< Genesis 18 >

1 Apparuit autem ei Dominus in convalle Mambre sedenti in ostio tabernaculi sui in ipso fervore diei.
The LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day.
2 Cumque elevasset oculos, apparuerunt ei tres viri stantes prope eum: quos cum vidisset, cucurrit in occursum eorum de ostio tabernaculi, et adoravit in terram.
He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood near him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth,
3 Et dixit: Domine, si inveni gratiam in oculis tuis, ne transeas servum tuum:
and said, “My lord, if now I have found favour in your sight, please don’t go away from your servant.
4 sed afferam pauxillum aquæ, et lavate pedes vestros, et requiescite sub arbore.
Now let a little water be fetched, wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
5 Ponamque buccellam panis, et confortate cor vestrum, postea transibitis: idcirco enim declinastis ad servum vestrum. Qui dixerunt: Fac ut locutus es.
I will get a piece of bread so you can refresh your heart. After that you may go your way, now that you have come to your servant.” They said, “Very well, do as you have said.”
6 Festinavit Abraham in tabernaculum ad Saram, dixitque ei: Accelera, tria sata similæ commisce, et fac subcinericios panes.
Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly prepare three seahs of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.”
7 Ipse vero ad armentum cucurrit, et tulit inde vitulum tenerrimum et optimum, deditque puero: qui festinavit, et coxit illum.
Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried to dress it.
8 Tulit quoque butyrum et lac, et vitulum quem coxerat, et posuit coram eis: ipse vero stabat iuxta eos sub arbore.
He took butter, milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them. He stood by them under the tree, and they ate.
9 Cumque comedissent, dixerunt ad eum: Ubi est Sara uxor tua? ille respondit: Ecce in tabernaculo est.
They asked him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?” He said, “There, in the tent.”
10 Cui dixit: Revertens veniam ad te tempore isto, vita comite, et habebit filium Sara uxor tua. Quo audito, Sara risit post ostium tabernaculi.
He said, “I will certainly return to you at about this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him.
11 Erant autem ambo senes, provectæque ætatis, et desierant Saræ fieri muliebria.
Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
12 Quæ risit occulte dicens: Postquam consenui, et dominus meus vetulus est, voluptati operam dabo?
Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”
13 Dixit autem Dominus ad Abraham: Quare risit Sara, dicens: Num vere paritura sum anus?
The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Will I really bear a child when I am old?’
14 Numquid Deo quidquam est difficile? iuxta condictum revertar ad te hoc eodem tempore, vita comite, et habebit Sara filium.
Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the set time I will return to you, when the season comes around, and Sarah will have a son.”
15 Negabit Sara, dicens: Non risi, timore perterrita. Dominus autem: Non est, inquit, ita: sed risisti.
Then Sarah denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”
16 Cum ergo surrexissent inde viri, direxerunt oculos contra Sodomam: et Abraham simul gradiebatur, deducens eos.
The men rose up from there, and looked towards Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way.
17 Dixitque Dominus: Num celare potero Abraham quæ gesturus sum:
The LORD said, “Will I hide from Abraham what I do,
18 cum futurus sit in gentem magnam, ac robustissimam, et benedicendæ sint in illo omnes nationes terræ?
since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him?
19 Scio enim quod præcepturus sit filiis suis, et domui suæ post se ut custodiant viam Domini, et faciant iudicium et iustitiam: ut adducat Dominus propter Abraham omnia quæ locutus est ad eum.
For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that the LORD may bring on Abraham that which he has spoken of him.”
20 Dixit itaque Dominus: Clamor Sodomorum et Gomorrhæ multiplicatus est, et peccatum eorum aggravatum est nimis.
The LORD said, “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous,
21 Descendam, et videbo utrum clamorem qui venit ad me, opere compleverint: an non est ita, ut sciam.
I will go down now, and see whether their deeds are as bad as the reports which have come to me. If not, I will know.”
22 Converteruntque se inde, et abierunt Sodomam: Abraham vero adhuc stabat coram Domino.
The men turned from there, and went towards Sodom, but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
23 Et appropinquans ait: Numquid perdes iustum cum impio?
Abraham came near, and said, “Will you consume the righteous with the wicked?
24 Si fuerint quinquaginta iusti in civitate, peribunt simul? Et non parces loco illi propter quinquaginta iustos, si fuerint in eo?
What if there are fifty righteous within the city? Will you consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous who are in it?
25 Absit a te, ut rem hanc facias, et occidas iustum cum impio, fiatque iustus sicut impius, non est hoc tuum: qui iudicas omnem terram, nequaquam facies iudicium hoc.
May it be far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that be far from you. Shouldn’t the Judge of all the earth do right?”
26 Dixitque Dominus ad eum: Si invenero Sodomis quinquaginta iustos in medio civitatis, dimittam omni loco propter eos.
The LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
27 Respondensque Abraham, ait: Quia semel cœpi, loquar ad Dominum meum, cum sim pulvis et cinis.
Abraham answered, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, although I am dust and ashes.
28 Quid si minus quinquaginta iustis quinque fuerint? Delebis, propter quadraginta quinque, universam urbem? Et ait: Non delebo, si invenero ibi quadraginta quinque.
What if there will lack five of the fifty righteous? Will you destroy all the city for lack of five?” He said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”
29 Rursumque locutus est ad eum: Sin autem quadraginta ibi inventi fuerint, quid facies? Ait: Non percutiam propter quadraginta.
He spoke to him yet again, and said, “What if there are forty found there?” He said, “I will not do it for the forty’s sake.”
30 Ne quæso, inquit, indigneris Domine, si loquar: Quid si ibi inventi fuerint triginta? Respondit: Non faciam, si invenero ibi triginta.
He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak. What if there are thirty found there?” He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
31 Quia semel, ait, cœpi loquar ad Dominum meum: Quid si ibi inventi fuerint viginti? Ait: Non interficiam propter viginti.
He said, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord. What if there are twenty found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it for the twenty’s sake.”
32 Obsecro, inquit, ne irascaris Domine, si loquar adhuc semel: Quid si inventi fuerint ibi decem? Et dixit: Non delebo propter decem.
He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak just once more. What if ten are found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it for the ten’s sake.”
33 Abiitque Dominus, postquam cessavit loqui ad Abraham: et ille reversus est in locum suum.
The LORD went his way as soon as he had finished communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.

< Genesis 18 >