< Liber Numeri 20 >

1 Veneruntque filii Israël et omnis multitudo in desertum Sin, mense primo, et mansit populus in Cades. Mortuaque est ibi Maria, et sepulta in eodem loco.
In March/April [of the next year], the Israeli people traveled/walked to the Zin Desert and (camped/set up their tents) near Kadesh [town]. While they/we were there, [Moses’/my older sister] Miriam died and was buried there.
2 Cumque indigeret aqua populus, convenerunt adversum Moysen et Aaron:
There was no water for the people to drink there, so they came to Aaron and Moses/me.
3 et versi in seditionem, dixerunt: Utinam periissemus inter fratres nostros coram Domino.
They complained and said, “We wish that we had died in front of Yahweh’s Sacred Tent when our fellow Israelis died!
4 Cur eduxistis ecclesiam Domini in solitudinem, ut et nos et nostra jumenta moriamur?
(Did you bring us, who are Yahweh’s people, into this desert to die along with our livestock?/You brought us, who are Yahweh’s people, into this desert to die along with our livestock!) [RHQ]
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 did you bring us from Egypt to this miserable place [RHQ]? There is no grain, there are no figs, no grapes, and no pomegranates here. And there is no water for us to drink!”
6 Ingressusque Moyses et Aaron, dimissa multitudine, tabernaculum fœderis, corruerunt proni in terram, clamaveruntque ad Dominum, atque dixerunt: Domine Deus, audi clamorem hujus populi, et aperi eis thesaurum tuum fontem aquæ vivæ, ut satiati, cesset murmuratio eorum. Et apparuit gloria Domini super eos.
Aaron and Moses/I turned away from the people and went to the entrance of the Sacred Tent and prostrated themselves/ourselves on the ground. Then Yahweh appeared to them/us with his bright glory,
7 Locutusque est Dominus ad Moysen, dicens:
and he said to Moses/me,
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 jumenta ejus.
“You and Aaron must take Aaron’s walking stick with you and gather all the people together. While the people are watching, command that water will flow out of that [large] rock over there. Water for the people will flow from it; all they and all their livestock will have enough water to drink.”
9 Tulit igitur Moyses virgam, quæ erat in conspectu Domini, sicut præceperat ei,
So Moses/I did what Yahweh told him/me to do. He/I took Aaron’s walking stick from the place in the Sacred Tent where it was kept.
10 congregata multitudine ante petram: dixitque eis: Audite, rebelles et increduli: num de petra hac vobis aquam poterimus ejicere?
Then Aaron and he/I summoned all the people to gather at the rock. Then Moses/I shouted to them, “All you rebellious people, listen! Is it necessary for us to give you water from this rock?”
11 Cumque elevasset Moyses manum, percutiens virga bis silicem, egressæ sunt aquæ largissimæ, ita ut populus biberet et jumenta.
Then Moses/I raised his/my hand and [instead of speaking to the rock], he/I struck the rock two times with the walking stick. And water gushed/poured out. So all the people and their livestock drank all the water that they wanted.
12 Dixitque Dominus ad Moysen et Aaron: Quia non credidistis mihi, ut sanctificaretis me coram filiis Israël, non introducetis hos populos in terram, quam dabo eis.
But Yahweh said to Aaron and Moses/me, “You did not believe that I could demonstrate my power to the Israeli people [and give them water without your striking the rock]. So you will not lead them into the land that I am giving to them!”
13 Hæc est aqua contradictionis, ubi jurgati sunt filii Israël contra Dominum, et sanctificatus est in eis.
Later this place was called Meribah, [which means ‘arguing’], because there the Israeli people argued with Yahweh, and there he showed his power to them [by giving them water].
14 Misit interea nuntios Moyses de Cades ad regem Edom, qui dicerent: Hæc mandat frater tuus Israël: Nosti omnem laborem qui apprehendit nos,
[While the people were] at Kadesh [town], Moses/I sent messengers to the king of Edom to tell him this: “Your relatives, the Israeli people, are sending you this message. You know the many troubles/hardships that have happened to us.
15 quomodo descenderint patres nostri in Ægyptum, et habitaverimus ibi multo tempore, afflixerintque nos Ægyptii, et patres nostros:
You know that our ancestors went down to Egypt. You know that they stayed there for many years. They suffered because the [rulers of] Egypt caused them to become their slaves [and to work very hard].
16 et quomodo clamaverimus ad Dominum, et exaudierit nos, miseritque angelum, qui eduxerit nos de Ægypto. Ecce in urbe Cades, quæ est in extremis finibus tuis, positi,
“But when they called out to Yahweh, he heard them and sent an angel who brought them out of Egypt. Now we have set up our tents here at Kadesh, a town at the border of your land.
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.
Please allow us to travel through your country. We will [be careful to] not walk through your fields and your vineyards. We will not even drink water from your wells. As we travel, we will stay on the king’s highway, [the main road that goes from the south to the north], and we will not leave that road until we have crossed the border [of your country in the north].”
18 Cui respondit Edom: Non transibis per me, alioquin armatus occurram tibi.
But the king of Edom refused. He replied, “Stay out of my country! If you try [to enter it], I will [send my army to] attack you!”
19 Dixeruntque filii Israël: Per tritam gradiemur viam: et si biberimus aquas tuas, nos et pecora nostra, dabimus quod justum est: nulla erit in pretio difficultas, tantum velociter transeamus.
The Israeli messengers replied, “[If we travel through your country], we will stay on the main road. If we and any of our livestock drink any of your water, we will pay for it. We want only to travel through your country. We do not want anything else.”
20 At ille respondit: Non transibis. Statimque egressus est obvius, cum infinita multitudo, et manu forti,
But the king replied, “No! Stay out of our country! We will not [allow you] to travel through our land!” Then he sent the strongest soldiers in his army to prevent the Israelis [from entering his country].
21 nec voluit acquiescere deprecanti, ut concederet transitum per fines suos. Quam ob rem divertit ab eo Israël.
So, because [the king of] Edom refused to allow the Israelis to travel through his country, the Israelis turned [and traveled a different way].
22 Cumque castra movissent de Cades, venerunt in montem Hor, qui est in finibus terræ Edom:
The Israeli people left Kadesh. They went to Hor Mountain,
23 ubi locutus est Dominus ad Moysen:
[which is at the border of Edom]. While they were there, Yahweh said to Aaron and Moses/me,
24 Pergat, inquit, Aaron ad populos suos: non enim intrabit terram, quam dedi filiis Israël, eo quod incredulus fuerit ori meo, ad aquas contradictionis.
“It is time for Aaron to die [EUP]. He will not enter the land that I am giving to you Israelis, because the two of you disobeyed me [when I told you to speak to the rock to cause] the water [to flow] at Meribah.
25 Tolle Aaron et filium ejus cum eo, et duces eos in montem Hor.
Now you, Moses, take Aaron and his son Eleazar up on Hor Mountain.
26 Cumque nudaveris patrem veste sua, indues ea Eleazarum filium ejus: Aaron colligetur, et morietur ibi.
There you must remove Aaron’s robes [that he wears when he does the work of a priest], and put them on his son, Eleazar. Aaron will die up there.”
27 Fecit Moyses ut præceperat Dominus: et ascenderunt in montem Hor coram omni multitudine.
So Moses/I did what Yahweh commanded. The three of them/us climbed up Hor Mountain, while all the Israeli people watched.
28 Cumque Aaron spoliasset vestibus suis, induit eis Eleazarum filium ejus. Illo mortuo in montis supercilio, descendit cum Eleazaro.
At the top of the mountain, Moses/I took off the robes that Aaron wore [while he did the work of a priest] and put them on Eleazar. Then Aaron died there on the top of the mountain, and Eleazar and Moses/I went back down.
29 Omnis autem multitudo videns occubuisse Aaron, flevit super eo triginta diebus per cunctas familias suas.
When the Israeli people realized that Aaron had died, they all mourned for him for 30 days.

< Liber Numeri 20 >