Genesis 38
1 Eodem tempore descendens Iudas a fratribus suis, divertit ad Virum Odollamitem, nomine Hiram.
About the same time, Judah, descending from his brothers, turned toward an Adullamite man, named Hirah.
2 Viditque ibi filiam hominis Chananaei, vocabulo Sue: et accepta uxore, ingressus est ad eam.
And he saw there the daughter of a man called Shua, of Canaan. And taking her as a wife, he entered to her.
3 Quae concepit, et peperit filium, et vocavit nomen eius Her.
And she conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Er.
4 Rursumque concepto foetu, natum filium vocavit Onan.
And conceiving offspring again, having given birth to a son, she called him Onan.
5 Tertium quoque peperit: quem appellavit Sela. quo nato, parere ultra cessavit.
Likewise, she bore a third, whom she called Shelah, after whose birth, she ceased to bear any more.
6 Dedit autem Iudas uxorem primogenito suo Her, nomine Thamar.
Then Judah gave a wife to his first born Er, whose name was Tamar.
7 Fuit quoque Her primogenitus Iudae, nequam in conspectu Domini: et ab eo occisus est.
And it also happened that Er, the first born of Judah, was wicked in the sight of the Lord and was killed by him.
8 Dixit ergo Iudas ad Onan filium suum: Ingredere uxorem fratris tui, et sociare illi, ut suscites semen fratri tuo.
Therefore, Judah said to his son Onan: “Enter to the wife of your brother, and associate with her, so that you may raise offspring to your brother.”
9 Ille sciens non sibi nasci filios, introiens ad uxorem fratris sui, semen fundebat in terram, ne liberi fratris nomine nascerentur.
He, knowing that the sons to be born would not be his, when he entered to the wife of his brother, he spilled his seed on the ground, lest children should be born in his brother’s name.
10 Et idcirco percussit eum Dominus, eo quod rem detestabilem faceret.
And for this reason, the Lord struck him down, because he did a detestable thing.
11 Quam ob rem dixit Iudas Thamar nurui suae: Esto vidua in domo patris tui, donec crescat Sela filius meus: timebat enim ne et ipse moreretur, sicut fratres eius. Quae abiit, et habitavit in domo patris sui.
Because of this matter, Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Be a widow in your father’s house, until my son Shelah grows up.” For he was afraid, lest he also might die, just as his brothers did. She went away, and she lived in her father’s house.
12 Evolutis autem multis diebus, mortua est Sue uxor Iudae: qui post luctum consolatione suscepta, ascendebat ad tonsores ovium suarum, ipse et Hiras opilio gregis Odollamites, in Thamnas.
Then, after many days had passed, the daughter of Shua, the wife of Judah, died. And when he accepted consolation after his mourning, he went up to the shearers of his sheep at Timnah, he and Hirah, the herdsman of the Adullamite flock.
13 Nunciatumque est Thamar quod socer illius ascenderet in Thamnas ad tondendas oves.
And it was reported to Tamar that her father-in-law had gone up to Timnah to shear the sheep.
14 Quae, depositis viduitatis vestibus, assumpsit theristrum: et mutato habitu, sedit in bivio itineris, quod ducit Thamnam: eo quod crevisset Sela, et non eum accepisset maritum.
And storing away the garments of her widowhood, she took up a veil. And changing her clothing, she sat at the crossroad that leads to Timnah, because Shelah had grown up, and she had not received him as a husband.
15 Quam cum vidisset Iudas, suspicatus est esse meretricem: operuerat enim vultum suum, ne agnosceretur.
And when Judah saw her, he thought her to be a harlot. For she had covered her face, lest she be recognized.
16 Ingrediensque ad eam, ait: Dimitte me ut coeam tecum: nesciebat enim quod nurus sua esset. Qua respondente: Quid dabis mihi ut fruaris concubitu meo?
And entering to her, he said, “Permit me to join with you.” For he did not know her to be his daughter-in-law. And she responded, “What will you give to me, to enjoy me as a concubine?”
17 dixit: Mittam tibi hoedum de gregibus. Rursumque illa dicente: Patiar quod vis, si dederis mihi arrhabonem, donec mittas quod polliceris.
He said, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” And again, she said, “I will allow what you want, if you give me a pledge, until you may send what you promise.”
18 Ait Iudas: Quid tibi vis pro arrhabone dari? Respondit: Annulum tuum, et armillam, et baculum quem manu tenes. Ad unum igitur coitum mulier concepit,
Judah said, “What do you want to be given for a pledge?” She responded, “Your ring and bracelet, and the staff that you hold in your hand.” Thereupon, the woman, from one sexual encounter, conceived.
19 et surgens abiit: depositoque habitu, quem sumpserat, induta est viduitatis vestibus.
And she arose and went away. And storing away the garments that she had taken up, she was clothed in the garments of her widowhood.
20 Misit autem Iudas hoedum per pastorem suum Odollamitem, ut reciperet pignus quod dederat mulieri: qui cum non invenisset eam,
Then Judah sent a young goat by his shepherd, the Adullamite, so that he might receive the pledge that he had given to the woman. But, when he had not found her,
21 interrogavit homines loci illius: Ubi est mulier quae sedebat in bivio? Respondentibus cunctis: Non fuit in loco ista meretrix.
he questioned the men of that place: “Where is the woman who sat at the crossroad?” And they all responded, “There has been no harlot in this place.”
22 Reversus est ad Iudam, et dixit ei: Non inveni eam: sed et homines loci illius dixerunt mihi, numquam sedisse ibi scortum.
He returned to Judah, and he said to him: “I did not find her. Moreover, the men of that place told me that a prostitute had never sat there.”
23 Ait Iudas: Habeat sibi, certe mendacii arguere nos non potest, ego misi hoedum quem promiseram: et tu non invenisti eam.
Judah said: “Let her hold herself to blame. Certainly, she is not able to accuse us of a lie. I sent the young goat that I had promised, and you did not find her.”
24 Ecce autem post tres menses nunciaverunt Iudae, dicentes: Fornicata est Thamar nurus tua, et videtur uterus illius intumescere. Dixitque Iudas: Producite eam ut comburatur.
And behold, after three months, they reported to Judah, saying, “Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has committed fornication and her abdomen appears to be enlarged.” And Judah said, “Produce her, so that she may be burned.”
25 Quae cum duceretur ad poenam, misit ad socerum suum, dicens: De viro, cuius haec sunt, concepi: cognosce cuius sit annulus, et armilla, et baculus.
But when she was led out to the punishment, she sent to her father-in-law, saying: “I conceived by the man to whom these things belong. Recognize whose ring, and bracelet, and staff this is.”
26 Qui, agnitis muneribus, ait: Iustior me est: quia non tradidi eam Sela filio meo. Attamen ultra non cognovit eam.
But he, acknowledging the gifts, said: “She is more just than I am. For I did not deliver her to my son Shelah.” However, he knew her no more.
27 Instante autem partu, apparuerunt gemini in utero: atque in ipsa effusione infantium unus protulit manum, in qua obstetrix ligavit coccinum, dicens:
Then, at the moment of birth, there appeared twins in the womb. And so, in the very delivery of the infants, one put forth a hand, on which the midwife tied a scarlet thread, saying,
28 Iste egredietur prior.
“This one will go out first.”
29 Illo vero retrahente manum, egressus est alter: dixitque mulier: Quare divisa est propter te maceria? et ob hanc causam vocavit nomen eius Phares.
But in truth, drawing back his hand, the other came out. And the woman said, “Why is the partition divided for you?” And for this reason, she called his name Perez.
30 Postea egressus est frater eius, in cuius manu erat coccinum: quem appellavit Zara.
After this, his brother came out, on whose hand was the scarlet thread. And she called him Zerah.
