Exodus 1
1 Haec sunt nomina filiorum Israel qui ingressi sunt in Aegyptum cum Iacob: singuli cum domibus suis introierunt:
These are the names of the sons of Israel, who went into Egypt with Jacob. They entered, each one with his house:
2 Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Iudas,
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah,
3 Issachar, Zabulon et Beniamin,
Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,
4 Dan, et Nephthali, Gad, et Aser.
Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.
5 Erant igitur omnes animae eorum qui egressi sunt de femore Iacob, septuaginta: Ioseph autem in Aegypto erat.
Therefore, all the souls of those who went forth from Jacob’s thigh were seventy. Now Joseph was in Egypt.
6 Quo mortuo, et universis fratribus eius, omnique cognatione sua,
When he had died, along with all of his brothers and all of that generation,
7 filii Israel creverunt, et quasi germinantes multiplicati sunt: ac roborati nimis, impleverunt terram.
the sons of Israel increased, and they multiplied like seedlings. And having been strengthened exceedingly, they filled the land.
8 Surrexit interea rex novus super Aegyptum, qui ignorabat Ioseph:
Meanwhile, there arose a new king over Egypt, who was ignorant of Joseph.
9 et ait ad populum suum: Ecce, populus filiorum Israel multus, et fortior nobis est.
And he said to his people: “Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are many, and they are stronger than we are.
10 Venite, sapienter opprimamus eum, ne forte multiplicetur: et si ingruerit contra nos bellum, addatur inimicis nostris, expugnatisque nobis egrediatur de terra.
Come, let us wisely oppress them, lest they multiply; and if any war should advance against us, they may be added to our enemies, and having fought against us, they might depart from the land.”
11 Praeposuit itaque eis magistros operum, ut affligerent eos oneribus: aedificaveruntque urbes tabernaculorum Pharaoni, Phithom, et Ramesses.
And so he set over them masters of the works, in order to afflict them with burdens. And they built for Pharaoh the cities of the tabernacles: Pithom and Raamses.
12 Quantoque opprimebant eos, tanto magis multiplicabantur, et crescebant:
And the more they oppressed them, so much more did they multiply and increase.
13 oderantque filios Israel Aegyptii, et affligebant illudentes eis:
And the Egyptians hated the sons of Israel, and they afflicted them and mocked them.
14 atque ad amaritudinem perducebant vitam eorum operibus duris luti, et lateris, omnique famulatu, quo in terrae operibus premebantur.
And they led their life directly into bitterness, with hard work in clay and brick, and with all kinds of servitude, so that they were being overwhelmed with the works of the land.
15 Dixit autem Rex Aegypti obstetricibus Hebraeorum: quarum una vocabatur Sephora, altera Phua,
Then the king of Egypt spoke to the midwives of the Hebrews, (one of whom one was called Shiphrah, another Puah)
16 praecipiens eis: Quando obstetricabitis Hebraeas, et partus tempus advenerit: si masculus fuerit, interficite eum: si femina, reservate.
instructing them: “When you will act as a midwife to the Hebrew women, and the time of delivery has arrived: if it is male, put it to death; if it is female, retain it.”
17 Timuerunt autem obstetrices Deum, et non fecerunt iuxta praeceptum regis Aegypti, sed conservabant mares.
But the midwives feared God, and so they did not act according to the precept of the king of Egypt, but they kept the males safe.
18 Quibus accersitis ad se, rex ait: Quidnam est hoc quod facere voluistis, ut pueros servaretis?
And summoning them, the king said, “What did you intend to do, so that you would save the boys?”
19 Quae responderunt: Non sunt Hebreae sicut Aegyptiae mulieres: ipsae enim obstetricandi habent scientiam, et priusquam veniamus ad eas, pariunt.
They responded: “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women. For they themselves have the wisdom of a midwife, and so they give birth before we can come to them.”
20 Bene ergo fecit Deus obstetricibus: et crevit populus, confortatusque est nimis.
Therefore, God acted favorably toward the midwives. And the people increased, and they were strengthened exceedingly.
21 Et quia timuerunt obstetrices Deum, aedificavit eis domos.
And because the midwives feared God, he built houses for them.
22 Praecepit ergo Pharao omni populo suo, dicens: Quidquid masculini sexus natum fuerit, in flumen proiicite: quidquid feminini, reservate.
Therefore, Pharaoh instructed all his people, saying: “Whatever will be born of the male sex, cast it into the river; whatever will be born of the female sex, retain it.”
