Liber Exodus, 2

1. egressus est post hæc vir de domo Levi accepta uxore stirpis suæ

1. After this there went a man of the house of Levi; and took a wife of his own kindred.

2. quæ concepit et peperit filium et videns eum elegantem abscondit tribus mensibus

2. And she conceived, and bore a son; and seeing him a goodly child hid him three months.

3. cumque jam celare non posset sumpsit fiscellam scirpeam et linivit eam bitumine ac pice posuitque intus infantulum et exposuit eum in carecto ripæ fluminis

3. And when she could hide him no longer, she took a basket made of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and pitch: and put the little babe therein, and laid him in the sedges by the river's brink,

4. stante procul sorore ejus et considerante eventum rei

4. His sister standing afar off, and taking notice what would be done.

5. ecce autem descendebat filia Pharaonis ut lavaretur in flumine et puellæ ejus gradiebantur per crepidinem alvei quæ cum vidisset fiscellam in papyrione misit unam e famulis suis et adlatam

5. And behold the daughter of Pharao came down to wash herself in the river: and her maids walked by the river's brink. And when she saw the basket in the sedges, she sent one of her maids for it: and when it was brought,

6. aperiens cernensque in ea parvulum vagientem miserta ejus ait de infantibus Hebræorum est

6. She opened it and seeing within it an infant crying, having compassion on it she said: This is one of the babes of the Hebrews.

7. cui soror pueri vis inquit ut vadam et vocem tibi hebræam mulierem quæ nutrire possit infantulum

7. And the child's sister said to her Shall I go and call to thee a Hebrew woman, to nurse the babe ?

8. respondit vade perrexit puella et vocavit matrem ejus

8. She answered: Go. The maid went and called her mother.

9. ad quam locuta filia Pharaonis accipe ait puerum istum et nutri mihi ego tibi dabo mercedem tuam suscepit mulier et nutrivit puerum adultumque tradidit filiæ Pharaonis

9. And Pharao's daughter said to her. Take this child and nurse him for me: I will give thee thy wages. The woman took, and nursed the child: and when he was grown up, she delivered him to Pharao's daughter.

10. quem illa adoptavit in locum filii vocavitque nomen ejus Mosi dicens quia de aqua tuli eum

10. And she adopted him for a son, and called him Moses, saying: Because I took him out of the water.

11. in diebus illis postquam creverat Moses egressus ad fratres suos vidit adflictionem eorum et virum ægyptium percutientem quendam de Hebræis fratribus suis

11. In those days after Moses was grown up, he went out to his brethren: and saw their affliction, and an Egyptian striking one of the Hebrews his brethren.

12. cumque circumspexisset huc atque illuc et nullum adesse vidisset percussum Ægyptium abscondit sabulo

12. And when he had looked about this way and that way, and saw no one there, he slew the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

13. et egressus die altero conspexit duos Hebræos rixantes dixitque ei qui faciebat iniuriam quare percutis proximum tuum

13. And going out the next day, he saw two Hebrews quarreling: and he said to him that did the wrong: Why strikest thou thy neighbour?

14. qui respondit quis constituit te principem et judicem super nos num occidere me tu dicis sicut occidisti Ægyptium timuit Moses et ait quomodo palam factum est verbum istud

14. But he answered: Who hath appointed thee prince and judge over us: wilt thou kill me, as thou didst yesterday kill the Egyptian? Moses feared, and said: How is this come to be known ?

15. audivitque Pharao sermonem hunc et quærebat occidere Mosen qui fugiens de conspectu ejus moratus est in terra Madian et sedit juxta puteum

15. And Pharao heard of this word and sought to kill Moses: but he fled from his sight, and abode in the land of Madian, and he sat down by a well.

16. erant sacerdoti Madian septem filiæ quæ venerunt ad hauriendas aquas et impletis canalibus adaquare cupiebant greges patris sui

16. And the priest of Madian had seven daughters, who came to draw water: and when the troughs were filled, desired to water their father's flocks.

17. supervenere pastores et ejecerunt eas surrexitque Moses et defensis puellis adaquavit oves earum

17. And the shepherds came and drove them away: and Moses arose, and defending the maids, watered their sheep.

18. quæ cum revertissent ad Raguhel patrem suum dixit ad eas cur velocius venistis solito

18. And when they returned to Raguel their father, he said to them: Why are ye come sooner than usual?

19. responderunt vir ægyptius liberavit nos de manu pastorum insuper et hausit aquam nobiscum potumque dedit ovibus

19. They answered: A man of Egypt delivered us from the hands of the shepherds: and he drew water also with us, and gave the sheep to drink.

20. at ille ubi est inquit quare dimisistis hominem vocate eum ut comedat panem

20. But he said: Where is he? why have you let the man go? call him that he may eat bread.

21. juravit ergo Moses quod habitaret cum eo accepitque Sefforam filiam ejus

21. And Moses swore that he would dwell with him. And he took Sephora his daughter to wife:

22. quæ peperit filium quem vocavit Gersam dicens advena fui in terra aliena

22. And she bore him a son, whom he called Gersam, saying: I have been a stranger in a foreign country. And she bore another, whom he called Eliezer, saying: For the God of my father, my helper hath delivered me out of the hand of Pharao.

23. post multum temporis mortuus est rex Ægypti et ingemescentes filii Israël propter opera vociferati sunt ascenditque clamor eorum ad Deum ab operibus

23. Now after a long time the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel groaning, cried out because of the works: and their cry went up unto God from the works.

24. et audivit gemitum eorum ac recordatus fœderis quod pepigerat cum Abraham et Isaac et Jacob

24. And he heard their groaning, and remembered the covenant which he made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

25. respexit filios Israël et cognovit eos

25. And the Lord looked upon the children of Israel, and he knew them.