Exodus 32
1 Videns autem populus quod moram faceret descendendi de monte Moyses, congregatus adversus Aaron, dixit: Surge, fac nobis deos, qui nos præcedant: Moysi enim huic viro, qui nos eduxit de Terra Ægypti, ignoramus quid acciderit.
When the people realized how long Moses was taking before he came back down the mountain, they went together to see Aaron. They told him, “Get up! Make some gods for us who can lead us because this man Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt—we don't know what's happened to him!”
2 Dixitque ad eos Aaron: Tollite inaures aureas de uxorum, filiorumque et filiarum vestrarum auribus, et afferte ad me.
“Bring to me the gold earrings that your wives, sons, and daughters are wearing,” Aaron replied.
3 Fecitque populus quæ iusserat, deferens inaures ad Aaron.
So everyone took off the gold earrings they were wearing and brought them to Aaron.
4 Quas cum ille accepisset, formavit opere fusorio, et fecit ex eis vitulum conflatilem. Dixeruntque: Hi sunt dii tui Israel, qui te eduxerunt de Terra Ægypti.
He took what they gave him and using a molding tool cast an idol in the shape of a bull calf. They shouted out, “Israel, these are the gods that brought you out of the land of Egypt.”
5 Quod cum vidisset Aaron, ædificavit altare coram eo, et præconis voce clamavit, dicens: Cras sollemnitas Domini est.
When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the golden calf and shouted out, “Tomorrow will be a festival to honor the Lord!”
6 Surgentesque mane, obtulerunt holocausta, et hostias pacificas, et sedit populus manducare, et bibere, et surrexerunt ludere.
Early the next day they sacrificed burnt offerings and presented peace offerings. Then they sat down to celebrate with eating and drinking. Then they got up to dance, and it became like an orgy.
7 Locutus est autem Dominus ad Moysen, dicens: Vade, descende: peccavit populus tuus, quem eduxisti de Terra Ægypti.
Then the Lord told Moses, “Get back down, because your people that you brought out of Egypt are acting immorally.
8 Recesserunt cito de via, quam ostendisti eis: feceruntque sibi vitulum conflatilem, et adoraverunt, atque immolantes ei hostias, dixerunt: Isti sunt dii tui Israel, qui te eduxerunt de Terra Ægypti.
They have been so quick to abandon the way I ordered them to follow. They have made a metal bull calf idol for themselves, bowing before it in worship and offering sacrifices to it. They're saying, ‘These are the gods that brought you out of the land of Egypt.’”
9 Rursumque ait Dominus ad Moysen: Cerno quod populus iste duræ cervicis sit:
“I know what these people are like,” the Lord continued saying to Moses. “They are so rebellious!
10 dimitte me, ut irascatur furor meus contra eos, et deleam eos, faciamque te in gentem magnam.
Now leave me! I am angry with them—let me finish them off! I will make you into a great nation.”
11 Moyses autem orabat Dominum Deum suum, dicens: Cur, Domine, irascitur furor tuus contra populum tuum, quem eduxisti de Terra Ægypti, in fortitudine magna, et in manu robusta?
But Moses pleaded with the Lord his God, saying, “Why are you angry with the people you brought out of the land of Egypt with tremendous power and great strength?
12 Ne quæso dicant Ægyptii: Callide eduxit eos, ut interficeret in montibus, et deleret e terra. Quiescat ira tua, et esto placabilis super nequitia populi tui.
Why should the Egyptians be able to say, ‘He brought them out with the evil purpose of killing them in the mountains, wiping them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger. Please change your mind over the threat against your people.
13 Recordare Abraham, Isaac, et Israel servorum tuorum, quibus iurasti per temetipsum, dicens: Multiplicabo semen vestrum sicut stellas cæli: et universam terram hanc, de qua locutus sum, dabo semini vestro, et possidebitis eam semper.
Remember you swore a promise your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, telling them, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven, and give you all the land I promised to them, and they shall own it forever.’”
14 Placatusque est Dominus ne faceret malum quod locutus fuerat adversus populum suum.
The Lord changed his mind over the disaster he threatened to cause his people.
15 Et reversus est Moyses de monte, portans duas tabulas testimonii in manu sua, scriptas ex utraque parte,
Moses turned and went down the mountain, carrying the two stone tablets of the Law written on both sides.
16 et factas opere Dei: scriptura quoque Dei erat sculpta in tabulis.
God had made the tablets, and God had engraved the writing himself.
17 Audiens autem Iosue tumultum populi vociferantis, dixit ad Moysen: Ululatus pugnæ auditur in castris.
When Joshua heard all the shouting from the camp, he said to Moses, “It sounds like fighting in the camp!”
18 Qui respondit: Non est clamor adhortantium ad pugnam, neque vociferatio compellentium ad fugam: sed vocem cantantium ego audio.
But Moses replied, “These are not the shouts of victory or of defeat. What I'm hearing is people partying!”
19 Cumque appropinquasset ad castra, vidit vitulum, et choros: iratusque valde, proiecit de manu tabulas, et confregit eas ad radicem montis:
As he approached the camp he saw the bull calf idol and the dancing. He got so angry that he threw down the stone tablets and smashed them there at the foot of the mountain.
20 arripiensque vitulum quem fecerant, combussit, et contrivit usque ad pulverem, quem sparsit in aquam, et dedit ex eo potum filiis Israel.
He took the bull calf and burned it, and ground it into powder. Then he mixed this with water and made the Israelites drink it.
21 Dixitque ad Aaron: Quid tibi fecit hic populus, ut induceres super eum peccatum maximum?
Then Moses asked Aaron, “What did these people do to you that you made them sin so badly?”
22 Cui ille respondit: Ne indignetur dominus meus: tu enim nosti populum istum, quod pronus sit ad malum:
“Please don't get angry with me, my lord,” Aaron replied, “You yourself know how liable these people are to do evil.
23 dixerunt mihi: Fac nobis deos, qui nos præcedant: huic enim Moysi, qui nos eduxit de Terra Ægypti, nescimus quid acciderit.
They told me, ‘Make some gods for us who can lead us because this man Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt—we don't know what's happened to him!’
24 Quibus ego dixi: Quis vestrum habet aurum? Tulerunt, et dederunt mihi: et proieci illud in ignem, egressusque est hic vitulus.
So I said to them, ‘Anybody who has gold jewelry, take it off and give it to me.’ I threw the gold into the furnace and out came this bull calf.”
25 Videns ergo Moyses populum quod esset nudatus, (spoliaverat enim eum Aaron propter ignominiam sordis, et inter hostes nudum constituerat)
Moses saw the people going completely wild because Aaron had let them, and that this had brought ridicule on them from their enemies.
26 et stans in porta castrorum, ait: Si quis est Domini, iungatur mihi. Congregatique sunt ad eum omnes filii Levi:
So he went and stood at the entrance to the camp, and shouted out, “Whoever is on the Lord's side, come and join me!” All the Levites gathered around him.
27 quibus ait: Hæc dicit Dominus Deus Israel: Ponat vir gladium super femur suum: ite, et redite de porta usque ad portam per medium castrorum, et occidat unusquisque fratrem, et amicum, et proximum suum.
Moses told them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: Each of you strap on a sword. Then go all through the camp from one end to the other and kill your brothers, friends, and neighbors.”
28 Feceruntque filii Levi iuxta sermonem Moysi, cecideruntque in die illa quasi viginti tria millia hominum.
The Levites did what Moses had told them, and that day around 3,000 men were killed.
29 Et ait Moyses: Consecrastis manus vestras hodie Domino, unusquisque in filio, et in fratre suo, ut detur vobis benedictio.
Moses told the Levites, “Today you have dedicated yourselves to the Lord because you took action against your sons and brothers. Today you have gained a blessing for yourselves.”
30 Facto autem altero die, locutus est Moyses ad populum: Peccastis peccatum maximum: ascendam ad Dominum, si quo modo quivero eum deprecari pro scelere vestro.
The following day Moses spoke to the people, saying, “You have sinned very badly. But now I will go up to the Lord. Maybe I can get him to forgive your sin.”
31 Reversusque ad Dominum, ait: Obsecro, peccavit populus iste peccatum maximum, feceruntque sibi deos aureos: aut dimitte eis hanc noxam,
So Moses went back to the Lord. He said, “Please—the people have sinned very badly by making gods of gold for themselves.
32 aut si non facis, dele me de libro tuo quem scripsisti.
But now, if you will, forgive their sin. Otherwise just blot me out of the scroll in which you keep your records.”
33 Cui respondit Dominus: Qui peccaverit mihi, delebo eum de libro meo:
But the Lord replied to Moses, “It's those who sinned against me who will be blotted out of my scroll.
34 Tu autem vade, et duc populum istum quo locutus sum tibi: Angelus meus præcedet te. Ego autem in die ultionis visitabo et hoc peccatum eorum.
Now go and lead the people to the place I told you about. Look, my angel will go before you, but at the time I decide to punish, I will punish them for their sin.”
35 Percussit ergo Dominus populum pro reatu vituli, quem fecerat Aaron.
The Lord brought a plague on the people because they made Aaron make the bull calf.
