Liber Numeri 11

1 Interea ortum est murmur populi, quasi dolentium pro labore, contra Dominum. Quod cum audisset Dominus, iratus est. Et accensus in eos ignis Domini devoravit extremam castrorum partem.

And the people were as murmurers, speaking evil in the ears of the LORD; and when the LORD heard it, His anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and devoured in the uttermost part of the camp.

2 Cumque clamasset populus ad Moysen, oravit Moyses ad Dominum, et absorptus est ignis.

And the people cried unto Moses; and Moses prayed unto the LORD, and the fire abated.

3 Vocavitque nomen loci illius, Incensio: eo quod incesus fuisset contra eos ignis Domini.

And the name of that place was called Taberah, because the fire of the LORD burnt among them.

4 Vulgus quippe promiscuum, quod ascenderat cum eis, flagravit desiderio, sedens et flens, iunctis sibi pariter filiis Israel, et ait: Quis dabit nobis ad vescendum carnes?

And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting; and the children of Israel also wept on their part, and said: 'Would that we were given flesh to eat!

5 Recordamur piscium quos comedebamus in Ægypto gratis: in mentem nobis veniunt cucumeres, et pepones, porrique, et cepe, et allia.

We remember the fish, which we were wont to eat in Egypt for nought; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic;

6 Anima nostra arida est, nihil aliud respiciunt oculi nostri nisi Man.

but now our soul is dried away; there is nothing at all; we have nought save this manna to look to.' —

7 Erat autem Man quasi semen coriandri, coloris bdellii.

Now the manna was like coriander seed, and the appearance thereof as the appearance of bdellium.

8 Circuibatque populus, et colligens illud, frangebat mola, sive terebat in mortario, coquens in olla, et faciens ex eo tortulas saporis quasi panis oleati.

The people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in mortars, and seethed it in pots, and made cakes of it; and the taste of it was as the taste of a cake baked with oil.

9 Cumque descederet nocte super castra ros, descendebat pariter et Man.

And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it. —

10 Audivit ergo Moyses flentem populum per familias, singulos per ostia tentorii sui. Iratusque est furor Domini valde: sed et Moysi intoleranda res visa est.

And Moses heard the people weeping, family by family, every man at the door of his tent; and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; and Moses was displeased.

11 et ait ad Dominum: Cur afflixisti servum tuum? quare non invenio gratiam coram te? et cur imposuisti pondus universi populi huius super me?

And Moses said unto the LORD: 'Wherefore hast Thou dealt ill with Thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in Thy sight, that Thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?

12 Numquid ego concepi omnem hanc multitudinem, vel genui eam, ut dicas mihi: Porta eos in sinu tuo sicut portare solet nutrix infantulum, et defer in terram, pro qua iurasti patribus eorum?

Have I conceived all this people? have I brought them forth, that Thou shouldest say unto me: Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing-father carrieth the sucking child, unto the land which Thou didst swear unto their fathers?

13 Unde mihi carnes ut dem tantæ multitudini? flent contra me, dicentes: Da nobis carnes ut comedamus.

Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they trouble me with their weeping, saying: Give us flesh, that we may eat.

14 Non possum solus sustinere omnem hunc populum, quia gravis est mihi.

I am not able to bear all this people myself alone, because it is too heavy for me.

15 Sin aliter tibi videtur, obsecro ut interficias me, et inveniam gratiam in oculis tuis, ne tantis afficiar malis.

And if Thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray Thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in Thy sight; and let me not look upon my wretchedness.'

16 Et dixit Dominus ad Moysen: Congrega mihi septuaginta viros de senibus Israel, quos tu nosti quod senes populi sint ac magistri: et duces eos ad ostium tabernaculi fœderis, faciesque ibi stare tecum,

And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Gather unto Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tent of meeting, that they may stand there with thee.

17 ut descendam et loquar tibi: et auferam de spiritu tuo, tradamque eis, ut sustentent tecum onus populi, et non tu solus graveris.

And I will come down and speak with thee there; and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.

18 Populo quoque dices: Sanctificamini: cras comedetis carnes. ego enim audivi vos dicere: Quis dabit nobis escas carnium? bene nobis erat in Ægypto. Ut det vobis Dominus carnes, et comedatis:

And say thou unto the people: Sanctify yourselves against to-morrow, and ye shall eat flesh; for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying: Would that we were given flesh to eat! for it was well with us in Egypt; therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall eat.

19 non uno die, nec duobus, vel quinque aut decem, nec viginti quidem,

Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days;

20 sed usque ad mensem dierum, donec exeat per nares vestras, et vertatur in nauseam, eo quod replueritis Dominum, qui in medio vestri est, et fleveritis coram eo, dicentes: Quare egressi sumus ex Ægypto?

but a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you; because that ye have rejected the LORD who is among you, and have troubled Him with weeping, saying: Why, now, came we forth out of Egypt?'

21 Et ait Moyses: Sexcenta millia peditum huius populi sunt. et tu dicis: Dabo eis esum carnium mense integro?

And Moses said: 'The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand men on foot; and yet Thou hast said: I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month!

22 Numquid ovium et boum multitudo cædetur, ut possit sufficere ad cibum? vel omnes pisces maris in unum congregabuntur, ut eos satient?

If flocks and herds be slain for them, will they suffice them? or if all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, will they suffice them?'

23 Cui respondit Dominus: Numquid manus Domini invalida est? Iam nunc videbis utrum meus sermo opere compleatur.

And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Is the LORD'S hand waxed short? now shalt thou see whether My word shall come to pass unto thee or not.'

24 Venit igitur Moyses, et narravit populo verba Domini, congregans septuaginta viros de senibus Israel, quos stare fecit circa tabernaculum.

And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the LORD; and he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the Tent.

25 Descenditque Dominus per nubem, et locutus est ad eum, auferens de spiritu qui erat in Moyse, et dans septuaginta viris. Cumque requievisset in eis Spiritus, prophetaverunt, nec ultra cessaverunt.

And the LORD came down in the cloud, and spoke unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and put it upon the seventy elders; and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, but they did so no more.

26 Remanserat autem in castris duo viri, quorum unus vocabatur Eldad, et alter Medad, super quos requievit Spiritus. nam et ipsi descripti fuerant, et non exierant ad tabernaculum.

But there remained two men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad; and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were recorded, but had not gone out unto the Tent; and they prophesied in the camp.

27 Cumque prophetarent in castris, cucurrit puer, et nunciavit Moysi, dicens: Eldad et Medad prophetant in castris.

And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said: 'Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.'

28 Statim Iosue filius Nun, minister Moysi, et electus e pluribus, ait: Domine mi Moyses prohibe eos.

And Joshua the son of Nun, the minister of Moses from his youth up, answered and said: 'My lord Moses, shut them in.'

29 At ille: Quid, inquit, æmularis pro me? quis tribuat ut omnis populus prophetet, et det eis Dominus Spiritum suum?

And Moses said unto him: 'Art thou jealous for my sake? would that all the LORD'S people were prophets, that the LORD would put His spirit upon them!'

30 Reversusque est Moyses, et maiores natu Israel in castra.

And Moses withdrew into the camp, he and the elders of Israel.

31 Ventus autem egrediens a Domino arreptans trans mare coturnices detulit, et demisit in castra itinere quantum uno die confici potest, ex omni parte castrorum per circuitum, volabantque in aere duobus cubitis altitudine super terram.

And there went forth a wind from the LORD, and brought across quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, about a day's journey on this side, and a day's journey on the other side, round about the camp, and about two cubits above the face of the earth.

32 Surgens ergo populus toto die illo, et nocte, ac die altero, congregavit coturnicum, qui parum, decem coros: et siccaverunt eas per gyrum castrorum.

And the people rose up all that day, and all the night, and all the next day, and gathered the quails; he that gathered least gathered ten heaps; and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp.

33 Adhuc carnes erant in dentibus eorum, nec defecerat huiuscemodi cibus: et ecce furor Domini concitatus in populum, percussit eum plaga magna nimis.

While the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the anger of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague.

34 Vocatusque est ille locus, Sepulchra concupiscentiæ: ibi enim sepelierunt populum qui desideraverat.

And the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people that lusted.

35 Egressi autem de Sepulchris concupiscentiæ, venerunt in Haseroth, et manserunt ibi.

From Kibroth-hattaavah the people journeyed unto Hazeroth; and they abode at Hazeroth.