Exodus 19
1 Mense tertio egressionis Israël de terra Ægypti, in die hac venerunt in solitudinem Sinai.
Two months to the day after they left Egypt, the Israelites arrived at the Sinai desert.
2 Nam profecti de Raphidim, et pervenientes usque in desertum Sinai, castrametati sunt in eodem loco, ibique Israël fixit tentoria e regione montis.
They had set out from Rephidim, and after they entered the Sinai desert they camped there in front of the mountain.
3 Moyses autem ascendit ad Deum: vocavitque eum Dominus de monte, et ait: Hæc dices domui Jacob, et annuntiabis filiis Israël:
Moses went up the mountain to God. The Lord spoke to Moses from the mountain, and told him, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob, the Israelites:
4 Vos ipsi vidistis quæ fecerim Ægyptiis, quomodo portaverim vos super alas aquilarum, et assumpserim mihi.
‘You saw for yourselves what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles' wings, how I brought you to myself.
5 Si ergo audieritis vocem meam, et custodieritis pactum meum, eritis mihi in peculium de cunctis populis: mea est enim omnis terra:
Now if you really obey what I say and keep the agreement with me, then out of all the nations you will be a special people that belong to me. While the whole world is mine,
6 et vos eritis mihi in regnum sacerdotale, et gens sancta. Hæc sunt verba quæ loqueris ad filios Israël.
for me you will be a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.’ This is what you are to tell the Israelites.”
7 Venit Moyses: et convocatis majoribus natu populi, exposuit omnes sermones quos mandaverat Dominus.
So Moses went back down and summoned the elders of the people, and presented to them everything the Lord had ordered him to say.
8 Responditque omnis populus simul: Cuncta quæ locutus est Dominus, faciemus. Cumque retulisset Moyses verba populi ad Dominum,
Everyone answered, “We promise to do everything the Lord says.” Then Moses took the people's answer back to the Lord.
9 ait ei Dominus: Jam nunc veniam ad te in caligine nubis, ut audiat me populus loquentem ad te, et credat tibi in perpetuum. Nuntiavit ergo Moyses verba populi ad Dominum.
The Lord told Moses, “Look! I'm going to come to you in a thick cloud so the people will hear me speaking with you and as a result they will always trust you.” Then Moses reported to the Lord what the people had said.
10 Qui dixit ei: Vade ad populum, et sanctifica illos hodie, et cras, laventque vestimenta sua.
The Lord told Moses, “Go back down and prepare them spiritually today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes
11 Et sint parati in diem tertium: in die enim tertia descendet Dominus coram omni plebe super montem Sinai.
and be ready on the third day because that is when the Lord will descend upon Mount Sinai in the full view of everyone.
12 Constituesque terminos populo per circuitum, et dices ad eos: Cavete ne ascendatis in montem, nec tangatis fines illius: omnis qui tetigerit montem, morte morietur.
Set up a boundary for the people all around and warn them, ‘Watch out! Don't try to go up the mountain—don't even touch it! For anyone who touches the mountain will most certainly be killed. Don't touch any person or any animal that has touched the mountain.
13 Manus non tanget eum, sed lapidibus opprimetur, aut confodietur jaculis: sive jumentum fuerit, sive homo, non vivet: cum cœperit clangere buccina, tunc ascendant in montem.
Make sure they are stoned or shot with arrows—they must not be allowed to live.’ Only when there is a long blast on the ram's horn can the people come up the mountain.”
14 Descenditque Moyses de monte ad populum, et sanctificavit eum. Cumque lavissent vestimenta sua,
Moses went down the mountain and prepared the people spiritually and they washed their clothes.
15 ait ad eos: Estote parati in diem tertium, et ne appropinquetis uxoribus vestris.
He instructed the people, “Get ready for the third day, and don't be intimate with a woman.”
16 Jamque advenerat tertius dies, et mane inclaruerat: et ecce cœperunt audiri tonitrua, ac micare fulgura, et nubes densissima operire montem, clangorque buccinæ vehementius perstrepebat: et timuit populus qui erat in castris.
When morning came on the third day there was thunder and lightning, and a thick cloud covered the mountain. There was the very loud sound of a ram's horn, and everyone in the camp shook with fear.
17 Cumque eduxisset eos Moyses in occursum Dei de loco castrorum, steterunt ad radices montis.
Moses led the people out from the camp to meet God. They stood at the foot of the mountain.
18 Totus autem mons Sinai fumabat, eo quod descendisset Dominus super eum in igne: et ascenderet fumus ex eo quasi de fornace, eratque omnis mons terribilis.
Smoke poured out over the whole of Mount Sinai because the Lord's presence had come down like fire. The smoke rose up like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain shook furiously.
19 Et sonitus buccinæ paulatim crescebat in majus, et prolixius tendebatur: Moyses loquebatur, et Deus respondebat ei.
As the sound of the ram's horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in a loud, thunderous voice.
20 Descenditque Dominus super montem Sinai in ipso montis vertice, et vocavit Moysen in cacumen ejus. Quo cum ascendisset,
The Lord descended on the top of Mount Sinai, and he called Moses to come up there. So Moses went up,
21 dixit ad eum: Descende, et contestare populum: ne forte velit transcendere terminos ad videndum Dominum, et pereat ex eis plurima multitudo.
and the Lord told him, “Go back down, and warn the people not to force their way across the boundary to try to come to the Lord or they will die.
22 Sacerdotes quoque qui accedunt ad Dominum, sanctificentur, ne percutiat eos.
Even the priests, who come before the Lord, must prepare themselves spiritually, so that the Lord does not punish them.”
23 Dixitque Moyses ad Dominum: Non poterit vulgus ascendere in montem Sinai: tu enim testificatus es, et jussisti, dicens: Pone terminos circa montem, et sanctifica illum.
But Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai. You yourself warned us, ‘Set up a boundary around the mountain, and treat it as holy.’”
24 Cui ait Dominus: Vade, descende: ascendesque tu, et Aaron tecum: sacerdotes autem et populus ne transeant terminos, nec ascendant ad Dominum, ne forte interficiat illos.
The Lord told him, “Go down and bring Aaron back up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way to come up to the Lord, or he will punish them.”
25 Descenditque Moyses ad populum, et omnia narravit eis.
So Moses went down and explained to the people what the Lord had said.
