Liber I Regum, 19

1. nuntiavit autem Ahab Hiezabel omnia quæ fecerat Helias et quomodo occidisset universos prophetas gladio

1. And Achab told Jezabel all that Elias had done, and how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.

2. misitque Hiezabel nuntium ad Heliam dicens hæc mihi faciant dii et hæc addant nisi hac hora cras posuero animam tuam sicut animam unius ex illis

2. And Jezabel sent a messenger to Elias, saying: Such and such things may the gods do to me, and add still more, if by this hour to morrow I make not thy life as the life of one of them.

3. timuit ergo Helias et surgens abiit quocumque eum ferebat voluntas venitque in Bersabee Juda et dimisit ibi puerum suum

3. Then Elias was afraid, and rising up he went whithersoever he had a mind: and he came to Bersabee of Juda, and left his servant there,

4. et perrexit in desertum via unius diei cumque venisset et sederet subter unam juniperum petivit animæ suæ ut moreretur et ait sufficit mihi Domine tolle animam meam neque enim melior sum quam patres mei

4. And he went forward, one day's journey into the desert. And when he was there, and sat under a juniper tree, he requested for his soul that he might die, and said: It is enough for me, Lord, take away my soul: for I am no better than my fathers.

5. projecitque se et obdormivit in umbra juniperi et ecce angelus tetigit eum et dixit illi surge comede

5. And he cast himself down, end slept in the shadow of the juniper tree: and behold an angel of the Lord touched him, and said to him: Arise and eat.

6. respexit et ecce ad caput suum subcinericius panis et vas aquæ comedit ergo et bibit et rursum obdormivit

6. He looked, and behold there was at his head a hearth cake, and a vessel of water: and he ate and drank, and he fell asleep again.

7. reversusque est angelus Domini secundo et tetigit eum dixitque illi surge comede grandis enim tibi restat via

7. And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said to him: Arise, eat: for thou hast yet a great way to go.

8. qui cum surrexisset comedit et bibit et ambulavit in fortitudine cibi illius quadraginta diebus et quadraginta noctibus usque ad montem Dei Horeb

8. And he arose, and ate, and drank, and walked in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights, unto the mount of God, Horeb.

9. cumque venisset illuc mansit in spelunca et ecce sermo Domini ad eum dixitque illi quid hic agis Helia

9. And when he was come thither, he abode in a cave: and behold the word of the Lord came unto him, and he said to him: What dost thou here, Elias?

10. at ille respondit zelo zelatus sum pro Domino Deo exercituum quia dereliquerunt pactum Domini filii Israël altaria tua destruxerunt et prophetas tuos occiderunt gladio et derelictus sum ego solus et quærunt animam meam ut auferant eam

10. And he answered: With zeal have I been zealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant: they have thrown down thy altars, they have slain thy prophets with the sword, and I alone am left, and they seek my life to take it away.

11. et ait ei egredere et sta in monte coram Domino et ecce Dominus transit et spiritus grandis et fortis subvertens montes et conterens petras ante Dominum non in spiritu Dominus et post spiritum commotio non in commotione Dominus

11. And he said to him: Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord: and behold the Lord passeth, and a great and strong wind before the Lord over throwing the mountains, and breaking the rocks in pieces: the Lord is not in the wind, and after the wind an earthquake: the Lord is not in the earthquake.

12. et post commotionem ignis non in igne Dominus et post ignem sibilus auræ tenuis

12. And after the earthquake a fire: the Lord is not in the fire, and after the fire a whistling of a gentle air.

13. quod cum audisset Helias operuit vultum suum pallio et egressus stetit in ostio speluncæ et ecce vox ad eum dicens quid agis hic Helia

13. And when Elias heard it, he covered his face with his mantle, and coming forth stood in the entering in of the cave, and behold a voice unto him, saying: What dost thou here, Elias? And he answered:

14. et ille respondit zelo zelatus sum pro Domino Deo exercituum quia dereliquerunt pactum tuum filii Israël altaria tua destruxerunt et prophetas tuos occiderunt gladio et derelictus sum ego solus et quærunt animam meam ut auferant eam

14. With zeal have I been zealous for the Lord God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant: they have destroyed thy altars, they have slain thy prophets with the sword, and I alone am left, and they seek my life to take it away.

15. et ait Dominus ad eum vade et revertere in viam tuam per desertum in Damascum cumque perveneris ungues Azaël regem super Syriam

15. And the Lord said to him: Go, and return on thy way through the desert to Damascus: and when thou art come thither, thou shalt anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.

16. et Hieu filium Namsi ungues regem super Israël Heliseum autem filium Saphat qui est de Abelmaula ungues prophetam pro te

16. And thou shalt anoint Jehu the son of Namsi to be king over Israel: and Eliseus the son of Saphat, of Abelmeula, thou shalt anoint to be prophet in thy room.

17. et erit quicumque fugerit gladium Azaël occidet eum Hieu et qui fugerit gladium Hieu interficiet eum Heliseus

17. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall escape the sword of Hazael, shall be slain by Jehu: and whosoever shall escape the sword of Jehu, shall be slain by Eliseus.

18. et derelinquam mihi in Israël septem milia universorum genua quæ non sunt incurvata Baal et omne os quod non adoravit eum osculans manum

18. And I will leave me seven thousand men in Israel, whose knees have not been bowed before Baal, and every mouth that hath not worshipped him kissing the hands.

19. profectus ergo inde repperit Heliseum filium Saphat arantem duodecim jugis boum et ipse in duodecim arantibus unus erat cumque venisset Helias ad eum misit pallium suum super illum

19. And Elias departing from thence, found Eliseus the son of Saphat, ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen: and he was one of them that were ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen: and when Elias came up to him, he cast his mantle upon him.

20. qui statim relictis bubus cucurrit post Heliam et ait osculer oro te patrem meum et matrem meam et sic sequar te dixitque ei vade et revertere quod enim meum erat feci tibi

20. And he forthwith left the oxen and ran after Elias, and said: Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said to him: Go, and return back: for that which was my part, I have done to thee.

21. reversus autem ab eo tulit par boum et mactavit illud et in aratro boum coxit carnes et dedit populo et comederunt consurgensque abiit et secutus est Heliam et ministrabat ei

21. And returning back from him, he took a yoke of oxen, and killed them, and boiled the flesh with the plough of the oxen, and gave to the people, and they ate: and rising up he went away, and followed Elias, and ministered to him.