Liber Numeri 20

1 Veneruntque filii Israel, et omnis multitudo in desertum Sin, mense primo: et mansit populus in Cades. Mortuaque est ibi Maria, et sepulta in eodem loco.

And the children of Israel, and all the multitude came into the desert of Sin, in the first month: and the people abode in Cades. And Mary died there, and was buried in the same place.

2 Cumque indigeret aqua populus, convenerunt adversum Moysen et Aaron:

And the people wanting water, came together against Moses and Aaron:

3 et versi in seditionem, dixerunt: Utinam periissemus inter fratres nostros coram Domino.

And making a sedition, they said: Would God we had perished among our brethren before the Lord.

4 Cur eduxistis Ecclesiam Domini in solitudinem, ut et nos et nostra iumenta moriamur?

Why have you brought out the church of the Lord into the wilderness, that both we and our cattle should die?

5 Quare nos fecistis ascendere de Ægypto, et adduxistis in locum istum pessimum, qui seri non potest, qui nec ficum gignit, nec vineas, nec malogranata, insuper et aquam non habet ad bibendum?

Why have you made us come up out of Egypt, and have brought us into this wretched place which cannot be sowed, nor bringeth forth figs, nor vines, nor pomegranates, neither is there any water to drink?

6 Ingressusque Moyses et Aaron, dimissa multitudine, tabernaculum fœderis, corruerunt proni in terram, clamaveruntque ad Dominum, atque dixerunt: Domine Deus audi clamorem huius populi, et aperi eis thesaurum tuum fontem aquæ vivæ, ut satiati, cesset murmuratio eorum. Et apparuit gloria Domini super eos.

And Moses and Aaron leaving the multitude, went into the tabernacle of the covenant, and fell flat upon the ground, and cried to the Lord, and said: O Lord God, hear the cry of this people, and open to them thy treasure, a fountain of living water, that being satisfied, they may cease to murmur. And the glory of the Lord appeared over them.

7 Locutusque est Dominus ad Moysen, dicens:

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

8 Tolle virgam, et congrega populum, tu et Aaron frater tuus, et loquimini ad petram coram eis, et illa dabit aquas. Cumque eduxeris aquam de petra, bibet omnis multitudo et iumenta eius.

Take the rod, and assemble the people together, thou and Aaron thy brother, and speak to the rock before them, and it shall yield waters. And when thou hast brought forth water out of the rock, all the multitude and their cattle shall drink.

9 Tulit igitur Moyses virgam, quæ erat in conspectu Domini, sicut præceperat ei,

Moses therefore took the rod, which was before the Lord, as he had commanded him,

10 congregata multitudine ante petram, dixitque eis: Audite rebelles et increduli: Num de petra hac vobis aquam poterimus eiicere?

And having gathered together the multitude before the rock, he said to them: Hear, ye rebellious and incredulous: Can we bring you forth water out of this rock?

11 Cumque elevasset Moyses manum, percutiens virga bis silicem, egressæ sunt aquæ largissimæ, ita ut populus biberet et iumenta.

And when Moses had lifted up his hand, and struck the rock twice with the rod, there came forth water in great abundance, so that the people and their cattle drank,

12 Dixitque Dominus ad Moysen et Aaron: Quia non credidistis mihi, ut sanctificaretis me coram filiis Israel, non introducetis hos populos in terram, quam dabo eis.

And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron: Because you have not believed me, to sanctify me before the children of Israel, you shall not bring these people into the land, which I will give them.

13 Hæc est Aqua Contradictionis, ubi iurgati sunt filii Israel contra Dominum, et sanctificatus est in eis.

This is the Water of contradiction, where the children of Israel strove with words against the Lord, and he was sanctified in them.

14 Misit interea nuncios Moyses de Cades ad regem Edom, qui dicerent: Hæc mandat frater tuus Israel: Nosti omnem laborem qui apprehendit nos,

In the mean time Moses sent messengers from Cades to the king of Edom, to say: Thus saith thy brother Israel: Thou knowest all the labour that hath come upon us:

15 quo modo descenderint patres nostri in Ægyptum, et habitaverimus ibi multo tempore, afflixerintque nos Ægyptii, et patres nostros:

In what manner our fathers went down into Egypt, and there we dwelt a long time, and the Egyptians afflicted us and our fathers.

16 et quo modo clamaverimus ad Dominum, et exaudierit nos, miseritque Angelum, qui eduxerit nos de Ægypto. Ecce, in urbe Cades, quæ est in extremis finibus tuis, positi,

And how we cried to the Lord, and he heard us, and sent an angel, who hath brought us out of Egypt. Lo, we are now in the city of Cades, which is in the uttermost of thy borders,

17 obsecramus ut nobis transire liceat per terram tuam. Non ibimus per agros, nec per vineas, non bibemus aquas de puteis tuis, sed gradiemur via publica, nec ad dexteram nec ad sinistram declinantes, donec transeamus terminos tuos.

And we beseech thee that we may have leave to pass through thy country. We will not go through the fields, nor through the vineyards, we will not drink the waters of thy wells, but we will go by the common highway, neither turning aside to the right hand, nor to the left, till we are past thy borders.

18 Cui respondit Edom: Non transibis per me, alioquin armatus occurram tibi.

And Edom answered them: Thou shalt not pass by me: if thou dost I will come out armed against thee.

19 Dixeruntque filii Israel: Per tritam gradiemur viam: et si biberimus aquas tuas nos et pecora nostra, dabimus quod iustum est: nulla erit in pretio difficultas, tantum velociter transeamus.

And the children of Israel said: We will go by the beaten way: and if we and our cattle drink of thy waters, we will give thee what is just: there shall be no difficulty in the price, only let us pass speedily.

20 At ille respondit: Non transibis. Statimque egressus est obvius, cum infinita multitudo, et manu forti,

But he answered: Thou shalt not pass. And immediately he came forth to meet them with an infinite multitude, and a strong hand,

21 nec voluit acquiescere deprecanti, ut concederet transitum per fines suos. Quam ob rem divertit ab eo Israel.

Neither would he condescend to their desire to grant them passage through his borders. Wherefore Israel turned another way from him.

22 Cumque castra movissent de Cades, venerunt in montem Hor, qui est in finibus terræ Edom:

And when they had removed the camp from Cades, they came to mount Her, which is in the borders of the land of Edom:

23 ubi locutus est Dominus ad Moysen:

Where the Lord spoke to Moses:

24 Pergat, inquit, Aaron ad populos suos: non enim intrabit Terram, quam dedi filiis Israel, eo quod incredulus fuerit ori meo, ad Aquas Contradictionis.

Let Aaron, saith he, go to his people: for he shall not go into the land which I have given the children of Israel, because he was incredulous to my words, at the waters of contradiction.

25 Tolle Aaron et filium eius cum eo, et duces eos in montem Hor.

Take Aaron and his son with him, and bring them up into mount Hor:

26 Cumque nudaveris patrem veste sua, indues ea Eleazarum filium eius: Aaron colligetur, et morietur ibi.

And when thou hast stripped the father of his vesture, thou shalt vest therewith Eleazar his son: Aaron shall be gathered to his people, and die there.

27 Fecit Moyses ut præceperat Dominus: et ascenderunt in montem Hor coram omni multitudine.

Moses did as the Lord had commanded: and they went up into mount Hor before all the multitude.

28 Cumque Aaron spoliasset vestibus suis, induit eis Eleazarum filium eius. Illo mortuo in montis supercilio, descendit cum Eleazaro.

And when he had stripped Aaron of his vestments, he vested Eleazar his son with them. And Aaron being dead in the top of the mountain, he came down with Eleazar.

29 Omnis autem multitudo videns occubuisse Aaron, flevit super eo triginta diebus per cunctas familias suas.

And all the multitude seeing that Aaron was dead, mourned for him thirty days throughout all their families.