri Dei quem dixerat regi, quando ait: Duo modii hordei statere uno erunt, et modius similæ statere uno, hoc eodem tempore cras in porta Samariæ:

And it came to pass, according to the word of the man of God, which he spoke to the king, when he said: Two bushels of barley shall be for a stater, and a bushel of fine flour for a stater, at this very time tomorrow, in the gate of Samaria.

Et facto es secundo sermone de viro de Deo quem dic ad rege, quando duo: modios de hordeo dic statere uno es, et modio de simila statere uno, hoc idem tempore cras in porta de Samaria:

quando responderat dux ille viro Dei, et dixerat: Etiamsi Dominus fecerit cataractas in cælo, numquid poterit fieri quod loqueris? Et dixit ei: Videbis oculis tuis, et inde non comedes.

When that lord answered the man of God, and said: Although the Lord should make flood-gates in heaven, could this come to pass which thou sayest? And he said to him: Thou shalt see it with thy eyes, and shalt not eat thereof.

Quando duce illo responde ad viro de Deo, et dic: etiamsi Domino fac catara in caelo, numquid pote fieri quod loque? Et dic ad illo: vide oculos tuo, et inde non comede.

Evenit ergo ei sicut prædictum fuerat, et conculcavit eum populus in porta, et mortuus est.

And so it fell out to him, as it was foretold, and the people trod upon him in the gate, and he died.

Eveni ergo ad illo sicut praedica es, et populo conculca illo in porta, et morto es.