Liber Numeri, 14

1. Igitur vociferans omnis tur ba flevit nocte illa,

1. Then all the congregation raised a loud cry; and the people wept that night.

2. et mur murati sunt contra Moysen et Aaron cuncti filii Israel dicentes: “Utinam mortui essemus in Aegypto vel in hac vasta solitudine!

2. And all the people of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron; the whole congregation said to them, "Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness!

3. Cur inducit nos Dominus in terram istam, ut cadamus gladio, et uxores ac liberi nostri ducantur captivi? Nonne melius est reverti in Aegyptum?”.

3. Why does the LORD bring us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey; would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?"

4. Dixeruntque alter ad alterum: “Constituamus nobis ducem et revertamur in Aegyptum!”.

4. And they said to one another, "Let us choose a captain, and go back to Egypt."

5. Quo audito, Moyses et Aaron ceciderunt proni in terram coram omni congregatione filiorum Israel.

5. Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the people of Israel.

6. At vero Iosue filius Nun et Chaleb filius Iephonne, qui et ipsi lustraverant terram, sciderunt vestimenta sua

6. And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephun'neh, who were among those who had spied out the land, rent their clothes,

7. et ad omnem congregationem filiorum Israel locuti sunt: “Terra, quam circuivimus, valde bona est.

7. and said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, "The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land.

8. Si propitius fuerit Dominus, inducet nos in eam et tradet humum lacte et melle manantem.

8. If the LORD delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land which flows with milk and honey.

9. Nolite rebelles esse contra Dominum neque timeatis populum terrae huius, quia sicut panem ita eos possumus devorare. Recessit ab eis omne praesidium; Dominus nobiscum est, nolite metuere”.

9. Only, do not rebel against the LORD; and do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us; their protection is removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them."

10. Cumque clamaret omnis congregatio et lapidibus eos vellet opprimere, apparuit gloria Domini super tabernaculum conventus cunctis filiis Israel,

10. But all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Then the glory of the LORD appeared at the tent of meeting to all the people of Israel.

11. et dixit Dominus ad Moysen: “Usquequo detrahet mihi populus iste? Quousque non credent mihi in omnibus signis, quae feci coram eis?

11. And the LORD said to Moses, "How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs which I have wrought among them?

12. Feriam igitur eos pestilentia atque consumam; te autem faciam in gentem magnam et fortiorem quam haec est”.

12. I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they."

13. Et ait Moyses ad Dominum: ? Audient Aegyptii, de quorum medio eduxisti populum istum in virtute tua,

13. But Moses said to the LORD, "Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for thou didst bring up this people in thy might from among them,

14. et dicent ad habitatores terrae huius, quia audierunt quod tu, Domine, in populo isto sis et facie videaris ad faciem, et nubes tua protegat illos, et in columna nubis praecedas eos per diem et in columna ignis per noctem.

14. and they will tell the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that thou, O LORD, art in the midst of this people; for thou, O LORD, art seen face to face, and thy cloud stands over them and thou goest before them, in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night.

15. Et occidisti hunc populum quasi unum hominem, et dicent gentes, quae audierunt auditum tuum:

15. Now if thou dost kill this people as one man, then the nations who have heard thy fame will say,

16. "Non poterat Dominus introducere populum in terram, pro qua iuraverat, idcirco occidit eos in solitudine!".

16. `Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which he swore to give to them, therefore he has slain them in the wilderness.'

17. Magnificetur ergo fortitudo Domini, sicut iurasti dicens:

17. And now, I pray thee, let the power of the LORD be great as thou hast promised, saying,

18. "Dominus patiens et multae misericordiae, auferens iniquitatem et scelera nullumque innoxium derelinquens, qui visitas peccata patrum in filios in tertiam et quartam generationem".

18. `The LORD is slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of fathers upon children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation.'

19. Dimitte obsecro peccatum populi huius secundum magnitudinem misericordiae tuae, sicut propitius fuisti populo huic de Aegypto usque ad locum istum”.

19. Pardon the iniquity of this people, I pray thee, according to the greatness of thy steadfast love, and according as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now."

20. Dixitque Dominus: “Dimisi iuxta verbum tuum.

20. Then the LORD said, "I have pardoned, according to your word;

21. Vivo ego, et implebit gloria Domini universam terram!

21. but truly, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD,

22. Attamen omnes homines, qui viderunt maiestatem meam et signa, quae feci in Aegypto et in solitudine, et tentaverunt me iam per decem vices nec oboedierunt voci meae,

22. none of the men who have seen my glory and my signs which I wrought in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have put me to the proof these ten times and have not hearkened to my voice,

23. non videbunt terram, pro qua iuravi patribus eorum; nec quisquam ex illis, qui detraxit mihi, intuebitur eam.

23. shall see the land which I swore to give to their fathers; and none of those who despised me shall see it.

24. Servum meum Chaleb, qui plenus alio spiritu secutus est me, inducam in terram hanc, quam circuivit, et semen eius possidebit eam.

24. But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it.

25. Quoniam Amalecites et Chananaeus habitant in vallibus, cras movete castra et revertimini in solitudinem per viam maris Rubri”.

25. Now, since the Amal'ekites and the Canaanites dwell in the valleys, turn tomorrow and set out for the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea."

26. Locutusque est Dominus ad Moysen et Aaron dicens:

26. And the LORD said to Moses and to Aaron,

27. “Usquequo congregatio haec pessima murmurat contra me? Querelas filiorum Israel audivi.

27. "How long shall this wicked congregation murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the people of Israel, which they murmur against me.

28. Dic ergo eis: Vivo ego, ait Dominus, sicut locuti estis, audiente me, sic faciam vobis!

28. Say to them, `As I live,' says the LORD, `what you have said in my hearing I will do to you:

29. In solitudine hac iacebunt cadavera vestra. Omnes, qui numerati estis a viginti annis et supra et murmurastis contra me,

29. your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness; and of all your number, numbered from twenty years old and upward, who have murmured against me,

30. non intrabitis terram, super quam levavi manum meam, ut habitare vos facerem, praeter Chaleb filium Iephonne et Iosue filium Nun.

30. not one shall come into the land where I swore that I would make you dwell, except Caleb the son of Jephun'neh and Joshua the son of Nun.

31. Parvulos autem vestros, de quibus dixistis quod praedae hostibus forent, introducam, ut videant terram, quae vobis displicuit.

31. But your little ones, who you said would become a prey, I will bring in, and they shall know the land which you have despised.

32. Vestra cadavera iacebunt in solitudine hac;

32. But as for you, your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness.

33. filii vestri erunt pastores in deserto annis quadraginta et portabunt fornicationem vestram, donec consumantur cadavera vestra in deserto.

33. And your children shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years, and shall suffer for your faithlessness, until the last of your dead bodies lies in the wilderness.

34. Iuxta numerum quadraginta dierum, quibus considerastis terram ­ annus pro die imputabitur ­ quadraginta annis portabitis iniquitates vestras et scietis ultionem meam.

34. According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for every day a year, you shall bear your iniquity, forty years, and you shall know my displeasure.'

35. Ego Dominus locutus sum, ita faciam omni congregationi huic pessimae, quae consurrexit adversum me: in solitudine hac deficiet et morietur”.

35. I, the LORD, have spoken; surely this will I do to all this wicked congregation that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall come to a full end, and there they shall die."

36. Igitur omnes viri, quos miserat Moyses ad contemplandam terram et qui reversi murmurare fecerant contra eum omnem congregationem detrahentes terrae quod esset mala,

36. And the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, and who returned and made all the congregation to murmur against him by bringing up an evil report against the land,

37. mortui sunt atque percussi in conspectu Domini.

37. the men who brought up an evil report of the land, died by plague before the LORD.

38. Iosue autem filius Nun et Chaleb filius Iephonne vixerunt ex omnibus, qui perrexerant ad considerandam terram.

38. But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephun'neh remained alive, of those men who went to spy out the land.

39. Locutusque est Moyses universa verba haec ad omnes filios Israel, et luxit populus nimis.

39. And Moses told these words to all the people of Israel, and the people mourned greatly.

40. Et ecce mane primo surgentes ascenderunt verticem montis atque dixerunt: “Parati sumus ascendere ad locum, de quo Dominus locutus est, quia peccavimus”.

40. And they rose early in the morning, and went up to the heights of the hill country, saying, "See, we are here, we will go up to the place which the LORD has promised; for we have sinned."

41. Quibus Moyses: “Cur, inquit, transgredimini verbum Domini, quod vobis non cedet in prosperum?

41. But Moses said, "Why now are you transgressing the command of the LORD, for that will not succeed?

42. Nolite ascendere, non enim est Dominus vobiscum, ne corruatis coram inimicis vestris!

42. Do not go up lest you be struck down before your enemies, for the LORD is not among you.

43. Amalecites et Chananaeus ante vos sunt, quorum gladio corruetis, eo quod nolueritis acquiescere Domino, nec erit Dominus vobiscum”.

43. For there the Amal'ekites and the Canaanites are before you, and you shall fall by the sword; because you have turned back from following the LORD, the LORD will not be with you."

44. At illi contenebrati ascenderunt in verticem montis; arca autem foederis Domini et Moyses non recesserunt de castris.

44. But they presumed to go up to the heights of the hill country, although neither the ark of the covenant of the LORD, nor Moses, departed out of the camp.

45. Descenditque Amalecites et Chananaeus, qui habitabat in monte, et percutiens eos atque concidens persecutus est eos usque Horma.

45. Then the Amal'ekites and the Canaanites who dwelt in that hill country came down, and defeated them and pursued them, even to Hormah.