Exodus 19
1 mense tertio egressionis Israhel de terra Aegypti in die hac venerunt in solitudinem Sinai
The Israeli people then left Rephidim, and exactly two months after leaving Egypt, they/we came to the desert near Sinai [Mountain]. They/We set up their/our tents at the base of the mountain.
2 nam profecti de Raphidim et pervenientes usque in desertum Sinai castrametati sunt in eodem loco ibique Israhel fixit tentoria e regione montis
3 Moses autem ascendit ad Deum vocavitque eum Dominus de monte et ait haec dices domui Iacob et adnuntiabis filiis Israhel
Moses/I climbed up the mountain [to talk with] God. Yahweh called to [him/me] from [the top of] the mountain and said, “This is what I want you to say to the Israeli people, the descendants of Jacob:
4 vos ipsi vidistis quae fecerim Aegyptiis quomodo portaverim vos super alas aquilarum et adsumpserim mihi
‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You have seen [what I did for all of you] and how I brought you here to me. It was as though I [lifted you up as] an eagle [carries its young eaglets] on its wings [MET].
5 si ergo audieritis vocem meam et custodieritis pactum meum eritis mihi in peculium de cunctis populis mea est enim omnis terra
So now, if you will do what I tell you and obey all that I command you, you will be my own people. All the people-groups on the earth are mine, but you will be (dearer/more special) to me than all the other people-groups.
6 et vos eritis mihi regnum sacerdotale et gens sancta haec sunt verba quae loqueris ad filios Israhel
You will be people over whom I will rule, and you will all (be like priests/represent me to other nations as priests represent me to one nation) [MET], and you will be completely dedicated to me.’ That is what you must tell the Israeli people.”
7 venit Moses et convocatis maioribus natu populi exposuit omnes sermones quos mandaverat Dominus
So Moses/I went [down the mountain] and summoned the elders/leaders of the people. He/I told them everything that Yahweh had told him/me to tell them.
8 responditque universus populus simul cuncta quae locutus est Dominus faciemus cumque rettulisset Moses verba populi ad Dominum
The people all said, “We will do everything that Yahweh has told us to do.” Then Moses/I [climbed back up the mountain and] reported to Yahweh what the people had said.
9 ait ei Dominus iam nunc veniam ad te in caligine nubis ut audiat me populus loquentem ad te et credat tibi in perpetuum nuntiavit ergo Moses verba populi ad Dominum
Then Yahweh said to Moses/me, “[Listen carefully]: I am going to appear to you from inside a thick cloud. When I am speaking to you, the people will hear it, and they will always trust in you.” Then Moses/I went [down the mountain and reported to the people what Yahweh said. Then he/I went back up the mountain and] told Yahweh what the people replied.
10 qui dixit ei vade ad populum et sanctifica illos hodie et cras laventque vestimenta sua
Then Yahweh said to Moses/me, “Go [back down] to the people [again]. [Tell them to] purify themselves today and tomorrow. [Tell them to] wash their clothes, too.
11 et sint parati in diem tertium die enim tertio descendet Dominus coram omni plebe super montem Sinai
They must do that to be ready on the day after tomorrow. On that day I will come down to Sinai Mountain to where all the people can see me.
12 constituesque terminos populo per circuitum et dices cavete ne ascendatis in montem nec tangatis fines illius omnis qui tetigerit montem morte morietur
You must make a boundary around the base of the mountain, and tell them, ‘Be sure that you do not climb the mountain or even go near it. Anyone who even touches the base of the mountain must be executed.’
13 manus non tanget eum sed lapidibus opprimetur aut confodietur iaculis sive iumentum fuerit sive homo non vivet cum coeperit clangere bucina tunc ascendant in montem
Do not let anyone touch any person or any animal that touches the mountain. You must [kill any person or animal that touches the mountain] by throwing stones at it or shooting it [with arrows]. But when you hear a long [loud] trumpet sound, the people can come close to the [base of the] mountain.”
14 descenditque Moses de monte ad populum et sanctificavit eum cumque lavissent vestimenta sua
So Moses/I went down the mountain [again] and told the people to purify themselves. They did what Moses/I told them to do, and they also washed their clothes.
15 ait ad eos estote parati in diem tertium ne adpropinquetis uxoribus vestris
Then Moses/I said to the people, “Be ready on the day after tomorrow. And [you men] must not have sex with [EUP] [your wives] until after then.”
16 iam advenerat tertius dies et mane inclaruerat et ecce coeperunt audiri tonitrua ac micare fulgura et nubes densissima operire montem clangorque bucinae vehementius perstrepebat timuit populus qui erat in castris
Two days later, during the morning, there was thunder and lightning, and a very dark cloud on the mountain. A trumpet sounded very loudly, with the result that the people in the camp shook/trembled because they [were very afraid].
17 cumque eduxisset eos Moses in occursum Dei de loco castrorum steterunt ad radices montis
Then Moses/I led the people outside the camp to meet with God. They stood at the base of the mountain.
18 totus autem mons Sinai fumabat eo quod descendisset Dominus super eum in igne et ascenderet fumus ex eo quasi de fornace eratque mons omnis terribilis
All of Sinai Mountain was covered in smoke, because Yahweh had descended on it, surrounded by a fire. The smoke rose up like the smoke from [the chimney of] a furnace, and the whole mountain shook violently.
19 et sonitus bucinae paulatim crescebat in maius et prolixius tendebatur Moses loquebatur et Dominus respondebat ei
As the sound of the trumpet continued to become louder, Moses/I spoke [to Yahweh], and Yahweh answered [him/me] in [a loud voice that sounded like] thunder.
20 descenditque Dominus super montem Sinai in ipso montis vertice et vocavit Mosen in cacumen eius quo cum ascendisset
Then Yahweh came down [again] onto the top of Sinai Mountain, and he summoned Moses/me to come up to the top of the mountain. So Moses/I went up.
21 dixit ad eum descende et contestare populum ne forte velint transcendere terminos ad videndum Dominum et pereat ex eis plurima multitudo
Yahweh said to Moses/me, “Go down again and warn the people not to cross the boundary in order to look [at me]. If they [do] that, many of them will die.
22 sacerdotes quoque qui accedunt ad Dominum sanctificentur ne percutiat eos
Also, the priests who habitually come near me must purify themselves. If they do not do that, I will punish them.”
23 dixitque Moses ad Dominum non poterit vulgus ascendere in montem Sinai tu enim testificatus es et iussisti dicens pone terminos circa montem et sanctifica illum
Then Moses/I said to Yahweh, “The people will not climb the mountain, because you commanded them, saying, ‘Set a boundary around the mountain, to make it sacred/taboo.’”
24 cui ait Dominus vade descende ascendesque tu et Aaron tecum sacerdotes autem et populus ne transeant terminos nec ascendant ad Dominum ne forte interficiat illos
Yahweh replied, “Go down the mountain, and bring Aaron back up with you. But do not allow the priests or other people to cross the boundary to come up to me. If they cross it, I will punish them.”
25 descendit Moses ad populum et omnia narravit eis
So Moses/I went down the mountain [again] and told the people [what Yahweh had said].
