Exodus 1

1 Hæc sunt nomina filiorum Israel qui ingressi sunt in Ægyptum cum Iacob: singuli cum domibus suis introierunt:

These are the names of the sons of Israel that came into Egypt together with Jacob their father; they came in each with their whole family.

2 Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Iudas,

Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Judas,

3 Issachar, Zabulon et Beniamin,

Issachar, Zabulon, Benjamin,

4 Dan, et Nephthali, Gad, et Aser.

Dan and Nephthalim, Gad and Aser.

5 Erant igitur omnes animæ eorum qui egressi sunt de femore Iacob, septuaginta: Ioseph autem in Ægypto erat.

But Joseph was in Egypt. And all the souls [born] of Jacob were seventy-five.

6 Quo mortuo, et universis fratribus eius, omnique cognatione illa,

And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.

7 filii Israel creverunt, et quasi germinantes multiplicati sunt: ac roborati nimis, impleverunt terram.

And the children of Israel increased and multiplied, and became numerous and grew exceedingly strong, and the land multiplied them.

8 Surrexit interea rex novus super Ægyptum, qui ignorabat Ioseph:

And there arose up another king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph.

9 et ait ad populum suum: Ecce, populus filiorum Israel multus, et fortior nobis est.

And he said to his nation, Behold, the race of the children of Israel is a great multitude, and is stronger than we:

10 Venite, sapienter opprimamus eum, ne forte multiplicetur: et si ingruerit contra nos bellum, addatur inimicis nostris, expugnatisque nobis egrediatur de terra.

come then, let us deal craftily with them, lest at any time they be increased, and whensoever war shall happen to us, these also shall be added to our enemies, and having prevailed against us in war, they will depart out of the land.

11 Præposuit itaque eis magistros operum, ut affligerent eos oneribus: ædificaveruntque urbes tabernaculorum Pharaoni, Phithom, et Ramesses.

And he set over them task-masters, who should afflict them in their works; and they built strong cities for Pharao, both Pitho, and Ramesses, and On, which is Heliopolis.

12 Quantoque opprimebant eos, tanto magis multiplicabantur, et crescebant:

But as they humbled them, by so much they multiplied, and grew exceedingly strong; and the Egyptians greatly abhorred the children of Israel.

13 oderantque filios Israel Ægyptii, et affligebant illudentes eis:

And the Egyptians tyrannised over the children of Israel by force.

14 atque ad amaritudinem perducebant vitam eorum operibus duris luti, et lateris, omnique famulatu, quo in terræ operibus premebantur.

And they embittered their life by hard labours, in the clay and in brick-making, and all the works in the plains, according to all the works, wherein they caused them to serve with violence.

15 Dixit autem rex Ægypti obstetricibus Hebræorum: quarum una vocabatur Sephora, altera Phua,

And the king of the Egyptians spoke to the midwives of the Hebrews; the name of the one was, Sepphora; and the name of the second, Phua.

16 præcipiens eis: Quando obstetricabitis Hebræas, et partus tempus advenerit: si masculus fuerit, interficite eum: si femina, reservate.

And he said, When ye do the office of midwives to the Hebrew women, and they are about to be delivered, if it be a male, kill it; but if a female, save it.

17 Timuerunt autem obstetrices Deum, et non fecerunt iuxta præceptum regis Ægypti, sed conservabant mares.

But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt appointed them; and they saved the male children alive.

18 Quibus ad se accersitis, rex ait: Quidnam est hoc quod facere voluistis, ut pueros servaretis?

And the king of Egypt called the midwives, and said to them, Why is it that ye have done this thing, and saved the male children alive?

19 Quæ responderunt: Non sunt Hebreæ sicut Ægyptiæ mulieres: ipsæ enim obstetricandi habent scientiam, et priusquam veniamus ad eas, pariunt.

And the midwives said to Pharao, The Hebrew women are not as the women of Egypt, for they are delivered before the midwives go in to them. So they bore children.

20 Bene ergo fecit Deus obstetricibus: et crevit populus, confortatusque est nimis.

And God did well to the midwives, and the people multiplied, and grew very strong.

21 Et quia timuerunt obstetrices Deum, ædificavit eis domos.

And as the midwives feared God, they established for themselves families.

22 Præcepit ergo Pharao omni populo suo, dicens: Quidquid masculini sexus natum fuerit, in flumen proiicite: quidquid feminini, reservate.

And Pharao charged all his people, saying, Whatever male [child] shall be born to the Hebrews, cast into the river; and every female, save it alive.