Liber Numeri 11

1 interea ortum est murmur populi quasi dolentium pro labore contra Dominum quod cum audisset iratus est et accensus in eos ignis Domini devoravit extremam castrorum partem

Meanwhile, there arose a murmur among the people against the Lord, as if they were grief-stricken because of their labors. And when the Lord had heard it, he was angry. And when the fire of the Lord was enflamed against them, it devoured those who were at the extreme end of the camp.

2 cumque clamasset populus ad Mosen oravit Moses Dominum et absortus est ignis

And when the people had cried out to Moses, Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire was consumed.

3 vocavitque nomen loci illius Incensio eo quod succensus fuisset contra eos ignis Domini

And he called the name of that place, ‘The Burning,’ because the fire of the Lord had burned against them.

4 vulgus quippe promiscuum quod ascenderat cum eis flagravit desiderio sedens et flens iunctis sibi pariter filiis Israhel et ait quis dabit nobis ad vescendum carnes

So then, the mix of common people, who had ascended with them, were enflamed with desire, and sitting and weeping, with the sons of Israel joining them, they said, “Who will give us flesh to eat?

5 recordamur piscium quos comedebamus in Aegypto gratis in mentem nobis veniunt cucumeres et pepones porrique et cepae et alia

We remember the fish that we ate freely in Egypt; we call to mind the cucumbers, and melons, and leeks, and onions, and garlic.

6 anima nostra arida est nihil aliud respiciunt oculi nostri nisi man

Our life is dry; our eyes look out to see nothing but manna.”

7 erat autem man quasi semen coriandri coloris bdellii

Now the manna was like coriander seed, but with the color of bdellium.

8 circuibatque populus et colligens illud frangebat mola sive terebat in mortario coquens in olla et faciens ex eo tortulas saporis quasi panis oleati

And the people wandered about, gathering it, and they crushed it with a millstone, or ground it with a mortar; then they boiled it in a pot, and made biscuits out of it, with a taste like bread made with oil.

9 cumque descenderet nocte super castra ros descendebat pariter et man

And when the dew descended in the night over the camp, the manna descended together with it.

10 audivit ergo Moses flentem populum per familias singulos per ostia tentorii sui iratusque est furor Domini valde sed et Mosi intoleranda res visa est

And so, Moses heard the people weeping by their families, each one at the door of his tent. And the fury of the Lord was greatly enflamed. And to Moses also the matter seemed intolerable.

11 et ait ad Dominum cur adflixisti servum tuum quare non invenio gratiam coram te et cur inposuisti pondus universi populi huius super me

And so he said to the Lord: “Why have you afflicted your servant? Why do I not find favor before you? And why have you imposed the weight of this entire people upon me?

12 numquid ego concepi omnem hanc multitudinem vel genui eam ut dicas mihi porta eos in sinu tuo sicut portare solet nutrix infantulum et defer in terram pro qua iurasti patribus eorum

Could I have conceived this entire multitude, or have given birth to them, so that you might say to me: Carry them in your bosom, as a nursemaid usually carries a little infant, and bring them into the land, about which you have sworn to their fathers?

13 unde mihi carnes ut dem tantae multitudini flent contra me dicentes da nobis carnes ut comedamus

From where would I obtain the flesh to give to so great a multitude? They weep against me, saying, ‘Give us flesh, so that we may eat.’

14 non possum solus sustinere omnem hunc populum quia gravis mihi est

I alone am unable to sustain this entire people, because it is too heavy for me.

15 sin aliter tibi videtur obsecro ut interficias me et inveniam gratiam in oculis tuis ne tantis adficiar malis

But if it seems to you otherwise, I beg you to put me to death, and so may I find grace in your eyes, lest I be afflicted with such evils.”

16 et dixit Dominus ad Mosen congrega mihi septuaginta viros de senibus Israhel quos tu nosti quod senes populi sint ac magistri et duces eos ad ostium tabernaculi foederis faciesque ibi stare tecum

And the Lord said to Moses: “Gather to me seventy men from the elders of Israel, whom you know to be elders, as well as teachers, of the people. And you shall lead them to the door of the tabernacle of the covenant, and you shall cause them to stand there with you,

17 ut descendam et loquar tibi et auferam de spiritu tuo tradamque eis ut sustentent tecum onus populi et non tu solus graveris

so that I may descend and speak to you. And I will take from your spirit, and I will deliver it to them, so that, with you, they may sustain the burden of the people, and so that you will not be weighed down alone.

18 populo quoque dices sanctificamini cras comedetis carnes ego enim audivi vos dicere quis dabit nobis escas carnium bene nobis erat in Aegypto ut det vobis Dominus carnes et comedatis

You shall also say to the people: Be sanctified. Tomorrow you will eat flesh. For I have heard you say: ‘Who will give us flesh to eat? It was well with us in Egypt.’ So then, may the Lord give you flesh. And you will eat,

19 non uno die nec duobus vel quinque aut decem nec viginti quidem

not for one day, nor for two, nor for five, nor for ten, nor even for twenty,

20 sed usque ad mensem dierum donec exeat per nares vestras et vertatur in nausiam eo quod reppuleritis Dominum qui in medio vestri est et fleveritis coram eo dicentes quare egressi sumus ex Aegypto

but for up to a month of days, until it exits from your nostrils, and until it turns into nausea for you, because you have slipped away from the Lord, who is in your midst, and because you have wept before him, saying: ‘Why did we go forth out of Egypt?’”

21 et ait Moses sescenta milia peditum huius populi sunt et tu dicis dabo eis esum carnium mense integro

And Moses said: “There are six hundred thousand footmen of this people, and yet you say, ‘I will give them flesh to eat for a whole month.’

22 numquid ovium et boum multitudo caedetur ut possit sufficere ad cibum vel omnes pisces maris in unum congregabuntur ut eos satient

Could a multitude of sheep and oxen be slain, so that there would be enough food? Or will the fishes of the sea be gathered together, in order to satisfy them?”

23 cui respondit Dominus numquid manus Domini invalida est iam nunc videbis utrum meus sermo opere conpleatur

And the Lord answered him: “Can the hand of the Lord be ineffective? Soon now, you shall see whether my word will be fulfilled in this work.”

24 venit igitur Moses et narravit populo verba Domini congregans septuaginta viros de senibus Israhel quos stare fecit circa tabernaculum

And so, Moses went and explained the words of the Lord to the people. Gathering together seventy men from the elders of Israel, he caused them to stand around the tabernacle.

25 descenditque Dominus per nubem et locutus est ad eum auferens de spiritu qui erat in Mosen et dans septuaginta viris cumque requievisset in eis spiritus prophetaverunt nec ultra cessarunt

And the Lord descended in a cloud, and he spoke to him, taking from the Spirit which was in Moses, and giving to the seventy men. And when the Spirit had rested in them, they prophesied; nor did they cease afterwards.

26 remanserant autem in castris duo viri quorum unus vocabatur Heldad et alter Medad super quos requievit spiritus nam et ipsi descripti fuerant et non exierant ad tabernaculum

Now there had remained in the camp two of the men, of whom one was called Eldad, and the other Medad, upon whom the Spirit rested; for they also had been enrolled, but they did not go forth to the tabernacle.

27 cumque prophetarent in castris cucurrit puer et nuntiavit Mosi dicens Heldad et Medad prophetant in castris

And when they were prophesying in the camp, a boy ran and reported to Moses, saying: “Eldad and Medad prophesy in the camp.”

28 statim Iosue filius Nun minister Mosi et electus e pluribus ait domine mi Moses prohibe eos

Promptly, Joshua the son of Nun, the minister of Moses and chosen from many, said: “My lord Moses, prohibit them.”

29 at ille quid inquit aemularis pro me quis tribuat ut omnis populus prophetet et det eis Dominus spiritum suum

But he said, “Why are you jealous on my behalf? Who decides that any of the people may prophesy and that God may give to them his Spirit?”

30 reversusque est Moses et maiores natu Israhel in castra

And Moses returned, with those greater by birth of Israel, into the camp.

31 ventus autem egrediens a Domino arreptas trans mare coturnices detulit et dimisit in castra itinere quantum uno die confici potest ex omni parte castrorum per circuitum volabantque in aere duobus cubitis altitudine super terram

Then a wind, going out from the Lord and moving forcefully across the sea, brought quails and cast them into the camp, across a distance of one day’s journey, in every part of the camp all around, and they flew in the air two cubits high above the ground.

32 surgens ergo populus toto die illo et nocte ac die altero congregavit coturnicum qui parum decem choros et siccaverunt eas per gyrum castrorum

Therefore, the people, rising up, gathered quails all that day and night, and the next day; he who did least well gathered ten homers. And they dried them throughout the camp.

33 adhuc carnes erant in dentibus eorum nec defecerat huiuscemodi cibus et ecce furor Domini concitatus in populum percussit eum plaga magna nimis

The flesh was still between their teeth, neither had this kind of food ceased, and behold, the fury of the Lord was provoked against the people, and he struck them with an exceedingly great scourge.

34 vocatusque est ille locus sepulchra Concupiscentiae ibi enim sepelierunt populum qui desideraverat

And that place was called, ‘The Graves of Lust.’ For there, they buried the people who had desired.

35 egressi autem de sepulchris Concupiscentiae venerunt in Aseroth et manserunt ibi

Then, departing from the Graves of Lust, they arrived in Hazeroth, and they stayed there.