Exodus 1

1 haec sunt nomina filiorum Israhel qui ingressi sunt Aegyptum cum Iacob singuli cum domibus suis introierunt

These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family:

2 Ruben Symeon Levi Iuda

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;

3 Isachar Zabulon et Beniamin

Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin;

4 Dan et Nepthalim 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

The descendants of Jacob numbered seventy in all, including Joseph, who was already in Egypt.

6 quo mortuo et universis fratribus eius omnique cognatione illa

Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died,

7 filii Israhel creverunt et quasi germinantes multiplicati sunt ac roborati nimis impleverunt terram

but the Israelites were fruitful and increased rapidly; they multiplied and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them.

8 surrexit interea rex novus super Aegyptum qui ignorabat Ioseph

Then a new king, who did not know Joseph, came to power in Egypt.

9 et ait ad populum suum ecce populus filiorum Israhel multus et fortior nobis

“Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become too numerous and too powerful for us.

10 venite sapienter opprimamus eum ne forte multiplicetur et si ingruerit contra nos bellum addatur inimicis nostris expugnatisque nobis egrediatur e terra

Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase even more; and if a war breaks out, they may join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the country.”

11 praeposuit itaque eis magistros operum ut adfligerent eos oneribus aedificaveruntque urbes tabernaculorum Pharaoni Phiton et Ramesses

So the Egyptians appointed taskmasters over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. As a result, they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.

12 quantoque opprimebant eos tanto magis multiplicabantur et crescebant

But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and flourished; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites.

13 oderantque filios Israhel Aegyptii et adfligebant inludentes eis

They worked the Israelites ruthlessly

14 atque ad amaritudinem perducebant vitam eorum operibus duris luti et lateris omnique famulatu quo in terrae operibus premebantur

and made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar, and with all kinds of work in the fields. Every service they imposed was harsh.

15 dixit autem rex Aegypti obsetricibus Hebraeorum quarum una vocabatur Sephra altera Phua

Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah,

16 praecipiens eis quando obsetricabitis Hebraeas et partus tempus advenerit si masculus fuerit interficite illum si femina reservate

“When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe them on the birthstools. If the child is a son, kill him; but if it is a daughter, let her live.”

17 timuerunt autem obsetrices Deum et non fecerunt iuxta praeceptum regis Aegypti sed conservabant mares

The midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had instructed; they let the boys live.

18 quibus ad se accersitis rex ait quidnam est hoc quod facere voluistis ut pueros servaretis

So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?”

19 quae responderunt non sunt hebraeae sicut aegyptiae mulieres ipsae enim obsetricandi habent scientiam et priusquam veniamus ad eas pariunt

The midwives answered Pharaoh, “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before a midwife arrives.”

20 bene ergo fecit Deus obsetricibus et crevit populus confortatusque est nimis

So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became even more numerous.

21 et quia timuerant obsetrices Deum aedificavit illis domos

And because the midwives feared God, He gave them families of their own.

22 praecepit autem Pharao omni populo suo dicens quicquid masculini sexus natum fuerit in flumen proicite quicquid feminei reservate

Then Pharaoh commanded all his people: “Every son born to the Hebrews you must throw into the Nile, but every daughter you may allow to live.”