Liber I Regum, 12

1. Venit autem Roboam in Sichem; illuc enim congregatus erat omnis Israel ad constituendum eum regem.

1. Rehobo'am went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.

2. At Ieroboam filius Nabat, cum adhuc esset in Aegypto profugus a facie regis Salomonis, audito hoc nuntio, reversus est de Aegypto.

2. And when Jerobo'am the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was still in Egypt, whither he had fled from King Solomon), then Jerobo'am returned from Egypt.

3. Miseruntque et vocaverunt eum. Venit ergo Ieroboam et omnis multitudo Israel, et locuti sunt ad Roboam dicentes:

3. And they sent and called him; and Jerobo'am and all the assembly of Israel came and said to Rehobo'am,

4. “Pater tuus durissimum iugum imposuit nobis; tu itaque nunc imminue paululum de imperio patris tui durissimo et de iugo gravissimo, quod imposuit nobis, et serviemus tibi”.

4. "Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke upon us, and we will serve you."

5. Qui ait eis: “Ite usque ad tertium diem et revertimini ad me”. Cumque abisset populus,

5. He said to them, "Depart for three days, then come again to me." So the people went away.

6. iniit consilium rex Roboam cum senioribus, qui assistebant coram Salomone patre eius, cum adhuc viveret, et ait: “Quod mihi datis consilium, ut respondeam populo huic?”.

6. Then King Rehobo'am took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive, saying, "How do you advise me to answer this people?"

7. Qui dixerunt ei: “Si hodie oboedieris populo huic et servieris et petitioni eorum cesseris locutusque fueris ad eos verba lenia, erunt tibi servi cunctis diebus”.

7. And they said to him, "If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants for ever."

8. Qui dereliquit consilium senum, quod dederant ei, et adhibuit adulescentes, qui nutriti fuerant cum eo et assistebant illi,

8. But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him.

9. dixitque ad eos: “Quod mihi datis consilium, ut respondeam populo huic, qui dixerunt mihi: “Levius fac iugum, quod imposuit pater tuus super nos”?”.

9. And he said to them, "What do you advise that we answer this people who have said to me, `Lighten the yoke that your father put upon us'?"

10. Et dixerunt ei iuvenes, qui nutriti fuerant cum eo: “Sic loquere populo huic, qui locuti sunt ad te dicentes: “Pater tuus aggravavit iugum nostrum, tu releva nos”; sic loqueris ad eos: Minimus digitus meus grossior est lumbis patris mei.

10. And the young men who had grown up with him said to him, "Thus shall you speak to this people who said to you, `Your father made our yoke heavy, but do you lighten it for us'; thus shall you say to them, `My little finger is thicker than my father's loins.

11. Et nunc, pater meus posuit super vos iugum grave, ego autem addam super iugum vestrum; pater meus cecidit vos flagellis, ego autem caedam scorpionibus”.

11. And now, whereas my father laid upon you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.'"

12. Venit ergo Ieroboam et omnis populus ad Roboam die tertia, sicut locutus fuerat rex dicens: “Revertimini ad me die tertia”.

12. So Jerobo'am and all the people came to Rehobo'am the third day, as the king said, "Come to me again the third day."

13. Responditque rex populo dura, derelicto consilio seniorum, quod ei dederant,

13. And the king answered the people harshly, and forsaking the counsel which the old men had given him,

14. et locutus est eis secundum consilium iuvenum dicens: “Pater meus aggravavit iugum vestrum, ego autem addam iugo vestro; pater meus cecidit vos flagellis, ego autem caedam vos scorpionibus”.

14. he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, "My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions."

15. Ergo non acquievit rex populo, quoniam dispositum erat a Domino, ut suscitaret verbum suum, quod locutus fuerat in manu Ahiae Silonitae ad Ieroboam filium Nabat.

15. So the king did not hearken to the people; for it was a turn of affairs brought about by the LORD that he might fulfil his word, which the LORD spoke by Ahi'jah the Shi'lonite to Jerobo'am the son of Nebat.

16. Videns itaque omnis Israel quod noluisset eos audire rex, respondit ei dicens: “Quae nobis pars in David, vel quae hereditas in filio Isai? Vade in tabernacula tua, Israel! Nunc vide domum tuam, David!”. Et abiit Israel in tabernacula sua.

16. And when all Israel saw that the king did not hearken to them, the people answered the king, "What portion have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, David." So Israel departed to their tents.

17. Super filios autem Israel, quicumque habitabant in civitatibus Iudae, regnavit Roboam.

17. But Rehobo'am reigned over the people of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah.

18. Misit rex Roboam Adoniram, qui erat super servitutem; et lapidavit eum omnis Israel, et mortuus est. Porro rex Roboam festinus ascendit currum et fugit in Ierusalem.

18. Then King Rehobo'am sent Ador'am, who was taskmaster over the forced labor, and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. And King Rehobo'am made haste to mount his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

19. Recessitque Israel a domo David usque in praesentem diem.

19. So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.

20. Factum est autem cum audisset omnis Israel quod reversus esset Ieroboam, miserunt et vocaverunt eum, congregato coetu, et constituerunt eum regem super omnem Israel; nec secutus est quisquam domum David praeter tribum Iudae solam.

20. And when all Israel heard that Jerobo'am had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. There was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.

21. Venit autem Roboam Ierusalem et congrcgavit universam domum Iudae et tribum Beniamin, centum octoginta milia electorum virorum bellatorum, ut pugnaret contra domum Israel et reduceret regnum Roboam filio Salomonis.

21. When Rehobo'am came to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehobo'am the son of Solomon.

22. Factus est vero sermo Domini ad Semeiam virum Dei dicens:

22. But the word of God came to Shemai'ah the man of God:

23. “Loquere ad Roboam filium Salomonis regem Iudae et ad omnem domum Iudae et Beniamin et reliquos de populo dicens:

23. "Say to Rehobo'am the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people,

24. Haec dicit Dominus: Non ascendetis neque bellabitis contra fratres vestros, filios Israel; revertatur vir in domum suam; a me enim factum est hoc”. Audierunt sermonem Domini et reversi sunt de itinere, sicut eis praeceperat Dominus.

24. `Thus says the LORD, You shall not go up or fight against your kinsmen the people of Israel. Return every man to his home, for this thing is from me.'" So they hearkened to the word of the LORD, and went home again, according to the word of the LORD.

25. Aedificavit autem Ieroboam Sichem in monte Ephraim et habitavit ibi; et egressus inde aedificavit Phanuel.

25. Then Jerobo'am built Shechem in the hill country of E'phraim, and dwelt there; and he went out from there and built Penu'el.

26. Dixitque Ieroboam in corde suo: “Nunc revertetur regnum ad domum David,

26. And Jerobo'am said in his heart, "Now the kingdom will turn back to the house of David;

27. si ascenderit populus iste, ut faciat sacrificia in domo Domini in Ierusalem, et convertetur cor populi huius ad dominum suum Roboam regem Iudae, interficientque me et revertentur ad Roboam regem Iudae”.

27. if this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn again to their lord, to Rehobo'am king of Judah, and they will kill me and return to Rehobo'am king of Judah."

28. Et excogitato consilio, fecit rex duos vitulos aureos et dixit ad populum: “Nolite ultra ascendere in Ierusalem! Ecce dii tui, Israel, qui te eduxerunt de terra Aegypti”.

28. So the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold. And he said to the people, "You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt."

29. Posuitque unum in Bethel et alterum donavit in Dan;

29. And he set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan.

30. et factum est hoc in peccatum: ibat enim populus coram uno usque in Dan.

30. And this thing became a sin, for the people went to the one at Bethel and to the other as far as Dan.

31. Et fecit fana in excelsis et sacerdotes de extremis populi, qui non erant de filiis Levi.

31. He also made houses on high places, and appointed priests from among all the people, who were not of the Levites.

32. Constituitque diem sollemnem in mense octavo, quinta decima die mensis, in similitudinem sollemnitatis, quae celebratur in Iuda. Et ascendit altare; sic fecit in Bethel, ut immolaret vitulis, quos fabricatus erat; constituitque in Bethel sacerdotes excelsorum, quae fecerat.

32. And Jerobo'am appointed a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month like the feast that was in Judah, and he offered sacrifices upon the altar; so he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made. And he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places that he had made.

33. Et ascendit super altare, quod exstruxerat in Bethel, quinta decima die mensis octavi, quem finxerat de corde suo; et fecit sollemnitatem filiis Israel et ascendit super altare, ut adoleret.

33. He went up to the altar which he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and he ordained a feast for the people of Israel, and went up to the altar to burn incense.