Liber Numeri 20
1 Veneruntque filii Israël et omnis multitudo in desertum Sin, mense primo, et mansit populus in Cades. Mortuaque est ibi Maria, et sepulta in eodem loco.
It was during the first month of the year that all the Israelites arrived in the Desert of Zin and set up camp in Kadesh. (This was where Miriam died and was buried.)
2 Cumque indigeret aqua populus, convenerunt adversum Moysen et Aaron:
However, there was no water there for anyone to drink, so the people gathered to confront Moses and Aaron.
3 et versi in seditionem, dixerunt: Utinam periissemus inter fratres nostros coram Domino.
They argued with Moses, saying, “If only we'd died with our relatives in the Lord's presence!
4 Cur eduxistis ecclesiam Domini in solitudinem, ut et nos et nostra jumenta moriamur?
Why have you brought the Lord's people into this desert just so we and our livestock can die here?
5 quare nos fecistis ascendere de Ægypto, et adduxistis in locum istum pessimum, qui seri non potest, qui nec ficum gignit, nec vineas, nec malogranata, insuper et aquam non habet ad bibendum?
Why did you lead us out of Egypt to come to this awful place? Nothing grows here—no grain or figs or vines or pomegranates. And there's no water to drink!”
6 Ingressusque Moyses et Aaron, dimissa multitudine, tabernaculum fœderis, corruerunt proni in terram, clamaveruntque ad Dominum, atque dixerunt: Domine Deus, audi clamorem hujus populi, et aperi eis thesaurum tuum fontem aquæ vivæ, ut satiati, cesset murmuratio eorum. Et apparuit gloria Domini super eos.
Moses and Aaron left the people and went to entrance of the Tent of Meeting. There they fell facedown on the ground, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them.
7 Locutusque est Dominus ad Moysen, dicens:
The Lord told Moses,
8 Tolle virgam, et congrega populum, tu et Aaron frater tuus, et loquimini ad petram coram eis, et illa dabit aquas. Cumque eduxeris aquam de petra, bibet omnis multitudo et jumenta ejus.
“Take the walking stick and have the people gather around you. As they watch, you and your brother Aaron will order the rock and it will pour out water. You will bring water from the rock so the people and their livestock can drink.”
9 Tulit igitur Moyses virgam, quæ erat in conspectu Domini, sicut præceperat ei,
Moses picked up the walking stick that was kept in the Lord's presence, as he had been ordered.
10 congregata multitudine ante petram: dixitque eis: Audite, rebelles et increduli: num de petra hac vobis aquam poterimus ejicere?
Moses and Aaron had everyone gather in front of the rock. Moses said to them, “Listen, you bunch of rebels! Do we have to bring water out of this rock for you?”
11 Cumque elevasset Moyses manum, percutiens virga bis silicem, egressæ sunt aquæ largissimæ, ita ut populus biberet et jumenta.
Then Moses picked up the walking stick and hit the rock twice. Streams of water gushed out so that the people and their livestock could drink.
12 Dixitque Dominus ad Moysen et Aaron: Quia non credidistis mihi, ut sanctificaretis me coram filiis Israël, non introducetis hos populos in terram, quam dabo eis.
But the Lord told Moses and Aaron, “Because you didn't trust me enough to demonstrate how holy I am to the Israelites, you will not be the ones to lead them into the country I've given them.”
13 Hæc est aqua contradictionis, ubi jurgati sunt filii Israël contra Dominum, et sanctificatus est in eis.
The place where the Israelites argued with the Lord was called the waters of Meribah, and was where he revealed his holiness to them.
14 Misit interea nuntios Moyses de Cades ad regem Edom, qui dicerent: Hæc mandat frater tuus Israël: Nosti omnem laborem qui apprehendit nos,
Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, telling him, “This is what your brother Israel says. You know all about the difficulties we've faced.
15 quomodo descenderint patres nostri in Ægyptum, et habitaverimus ibi multo tempore, afflixerintque nos Ægyptii, et patres nostros:
Our forefathers went to Egypt and we lived there for a long time. The Egyptians treated us and our forefathers badly,
16 et quomodo clamaverimus ad Dominum, et exaudierit nos, miseritque angelum, qui eduxerit nos de Ægypto. Ecce in urbe Cades, quæ est in extremis finibus tuis, positi,
so we called out to the Lord for help, and he heard our cries. He sent an angel and led us out of Egypt. Listen, now we are in Kadesh, a town on the border of your territory.
17 obsecramus ut nobis transire liceat per terram tuam. Non ibimus per agros, nec per vineas; non bibemus aquas de puteis tuis: sed gradiemur via publica, nec ad dexteram nec ad sinistram declinantes, donec transeamus terminos tuos.
Please allow us to travel through your country. We won't cross any of your fields or vineyards, or drink water from any of your wells. We will stay on the King's Highway; we won't turn off either to the right or to the left until we have passed through your country.”
18 Cui respondit Edom: Non transibis per me, alioquin armatus occurram tibi.
But the king of Edom replied, “You are forbidden to travel through our country, otherwise we will come out and stop you by force.”
19 Dixeruntque filii Israël: Per tritam gradiemur viam: et si biberimus aquas tuas, nos et pecora nostra, dabimus quod justum est: nulla erit in pretio difficultas, tantum velociter transeamus.
“We'll keep to the main road,” the Israelites persisted. “If we or our livestock drink your water, we'll pay you for it. That's all we want—just to pass through on foot.”
20 At ille respondit: Non transibis. Statimque egressus est obvius, cum infinita multitudo, et manu forti,
But the king of Edom insisted, “You are forbidden to travel through our country!” He came out with his large and powerful army to meet the Israelites head-on.
21 nec voluit acquiescere deprecanti, ut concederet transitum per fines suos. Quam ob rem divertit ab eo Israël.
Since the king of Edom refused to allow Israel to travel through his territory, the Israelites had to turn back.
22 Cumque castra movissent de Cades, venerunt in montem Hor, qui est in finibus terræ Edom:
The Israelites all left Kadesh and traveled to Mount Hor.
23 ubi locutus est Dominus ad Moysen:
At Mount Hor, near the border with the country of Edom, the Lord told Moses and Aaron,
24 Pergat, inquit, Aaron ad populos suos: non enim intrabit terram, quam dedi filiis Israël, eo quod incredulus fuerit ori meo, ad aquas contradictionis.
“Aaron will shortly join his forefathers in death. He will not enter the country I have given the Israelites, because you both disobeyed my command at the waters of Meribah.
25 Tolle Aaron et filium ejus cum eo, et duces eos in montem Hor.
Have Aaron and his son Eleazar join you and climb up Mount Hor together.
26 Cumque nudaveris patrem veste sua, indues ea Eleazarum filium ejus: Aaron colligetur, et morietur ibi.
Take off Aaron's priestly clothes and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron is going to die there and join his forefathers in death.”
27 Fecit Moyses ut præceperat Dominus: et ascenderunt in montem Hor coram omni multitudine.
Moses did as the Lord ordered: They climbed up Mount Hor in full view of all the Israelites.
28 Cumque Aaron spoliasset vestibus suis, induit eis Eleazarum filium ejus. Illo mortuo in montis supercilio, descendit cum Eleazaro.
Moses removed the priestly clothes that Aaron was wearing and put them on Aaron's son Eleazar. Aaron died there, on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar went back down.
29 Omnis autem multitudo videns occubuisse Aaron, flevit super eo triginta diebus per cunctas familias suas.
When the people realized that Aaron had died, they all mourned for him for thirty days.
