Liber Numeri 20
1 veneruntque filii Israhel et omnis multitudo in desertum Sin mense primo et mansit populus in Cades mortuaque est ibi Maria et sepulta in eodem loco
And the sons of Israel, and the entire multitude, went into the desert of Sin, in the first month. And the people stayed at Kadesh. And Miriam died there, and she was buried in the same place.
2 cumque indigeret aqua populus coierunt adversum Mosen et Aaron
And when the people were in need of water, they came together against Moses and Aaron.
3 et versi in seditionem dixerunt utinam perissemus inter fratres nostros coram Domino
And as it turned into sedition, they said: “If only we had perished among our brothers in the sight of the Lord.
4 cur eduxistis ecclesiam Domini in solitudinem ut et nos et nostra iumenta moriantur
Why have you led away the Church of the Lord, into the wilderness, so that both we and our cattle would die?
5 quare nos fecistis ascendere de Aegypto et adduxistis in locum istum pessimum qui seri non potest qui nec ficum gignit nec vineas nec mala granata insuper et aquam non habet ad bibendum
Why did you cause us to ascend from Egypt, and why have you led us into this most wretched place, which is not able to be sown, which does not produce figs, or vines, or pomegranates, and which, moreover, does not even have water to drink?”
6 ingressusque Moses et Aaron dimissa multitudine tabernaculum foederis corruerunt proni in terram et apparuit gloria Domini super eos
And Moses and Aaron, dismissing the multitude, entered the tabernacle of the covenant, and they fell prone on the ground, and they cried out to the Lord, and they said: “O Lord God, listen to the outcry of this people, and open for them, from your storehouse, a fountain of living water, so that, being satisfied, their murmuring may cease.” And the glory of the Lord appeared over them.
7 locutusque est Dominus ad Mosen dicens
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
8 tolle virgam et congrega populum tu et Aaron frater tuus et loquimini ad petram coram eis et illa dabit aquas cumque eduxeris aquam de petra bibet omnis multitudo et iumenta eius
“Take the rod, and gather the people, you and your brother Aaron, and speak to the rock before them, and it shall bestow waters. And when you have brought forth water from the rock, the entire multitude and their cattle shall drink.”
9 tulit igitur Moses virgam quae erat in conspectu Domini sicut praeceperat ei
Therefore, Moses took the rod, which was in the sight of the Lord, just as he had instructed him.
10 congregata multitudine ante petram dixitque eis audite rebelles et increduli num de petra hac vobis aquam poterimus eicere
And having gathered the multitude before the rock, he said to them: “Listen, you who are rebellious and unbelieving. Would we be able to cast out water from this rock?”
11 cumque elevasset Moses manum percutiens virga bis silicem egressae sunt aquae largissimae ita ut et populus biberet et iumenta
And when Moses had lifted up his hand, striking the stone twice with the rod, very great waters went forth, so much so that the people and their cattle were able to drink.
12 dixitque Dominus ad Mosen et Aaron quia non credidistis mihi ut sanctificaretis me coram filiis Israhel non introducetis hos populos in terram quam dabo eis
And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe me, so as to sanctify me before the sons of Israel, you shall not lead this people into the land, which I will give to them.”
13 haec est aqua Contradictionis ubi iurgati sunt filii Israhel contra Dominum et sanctificatus est in eis
This is the Water of Contradiction, where the sons of Israel were quarreling against the Lord, and he was sanctified in them.
14 misit interea nuntios Moses de Cades ad regem Edom qui dicerent haec mandat frater tuus Israhel nosti omnem laborem qui adprehendit nos
Meanwhile, Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom. They said: “Your brother Israel says this: You know of all the hardships which have overtaken us,
15 quomodo descenderint patres nostri in Aegyptum et habitaverimus ibi multo tempore adflixerintque nos Aegyptii et patres nostros
how our fathers descended into Egypt, and we lived there for a long time, and the Egyptians afflicted both us and our fathers,
16 et quomodo clamaverimus ad Dominum et exaudierit nos miseritque angelum qui eduxerit nos de Aegypto ecce in urbe Cades quae est in extremis finibus tuis positi
and how we cried out to the Lord, and he heeded us and sent an Angel, who led us away from Egypt. Behold, we are situated in the city of Kadesh, which is at the extremity of your borders.
17 obsecramus ut nobis transire liceat per terram tuam non ibimus per agros nec per vineas non bibemus aquas de puteis tuis sed gradiemur via publica nec ad dextram nec ad sinistram declinantes donec transeamus terminos tuos
And we beg you to permit us to cross through your land. We will not go through the fields, nor through the vineyards; we will not drink the waters of your wells, but we will travel by the public ways, neither turning aside to the right, nor to the left, until we have passed your borders.”
18 cui respondit Edom non transibis per me alioquin armatus occurram tibi
Edom responded to them: “You shall not cross through me, otherwise, I will meet you armed.”
19 dixeruntque filii Israhel per tritam gradiemur viam et si biberimus aquas tuas nos et pecora nostra dabimus quod iustum est nulla erit in pretio difficultas tantum velociter transeamus
And the sons of Israel said: “We will travel by the well-trodden path. And if we or our cattle drink from your waters, we will give you what is just. There shall be no difficulty in the price, only let us cross through quickly.”
20 at ille respondit non transibis statimque egressus est obvius cum infinita multitudine et manu forti
But he answered, “You shall not cross.” And immediately he went out to meet them with a countless multitude and a strong hand;
21 nec voluit adquiescere deprecanti ut concederet transitum per fines suos quam ob rem devertit ab eo Israhel
neither was he willing to agree to their petition to concede passage through his borders. For this reason, Israel diverted away from him.
22 cumque castra movissent de Cades venerunt in montem Or qui est in finibus terrae Edom
And when they had moved the camp from Kadesh, they arrived at mount Hor, which is at the borders of the land of Edom,
23 ubi locutus est Dominus ad Mosen
where the Lord spoke to Moses:
24 pergat inquit Aaron ad populos suos non enim intrabit terram quam dedi filiis Israhel eo quod incredulus fuerit ori meo ad aquas Contradictionis
“Let Aaron,” he said, “go to his people. For he shall not enter into the land which I have given to the sons of Israel, because he did not believe my mouth at the Waters of Contradiction.
25 tolle Aaron et filium eius cum eo et duces eos in montem Or
Take Aaron, and his son with him, and lead them on to mount Hor.
26 cumque nudaveris patrem veste sua indues ea Eleazarum filium eius et Aaron colligetur et morietur ibi
And when you have stripped the father of his vestments, you shall put them on Eleazar, his son. Aaron shall be gathered and shall die there.”
27 fecit Moses ut praeceperat Dominus et ascenderunt in montem Or coram omni multitudine
Moses did just as the Lord had instructed. And they ascended mount Hor, in the sight of the entire multitude.
28 cumque Aaron spoliasset vestibus suis induit eis Eleazarum filium eius illo mortuo in montis supercilio descendit cum Eleazaro
And when he had despoiled Aaron of his vestments, he clothed his son Eleazar with them. And when Aaron had died at the top of the mountain, Moses came down with Eleazar.
29 omnis autem multitudo videns occubuisse Aaron flevit super eo triginta diebus per cunctas familias suas
And the entire multitude, seeing that Aaron lay dead, wept over him for thirty days, throughout all their families.
