Liber Numeri

Interea ortum est murmur populi, quasi dolentium pro labore, contra Dominum. Quod cum audisset Dominus, iratus est. Et accensus in eos ignis Domini, devoravit extremam castrorum partem.

In the mean time there arose a murmuring of the people against the Lord, as it were repining at their fatigue. And when the Lord heard it he was angry. And the fire of the Lord being kindled against them, devoured them that were at the uttermost part of the camp.

Interea ori es murmure de populo, quasi dole pro labore, contra Domino. Quod cum Domino audi, irascor es. Et accensus in illos igni de Domino, devora extremo de castros parte.

Cumque clamasset populus ad Moysen, oravit Moyses ad Dominum, et absorptus est ignis.

And when the people cried to Moses, Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire was swallowed up.

Cumque populo clama ad Moyse, Moyse ora ad Domino, et absorpe es igni.

Vocavitque nomen loci illius, Incensio: eo quod incensus fuisset contra eos ignis Domini.

And he called the name of that place, The burning: for that the fire of the Lord had been kindled against them.

Et Incensione voca nomine de loco, de illo: eo quod incende es contra illos igni de Domino.

Vulgus quippe promiscuum, quod ascenderat cum eis, flagravit desiderio, sedens et flens, junctis sibi pariter filiis Israël, et ait: Quis dabit nobis ad vescendum carnes?

For a mixt multitude of people, that came up with them, burned with desire, sitting and weeping, the children of Israel also being joined with them, and said: Who shall give us flesh to eat?

Vulgo quippe promiscuo, quod ascende cum illos, flagra desiderio, sedente et fle, iunge ad se pariter filios Israële, et dic: qui i da ad nos ad vesce carnes?

recordamur piscium quos comedebamus in Ægypto gratis: in mentem nobis veniunt cucumeres, et pepones, porrique, et cæpe, et allia.

We remember the fish that we ate in Egypt free cost: the cucumbers come into our mind, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic.

De pisces que comede in Aegypto gratis recordor: in mente ad nos veni cucumros, et perona, et porro, et caepe, et allios.

Anima nostra arida est: nihil aliud respiciunt oculi nostri nisi man.

Our soul is dry, our eyes behold nothing else but manna.

Anima nostro arido es: oculos nostro nisi manu respice nihil alio.

Erat autem man quasi semen coriandri, coloris bdellii.

Now the manna was like coriander seed, of the colour of bdellium.

Es autem manu quasi semine de coriandro, de colore bdellio.

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 went about, and gathering it, ground it in a mill, or beat it in a mortar, and boiled it in a pot, and made cakes thereof of the taste of bread tempered with oil.

Et populo circui, et collige illo, frange mola, sive tere in mortario, coque in olla, et faciente ex eo tortulas de sapore quasi de pane ole.

Cumque descenderet nocte super castra ros, descendebat pariter et man.

And when the dew fell in the night upon the camp, the manna also fell with it.

Cumque descende nocte super castros rore, descende pariter et manu.

Audivit ergo Moyses flentem populum per familias, singulos per ostia tentorii sui. Iratusque est furor Domini valde: sed et Moysi intoleranda res visa est,

Now Moses heard the people weeping by their families, every one at the door of his tent. And the wrath of the Lord was exceedingly enkindled: to Moses also the thing seemed insupportable.

Moyse ergo audi fle populo per familia, singulo per ostios de tentorio suo. Et irato es furore de Domino valde: sed et de Moysi intolera re vide es,

et ait ad Dominum: Cur afflixisti servum tuum? quare non invenio gratiam coram te? et cur imposuisti pondus universi populi hujus super me?

And he said to the Lord: Why hast thou afflicted thy servant? Wherefore do I not find favour before thee? And why hast thou laid the weight of all this people upon me?

Et dic ad Domino: quare afflige servo tuo? Quare non inveni gratia coram te? Et quare impone pondere de universa de populo de hoc super me?

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 jurasti patribus eorum?

Have I conceived all this multitude, or begotten them, that thou shouldst say to me: Carry them in thy bosom as the nurse is wont to carry the little infant, and bear them into the land, for which thou hast sworn to their fathers?

Numquid me concipe omni hoc multitudine, vel gene illa, ut porta ad me: dic illos in sinu tuo sicut porta nutrice infantulo sole, et defer in terra, pro quo iura ad patres de illos?

Unde mihi carnes ut dem tantæ multitudini? flent contra me, dicentes: Da nobis carnes ut comedamus.

Whence should I have flesh to give to so great a multitude? They weep against me, saying: Give us flesh that we may eat.

Unde ad me carnes ut da tanto ad multitudine? Fle contra me, dicente: da ad nos carnes ut comede.

Non possum solus sustinere omnem hunc populum, quia gravis est mihi.

I am not able alone to bear all this people, because it is too heavy for me.

Non pote solo sustine omni hoc populo, quia gravi es ad me.

Sin aliter tibi videtur, obsecro ut interficias me, et inveniam gratiam in oculis tuis, ne tantis afficiar malis.

But if it seem unto thee otherwise, I beseech thee to kill me, and let me find grace in thy eyes, that I be not afflicted with so great evils.

Sin aliter ad te vide se, obsecra ut interfice me, et inveni gratia in oculos tuo, ne ad tanto afficie malo.

Et dixit Dominus ad Moysen: Congrega mihi septuaginta viros de senibus Israël, quos tu nosti quod senes populi sint ac magistri: et duces eos ad ostium tabernaculi fœderis, faciesque ibi stare tecum,

And the Lord said to Moses: Gather unto me seventy men of the ancients of Israel, whom thou knowest to be ancients and masters of the people: and thou shalt bring them to the door of the tabernacle of the covenant, and shalt make them stand there with thee,

Et Domino dic ad Moyse: congrega ad me septuaginta viros de senes Israële, te nosce que quod senes de populos es et magistros: et duces illos ad ostio de tabernaculo de foedro, et fac ibi sta tecum,

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

That I may come down and speak with thee: and I will take of thy spirit, and will give to them, that they may bear with thee the burden of the people, and thou mayest not be burthened alone.

Ut descende et loque ad te: et aufer de spiritu tuo, et trade ad illos, ut sustenta tecum onere de populo, et non te solo grava.

Populo quoque dices: Sanctificamini (cras comedetis carnes: ego enim audivi vos dicere: Quis dabit nobis escas carnium? bene nobis erat in Ægypto), ut det vobis Dominus carnes, et comedatis:

And thou shalt say to the people: Be ye sanctified: to morrow you shall eat flesh: for I have heard you say: Who will give us flesh to eat? It was well with us in Egypt. That the Lord may give you flesh, and you may eat:

Ad populo etiam dic: sanctifica (cras comede carnes: me nam audi vos dicere: qui i da ad nos escas de carnios? Bene ad nos es in Aegypto), ut Domino ad vos que da carnes, et comede:

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

Not for one day, nor two, nor five, nor ten, no nor for twenty.

Non uno die, nec duo, vel quinque aut deceme, nec viginti quidem,

sed usque ad mensem dierum, donec exeat per nares vestras, et vertatur in nauseam, eo quod repuleritis Dominum, qui in medio vestri est, et fleveritis coram eo, dicentes: Quare egressi sumus ex Ægypto?

But even for a month of days, till it come out at your nostrils, and become loathsome to you, because you have cast off the Lord, who is in the midst of you, and have wept before him, saying: Why came we out of Egypt?

Sed usque ad mense de dies, usque que exi per nares vestro, et verte in nausea, eo quod repelle Domino, qui in medio vestro es, et fle coram eo, dicente: quare egredior es ex Aegypto?

Et ait Moyses: Sexcenta millia peditum hujus populi sunt: et tu dicis: Dabo eis esum carnium mense integro?

And Moses said: There are six hundred thousand footmen of this people, and sayest thou: I will give them flesh to eat a whole month?

Et Moyse dic: sexcenti mile de pedites de hoc de populo es: et te dic: daba ad illos esus de carnios mense integro?

numquid ovium et boum multitudo cædetur, ut possit sufficere ad cibum? vel omnes pisces maris in unum congregabuntur, ut eos satient?

Shall then a multitude of sheep and oxen be killed, that it may suffice for their food? or shall the fishes of the sea be gathered together to fill them?

Numquid de oves et de boves multitudine caede, ut pote suffice ad cibo? Vel omni pisces de mari in uno congrega, ut illos satia?

Cui respondit Dominus: Numquid manus Domini invalida est? jam nunc videbis utrum meus sermo opere compleatur.

And the Lord answered him: Is the hand of the Lord unable? Thou shalt presently see whether my word shall come to pass or no.

Ad que Domino responde: numquid manu de Domino invalido es? Jam nunc vide utro meo sermone opere comple.

Venit igitur Moyses, et narravit populo verba Domini, congregans septuaginta viros de senibus Israël, quos stare fecit circa tabernaculum.

Moses therefore came, and told the people the words of the Lord, and assembled seventy men of the ancients of Israel, and made them to stand about the tabernacle.

Moyse ergo veni, et narra ad populo verbos de Domino, congrega septuaginta viros de senes Israële, que sta fac circa tabernaculo.

Descenditque Dominus per nubem, et locutus est ad eum, auferens de spiritu qui erat in Moyse, et dans septuaginta viris. Cumque requievisset in eis spiritus, prophetaverunt, nec ultra cessaverunt.

And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spoke to him, taking away of the spirit that was in Moses, and giving to the seventy men. And when the spirit had rested on them they prophesied, nor did they cease afterwards.

Et Domino descende per nube, et locuto es ad illo, aufer de spiritu qui es in Moyse, et da septuaginta ad viros. Cumque spiritus in illos requiesce, propheta, nec ultra cessa.

Remanserat autem in castris duo viri, quorum unus vocabatur Eldad, et alter Medad, super quos requievit spiritus. Nam et ipsi descripti fuerant, et non exierant ad tabernaculum.

Now there 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 were not gone forth to the tabernacle.

Remane autem in castros duo viro, de que uno voca Eldade, et altero Medade, super que spiritu requiesce. Nam et ipso describe es, et non exi ad tabernaculo.

Cumque prophetarent in castris, cucurrit puer, et nuntiavit Moysi, dicens: Eldad et Medad prophetant in castris.

And when they prophesied in the camp, there ran a young man, and told Moses, saying: Eldad and Medad prophesy in the camp.

Cumque propheta in castros, puero curre, et nuntia ad Moysi, dicente: eldade et Medade propheta in castros.

Statim Josue filius Nun, minister Moysi, et electus e pluribus, ait: Domine mi Moyses, prohibe eos.

Forthwith Josue the son of Nun, the minister of Moses, and chosen out of many, said: My lord Moses forbid them.

Statim Ioso filio Nune, ministro de Moysi, et elige ex multo, dic: domino meo Moyse, prohibe illos.

At ille: Quid, inquit æmularis pro me? quis tribuat ut omnis populus prophetet, et det eis Dominus spiritum suum?

But he said: Why hast thou emulation for me? O that all the people might prophesy, and that the Lord would give them his spirit!

Sed illo: quid, dic aemulor pro me? Qui tribue ut omni populo propheta, et Domino ad illos que da spiritu suo?

Reversusque est Moyses, et majores natu Israël in castra.

And Moses returned, with the ancients of Israel, into the camp.

Et reverte es Moyse, et magna natu Israële in castros.

Ventus autem egrediens a Domino, arreptans trans mare coturnices detulit, et demisit in castra itinere quantum uno die confici potest, ex omni parte castrorum per circuitum, volabantque in aëre duobus cubitis altitudine super terram.

And a wind going out from the Lord, taking quails up beyond the sea brought them, and cast them into the camp for the space of one day's journey, on every side of the camp round about, and they flew in the air two cubits high above the ground.

Vento autem egredior ab Domino, arrepta trans mari cotturnice defer, et demitte in castros itinere quanto uno die conficie pote, ex omni parte de castros per circuitu, et vol in aëre duo cubito altitudine super terra.

Surgens ergo populus toto die illo, et nocte, ac die altero, congregavit coturnicum: qui parum, decem coros: et siccaverunt eas per gyrum castrorum.

The people therefore rising up all that day, and night, and the next day, gathered together of quails, he that did least, ten cores: and they dried them round about the camp.

Surgente ergo populo toto die illo, et nocte, et die altero, congrega cotturnico: qui pauco, deceme corose: et sicca illas per gyro de castros.

Adhuc carnes erant in dentibus eorum, nec defecerat hujuscemodi cibus: et ecce furor Domini concitatus in populum, percussit eum plaga magna nimis.

As yet the flesh was between their teeth, neither had that kind of meat failed: when behold the wrath of the Lord being provoked against the people, struck them with an exceeding great plague.

Adhuc carnes es in dentes de illos, nec cibo huiuscemodudi defice: et ecce furore de Domino concita in populo, plaga magna percute illo nimis.

Vocatusque est ille locus, Sepulchra concupiscentiæ: ibi enim sepelierunt populum qui desideraverat. Egressi autem de Sepulchris concupiscentiæ, venerunt in Haseroth, et manserunt ibi.

And that place was called, The graves of lust: for there they buried the people that had lusted. And departing from the graves of lust, they came unto Haseroth, and abode there.

Et vocato es illo loco, Sepulchros de concupiscentia: ibi nam sepeli populo qui desidera. Egredior autem de Sepulcres de concupiscentia, veni in Haseroth, et mane ibi.