< Genesis 18 >

1 Apparuit autem ei Dominus in convalle Mambre sedenti in ostio tabernaculi sui in ipso fervore diei.
And God appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance to the tent in the heat of the day.
2 Cumque elevasset oculos, apparuerunt ei tres viri stantes prope eum: quos cum vidisset, cucurrit in occursum eorum de ostio tabernaculi sui, et adoravit in terram.
He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood opposite him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the entrance of the tent, and bowed himself to the earth,
3 Et dixit: Domine, si inveni gratiam in oculis tuis, ne transeas servum tuum:
and said, "My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please do not go on past your servant.
4 sed afferam pauxillum aquae, et laventur pedes vestri, et requiescite sub arbore.
Now let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
5 Ponamque buccellam panis, et confortetur cor vestrum, postea transibitis: idcirco enim declinastis ad servum vestrum. Qui dixerunt: Fac ut locutus es.
I will get a bit of food so you may refresh yourselves. After that you may go your way, now that you have come to your servant." They said, "Very well, do as you have said."
6 Festinavit Abraham in tabernaculum ad Saram, dixitque ei: Accelera, tria sata similae commisce, et fac subcinericios panes.
Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Quickly, get three measures of fine flour, knead it, and make bread."
7 Ipse vero ad armentum cucurrit, et tulit inde vitulum tenerrimum et optimum, deditque puero: qui festinavit, et coxit illum.
Abraham ran to the herd, and took a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant, and he hurried to prepare it.
8 Tulit quoque butyrum et lac, et vitulum quem coxerat, et posuit coram eis: ipse vero stabat iuxta eos sub arbore.
He took curds, milk, and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. He stood by them under the tree, and they ate.
9 Cumque comedissent, dixerunt ad eum: Ubi est Sara uxor tua? ille respondit: Ecce in tabernaculo est.
They said to him, "Where is Sarah, your wife? He said, "See, in the tent."
10 Cui dixit: Revertens veniam ad te tempore isto, vita comite, et habebit filium Sara uxor tua. Quo audito, Sara risit post ostium tabernaculi.
Then he said, "I will certainly return to you at the time of life. Look, Sarah your wife will have a son." Sarah heard from the entrance of the tent, which was behind him.
11 Erant autem ambo senes, provectaeque aetatis, et desierant Sarae fieri muliebria.
Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. Sarah was past the age of childbearing.
12 Quae risit occulte dicens: Postquam consenui, et dominus meus vetulus est, voluptati operam dabo?
Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my husband being old also?"
13 Dixit autem Dominus ad Abraham: Quare risit Sara, dicens: Num vere paritura sum anus?
And God said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Will I really bear a child when I am old?'
14 Numquid Deo quidquam est difficile? iuxta condictum revertar ad te hoc eodem tempore, vita comite, et habebit Sara filium.
Is anything too difficult for God? At the set time I will return to you, at the time of life, and Sarah will have a son."
15 Negavit Sara, dicens: Non risi, timore perterrita. Dominus autem: Non est, inquit, ita: sed risisti.
But Sarah denied it, saying, "I did not laugh," for she was afraid. He said, "No, but you did laugh."
16 Cum ergo surrexissent inde viri, direxerunt oculos contra Sodomam: et Abraham simul gradiebatur, deducens eos.
The men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way.
17 Dixitque Dominus: Num celare potero Abraham quae gesturus sum:
And God said, "Will I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,
18 cum futurus sit in gentem magnam, ac robustissimam, et BENEDICENDAe sint in illo omnes nationes terrae?
seeing that Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him?
19 Scio enim quod praecepturus sit filiis suis, et domui suae post se ut custodiant viam Domini, et faciant iudicium et iustitiam: ut adducat Dominus propter Abraham omnia quae locutus est ad eum.
For I have made myself known to him, so that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of God, to do righteousness and justice, so that God may bring to Abraham that which he has spoken to him."
20 Dixit itaque Dominus: Clamor Sodomorum et Gomorrhaeorum multiplicatus est, et peccatum eorum aggravatum est nimis.
And God said, "Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is so grievous,
21 Descendam, et videbo utrum clamorem qui venit ad me, opere compleverint: an non est ita, ut sciam.
I will go down now, and see whether they have done entirely according to the outcry which has come to me. And if not, I will know."
22 Converteruntque se inde, et abierunt Sodomam: Abraham vero adhuc stabat coram Domino.
The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before God.
23 Et appropinquans ait: Numquid perdes iustum cum impio?
Abraham drew near, and said, "Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
24 Si fuerint quinquaginta iusti in civitate, peribunt simul? et non parces loco illi propter quinquaginta iustos, si fuerint in eo?
What if there are fifty righteous within the city? Will you sweep it away and not spare the place for the fifty righteous who are in it?
25 Absit a te, ut rem hanc facias, et occidas iustum cum impio, fiatque iustus sicut impius, non est hoc tuum: qui iudicas omnem terram, nequaquam facies iudicium hoc.
Be it far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that be far from you. Shouldn't the Judge of all the earth do right?"
26 Dixitque Dominus ad eum: Si invenero Sodomis quinquaginta iustos in medio civitatis, dimittam omni loco propter eos.
And God said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake."
27 Respondensque Abraham, ait: Quia semel coepi, loquar ad Dominum meum, cum sim pulvis et cinis.
Abraham answered, "Look, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes.
28 Quid si minus quinquaginta iustis quinque fuerint? delebis, quia quadraginta quinque, universam urbem? Et ait: Non delebo, si invenero ibi quadraginta quinque.
What if there will lack five of the fifty righteous? Will you destroy all the city for lack of five?" He said, "I will not destroy it, if I find forty-five there."
29 Rursumque locutus est ad eum: Sin autem quadraginta ibi inventi fuerint, quid facies? Ait: Non percutiam propter quadraginta.
He spoke to him yet again, and said, "What if there are forty found there?" He said, "I will not do it for the forty's sake."
30 Ne quaeso, inquit, indigneris Domine, si loquar: Quid si ibi inventi fuerint triginta? Respondit: Non faciam, si invenero ibi triginta.
He said, "Oh do not let the Lord be angry, and I will speak. What if there are thirty found there?" He said, "I will not do it, if I find thirty there."
31 Quia semel, ait, coepi loquar ad Dominum meum: Quid si ibi inventi fuerint viginti? Ait: Non interficiam propter viginti.
He said, "Look, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord. What if there are twenty found there?" He said, "I will not destroy it for the twenty's sake."
32 Obsecro, inquit, ne irascaris Domine, si loquar adhuc semel: Quid si inventi fuerint ibi decem? Et dixit: Non delebo propter decem.
He said, "Oh do not let the Lord be angry, and I will speak just once more. What if ten are found there?" He said, "I will not destroy it for the ten's sake."
33 Abiitque Dominus, postquam cessavit loqui ad Abraham: et ille reversus est in locum suum.
When he finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned to his place.

< Genesis 18 >