Liber Genesis, 24

1. erat autem Abraham senex dierumque multorum et Dominus in cunctis benedixerat ei

1. Now Abraham was old; and advanced in age: and the Lord had blessed him in all things.

2. dixitque ad servum seniorem domus suæ qui præerat omnibus quæ habebat pone manum tuam subter femur meum

2. And he said to the elder servant of his house, who was ruler over all he had: Put thy hand under my thigh,

3. ut adiurem te per Dominum Deum cæli et terræ ut non accipias uxorem filio meo de filiabus Chananeorum inter quos habito

3. That I may make thee swear by the Lord the God of heaven and earth, that thou take not a wife for my son, of the daughters of the Chanaanites, among whom I dwell:

4. sed ad terram et ad cognationem meam proficiscaris et inde accipias uxorem filio meo Isaac

4. But that thou go to my own country and kindred, and take a wife from thence for my son Isaac.

5. respondit servus si noluerit mulier venire mecum in terram hanc num reducere debeo filium tuum ad locum de quo egressus es

5. The servant answered: If the woman will not come with me into this land, must I bring thy son back again to the place, from whence thou camest out?

6. dixit Abraham cave nequando reducas illuc filium meum

6. And Abraham said: Beware thou never bring my son back again thither.

7. Dominus Deus cæli qui tulit me de domo patris mei et de terra nativitatis meæ qui locutus est mihi et juravit dicens semini tuo dabo terram hanc ipse mittet angelum suum coram te et accipies inde uxorem filio meo

7. The Lord God of heaven, who took me out of my father's house, and out of my native country, who spoke to me, and swore to me, saying: To thy seed will I give this land: he will send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take from thence a wife for my son.

8. sin autem noluerit mulier sequi te non teneberis juramento filium tantum meum ne reducas illuc

8. But if the woman will not follow thee, thou shalt not be bound by the oath; only bring not my son back thither again.

9. posuit ergo servus manum sub femore Abraham domini sui et juravit illi super sermone hoc

9. The servant therefore put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his lord, and swore to him upon this word.

10. tulitque decem camelos de grege domini sui et abiit ex omnibus bonis ejus portans secum profectusque perrexit Mesopotamiam ad urbem Nahor

10. And he took ten camels of his master's herd, and departed, carrying something of all his goods with him, and he set forth and went on to Mesopotamia to the city of Nachor.

11. cumque camelos fecisset accumbere extra oppidum juxta puteum aquæ vespere eo tempore quo solent mulieres egredi ad hauriendam aquam dixit

11. And when he had made the camels lie down without the town near a well of water in Evening, at the time when women were wont to come out to draw water, he said:

12. Domine Deus domini mei Abraham occurre obsecro hodie mihi et fac misericordiam cum domino meo Abraham

12. O Lord the God of my master Abraham, meet me today, I beseech thee, and show kindness to my master Abraham.

13. ecce ego sto propter fontem aquæ et filiæ habitatorum hujus civitatis egredientur ad hauriendam aquam

13. Behold I stand nigh the spring of water, and the daughters of the inhabitants of this city will come out to draw water.

14. igitur puella cui ego dixero inclina hydriam tuam ut bibam et illa responderit bibe quin et camelis tuis dabo potum ipsa est quam præparasti servo tuo Isaac et per hoc intellegam quod feceris misericordiam cum domino meo

14. Now, therefore, the maid to whom I shall say: Let down thy pitcher that I may drink: and she shall answer, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let it be the same whom thou hast provided for thy servant Isaac: and by this I shall understand, that thou hast shown kindness to my master.

15. necdum intra se verba conpleverat et ecce Rebecca egrediebatur filia Bathuel filii Melchæ uxoris Nahor fratris Abraham habens hydriam in scapula

15. he had not yet ended these words within himself, and behold Rebecca came out, the daughter of Bathuel, son of Melcha, wife to Nachor the brother of Abraham, having a pitcher on her shoulder:

16. puella decora nimis virgoque pulcherrima et incognita viro descenderat autem ad fontem et impleverat hydriam ac revertebatur

16. An exceedingly comely maid, and a most beautiful virgin, and not known to man: and she went down to the spring, and filled her pitcher and was coming back.

17. occurritque ei servus et ait pauxillum mihi ad sorbendum præbe aquæ de hydria tua

17. And the servant ran to meet her, and said: Give me a little water to drink of thy pitcher.

18. quæ respondit bibe domine mi celeriterque deposuit hydriam super ulnam suam et dedit ei potum

18. And she answered: Drink, my lord. And quickly she let down the pitcher upon her arm, and gave him drink.

19. cumque ille bibisset adiecit quin et camelis tuis hauriam aquam donec cuncti bibant

19. And when he had drunk, she said: I will draw water for thy camels also, till they all drink.

20. effundensque hydriam in canalibus recurrit ad puteum ut hauriret aquam et haustam omnibus camelis dedit

20. And pouring out the pitcher into the troughs, she ran back to the well to draw water: and having drawn she gave to all the camels.

21. ille autem contemplabatur eam tacitus scire volens utrum prosperum fecisset iter suum Dominus an non

21. But he musing beheld her with silence, desirous to know whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not.

22. postquam ergo biberunt cameli protulit vir inaures aureas adpendentes siclos duos et armillas totidem pondo siclorum decem

22. And after that the camels had drunk, the man took out golden earrings, weighing two sicles: and as many bracelets of ten sicles weight.

23. dixitque ad eam cujus es filia indica mihi est in domo patris tui locus ad manendum

23. And he said to her: Whose daughter art thou? tell me: is there any place in thy father's house to lodge?

24. quæ respondit filia Bathuelis sum filii Melchæ quem peperit Nahor

24. And she answered: I am the daughter of Bathuel, the son of Melcha, whom she bore to Nachor.

25. et addidit dicens palearum quoque et fæni plurimum est apud nos et locus spatiosus ad manendum

25. And she said moreover to him: We have good store of both straw and hay, and a large place to lodge in.

26. inclinavit se homo et adoravit Dominum

26. The man bowed himself down, and adored the Lord,

27. dicens benedictus Dominus Deus domini mei Abraham qui non abstulit misericordiam et veritatem suam a domino meo et recto me itinere perduxit in domum fratris domini mei

27. Saying: Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath not taken away his mercy and truth from my master, and hath brought me the straight way into the house of my master's brother.

28. cucurrit itaque puella et nuntiavit in domum matris suæ omnia quæ audierat

28. Then the maid ran, and told in her mother's house, all that she had heard.

29. habebat autem Rebecca fratrem nomine Laban qui festinus egressus est ad hominem ubi erat fons

29. And Rebecca had a brother named Laban, who went out in haste to the man, to the well.

30. cumque vidisset inaures et armillas in manibus sororis suæ et audisset cuncta verba referentis hæc locutus est mihi homo venit ad virum qui stabat juxta camelos et propter fontem aquæ

30. And when he had seen the earrings and bracelets in his sister's hands, and had heard all that she related, saying: Thus and thus the man spoke to me: he came to the man who stood by the camels, and near to the spring of water,

31. dixitque ad eum ingredere benedicte Domini cur foris stas præparavi domum et locum camelis

31. And said to him: Come in, thou blessed of the Lord: why standest thou without? I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels.

32. et introduxit eum hospitium ac destravit camelos deditque paleas et fænum et aquam ad lavandos pedes camelorum et virorum qui venerant cum eo

32. And he brought him in into his lodging: and he unharnessed the camels and gave straw and hay, and water to wash his feet, and the feet of the men that were come with him.

33. et adpositus est in conspectu ejus panis qui ait non comedam donec loquar sermones meos respondit ei loquere

33. And bread was set before him. But he said: I will not eat, till I tell my message. He answered him: Speak.

34. at ille servus inquit Abraham sum

34. And he said: I am the servant of Abraham:

35. et Dominus benedixit domino meo valde magnificatusque est et dedit ei oves et boves argentum et aurum servos et ancillas camelos et asinos

35. And the Lord hath blessed my master wonderfully, and he is become great: and he hath given him sheep and oxen, silver and gold, menservants and womenservants, camels and asses.

36. et peperit Sarra uxor domini mei filium domino meo in senectute sua deditque illi omnia quæ habuerat

36. And Sara my master's wife hath borne my master a son in her old age, and he hath given him all that he had.

37. et adiuravit me dominus meus dicens non accipies uxorem filio meo de filiabus Chananeorum in quorum terra habito

37. And my master made me swear, saying: Thou shalt not take a wife for my son of the Chanaanites, in whose land I dwell:

38. sed ad domum patris mei perges et de cognatione mea accipies uxorem filio meo

38. But thou shalt go to my father's house, and shalt take a wife of my own kindred for my son:

39. ego vero respondi domino meo quid si noluerit venire mecum mulier

39. But I answered my master: What if the woman will not come with me?

40. Dominus ait in cujus conspectu ambulo mittet angelum suum tecum et diriget viam tuam accipiesque uxorem filio meo de cognatione mea et de domo patris mei

40. The Lord, said he, in whose sight I walk, will send his angel with thee, and will direct thy way: and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my own kindred, and of my father's house.

41. innocens eris a maledictione mea cum veneris ad propinquos meos et non dederint tibi

41. But thou shalt be clear from my curse, when thou shalt come to my kindred, if they will not give thee one.

42. veni ergo hodie ad fontem et dixi Domine Deus domini mei Abraham si direxisti viam meam in qua nunc ambulo

42. And I came today to the well of water, and said: O Lord God of my master Abraham, if thou hast prospered my way, wherein I now walk,

43. ecce sto juxta fontem aquæ et virgo quæ egredietur ad hauriendam aquam audierit a me da mihi pauxillum aquæ ad bibendum ex hydria tua

43. Behold I stand by the well of water, and the virgin, that shall come out to draw water, who shall hear me say: Give me a little water to drink of thy pitcher:

44. et dixerit mihi et tu bibe et camelis tuis hauriam ipsa est mulier quam præparavit Dominus filio domini mei

44. And shall say to me: Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman, whom the Lord hath prepared for my master's son.

45. dum hæc mecum tacitus volverem apparuit Rebecca veniens cum hydria quam portabat in scapula descenditque ad fontem et hausit aquam et ajo ad eam da mihi paululum bibere

45. And whilst I pondered these things secretly with myself, Rebecca appeared coming with a pitcher, which she carried on her shoulder: and she went down to the well and drew water. And I said to her: Give me a little to drink.

46. quæ festina deposuit hydriam de umero et dixit mihi et tu bibe et camelis tuis potum tribuam bibi et adaquavit camelos

46. And she speedily let down the pitcher from her shoulder, and said to me: Both drink thou, and to thy camels I will give drink. I drank, and she watered the camels.

47. interrogavique eam et dixi cujus es filia quæ respondit filia Bathuelis sum filii Nahor quem peperit illi Melcha suspendi itaque inaures ad ornandam faciem ejus et armillas posui in manibus

47. And I asked her, and said: Whose daughter art thou? And she answered: I am the daughter of Bathuel, the son of Nachor, whom Melcha bore to him. So I put earrings on her to adorn her face, and I put bracelets on her hands.

48. pronusque adoravi Dominum benedicens Domino Deo domini mei Abraham qui perduxisset me recto itinere ut sumerem filiam fratris domini mei filio ejus

48. And falling down I adored the Lord, blessing the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath brought me the straight way to take the daughter of my master's brother for his son.

49. quam ob rem si facitis misericordiam et veritatem cum domino meo indicate mihi sin autem aliud placet et hoc dicite ut vadam ad dextram sive ad sinistram

49. Wherefore if you do according to mercy and truth with my master, tell me: but if it please you otherwise, tell me that also, that I may go to the right hand, or to the left.

50. responderunt Laban et Bathuel a Domino egressus est sermo non possumus extra placitum ejus quicquam aliud tecum loqui

50. And Laban and Bathuel answered: The word hath proceeded from the Lord, we cannot speak any other thing to thee but his pleasure.

51. en Rebecca coram te est tolle eam et proficiscere et sit uxor filii domini tui sicut locutus est Dominus

51. Behold Rebecca is before thee, take her and go thy way, and let her be the wife of thy master's son, as the Lord hath spoken.

52. quod cum audisset puer Abraham adoravit in terra Dominum

52. WHich when Abraham's servant heard, falling down to the ground he adored the Lord.

53. prolatisque vasis argenteis et aureis ac vestibus dedit ea Rebeccæ pro munere fratribus quoque ejus et matri dona obtulit

53. And bringing forth vessels of silver and gold, and garments, he gave them to Rebecca for a present. He offered gifts also to her brothers, and to her mother.

54. initoque convivio vescentes pariter et bibentes manserunt ibi surgens autem mane locutus est puer dimittite me ut vadam ad dominum meum

54. And a banquet was made, and they ate and drank together, and lodged there. And in the morning, the servant arose, and said: Let me depart, that I may go to my master.

55. responderunt fratres ejus et mater maneat puella saltem decem dies apud nos et postea proficiscetur

55. And her brother and mother answered: Let the maid stay at least ten days with us, and afterwards she shall depart.

56. nolite ait me retinere quia Dominus direxit viam meam dimittite me ut pergam ad dominum meum

56. Stay me not, said he, because the Lord hath prospered my way: send me away, that I may go to my master.

57. dixerunt vocemus puellam et quæramus ipsius voluntatem

57. And they said: Let us call the maid, and ask her will.

58. cumque vocata venisset sciscitati sunt vis ire cum homine isto quæ ait vadam

58. And they called her, and when she was come, they asked: Wilt thou go with this man? She said: I will go.

59. dimiserunt ergo eam et nutricem illius servumque Abraham et comites ejus

59. So they sent her away, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his company,

60. inprecantes prospera sorori suæ atque dicentes soror nostra es crescas in mille milia et possideat semen tuum portas inimicorum suorum

60. Wishing prosperity to their sister, and saying: Thou art our sister, mayst thou increase to thousands of thousands, and may thy seed possess the gates of their enemies.

61. igitur Rebecca et puellæ illius ascensis camelis secutæ sunt virum qui festinus revertebatur ad dominum suum

61. So Rebecca and her maids, being set upon camels, followed the man: who with speed returned to his master.

62. eo tempore Isaac deambulabat per viam quæ ducit ad puteum cujus nomen est Viventis et videntis habitabat enim in terra australi

62. At the same time Isaac was walking along the way to the well which is called Of the living and the seeing: for he dwelt in the south country.

63. et egressus fuerat ad meditandum in agro inclinata jam die cumque levasset oculos vidit camelos venientes procul

63. And he was gone forth to meditate in the field, the day being now well spent: and when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw camels coming afar off.

64. Rebecca quoque conspecto Isaac descendit de camelo

64. Rebecca also, when she saw Isaac, lighted off the camel,

65. et ait ad puerum quis est ille homo qui venit per agrum in occursum nobis dixit ei ipse est dominus meus at illa tollens cito pallium operuit se

65. And said to the servant: Who is that man who cometh towards us along the field? And he said to her: That man is my master. But she quickly took her cloak, and covered herself.

66. servus autem cuncta quæ gesserat narravit Isaac

66. And the servant told Isaac all that he had done.

67. qui introduxit eam in tabernaculum Sarræ matris suæ et accepit uxorem et in tantum dilexit ut dolorem qui ex morte matris acciderat temperaret

67. Who brought her into the tent of Sara his mother, and took her to wife: and he loved her so much, that it moderated the sorrow which was occasioned by his mother's death.