Exodus 3

1 Moyses autem pascebat oves Iethro soceri sui sacerdotis Madian: cumque minasset gregem ad interiora deserti, venit ad montem Dei Horeb.

Meanwhile, Moses was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.

2 Apparuitque ei Dominus in flamma ignis de medio rubi: et videbat quod rubus ardebat, et non combureretur.

There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from within a bush. Moses saw the bush ablaze with fire, but it was not consumed.

3 Dixit ergo Moyses: Vadam, et videbo visionem hanc magnam, quare non comburatur rubus.

So Moses thought, “I must go over and see this marvelous sight. Why is the bush not burning up?”

4 Cernens autem Dominus quod pergeret ad videndum, vocavit eum de medio rubi, et ait: Moyses, Moyses. Qui respondit: Adsum.

When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called out to him from within the bush, “Moses, Moses!” “Here I am,” he answered.

5 At ille: Ne appropies, inquit, huc: solve calceamentum de pedibus tuis: locus enim, in quo stas, terra sancta est.

“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”

6 Et ait: Ego sum Deus patris tui, Deus Abraham, Deus Isaac, et Deus Iacob. Abscondit Moyses faciem suam: non enim audebat aspicere contra Deum.

Then He said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

7 Cui ait Dominus: Vidi afflictionem populi mei in Aegypto, et clamorem eius audivi propter duritiam eorum qui praesunt operibus:

The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings.

8 et sciens dolorem eius, descendi ut liberem eum de manibus Aegyptiorum, et educam de terra illa in terram bonam, et spatiosam, in terram quae fluit lacte et melle, ad loca Chananaei, et Hethaei, et Amorrhaei, et Pherezaei, et Hevaei, et Iebusaei.

I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

9 Clamor ergo filiorum Israel venit ad me: vidique afflictionem eorum, qua ab Aegyptiis opprimuntur.

And now the cry of the Israelites has reached Me, and I have seen how severely the Egyptians are oppressing them.

10 Sed veni, et mittam te ad Pharaonem, ut educas populum meum, filios Israel de Aegypto.

Therefore, go! I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring My people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

11 Dixitque Moyses ad Deum: Quis sum ego ut vadam ad Pharaonem, et educam filios Israel de Aegypto?

But Moses asked God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

12 Qui dixit ei: Ego ero tecum: et hoc habebis signum, quod miserim te: Cum eduxeris populum meum de Aegypto, immolabis Deo super montem istum.

“I will surely be with you,” God said, “and this will be the sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, all of you will worship God on this mountain.”

13 Ait Moyses ad Deum: Ecce ego vadam ad filios Israel, et dicam eis: Deus patrum vestrorum misit me ad vos. Si dixerint mihi: Quod est nomen eius? quid dicam eis?

Then Moses asked God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is His name?’ What should I tell them?”

14 Dixit Dominus ad Moysen: EGO SUM QUI SUM. Ait: Sic dices filiis Israel: QUI EST, misit me ad vos.

God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

15 Dixitque iterum Deus ad Moysen: Haec dices filiis Israel: Dominus Deus patrum vestrorum, Deus Abraham, Deus Isaac, et Deus Iacob misit me ad vos: hoc nomen mihi est in aeternum, et hoc memoriale meum in generatione et generationem.

God also told Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered in every generation.

16 Vade, et congrega seniores Israel, et dices ad eos: Dominus Deus patrum vestrorum apparuit mihi, Deus Abraham, Deus Isaac, et Deus Iacob, dicens: Visitans visitavi vos, et vidi omnia quae acciderunt vobis in Aegypto:

Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—has appeared to me and said: I have surely attended to you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt.

17 Et dixi ut educam vos de afflictione Aegypti in terram Chananaei et Hethaei et Amorrhaei et Pherezaei et Hevaei et Iebusaei, ad terram fluentem lacte et melle.

And I have promised to bring you up out of your affliction in Egypt, into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey.’

18 Et audient vocem tuam: ingredierisque tu, et seniores Israel ad regem Aegypti, et dices ad eum: Dominus Deus Hebraeorum vocavit nos: ibimus viam trium dierum in solitudinem, ut immolemus Domino Deo nostro.

The elders of Israel will listen to what you say, and you must go with them to the king of Egypt and tell him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Now please let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness, so that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.’

19 Sed ego scio quod non dimittet vos rex Aegypti ut eatis nisi per manum validam.

But I know that the king of Egypt will not allow you to go unless a mighty hand compels him.

20 Extendamque manum meam, et percutiam Aegyptum in cunctis mirabilibus meis, quae facturus sum in medio eorum: post haec dimittet vos.

So I will stretch out My hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders I will perform among them. And after that, he will release you.

21 Daboque gratiam populo huic coram Aegyptiis: et cum egrediemini, non exibitis vacui:

And I will grant this people such favor in the sight of the Egyptians that when you leave, you will not go away empty-handed.

22 sed postulabit mulier a vicina sua, et ab hospita sua, vasa argentea et aurea, ac vestes: ponetisque eas super filios et filias vestras, et spoliabitis Aegyptum.

Every woman shall ask her neighbor and any woman staying in her house for silver and gold jewelry and clothing, and you will put them on your sons and daughters. So you will plunder the Egyptians.”