Genesis 24
1 Erat autem Abraham senex, dierumque multorum: et Dominus in cunctis benedixerat ei.
And Abraham was old, well stricken in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.
2 Dixitque ad servum seniorem domus suae, qui praeerat omnibus quae habebat: Pone manum tuam subter femur meum,
And Abraham said unto his servant, the elder of his house, that ruled over all that he had: 'Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh.
3 ut adiurem te per Dominum, Deum caeli et terrae, ut non accipias uxorem filio meo de filiabus Chananaeorum, inter quos habito:
And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell.
4 sed ad terram et cognationem meam proficiscaris, et inde accipias uxorem filio meo Isaac.
But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son, even for Isaac.'
5 Respondit servus: Si noluerit mulier venire mecum in terram hanc, numquid reducere debeo filium tuum ad locum, de quo egressus es?
And the servant said unto him: 'Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land; must I needs bring thy son back unto the land from whence thou camest?'
6 Dixitque Abraham: Cave nequando reducas filium meum illuc.
And Abraham said unto him: 'Beware thou that thou bring not my son back thither.
7 Dominus Deus caeli, qui tulit me de domo patris mei, et de terra nativitatis meae, qui locutus est mihi, et iuravit mihi, dicens: Semini tuo dabo terram hanc: ipse mittet Angelum suum coram te, et accipies inde uxorem filio meo:
The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house, and from the land of my nativity, and who spoke unto me, and who swore unto me, saying: Unto thy seed will I give this land; He will send His angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife for my son from thence.
8 sin autem mulier noluerit sequi te, non teneberis iuramento: filium meum tantum ne reducas illuc.
And if the woman be not willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath; only thou shalt not bring my son back thither.'
9 Posuit ergo servus manum sub femore Abraham domini sui, et iuravit illi super sermone hoc.
And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.
10 Tulitque decem camelos de grege domini sui, et abiit, ex omnibus bonis eius portans secum, profectusque perrexit in Mesopotamiam ad urbem Nachor.
And the servant took ten camels, of the camels of his master, and departed; having all goodly things of his master's in his hand; and he arose, and went to Aram-naharaim, unto the city of Nahor.
11 Cumque camelos fecisset accumbere extra oppidum iuxta puteum aquae vespere, tempore quo solent mulieres egredi ad hauriendam aquam, dixit:
And he made the camels to kneel down without the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time that women go out to draw water.
12 Domine Deus domini mei Abraham, occurre, obsecro, mihi hodie, et fac misericordiam cum domino meo Abraham.
And he said: 'O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, send me, I pray Thee, good speed this day, and show kindness unto my master Abraham.
13 Ecce ego sto prope fontem aquae, et filiae habitatorum huius civitatis egredientur ad hauriendam aquam.
Behold, I stand by the fountain of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water.
14 Igitur puella, cui ego dixero: Inclina hydriam tuam ut bibam: et illa responderit, Bibe, quin et camelis tuis dabo potum: ipsa est, quam praeparasti servo tuo Isaac: et per hoc intelligam quod feceris misericordiam cum domino meo.
So let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say: Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say: Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also; let the same be she that Thou hast appointed for Thy servant, even for Isaac; and thereby shall I know that Thou hast shown kindness unto my master.'
15 Necdum intra se verba compleverat, et ecce Rebecca egrediebatur, filia Bathuel, filii Melchae uxoris Nachor fratris Abraham, habens hydriam in scapula sua:
And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.
16 puella decora nimis, virgoque pulcherrima, et incognita viro: descenderat autem ad fontem, et impleverat hydriam, ac revertebatur.
And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her; and she went down to the fountain, and filled her pitcher, and came up.
17 Occurritque ei servus, et ait: Pauxillum aquae mihi ad bibendum praebe de hydria tua.
And the servant ran to meet her, and said: 'Give me to drink, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher.'
18 Quae respondit: Bibe domine mi. celeriterque deposuit hydriam super ulnam suam, et dedit ei potum.
And she said: 'Drink, my lord'; and she hastened, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.
19 Cumque ille bibisset, adiecit: Quin et camelis tuis hauriam aquam, donec cuncti bibant.
And when she had done giving him drink, she said: 'I will draw for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.'
20 Effundensque hydriam in canalibus, recurrit ad puteum ut hauriret aquam: et haustam omnibus camelis dedit.
And she hastened, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw, and drew for all his camels.
21 Ipse autem contemplabatur eam tacitus, scire volens utrum prosperum iter suum fecisset Deus, an non.
And the man looked stedfastly on her; holding his peace, to know whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.
22 Postquam autem biberunt cameli, protulit vir inaures aureas, appendentes siclos duos, et armillas totidem pondo siclorum decem.
And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden ring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold;
23 Dixitque ad eam: Cuius es filia? indica mihi: est in domo patris tui locus ad manendum?
and said: 'Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee. Is there room in thy father's house for us to lodge in?'
24 Quae respondit: Filia sum Bathuelis, filii Nachor, quem peperit ei Melcha.
And she said unto him: 'I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore unto Nahor.'
25 Et addidit, dicens: Palearum quoque et foeni plurimum est apud nos, et locus spatiosus ad manendum.
She said moreover unto him: 'We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in.'
26 Inclinavit se homo, et adoravit Dominum,
And the man bowed his head, and prostrated himself before the LORD.
27 dicens: Benedictus Dominus Deus domini mei Abraham, qui non abstulit misericordiam et veritatem suam a domino meo, et recto itinere me perduxit in domum fratris domini mei.
And he said: 'Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who hath not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master; as for me, the LORD hath led me in the way to the house of my master's brethren.'
28 Cucurrit itaque puella, et nunciavit in domum matris suae omnia quae audierat.
And the damsel ran, and told her mother's house according to these words.
29 Habebat autem Rebecca fratrem nomine Laban, qui festinus egressus est ad hominem, ubi erat fons.
And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban; and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the fountain.
30 Cumque vidisset inaures et armillas in manibus sororis suae, et audisset cuncta verba referentis: Haec locutus est mihi homo: venit ad virum, qui stabat iuxta camelos, et prope fontem aquae:
And it came to pass, when he saw the ring, and the bracelets upon his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying: 'Thus spoke the man unto me,' that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the fountain.
31 dixitque ad eum: Ingredere, benedicte Domini: cur foris stas? praeparavi domum, et locum camelis.
And he said: 'Come in, thou blessed of the LORD; wherefore standest thou without? for I have cleared the house, and made room for the camels.'
32 Et introduxit eum in hospitium: ac destravit camelos, deditque paleas et foenum, et aquam ad lavandos pedes eius, et virorum qui venerant cum eo.
And the man came into the house, and he ungirded the camels; and he gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men that were with him.
33 Et appositus est in conspectu eius panis. Qui ait: Non comedam, donec loquar sermones meos. Respondit ei: Loquere.
And there was set food before him to eat; but he said: 'I will not eat, until I have told mine errand.' And he said: 'Speak on.'
34 At ille: Servus, inquit, Abraham sum:
And he said: 'I am Abraham's servant.
35 et Dominus benedixit domino meo valde, magnificatusque est: et dedit ei oves et boves, argentum et aurum, servos et ancillas, camelos et asinos.
And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great; and He hath given him flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and men-servants and maid-servants, and camels and asses.
36 Et peperit Sara uxor domini mei filium domino meo in senectute sua, deditque illi omnia quae habuerat.
And Sarah my master's wife bore a son to my master when she was old; and unto him hath he given all that he hath.
37 Et adiuravit me dominus meus, dicens: Non accipies uxorem filio meo de filiabus Chananaeorum, in quorum terra habito:
And my master made me swear, saying: Thou shalt not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell.
38 sed ad domum patris mei perges, et de cognatione mea accipies uxorem filio meo:
But thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son.
39 ego vero respondi domino meo: Quid si noluerit venire mecum mulier?
And I said unto my master: Peradventure the woman will not follow me.
40 Dominus, ait, in cuius conspectu ambulo, mittet angelum suum tecum, et diriget viam tuam: accipiesque uxorem filio meo de cognatione mea, et de domo patris mei.
And he said unto me: The LORD, before whom I walk, will send His angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father's house;
41 Innocens eris a maledictione mea, cum veneris ad propinquos meos, et non dederit tibi.
then shalt thou be clear from my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and if they give her not to thee, thou shalt be clear from my oath.
42 Veni ergo hodie ad fontem aquae, et dixi: Domine Deus domini mei Abraham, si direxisti viam meam, in qua nunc ambulo,
And I came this day unto the fountain, and said: O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, if now Thou do prosper my way which I go:
43 ecce sto iuxta fontem aquae, et virgo, quae egredietur ad hauriendam aquam, audierit a me: Da mihi pauxillum aquae ad bibendum de hydria tua:
behold, I stand by the fountain of water; and let it come to pass, that the maiden that cometh forth to draw, to whom I shall say: Give me, I pray thee, a little water from thy pitcher to drink;
44 et dixerit mihi: Et tu bibe, et camelis tuis hauriam: ipsa est mulier quam praeparavit Dominus filio domini mei.
and she shall say to me: Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels; let the same be the woman whom the LORD hath appointed for my master's son.
45 Dumque haec tacitus mecum volverem, apparuit Rebecca veniens cum hydria, quam portabat in scapula: descenditque ad fontem, et hausit aquam. Et aio ad eam: Da mihi paululum bibere.
And before I had done speaking to my heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the fountain, and drew. And I said unto her: Let me drink, I pray thee.
46 Quae festinans deposuit hydriam de humero, et dixit mihi: Et tu bibe, et camelis tuis tribuam potum. Bibi, et adaquavit camelos.
And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said: Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also. So I drank, and she made the camels drink also.
47 Interrogavique eam, et dixi: Cuius es filia? Quae respondit: Filia Bathuelis sum, filii Nachor, quem peperit ei Melcha. Suspendi itaque inaures ad ornandam faciem eius, et armillas posui in manibus eius.
And I asked her, and said: Whose daughter art thou? And she said: The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore unto him. And I put the ring upon her nose, and the bracelets upon her hands.
48 Pronusque adoravi Dominum, benedicens Domino Deo domini mei Abraham, qui perduxit me recto itinere, ut sumerem filiam fratris domini mei filio eius.
And I bowed my head, and prostrated myself before the LORD, and blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter for his son.
49 Quamobrem si facitis misericordiam et veritatem cum domino meo, indicate mihi: sin autem aliud placet, et hoc dicite mihi, ut vadam ad dextram, sive ad sinistram.
And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left.'
50 Responderuntque Laban et Bathuel: A Domino egressus est sermo: non possumus extra placitum eius quidquam aliud loqui tecum.
Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said: 'The thing proceedeth from the LORD; we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.
51 En Rebecca coram te est, tolle eam, et proficiscere, et sit uxor filii domini tui, sicut locutus est Dominus.
Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master's son's wife, as the LORD hath spoken.'
52 Quod cum audisset puer Abraham, procidens adoravit in terra Dominum.
And it came to pass, that, when Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed himself down to the earth unto the LORD.
53 Prolatisque vasis argenteis, et aureis, ac vestibus, dedit ea Rebeccae pro munere: fratribus quoque eius, et matri dona obtulit.
And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah; he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.
54 Inito convivio, vescentes pariter et bibentes manserunt ibi. Surgens autem mane, locutus est puer: Dimitte me, ut vadam ad dominum meum.
And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said: 'Send me away unto my master.'
55 Responderuntque fratres eius, et mater: Maneat puella saltem decem dies apud nos, et postea proficiscetur.
And her brother and her mother said: 'Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.'
56 Nolite, ait, me retinere, quia Dominus direxit viam meam: dimittite me ut pergam ad dominum meum.
And he said unto them: 'Delay me not, seeing the LORD hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.'
57 Et dixerunt: Vocemus puellam, et quaeramus ipsius voluntatem.
And they said: 'We will call the damsel, and inquire at her mouth.'
58 Cumque vocata venisset, sciscitati sunt: Vis ire cum homine isto? Quae ait: Vadam.
And they called Rebekah, and said unto her: 'Wilt thou go with this man?' And she said: 'I will go.'
59 Dimiserunt ergo eam, et nutricem illius, servumque Abraham, et comites eius,
And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men.
60 imprecantes prospera sorori suae, atque dicentes: Soror nostra es, crescas in mille millia, et possideat semen tuum portas inimicorum suorum.
And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her: 'Our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and let thy seed possess the gate of those that hate them.'
61 Igitur Rebecca, et puellae illius, ascensis camelis, secutae sunt virum: qui festinus revertebatur ad dominum suum:
And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man. And the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
62 eo autem tempore deambulabat Isaac per viam quae ducit ad Puteum, cuius nomen est Viventis, et videntis: habitabat enim in terra australi:
And Isaac came from the way of Beer-lahai-roi; for he dwelt in the land of the South.
63 et egressus fuerat ad meditandum in agro, inclinata iam die: cumque elevasset oculos, vidit camelos venientes procul.
And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide; and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, there were camels coming.
64 Rebecca quoque, conspecto Isaac, descendit de camelo,
And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she alighted from the camel.
65 et ait ad puerum: Quis est ille homo qui venit per agrum in occursum nobis? Dixitque ei: Ipse est dominus meus. At illa tollens cito pallium suum, operuit se.
And she said unto the servant: 'What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us?' And the servant said: 'It is my master.' And she took her veil, and covered herself.
66 Servus autem cuncta, quae gesserat, narravit domino suo Isaac.
And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.
67 Qui introduxit eam in tabernaculum Sarae matris suae, et accepit eam uxorem: et in tantum dilexit eam, ut dolorem, qui ex morte matris eius acciderat, temperaret.
And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her. And Isaac was comforted for his mother.
