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.
And the sons of Israel, all the congregation, come [into] the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people abide in Kadesh; and Miriam dies there and is buried there.
2 Cumque indigeret aqua populus, convenerunt adversum Moysen et Aaron:
And there has been no water for the congregation, and they are assembled against Moses and against Aaron,
3 et versi in seditionem, dixerunt: Utinam periissemus inter fratres nostros coram Domino.
and the people strive with Moses and speak, saying, “And oh that we had expired when our brothers expired before YHWH!
4 Cur eduxistis ecclesiam Domini in solitudinem, ut et nos et nostra jumenta moriamur?
And why have you brought in the assembly of YHWH to this wilderness to die there, we and our beasts?
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?
And why have you brought us up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? [It is] not a place of seed, and fig, and vine, and pomegranate; and there is 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.
And Moses and Aaron go in from the presence of the assembly to the opening of the Tent of Meeting and fall on their faces, and the glory of YHWH is seen by them.
7 Locutusque est Dominus ad Moysen, dicens:
And YHWH speaks to Moses, saying,
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 rod and assemble the congregation—you and your brother Aaron—and you have spoken to the rock before their eyes, and it has given its water, and you have brought out water to them from the rock, and have watered the congregation and their beasts.”
9 Tulit igitur Moyses virgam, quæ erat in conspectu Domini, sicut præceperat ei,
And Moses takes the rod from before YHWH as He has commanded him,
10 congregata multitudine ante petram: dixitque eis: Audite, rebelles et increduli: num de petra hac vobis aquam poterimus ejicere?
and Moses and Aaron assemble the assembly to the front of the rock, and he says to them, “Now hear, O rebels, do we bring out water to you from this rock?”
11 Cumque elevasset Moyses manum, percutiens virga bis silicem, egressæ sunt aquæ largissimæ, ita ut populus biberet et jumenta.
And Moses lifts up his hand and strikes the rock with his rod twice; and much water comes out, and the congregation drinks, and their beasts [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.
And YHWH says to Moses and to Aaron, “Because you have not believed in Me to sanctify Me before the eyes of the sons of Israel, therefore you do not bring in this assembly to the land which I have given to them.”
13 Hæc est aqua contradictionis, ubi jurgati sunt filii Israël contra Dominum, et sanctificatus est in eis.
These [are] the waters of Meribah, because the sons of Israel have “striven” with YHWH, and He is sanctified among them.
14 Misit interea nuntios Moyses de Cades ad regem Edom, qui dicerent: Hæc mandat frater tuus Israël: Nosti omnem laborem qui apprehendit nos,
And Moses sends messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, “Thus said your brother Israel: You have known all the travail which has found us,
15 quomodo descenderint patres nostri in Ægyptum, et habitaverimus ibi multo tempore, afflixerintque nos Ægyptii, et patres nostros:
that our fathers go down to Egypt, and we dwell in Egypt [for] many days, and the Egyptians do evil to us and to our fathers;
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,
then we cry to YHWH, and He hears our voice, and sends a Messenger, and is bringing us out of Egypt; and behold, we [are] in Kadesh, a city [in] the extremity of your border.
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 let us pass over through your land; we do not pass over through a field or through a vineyard, nor do we drink waters of a well; we go the way of the king, we do not turn aside [to] the right or left until we pass over your border.”
18 Cui respondit Edom: Non transibis per me, alioquin armatus occurram tibi.
And Edom says to him, “You do not pass over through me, lest I come out to meet you with the sword.”
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.
And the sons of Israel say to him, “We go in the highway, and if we drink of your waters—I and my livestock—then I have given their price; only, let me pass over on my feet, nothing [more].”
20 At ille respondit: Non transibis. Statimque egressus est obvius, cum infinita multitudo, et manu forti,
And he says, “You do not pass over”; and Edom comes out to meet him with many people and with a strong hand;
21 nec voluit acquiescere deprecanti, ut concederet transitum per fines suos. Quam ob rem divertit ab eo Israël.
and Edom refuses to permit Israel to pass over through his border, and Israel turns aside from off him.
22 Cumque castra movissent de Cades, venerunt in montem Hor, qui est in finibus terræ Edom:
And the sons of Israel, all the congregation, journey from Kadesh and come to Mount Hor,
23 ubi locutus est Dominus ad Moysen:
and YHWH speaks to Moses and to Aaron in Mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom, saying,
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 is gathered to his people, for he does not go into the land which I have given to the sons of Israel, because that you provoked My mouth at the waters of Meribah.
25 Tolle Aaron et filium ejus cum eo, et duces eos in montem Hor.
Take Aaron and his son Eleazar, and cause them to go up Mount Hor,
26 Cumque nudaveris patrem veste sua, indues ea Eleazarum filium ejus: Aaron colligetur, et morietur ibi.
and strip Aaron of his garments, and you have clothed his son Eleazar [with] them, and Aaron is gathered, and dies there.”
27 Fecit Moyses ut præceperat Dominus: et ascenderunt in montem Hor coram omni multitudine.
And Moses does as YHWH has commanded, and they go up to Mount Hor before the eyes of all the congregation,
28 Cumque Aaron spoliasset vestibus suis, induit eis Eleazarum filium ejus. Illo mortuo in montis supercilio, descendit cum Eleazaro.
and Moses strips Aaron of his garments, and clothes his son Eleazar with them, and Aaron dies there on the top of the mountain; and Moses comes down—Eleazar also—from the mountain,
29 Omnis autem multitudo videns occubuisse Aaron, flevit super eo triginta diebus per cunctas familias suas.
and all the congregation sees that Aaron has expired, and all the house of Israel laments Aaron [for] thirty days.
