Genesis 24
1 Erat autem Abraham senex, dierumque multorum: et Dominus in cunctis benedixerat ei.
Now Abraham was old; and advanced in age: and the Lord had blessed him in all things.
2 Dixitque ad servum seniorem domus suæ, qui præerat omnibus quæ habebat: Pone manum tuam subter femur meum,
And he said to the elder servant of his house, who was ruler over all he had: Put thy hand under my thigh,
3 ut adiurem te per Dominum, Deum cæli et terræ, ut non accipias uxorem filio meo de filiabus Chananæorum, inter quos habito:
That I may make thee swear by the Lord the God of heaven and earth, that thou take not a wife for my son, of the daughters of the Chanaanites, among whom I dwell:
4 sed ad terram et cognationem meam proficiscaris, et inde accipias uxorem filio meo Isaac.
But that thou go to my own country and kindred, and take a wife from thence for my son Isaac.
5 Respondit servus: Si noluerit mulier venire mecum in terram hanc, numquid reducere debeo filium tuum ad locum, de quo egressus es?
The servant answered: If the woman will not come with me into this land, must I bring thy son back again to the place, from whence thou camest out?
6 Dixitque Abraham: Cave nequando reducas filium meum illuc.
And Abraham said: Beware thou never bring my son back again thither.
7 Dominus Deus cæli, qui tulit me de domo patris mei, et de terra nativitatis meæ, qui locutus est mihi, et iuravit mihi, dicens: Semini tuo dabo terram hanc: ipse mittet Angelum suum coram te, et accipies inde uxorem filio meo:
The Lord God of heaven, who took me out of my father’s house, and out of my native country, who spoke to me, and swore to me, saying: To thy seed will I give this land: he will send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take from thence a wife for my son.
8 sin autem mulier noluerit sequi te, non teneberis iuramento: filium meum tantum ne reducas illuc.
But if the woman will not follow thee, thou shalt not be bound by the oath; only bring not my son back thither again.
9 Posuit ergo servus manum sub femore Abraham domini sui, et iuravit illi super sermone hoc.
The servant therefore put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his lord, and swore to him upon this word.
10 Tulitque decem camelos de grege domini sui, et abiit, ex omnibus bonis eius portans secum, profectusque perrexit in Mesopotamiam ad urbem Nachor.
And he took ten camels of his master’s herd, and departed, carrying something of all his goods with him, and he set forward and went on to Mesopotamia to the city of Nachor.
11 Cumque camelos fecisset accumbere extra oppidum iuxta puteum aquæ vespere, tempore quo solent mulieres egredi ad hauriendam aquam, dixit:
And when he had made the camels lie down without the town near a well of water in the evening, at the time when women are wont to come out to draw water, he said:
12 Domine Deus domini mei Abraham, occurre, obsecro, mihi hodie, et fac misericordiam cum domino meo Abraham.
O Lord the God of my master Abraham, meet me today, I beseech thee, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
13 Ecce ego sto prope fontem aquæ, et filiæ habitatorum huius civitatis egredientur ad hauriendam aquam.
Behold I stand nigh the spring of water, and the daughters of the inhabitants of this city will come out to draw water.
14 Igitur puella, cui ego dixero: Inclina hydriam tuam ut bibam: et illa responderit, Bibe, quin et camelis tuis dabo potum: ipsa est, quam præparasti servo tuo Isaac: et per hoc intelligam quod feceris misericordiam cum domino meo.
Now, therefore, the maid to whom I shall say: Let down thy pitcher that I may drink: and she shall answer, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let it be the same whom thou hast provided for thy servant Isaac: and by this I shall understand, that thou hast shown kindness to my master.
15 Necdum intra se verba compleverat, et ecce Rebecca egrediebatur, filia Bathuel, filii Melchæ uxoris Nachor fratris Abraham, habens hydriam in scapula sua:
He had not yet ended these words within himself, and behold Rebecca came out, the daughter of Bathuel, son of Melcha, wife to Nachor the brother of Abraham, having a pitcher on her shoulder:
16 puella decora nimis, virgoque pulcherrima, et incognita viro: descenderat autem ad fontem, et impleverat hydriam, ac revertebatur.
An exceeding comely maid, and a most beautiful virgin, and not known to man: and she went down to the spring, and filled her pitcher and was coming back.
17 Occurritque ei servus, et ait: Pauxillum aquæ mihi ad bibendum præbe de hydria tua.
And the servant ran to meet her, and said: Give me a little water to drink of thy pitcher.
18 Quæ respondit: Bibe domine mi. Celeriterque deposuit hydriam super ulnam suam, et dedit ei potum.
And she answered: Drink, my lord. And quickly she let down the pitcher upon her arm, and gave him drink.
19 Cumque ille bibisset, adiecit: Quin et camelis tuis hauriam aquam, donec cuncti bibant.
And when he had drunk, she said: I will draw water for thy camels also, till they all drink.
20 Effundensque hydriam in canalibus, recurrit ad puteum ut hauriret aquam: et haustam omnibus camelis dedit.
And pouring out the pitcher into the troughs, she ran back to the well to draw water: and having drawn she gave to all the camels.
21 Ipse autem contemplabatur eam tacitus, scire volens utrum prosperum iter suum fecisset Dominus, an non.
But he musing beheld her with silence, desirous to know whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not.
22 Postquam autem biberunt cameli, protulit vir inaures aureas, appendentes siclos duos, et armillas totidem pondo siclorum decem.
And after that the camels had drunk, the man took out golden earrings, weighing two sicles: and as many bracelets of ten sicles weight.
23 Dixitque ad eam: Cuius es filia? indica mihi: est in domo patris tui locus ad manendum?
And he said to her: Whose daughter art thou? tell me: is there any place in thy father’s house to lodge?
24 Quæ respondit: Filia sum Bathuelis, filii Melchæ, quem peperit ipsi Nachor.
And she answered: I am the daughter of Bathuel, the son of Melcha, whom she bore to Nachor.
25 Et addidit, dicens: Palearum quoque et fœni plurimum est apud nos, et locus spatiosus ad manendum.
And she said moreover to him: We have good store of both straw and hay, and a large place to lodge in.
26 Inclinavit se homo, et adoravit Dominum,
The man bowed himself down, and adored the Lord,
27 dicens: Benedictus Dominus Deus domini mei Abraham, qui non abstulit misericordiam et veritatem suam a domino meo, et recto itinere me perduxit in domum fratris domini mei.
Saying: Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath not taken away his mercy and truth from my master, and hath brought me the straight way into the house of my master’s brother.
28 Cucurrit itaque puella, et nunciavit in domum matris suæ omnia quæ audierat.
Then the maid ran, and told in her mother’s house, all that she had heard.
29 Habebat autem Rebecca fratrem nomine Laban, qui festinus egressus est ad hominem, ubi erat fons.
And Rebecca had a brother named Laban, who went out in haste to the man, to the well.
30 Cumque vidisset inaures et armillas in manibus sororis suæ, et audisset cuncta verba referentis: Hæc locutus est mihi homo: venit ad virum, qui stabat iuxta camelos, et prope fontem aquæ:
And when he had seen the earrings and bracelets in his sister’s hands, and had heard all that she related, saying: Thus and thus the man spoke to me: he came to the man who stood by the camels, and near to the spring of water,
31 dixitque ad eum: Ingredere, benedicte Domini: cur foris stas? præparavi domum, et locum camelis.
And said to him: Come in, thou blessed of the Lord: why standest thou without? I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels.
32 Et introduxit eum in hospitium: ac destravit camelos, deditque paleas et fœnum, et aquam ad lavandos pedes eius, et virorum qui venerant cum eo.
And he brought him in into his lodging: and he unharnessed the camels and gave straw and hay, and water to wash his feet, and the feet of the men that were come with him.
33 Et appositus est in conspectu eius panis. Qui ait: Non comedam, donec loquar sermones meos. Respondit ei: Loquere.
And bread was set before him. But he said: I will not eat, till I tell my message. He answered him: Speak.
34 At ille: Servus, inquit, Abraham sum:
And he said: I am the servant of Abraham:
35 et Dominus benedixit domino meo valde, magnificatusque est: et dedit ei oves et boves, argentum et aurum, servos et ancillas, camelos et asinos.
And the Lord hath blessed my master wonderfully, and he is become great: and he hath given him sheep and oxen, silver and gold, men servants and women servants, camels and asses.
36 Et peperit Sara uxor domini mei filium domino meo in senectute sua, deditque illi omnia quæ habuerat.
And Sara my master’s wife hath borne my master a son in her old age, and he hath given him all that he had.
37 Et adiuravit me dominus meus, dicens: Non accipies uxorem filio meo de filiabus Chananæorum, in quorum terra habito:
And my master made me swear, saying: Thou shalt not take a wife for my son of the Chanaanites, in whose land I dwell:
38 sed ad domum patris mei perges, et de cognatione mea accipies uxorem filio meo:
But thou shalt go to my father’s house, and shalt take a wife of my own kindred for my son:
39 ego vero respondi domino meo: Quid si noluerit venire mecum mulier?
But I answered my master: What if the woman will not come with me?
40 Dominus, ait, in cuius conspectu ambulo, mittet Angelum suum tecum, et diriget viam tuam: accipiesque uxorem filio meo de cognatione mea, et de domo patris mei.
The Lord, said he, in whose sight I walk, will send his angel with thee, and will direct thy way: and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my own kindred, and of my father’s house.
41 Innocens eris a maledictione mea, cum veneris ad propinquos meos, et non dederint tibi.
But thou shalt be clear from my curse, when thou shalt come to my kindred, if they will not give thee one.
42 Veni ergo hodie ad fontem aquæ, et dixi: Domine Deus domini mei Abraham, si direxisti viam meam, in qua nunc ambulo,
And I came today to the well of water, and said: O Lord God of my master Abraham, if thou hast prospered my way, wherein I now walk,
43 ecce sto iuxta fontem aquæ, et virgo, quæ egredietur ad hauriendam aquam, audierit a me: Da mihi pauxillum aquæ ad bibendum ex hydria tua:
Behold I stand by the well of water, and the virgin, that shall come out to draw water, who shall hear me say: Give me a little water to drink of thy pitcher:
44 et dixerit mihi: Et tu bibe, et camelis tuis hauriam: ipsa est mulier quam præparavit Dominus filio domini mei.
And shall say to me: Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman, whom the Lord hath prepared for my master’s son.
45 Dumque hæc tacitus mecum volverem, apparuit Rebecca veniens cum hydria, quam portabat in scapula: descenditque ad fontem, et hausit aquam. Et aio ad eam: Da mihi paululum bibere.
And whilst I pondered these things secretly with myself, Rebecca appeared coming with a pitcher, which she carried on her shoulder: and she went down to the well and drew water. And I said to her: Give me a little to drink.
46 Quæ festinans deposuit hydriam de humero, et dixit mihi: Et tu bibe, et camelis tuis tribuam potum. Bibi, et adaquavit camelos.
And she speedily let down the pitcher from her shoulder, and said to me: Both drink thou, and to thy camels I will give drink. I drank, and she watered the camels.
47 Interrogavique eam, et dixi: Cuius es filia? Quæ respondit: Filia Bathuelis sum, filii Nachor, quem peperit ei Melcha. Suspendi itaque inaures ad ornandam faciem eius, et armillas posui in manibus eius.
And I asked her, and said: Whose daughter art thou? And she answered: I am the daughter of Bathuel, the son of Nachor, whom Melcha bore to him. So I put earrings on her to adorn her face, and I put bracelets on her hands.
48 Pronusque adoravi Dominum, benedicens Domino Deo domini mei Abraham, qui perduxit me recto itinere, ut sumerem filiam fratris domini mei filio eius.
And falling down I adored the Lord, blessing the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath brought me the straight way to take the daughter of my master’s brother for his son.
49 Quam ob rem si facitis misericordiam et veritatem cum domino meo, indicate mihi: sin autem aliud placet, et hoc dicite mihi, ut vadam ad dextram, sive ad sinistram.
Wherefore if you do according to mercy and truth with my master, tell me: but if it please you otherwise, tell me that also, that I may go to the right hand, or to the left.
50 Responderuntque Laban et Bathuel: A Domino egressus est sermo: non possumus extra placitum eius quidquam aliud loqui tecum.
And Laban and Bathuel answered: The word hath proceeded from the Lord, we cannot speak any other thing to thee but his pleasure.
51 En Rebecca coram te est, tolle eam, et proficiscere, et sit uxor filii domini tui, sicut locutus est Dominus.
Behold Rebecca is before thee, take her and go thy way, and let her be the wife of thy master’s son, as the Lord hath spoken.
52 Quod cum audisset puer Abraham, procidens adoravit in terram Dominum.
Which when Abraham’s servant heard, falling down to the ground he adored the Lord.
53 Prolatisque vasis argenteis, et aureis, ac vestibus, dedit ea Rebecca pro munere: fratribus quoque eius, et matri dona obtulit.
And bringing forth vessels of silver and gold, and garments, he gave them to Rebecca for a present. He offered gifts also to her brothers, and to her mother.
54 Inito convivio, vescentes pariter et bibentes manserunt ibi. Surgens autem mane, locutus est puer: Dimitte me, ut vadam ad dominum meum.
And a banquet was made, and they ate and drank together, and lodged there. And in the morning, the servant arose, and said: Let me depart, that I may go to my master.
55 Responderuntque fratres eius, et mater: Maneat puella saltem decem dies apud nos, et postea proficiscetur.
And her brother and mother answered: Let the maid stay at least ten days with us, and afterwards she shall depart.
56 Nolite, ait, me retinere, quia Dominus direxit viam meam: dimittite me ut pergam ad dominum meum.
Stay me not, said he, because the Lord hath prospered my way: send me away, that I may go to my master.
57 Et dixerunt: Vocemus puellam, et quæramus ipsius voluntatem.
And they said: Let us call the maid, and ask her will.
58 Cumque vocata venisset, sciscitati sunt: Vis ire cum homine isto? Quæ ait: Vadam.
And they called her, and when she was come, they asked: Wilt thou go with this man? She said: I will go.
59 Dimiserunt ergo eam, et nutricem illius, servumque Abraham, et comites eius,
So they sent her away, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, and his company,
60 imprecantes prospera sorori suæ, atque dicentes: Soror nostra es, crescas in mille millia, et possideat semen tuum portas inimicorum suorum.
Wishing prosperity to their sister, and saying: Thou art our sister, mayst thou increase to thousands of thousands, and may thy seed possess the gates of their enemies.
61 Igitur Rebecca, et puellæ illius, ascensis camelis, secutæ sunt virum: qui festinus revertebatur ad dominum suum:
So Rebecca and her maids, being set upon camels, followed the man: who with speed returned to his master.
62 eo autem tempore deambulabat Isaac per viam quæ ducit ad Puteum, cuius nomen est Viventis, et videntis: habitabat enim in terra australi:
At the same time Isaac was walking along the way to the well which is called Of the living and the seeing: for he dwelt in the south country.
63 et egressus fuerat ad meditandum in agro, inclinata iam die: cumque elevasset oculos, vidit camelos venientes procul.
And he was gone forth to meditate in the field, the day being now well spent: and when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw camels coming afar off.
64 Rebecca quoque, conspecto Isaac, descendit de camelo,
Rebecca also, when she saw Isaac, lighted off the camel,
65 et ait ad puerum: Quis est ille homo qui venit per agrum in occursum nobis? Dixitque ei: Ipse est dominus meus. At illa tollens cito pallium, operuit se.
And said to the servant: Who is that man who cometh towards us along the field? And he said to her: That man is my master. But she quickly took her cloak, and covered herself.
66 Servus autem cuncta, quæ gesserat, narravit Isaac.
And the servant told Isaac all that he had done.
67 Qui introduxit eam in tabernaculum Saræ matris suæ, et accepit eam uxorem: et in tantum dilexit eam, ut dolorem, qui ex morte matris eius acciderat, temperaret.
Who brought her into the tent of Sara his mother, and took her to wife: and he loved her so much, that it moderated the sorrow which was occasioned by his mother’s death.
