< Genesis 34 >

1 Egressa est autem Dina filia Liæ ut videret mulieres regionis illius.
Now Dinah, the daughter Leah had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the daughters of the land.
2 Quam cum vidisset Sichem filius Hemor Hevæi, princeps terræ illius, adamavit eam: et rapuit, et dormivit cum illa, vi opprimens virginem.
When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the region, saw her, he took her and lay with her by force.
3 Et conglutinata est anima ejus cum ea, tristemque delinivit blanditiis.
And his soul was drawn to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob. He loved the young girl and spoke to her tenderly.
4 Et pergens ad Hemor patrem suum: Accipe, inquit, mihi puellam hanc conjugem.
So Shechem told his father Hamor, “Get me this girl as a wife.”
5 Quod cum audisset Jacob absentibus filiis, et in pastu pecorum occupatis, siluit donec redirent.
Jacob heard that Shechem had defiled his daughter Dinah, but since his sons were with his livestock in the field, he remained silent about it until they returned.
6 Egresso autem Hemor patre Sichem ut loqueretur ad Jacob,
Meanwhile, Shechem’s father Hamor came to speak with Jacob.
7 ecce filii ejus veniebant de agro: auditoque quod acciderat, irati sunt valde, eo quod fœdam rem operatus esset in Israël et, violata filia Jacob, rem illicitam perpetrasset.
When Jacob’s sons heard what had happened, they returned from the field. They were filled with grief and fury, because Shechem had committed an outrage in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter—a thing that should not be done.
8 Locutus est itaque Hemor ad eos: Sichem filii mei adhæsit anima filiæ vestræ: date eam illi uxorem:
But Hamor said to them, “My son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give her to him as his wife.
9 et jungamus vicissim connubia: filias vestras tradite nobis, et filias nostras accipite,
Intermarry with us; give us your daughters, and take our daughters for yourselves.
10 et habitate nobiscum: terra in potestate vestra est: exercete, negotiamini, et possidete eam.
You may settle among us, and the land will be open to you. Live here, move about freely, and acquire your own property.”
11 Sed et Sichem ad patrem et ad fratres ejus ait: Inveniam gratiam coram vobis: et quæcumque statueritis, dabo:
Then Shechem said to Dinah’s father and brothers, “Grant me this favor, and I will give you whatever you ask.
12 augete dotem, et munera postulate, et libenter tribuam quod petieritis: tantum date mihi puellam hanc uxorem.
Demand a high dowry and an expensive gift, and I will give you whatever you ask. Only give me the girl as my wife!”
13 Responderunt filii Jacob Sichem et patri ejus in dolo, sævientes ob stuprum sororis:
But because Shechem had defiled their sister Dinah, Jacob’s sons answered him and his father Hamor deceitfully.
14 Non possumus facere quod petitis, nec dare sororem nostram homini incircumciso: quod illicitum et nefarium est apud nos.
“We cannot do such a thing,” they said. “To give our sister to an uncircumcised man would be a disgrace to us.
15 Sed in hoc valebimus fœderari, si volueritis esse similes nostri, et circumcidatur in vobis omne masculini sexus;
We will consent to this on one condition, that you become circumcised like us—every one of your males.
16 tunc dabimus et accipiemus mutuo filias vestras ac nostras: et habitabimus vobiscum, erimusque unus populus.
Then we will give you our daughters and take your daughters for ourselves. We will dwell among you and become one people.
17 Si autem circumcidi nolueritis, tollemus filiam nostram, et recedemus.
But if you will not agree to be circumcised, then we will take our sister and go.”
18 Placuit oblatio eorum Hemor, et Sichem filio ejus,
Their offer seemed good to Hamor and his son Shechem.
19 nec distulit adolescens quin statim quod petebatur expleret: amabat enim puellam valde, et ipse erat inclytus in omni domo patris sui.
The young man, who was the most respected of all his father’s household, did not hesitate to fulfill this request, because he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter.
20 Ingressique portam urbis, locuti sunt ad populum:
So Hamor and his son Shechem went to the gate of their city and addressed the men of their city:
21 Viri isti pacifici sunt, et volunt habitare nobiscum: negotientur in terra, et exerceant eam, quæ spatiosa et lata cultoribus indiget: filias eorum accipiemus uxores, et nostras illis dabimus.
“These men are at peace with us. Let them live and trade in our land; indeed, it is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters in marriage and give our daughters to them.
22 Unum est quo differtur tantum bonum: si circumcidamus masculos nostros, ritum gentis imitantes.
But only on this condition will the men agree to dwell with us and be one people: if all our men are circumcised as they are.
23 Et substantia eorum, et pecora, et cuncta quæ possident, nostra erunt: tantum in hoc acquiescamus, et habitantes simul, unum efficiemus populum.
Will not their livestock, their possessions, and all their animals become ours? Only let us consent to them, and they will dwell among us.”
24 Assensique sunt omnes, circumcisis cunctis maribus.
All the men who went out of the city gate listened to Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male of the city was circumcised.
25 Et ecce, die tertio, quando gravissimus vulnerum dolor est: arreptis duo filii Jacob, Simeon et Levi fratres Dinæ, gladiis, ingressi sunt urbem confidenter: interfectisque omnibus masculis,
Three days later, while they were still in pain, two of Jacob’s sons (Dinah’s brothers Simeon and Levi) took their swords, went into the unsuspecting city, and slaughtered every male.
26 Hemor et Sichem pariter necaverunt, tollentes Dinam de domo Sichem sororem suam.
They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with their swords, took Dinah out of Shechem’s house, and went away.
27 Quibus egressis, irruerunt super occisos ceteri filii Jacob: et depopulati sunt urbem in ultionem stupri.
Jacob’s other sons came upon the slaughter and looted the city, because their sister had been defiled.
28 Oves eorum, et armenta, et asinos, cunctaque vastantes quæ in domibus et in agris erant,
They took their flocks and herds and donkeys, and everything else in the city or in the field.
29 parvulos quoque eorum et uxores duxerunt captivas.
They carried off all their possessions and women and children, and they plundered everything in their houses.
30 Quibus patratis audacter, Jacob dixit ad Simeon et Levi: Turbastis me, et odiosum fecistis me Chananæis, et Pherezæis habitatoribus terræ hujus: nos pauci sumus; illi congregati percutient me, et delebor ego, et domus mea.
Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble upon me by making me a stench to the Canaanites and Perizzites, the people of this land. We are few in number; if they unite against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed.”
31 Responderunt: Numquid ut scorto abuti debuere sorore nostra?
But they replied, “Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?”

< Genesis 34 >