< I Regum 19 >
1 Nunciavit autem Achab Iezabel omnia quæ fecerat Elias, et quomodo occidisset universos prophetas gladio.
Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done and that he had killed all the prophets of Baal with the sword.
2 Misitque Iezabel nuncium ad Eliam, dicens: Hæc mihi faciant dii, et hæc addant, nisi hac hora cras posuero animam tuam sicut animam unius ex illis.
Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods do as much to me and more if by tomorrow I haven't made your life like the lives of those you killed!”
3 Timuit ergo Elias, et surgens abiit quocumque eum ferebat voluntas: venitque in Bersabee Iuda, et dimisit ibi puerum suum,
Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he arrived in Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there
4 et perrexit in desertum, viam unius diei. Cumque venisset, et sederet subter unam iuniperum, petivit animæ suæ ut moreretur, et ait: Sufficit mihi Domine, tolle animam meam: neque enim melior sum, quam patres mei.
and traveled another day's journey into the desert. He sat down under a broom tree and asked to die. “I've had enough now, Lord,” he said. “Take my life! I'm no better than my forefathers.”
5 Proiecitque se, et obdormivit in umbra iuniperi: et ecce Angelus Domini tetigit eum, et dixit illi: Surge, et comede.
He lay down and fell asleep under the broom tree. All of a sudden an angel touched him and said, “Get up, and eat.”
6 Respexit, et ecce ad caput suum subcinericius panis, et vas aquæ: comedit ergo, et bibit, et rursum obdormivit.
He looked around, and there beside his head was some bread baking over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and lay down again.
7 Reversusque est Angelus Domini secundo, et tetigit eum, dixitque illi: Surge, comede: grandis enim tibi restat via.
The angel of the Lord returned a second time and touched him, and said, “Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you.”
8 Qui cum surrexisset, comedit et bibit, et ambulavit in fortitudine cibi illius quadraginta diebus, et quadraginta noctibus, usque ad montem Dei Horeb.
So he got up and ate and drank, and with the strength the food gave him he was able to walk forty days and forty nights to Mount Horeb, the mountain of God.
9 Cumque venisset illuc, mansit in spelunca: et ecce sermo Domini ad eum, dixitque illi: Quid hic agis Elia?
There he entered a cave and spent the night. The Lord spoke to Elijah, and asked him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 At ille respondit: Zelo zelatus sum pro Domino Deo exercituum, quia dereliquerunt pactum tuum filii Israel: altaria tua destruxerunt, prophetas tuos occiderunt gladio, derelictus sum ego solus, et quærunt animam meam ut auferant eam.
“I have worked passionately for the Lord God Almighty,” he replied. “But the Israelites have abandoned your agreement, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I am the only one who's left, and they are trying to kill me as well.”
11 Et ait ei: Egredere, et sta in monte coram Domino: et ecce Dominus transit, et spiritus grandis et fortis subvertens montes, et conterens petras ante Dominum: non in spiritu Dominus, et post spiritum commotio: non in commotione Dominus,
Then the Lord told him, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” Right then the Lord passed by. A tremendously powerful wind ripped into the mountains and smashed rocks before the Lord, but the Lord wasn't in the wind. After the wind there came an earthquake, but the Lord wasn't in the earthquake.
12 et post commotionem ignis: non in igne Dominus, et post ignem sibilus auræ tenuis.
After the earthquake there came a fire, but the Lord wasn't in the fire. And after the fire came a voice speaking in a gentle whisper.
13 Quod cum audisset Elias, operuit vultum suum pallio, et egressus stetit in ostio speluncæ, et ecce vox ad eum dicens: Quid hic agis Elia? Et ille respondit:
When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his cloak around his face and went out and stood at the cave entrance. Immediately a voice spoke to him and asked, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
14 Zelo zelatus sum pro Domino Deo exercituum: quia dereliquerunt pactum tuum filii Israel: altaria tua destruxerunt, prophetas tuos occiderunt gladio, derelictus sum ego solus, et quærunt animam meam ut auferant eam.
“I have worked passionately for the Lord God Almighty,” he replied. “But the Israelites have abandoned your agreement, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I am the only one who's left, and they are trying to kill me as well.”
15 Et ait Dominus ad eum: Vade, et revertere in viam tuam per desertum in Damascum: cumque perveneris illuc, unges Hazael regem super Syriam,
The Lord told him, “Go back the way you came to the desert of Damascus. When you get there, go and anoint Hazael king of Aram.
16 et Iehu filium Namsi unges regem super Israel: Eliseum autem filium Saphat, qui est de Abelmeula, unges prophetam pro te.
Also anoint Jehu, son of Nimshi, king of Israel and Elisha, son of Shaphat, from Abel-meholah, to take over from you as prophet.
17 Et erit, quicumque fugerit gladium Hazael, occidet eum Iehu: et quicumque fugerit gladium Iehu, interficiet eum Eliseus.
Jehu will execute anyone who escapes the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will execute anyone who escapes the sword of Jehu.
18 Et derelinquam mihi in Israel septem millia virorum, quorum genua non sunt incurvata ante Baal, et omne os, quod non adoravit eum osculans manus.
I still have seven thousand left in Israel, all those who have not bowed their knees to worship and whose mouths have not kissed him.”
19 Profectus ergo inde Elias, reperit Eliseum filium Saphat, arantem in duodecim iugis boum. Et ipse in duodecim iugis boum arantibus unus erat: cumque venisset Elias ad eum, misit pallium suum super illum.
So Elijah left, and went and found Elisha, son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen, and he was with the twelfth pair. Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak around him.
20 Qui statim relictis bobus cucurrit post Eliam, et ait: Osculer, oro, patrem meum, et matrem meam, et sic sequar te. Dixitque ei: Vade, et revertere: quod enim meum erat, feci tibi.
Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me go and kiss my father and mother goodbye, and then I will follow you.” “Go on home,” Elijah replied. “I've never done anything for you.”
21 Reversus autem ab eo, tulit par boum, et mactavit illud, et in aratro boum coxit carnes, et dedit populo, et comederunt: consurgensque abiit, et secutus est Eliam, et ministrabat ei.
Elisha left him, took his pair of oxen, and slaughtered them. Using the wood of the oxen's yoke as fuel, he cooked the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate it. Then he left to follow and serve Elijah.