< I Regum 18 >
1 Post dies multos factum est verbum Domini ad Eliam, in anno tertio dicens: Vade, et ostende te Achab, ut dem pluviam super faciem terræ.
After many days the word of the Lord came to Elias, in the third year, saying: Go and shew thyself to Achab, that I may give rain upon the face of the earth.
2 Ivit ergo Elias, ut ostenderet se Achab: erat autem fames vehemens in Samaria.
And Elias went to shew himself to Achab, and there was a grievous famine in Samaria.
3 Vocavitque Achab Abdiam dispensatorem domus suæ: Abdias autem timebat Dominum valde.
And Achab called Abdias the governor of his house: now Abdias feared the Lord very much.
4 Nam cum interficeret Iezabel prophetas Domini, tulit ille centum prophetas, et abscondit eos quinquagenos et quinquagenos in speluncis, et pavit eos pane et aqua.
For when Jezabel killed the prophets of the Lord, he took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifty and fifty in caves, and fed them with bread and water.
5 Dixit ergo Achab ad Abdiam: Vade in terram ad universos fontes aquarum, et in cunctas valles, si forte possimus invenire herbam, et salvare equos et mulos, et non penitus iumenta intereant.
And Achab said to Abdias: Go into the land unto all fountains of waters, and into all valleys, to see if we can find grass, and save the horses and mules, that the beasts may not utterly perish.
6 Diviseruntque sibi regiones, ut circuirent eas: Achab ibat per viam unam, et Abdias per viam alteram seorsum.
And they divided the countries between them, that they might go round about them: Achab went one way, and Abdias another way by himself.
7 Cumque esset Abdias in via, Elias occurrit ei: qui cum cognovisset eum, cecidit super faciem suam, et ait: Num tu es, domine mi, Elias?
And as Abdias was in the way, Elias met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said: Art thou my lord Elias?
8 Cui ille respondit: Ego. Vade, et dic domino tuo: Adest Elias.
And he answered: I am. Go, and tell thy master: Elias is here.
9 Et ille, Quid peccavi, inquit, quoniam tradis me servum tuum in manu Achab, ut interficiat me?
And he said: What have I sinned, that thou wouldst deliver me thy servant into the hand of Achab, that he should kill me?
10 Vivit Dominus Deus tuus, quia non est gens aut regnum, quo non miserit dominus meus te requirens: et respondentibus cunctis: Non est hic: adiuravit regna singula et gentes, eo quod minime reperireris.
As the Lord thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when all answered: He is not here: he took an oath of every kingdom and nation, because thou wast not found.
11 Et nunc tu dicis mihi: Vade, et dic domino tuo: Adest Elias.
And now thou sayest to me: Go, and tell thy master: Elias is here.
12 Cumque recessero a te, Spiritus Domini asportabit te in locum, quem ego ignoro: et ingressus nunciabo Achab, et non inveniens te, interficiet me: servus autem tuus timet Dominum ab infantia sua.
And when I am gone from thee, the spirit of the Lord will carry thee into a place that I know not: and I shall go in and tell Achab, and he not finding thee, will kill me: but thy servant feareth the Lord from his infancy.
13 Numquid non indicatum est tibi domino meo, quid fecerim cum interficeret Iezabel prophetas Domini, quod absconderim de prophetis Domini centum viros, quinquagenos et quinquagenos in speluncis, et paverim eos pane et aqua?
Hath it not been told thee, my lord, what I did when Jezabel killed the prophets of the Lord, how I hid a hundred men of the prophets of the Lord, by fifty and fifty in caves, and fed them with bread and water?
14 Et nunc tu dicis: Vade, et dic domino tuo: Adest Elias: ut interficiat me?
And now thou sayest: Go, and tell thy master: Elias is here: that he may kill me.
15 Et dixit Elias: Vivit Dominus exercituum, ante cuius vultum sto, quia hodie apparebo ei.
And Elias said: As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whose face I stand, this day I will shew myself unto him.
16 Abiit ergo Abdias in occursum Achab, et indicavit ei: venitque Achab in occursum Eliæ.
Abdias therefore went to meet Achab, and told him: and Achab came to meet Elias.
17 Et cum vidisset eum, ait: Tune es ille, qui conturbas Israel?
And when he had seen him, he said: Art thou he that troublest Israel?
18 Et ille ait: Non ego turbavi Israel, sed tu, et domus patris tui, qui dereliquistis mandata Domini, et secuti estis Baalim.
And he said: I have not troubled Israel, but thou and thy father’s house, who have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and have followed Baalim.
19 Verumtamen nunc mitte, et congrega ad me universum Israel in monte Carmeli, et prophetas Baal quadringentos quinquaginta, prophetasque lucorum quadringentos, qui comedunt de mensa Iezabel.
Nevertheless send now, and gather unto me all Israel, unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, who eat at Jezabel’s table.
20 Misit Achab ad omnes filios Israel, et congregavit prophetas in monte Carmeli.
Achab sent to all the children of Israel, and gathered together the prophets unto mount Carmel.
21 Accedens autem Elias ad omnem populum, ait: Usquequo claudicatis in duas partes? si Dominus est Deus, sequimini eum: si autem Baal, sequimini illum. Et non respondit ei populus verbum.
And Elias coming to all the people, said: How long do you halt between two sides? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people did not answer him a word.
22 Et ait rursus Elias ad populum: Ego remansi propheta Domini solus: prophetæ autem Baal quadringenti et quinquaginta viri sunt.
And Elias said again to the people: I only remain a prophet of the Lord: but the prophets of Baal are four hundred and fifty men.
23 Dentur nobis duo boves, et illi eligant sibi bovem unum, et in frustra cædentes ponant super ligna, ignem autem non supponant: et ego faciam bovem alterum, et imponam super ligna, ignem autem non supponam.
Let two bullocks be given us, and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces and lay it upon wood, but put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under it.
24 Invocate nomina deorum vestrorum, et ego invocabo nomen Domini mei: et Deus qui exaudierit per ignem, ipse sit Deus. Respondens omnis populus ait: Optima propositio.
Call ye on the names of your gods, and I will call on the name of my Lord: and the God that shall answer by fire, let him be God. And all the people answering said: A very good proposal.
25 Dixit ergo Elias prophetis Baal: Eligite vobis bovem unum, et facite primi, quia vos plures estis: et invocate nomina deorum vestrorum, ignemque non supponatis.
Then Elias said to the prophets of Baal: Choose you one bullock and dress it first, because you are many: and call on the names of your gods, but put no fire under.
26 Qui cum tulissent bovem, quem dederat ei, fecerunt: et invocabant nomen Baal de mane usque ad meridiem, dicentes: Baal exaudi nos. Et non erat vox, nec qui responderet: transiliebantque altare quod fecerant.
And they took the bullock which he gave them, and dressed it: and they called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying: O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered: and they leaped over the altar that they had made.
27 Cumque esset iam meridies, illudebat illis Elias, dicens: Clamate voce maiore: Deus enim est, et forsitan loquitur, aut in diversorio est, aut in itinere, aut certe dormit, ut excitetur.
And when it was now noon, Elias jested at them, saying: Cry with a louder voice: for he is a God, and perhaps he is talking, or is in an inn, or on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep, and must be awaked.
28 Clamabant ergo voce magna, et incidebant se iuxta ritum suum cultris et lanceolis, donec perfunderentur sanguine.
So they cried with a loud voice, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till they were all covered with blood.
29 Postquam autem transiit meridies, et illis prophetantibus venerat tempus, quo sacrificium offerri solet, nec audiebatur vox, nec aliquis respondebat, nec attendebat orantes:
And after midday was past, and while they were prophesying, the time was come of offering sacrifice, and there was no voice heard, nor did any one answer, nor regard them as they prayed:
30 dixit Elias omni populo: Venite ad me. Et accedente ad se populo, curavit altare Domini, quod destructum fuerat.
Elias said to all the people: Come ye unto me. And the people coming near unto him, he repaired the altar of the Lord, that was broken down:
31 Et tulit duodecim lapides iuxta numerum tribuum filiorum Iacob, ad quem factus est sermo Domini, dicens: Israel erit nomen tuum.
And he took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying: Israel shall be thy name.
32 Et ædificavit de lapidibus altare in nomine Domini: fecitque aquæductum, quasi per duas aratiunculas in circuitu altaris,
And he built with the stones an altar to the name of the Lord: and he made a trench for water, of the breadth of two furrows round about the altar.
33 et composuit ligna: divisitque per membra bovem, et posuit super ligna,
And he laid the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid it upon the wood.
34 et ait: Implete quattuor hydrias aqua, et fundite super holocaustum, et super ligna. Rursumque dixit: Etiam secundo hoc facite. Qui cum fecissent secundo, ait: Etiam tertio idipsum facite. Feceruntque tertio,
And he said: Fill four buckets with water, and pour it upon the burnt offering, and upon the wood. And again he said: Do the same the second time. And when they had done it the second time, he said: Do the same also the third time. And they did so the third time.
35 et currebant aquæ circum altare, et fossa aquæductus repleta est.
And the water run round about the altar, and the trench was filled with water.
36 Cumque iam tempus esset ut offerretur holocaustum, accedens Elias propheta, ait: Domine Deus Abraham, et Isaac, et Israel, ostende hodie quia tu es Deus Israel, et ego servus tuus, et iuxta præceptum tuum feci omnia verba hæc.
And when it was now time to offer the holocaust, Elias the prophet came near and said: O Lord God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Israel, shew this day that thou art the God of Israel, and I thy servant, and that according to thy commandment I have done all these things.
37 Exaudi me Domine, exaudi me: ut discat populus iste, quia tu es Dominus Deus, et tu convertisti cor eorum iterum.
Hear me, O Lord, hear me: that this people may learn, that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart again.
38 Cecidit autem ignis Domini, et voravit holocaustum, et ligna, et lapides, pulverem quoque, et aquam, quæ erat in aquæductu lambens.
Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the holocaust, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
39 Quod cum vidisset omnis populus, cecidit in faciem suam, et ait: Dominus ipse est Deus, Dominus ipse est Deus.
And when all the people saw this, they fell on their faces, and they said: The Lord he is God, the Lord he is God.
40 Dixitque Elias ad eos: Apprehendite prophetas Baal, et ne unus quidem effugiat ex eis. Quos cum apprehendissent, duxit eos Elias ad Torrentem cison, et interfecit eos ibi.
And Elias said to them: Take the prophets of Baal, and let not one of them escape. And when they had taken them, Elias brought them down to the torrent Cison, and killed them there.
41 Et ait Elias ad Achab: Ascende, comede, et bibe: quia sonus multæ pluviæ est.
And Elias said to Achab: Go up, eat, and drink: for there is a sound of abundance of rain.
42 Ascendit Achab ut comederet et biberet: Elias autem ascendit in verticem Carmeli, et pronus in terram posuit faciem suam inter genua sua,
Achab went up to eat and drink: and Elias went up to the top of Carmel, and casting himself down upon the earth put his face between his knees,
43 et dixit ad puerum suum: Ascende, et prospice contra mare. Qui cum ascendisset, et contemplatus esset, ait: Non est quidquam. Et rursum ait illi: Revertere septem vicibus.
And he said to his servant: Go up, and look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said: There is nothing. And again he said to him: Return seven times.
44 In septima autem vice, Ecce nubecula parva quasi vestigium hominis ascendebat de mari. Qui ait: Ascende, et dic Achab: Iunge currum tuum et descende, ne occupet te pluvia.
And at the seventh time, behold, a little cloud arose out of the sea like a man’s foot. And he said: Go up and say to Achab: Prepare thy chariot and go down, lest the rain prevent thee.
45 Cumque se verteret huc itaque illuc, ecce cæli contenebrati sunt, et nubes, et ventus, et facta est pluvia grandis. Ascendens itaque Achab abiit in Iezrahel:
And while he turned himself this way and that way, behold the heavens grew dark, with clouds, and wind, and there fell a great rain. And Achab getting up went away to Jezrahel:
46 et manus Domini facta est super Eliam, accinctisque lumbis currebat ante Achab, donec veniret in Iezrahel.
And the hand of the Lord was upon Elias, and he girded up his loins and ran before Achab, till he came to Jezrahel.