Liber Numeri, 14

1. igitur vociferans omnis turba flevit nocte illa

1. Wherefore the whole multitude crying wept that night.

2. et murmurati sunt contra Mosen et Aaron cuncti filii Israël dicentes

2. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron, saying:

3. utinam mortui essemus in Ægypto et non in hac vasta solitudine utinam pereamus et non inducat nos Dominus in terram istam ne cadamus gladio et uxores ac liberi nostri ducantur captivi nonne melius est reverti in Ægyptum

3. Would God that we had died in Egypt and would God we may die in this vast wilderness, and that the Lord may not bring us into this land, lest we fall by the sword, and our wives and children be led away captives. Is it not better to return into Egypt?

4. dixeruntque alter ad alterum constituamus nobis ducem et revertamur in Ægyptum

4. And they said one to another: Let us appoint a captain, and let us return into Egypt.

5. quo audito Moses et Aaron ceciderunt proni in terram coram omni multitudine filiorum Israël

5. And when Moses and Aaron heard this, they fell down flat upon the ground before the multitude of the children of Israel.

6. at vero Josue filius Nun et Chaleb filius Jepphonne qui et ipsi lustraverant terram sciderunt vestimenta sua

6. But Josue the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephone, who themselves also had viewed the land, rent their garments,

7. et ad omnem multitudinem filiorum Israël locuti sunt terram quam circuivimus valde bona est

7. And said to all the multitude of the children of Israel: The land which we have gone round is very good:

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

8. If the Lord be favourable, he will bring us into it, and give us a land flowing with milk and honey.

9. nolite rebelles esse contra Dominum neque timeatis populum terræ hujus quia sicut panem ita eos possumus devorare recessit ab illis omne præsidium Dominus nobiscum est nolite metuere

9. Be not rebellious against the Lord: and fear ye not the people of this land, for we are able to eat them up as bread. All aid is gone from them: the Lord is with us, fear ye not.

10. cumque clamaret omnis multitudo et lapidibus eos vellet opprimere apparuit gloria Domini super tectum fœderis cunctis filiis Israël

10. And when all the multitude cried out, and would have stoned them, the glory of the Lord appeared over the tabernacle of the covenant to all the children of Israel.

11. et dixit Dominus ad Mosen usquequo detrahet mihi populus iste quousque non credent mihi in omnibus signis quæ feci coram eis

11. And the Lord said to Moses: How long will this people detract me? how long will they not believe me for all the signs that I have wrought before them?

12. feriam igitur eos pestilentia atque consumam te autem faciam principem super gentem magnam et fortiorem quam hæc est

12. I will strike them therefore with pestilence, and will consume them: but thee I will make a ruler over a great nation, and a mightier than this is.

13. et ait Moses ad Dominum ut audiant Ægyptii de quorum medio eduxisti populum istum

13. And Moses said to the Lord: That the Egyptians, from the midst of whom thou hast brought forth this people,

14. et habitatores terræ hujus qui audierunt quod tu Domine in populo isto sis et facie videaris ad faciem et nubes tua protegat illos et in columna nubis præcedas eos per diem et in columna ignis per noctem

14. And the inhabitants of this land, (who have heard that thou, O Lord, art among this people, and art seen face to face, and thy cloud protecteth them, and thou goest before them in a pillar of a cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night,)

15. quod occideris tantam multitudinem quasi unum hominem et dicant

15. May hear that thou hast killed so great a multitude as it were one man and may say:

16. non poterat introducere populum in terram pro qua juraverat idcirco occidit eos in solitudine

16. He could not bring the people into the land for which he had sworn, therefore did he kill them in the wilderness.

17. magnificetur ergo fortitudo Domini sicut jurasti dicens

17. Let their the strength of the Lord be magnified, as thou hast sworn, saying:

18. Dominus patiens et multæ misericordiæ auferens iniquitatem et scelera nullumque innoxium derelinquens qui visitas peccata patrum in filios in tertiam et quartam generationem

18. The Lord is patient and full of mercy, taking away iniquity and wickedness, and leaving no man clear, who visitest the sins of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.

19. dimitte obsecro peccatum populi tui hujus secundum magnitudinem misericordiæ tuæ sicut propitius fuisti egredientibus de Ægypto usque ad locum istum

19. Forgive, I beseech thee, the sins of this people, according to the greatness of thy mercy, as thou hast been merciful to them from their going out of Egypt unto this place.

20. dixitque Dominus dimisi juxta verbum tuum

20. And the Lord said: I have forgiven according to thy word.

21. vivo ego et implebitur gloria Domini universa terra

21. As I live: and the whole earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.

22. attamen omnes homines qui viderunt majestatem meam et signa quæ feci in Ægypto et in solitudine et temptaverunt me jam per decem vices nec obœdierunt voci meæ

22. But yet all the men that have seen my majesty, and the signs that I have done in Egypt, and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now ten times, and have not obeyed my voice,

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

23. Shall not see the land for which I aware to their fathers, neither shall any one of them that hath detracted me behold it.

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

24. My servant Caleb, who being full of another spirit hath followed me, I will bring into this land which he hath gone round: and his seed shall possess it.

25. quoniam Amalechites et Chananeus habitant in vallibus cras movete castra et revertimini in solitudinem per viam maris Rubri

25. For the Amalecite and the Chanaanite dwell in the valleys. To morrow remove the camp, and return into the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea.

26. locutusque est Dominus ad Mosen et Aaron dicens

26. And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:

27. usquequo multitudo hæc pessima murmurat contra me querellas filiorum Israël audivi

27. How long doth this wicked multitude murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel.

28. dic ergo eis vivo ego ait Dominus sicut locuti estis audiente me sic faciam vobis

28. Say therefore to them: As I live, saith the Lord: According as you have spoken in my hearing, so will I do to you.

29. in solitudine hac jacebunt cadavera vestra omnes qui numerati estis a viginti annis et supra et murmurastis contra me

29. fin the wilderness shall your carcasses lie. All you that were numbered from twenty years old and upward, and have murmured against me,

30. non intrabitis terram super quam levavi manum meam ut habitare vos facerem præter Chaleb filium Jepphonne et Josue filium Nun

30. Shall not enter into the land, over which I lifted up my bend to make you dwell therein, except Caleb the son of Jephone, and Josue the son of Nun.

31. parvulos autem vestros de quibus dixistis quod prædæ hostibus forent introducam ut videant terram quæ vobis displicuit

31. But your children, of whom you said, that they should be a prey to the enemies, will I bring in: that they may see the land which you have despised.

32. vestra cadavera jacebunt in solitudine

32. Your carcasses shall lie in the wilderness.

33. filii vestri erunt vagi in deserto annis quadraginta et portabunt fornicationem vestram donec consumantur cadavera patrum in deserto

33. Your children shall wander in the desert forty years, and shall bear your fornication, until the carcasses of their fathers be consumed ill the desert,

34. juxta numerum quadraginta dierum quibus considerastis terram annus pro die inputabitur et quadraginta annis recipietis iniquitates vestras et scietis ultionem meam

34. According to the number of the forty days, wherein you viewed the land: year shall be counted for a day. And forty years you shall receive your iniquities, and shall know my revenge:

35. quoniam sicut locutus sum ita faciam omni multitudini huic pessimæ quæ consurrexit adversum me in solitudine hac deficiet et morietur

35. For as I have spoken, so will I do to all this wicked multitude, that hath risen up together against me: in this wilderness shall it faint away and die.

36. igitur omnes viri quos miserat Moses ad contemplandam terram et qui reversi murmurare fecerant contra eum omnem multitudinem detrahentes terræ quod esset mala

36. Therefore all the men, whom Moses had sent to view the land, and who at their return had made the whole multitude to murmur against him, speaking ill of the land that it was naught,

37. mortui sunt atque percussi in conspectu Domini

37. Died and were struck in the sight of the Lord.

38. Josue autem filius Nun et Chaleb filius Jepphonne vixerunt ex omnibus qui perrexerant ad considerandam terram

38. But Josue .the son of Nun. and Caleb the son of Jephone lived, of all them that had gone to view the land.

39. locutusque est Moses universa verba hæc ad omnes filios Israël et luxit populus nimis

39. And Moses spoke all these words to all the children of Israel, and the people mourned exceedingly.

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 behold rising up very early in the morning, they went up to the top of the mountain, and said: We are ready to go up to the place, of which the Lord hath spoken: for we have sinned.

41. quibus Moses cur inquit transgredimini verbum Domini quod vobis non cedet in prosperum

41. And Moses said to them: Why transgress you the word of the Lord, which shall not succeed prosperously with you?

42. nolite ascendere non enim est Dominus vobiscum ne corruatis coram inimicis vestris

42. Go not up, for the Lord is not with you: lest you fall before your enemies.

43. Amalechites et Chananeus ante vos sunt quorum gladio corruetis eo quod nolueritis adquiescere Domino nec erit Dominus vobiscum

43. The Amalecite and the Chanaanite are before you, and by their sword you shall fall, because you would not consent to the Lord, neither will the Lord be with you.

44. at illi contenebrati ascenderunt in verticem montis arca autem testamenti Domini et Moses non recesserunt de castris

44. But they being blinded went up to the top of the mountain. But the ark of the testament of the Lord and Moses departed not from the camp.

45. descenditque Amalechites et Chananeus qui habitabant in monte et percutiens eos atque concidens persecutus est usque Horma

45. And the Amalecite came down, and the Chanaanite that dwelt in the mountain: and smiting and slaying them pursued them as far as Horma.