Liber Genesis, 38

1. eo tempore descendens Judas a fratribus suis divertit ad virum odollamitem nomine Hiram

1. At that time Juda went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Odollamite, named Hiras.

2. viditque ibi filiam hominis chananei vocabulo Suæ et uxore accepta ingressus est ad eam

2. And he saw there the daughter of a man of Chanaan, called Sue: and taking her to wife, he went in unto her.

3. quæ concepit et peperit filium vocavitque nomen ejus Her

3. And she conceived, and bore a son, and called his name Her.

4. rursum concepto fetu natum filium nominavit Onam

4. And conceiving again, she bore a son, and called him Onan.

5. tertium quoque peperit quem appellavit Sela quo nato parere ultra cessavit

5. She bore also a third: whom she called Sela. after whose birth, she ceased to bear any more.

6. dedit autem Judas uxorem primogenito suo Her nomine Thamar

6. And Juda took a wife for Her his firstborn, whose name was Thamar.

7. fuitque Her primogenitus Judæ nequam in conspectu Domini et ab eo occisus est

7. And Her, the firstborn of Juda, was wicked in the sight of the Lord: and was slain by him.

8. dixit ergo Judas ad Onam filium suum ingredere ad uxorem fratris tui et sociare illi ut suscites semen fratri tuo

8. Juda, therefore add to Onan his son: Go in to thy brother's wife and marry her, that thou mayst raise seed to thy brother.

9. ille sciens non sibi nasci filios introjens ad uxorem fratris sui semen fundebat in terram ne liberi fratris nomine nascerentur

9. He knowing that the children should not be his, when he went in to his brother's wife, spilled his seed upon the ground, lest children should be born in his brother's name.

10. et idcirco percussit eum Dominus quod rem detestabilem faceret

10. And therefore the Lord slew him, be- cause he did a detestable thing.

11. quam ob rem dixit Judas Thamar nurui suæ esto vidua in domo patris tui donec crescat Sela filius meus timebat enim ne et ipse moreretur sicut fratres ejus quæ abiit et habitavit in domo patris sui

11. Wherefore Juda said to Thamar his daughter in law: Remain a widow in thy father's house, till Sela my son grow up: for he was afraid lest he also might die, as his brethren did. She went her way and dwelt in her father's house.

12. evolutis autem multis diebus mortua est filia Suæ uxor Judæ qui post luctum consolatione suscepta ascendebat ad tonsores ovium suarum ipse et Hiras opilio gregis Odollamita in Thamnas

12. And after many days were past, the daughter of Sue the wife of Juda died: and when he had taken comfort after his mourning, he went up to Thamnas, to the shearers of his sheep, he and Hiras the Odollamite the shepherd of his flock.

13. nuntiatumque est Thamar quod socer illius ascenderet in Thamnas ad tondendas oves

13. And it was told Thamar that her father in law was come up to Thamnas to shear his sheep.

14. quæ depositis viduitatis vestibus adsumpsit theristrum et mutato habitu sedit in bivio itineris quod ducit Thamnam eo quod crevisset Sela et non eum accepisset maritum

14. And she put off the garments of her widowhood, and took a veil: and changing her dress, sat in the cross way, that leadeth to Thamnas: because Sela was grown up, and she had not been married to him.

15. quam cum vidisset Judas suspicatus est esse meretricem operuerat enim vultum suum ne cognosceretur

15.

16. ingrediensque ad eam ait dimitte me ut cœam tecum nesciebat enim quod nurus sua esset qua respondente quid mihi dabis ut fruaris concubitu meo

16. And going to her, he said: Suffer me to lie with thee: for he knew her not to be his daughter in law. And she answered: What wilt thou give me to en joy my company?

17. dixit mittam tibi hedum de gregibus rursum illa dicente patiar quod vis si dederis mihi arrabonem donec mittas quod polliceris

17. He said: I will send thee a kid out of the flock. And when she said again: I will suffer what thou wilt, if thou give a pledge, till thou send what thou promisest,

18. ait Judas quid vis tibi pro arrabone dari respondit anulum tuum et armillam et baculum quem manu tenes ad unum igitur coitum concepit mulier

18. Juda said: What wilt thou have for a pledge ? She answered: Thy ring and bracelet, and the staff which thou holdest in thy hand. The woman therefore at one copulation conceived.

19. et surgens abiit depositoque habitu quem adsumpserat induta est viduitatis vestibus

19. And she arose and went her way: and putting off the apparel which she had taken, put on the garments of her widowhood.

20. misit autem Judas hedum per pastorem suum Odollamitem ut reciperet pignus quod dederat mulieri qui cum non invenisset eam

20. And Juda sent a kid by his shepherd, the Odollamite, that he might receive the pledge again, which he had given to the woman: but he, not finding her,

21. interrogavit homines loci illius ubi est mulier quæ sedebat in bivio respondentibus cunctis non fuit in loco isto meretrix

21. asked the men of that place : Where is the woman that sat in the cross way? And when they all made answer: There was no harlot in this place,

22. reversus est ad Judam et dixit ei non inveni eam sed et homines loci illius dixerunt mihi numquam ibi sedisse scortum

22. He returned to Juda, and said to him: I have not found her; moreover the men of that place said to me, that there never sat a harlot there.

23. ait Judas habeat sibi certe mendacii nos arguere non poterit ego misi hedum quem promiseram et tu non invenisti eam

23. Juda said : Let her take it to herself ; surely she cannot charge us with a,lie: I sent the kid which I promised: and thou didst not find her.

24. ecce autem post tres menses nuntiaverunt Judæ dicentes fornicata est Thamar nurus tua et videtur uterus illius intumescere dixit Judas producite eam ut conburatur

24. And behold after three months they told a lie, saying: Thamar, thy daughter in law hath played the harlot, and she appeareth to have a big belly. And Juda said : Bring her out that she may be burnt.

25. quæ cum educeretur ad pœnam misit ad socerum suum dicens de viro cujus hæc sunt concepi cognosce cujus sit anulus et armilla et baculus

25.

26. qui agnitis muneribus ait justior me est quia non tradidi eam Sela filio meo attamen ultra non cognovit illam

26. But he acknowledging the gifts, said: She is juster than I: because I did not give her to Sela, my son. However, he knew her no more.

27. instante autem partu apparuerunt gemini in utero atque in ipsa effusione infantum unus protulit manum in qua obsetrix ligavit coccinum dicens

27. And when she was ready to be brought to bed, there appeared twins in her womb: and in the very delivery of the infants, one put forth a hand, whereon the midwife tied a scarlet thread, saying:

28. iste egreditur prior

28. This shall come forth the first.

29. illo vero retrahente manum egressus est alter dixitque mulier quare divisa est propter te maceria et ob hanc causam vocavit nomen ejus Phares

29. But he drawing back his hand, the other came forth: and the woman said: Why is the partition divided for thee? and therefore called his name Phares.

30. postea egressus est frater in cujus manu erat coccinum quem appellavit Zara

30. Afterwards his brother came out, on whose hand was the scarlet thread: and she called him Zara.