Liber Numeri 20

1 Veneruntque filii Israël et omnis multitudo in desertum Sin, mense primo, et mansit populus in Cades. Mortuaque est ibi Maria, et sepulta in eodem loco.

So the people of Israel, the whole community, went into the wilderness of Zin in the first month; they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.

2 Cumque indigeret aqua populus, convenerunt adversum Moysen et Aaron:

There was no water for the community, so they assembled together against Moses and Aaron.

3 et versi in seditionem, dixerunt: Utinam periissemus inter fratres nostros coram Domino.

The people complained against Moses. They said, “It would have been better if we had died when our fellow Israelites died in front of Yahweh!

4 Cur eduxistis ecclesiam Domini in solitudinem, ut et nos et nostra jumenta moriamur?

Why have you brought Yahweh's community into this wilderness to die here, we and our animals?

5 quare nos fecistis ascendere de Ægypto, et adduxistis in locum istum pessimum, qui seri non potest, qui nec ficum gignit, nec vineas, nec malogranata, insuper et aquam non habet ad bibendum?

Why did you make us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this horrible place? Here there is no seed, figs, vines, or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink.”

6 Ingressusque Moyses et Aaron, dimissa multitudine, tabernaculum fœderis, corruerunt proni in terram, clamaveruntque ad Dominum, atque dixerunt: Domine Deus, audi clamorem hujus populi, et aperi eis thesaurum tuum fontem aquæ vivæ, ut satiati, cesset murmuratio eorum. Et apparuit gloria Domini super eos.

So Moses and Aaron went away from in front of the assembly. They went to the entrance of the tent of meeting and lay facedown. There Yahweh's brilliant glory appeared to them.

7 Locutusque est Dominus ad Moysen, dicens:

Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,

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 jumenta ejus.

“Take the staff and assemble the community, you, and Aaron your brother. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and command it to flow with water. You will produce water for them out of that rock, and you must give it to the community and their cattle to drink.”

9 Tulit igitur Moyses virgam, quæ erat in conspectu Domini, sicut præceperat ei,

Moses took the staff from before Yahweh, as Yahweh had commanded him to do.

10 congregata multitudine ante petram: dixitque eis: Audite, rebelles et increduli: num de petra hac vobis aquam poterimus ejicere?

Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock. Moses said to them, “Listen now, you rebels. Must we bring water out of this rock for you?”

11 Cumque elevasset Moyses manum, percutiens virga bis silicem, egressæ sunt aquæ largissimæ, ita ut populus biberet et jumenta.

Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff, and much water came out. The community drank, and their cattle drank.

12 Dixitque Dominus ad Moysen et Aaron: Quia non credidistis mihi, ut sanctificaretis me coram filiis Israël, non introducetis hos populos in terram, quam dabo eis.

Then Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me or honor me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, you will not bring this assembly into the land I have given them.”

13 Hæc est aqua contradictionis, ubi jurgati sunt filii Israël contra Dominum, et sanctificatus est in eis.

This place was called the waters of Meribah because the people of Israel had quarreled with Yahweh there, and he showed himself to them as holy.

14 Misit interea nuntios Moyses de Cades ad regem Edom, qui dicerent: Hæc mandat frater tuus Israël: Nosti omnem laborem qui apprehendit nos,

Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: Your brother Israel says this: “You know all the difficulties that have happened to us.

15 quomodo descenderint patres nostri in Ægyptum, et habitaverimus ibi multo tempore, afflixerintque nos Ægyptii, et patres nostros:

You know that our ancestors went down to Egypt and lived in Egypt a long time. The Egyptians treated us harshly and also our ancestors.

16 et quomodo clamaverimus ad Dominum, et exaudierit nos, miseritque angelum, qui eduxerit nos de Ægypto. Ecce in urbe Cades, quæ est in extremis finibus tuis, positi,

When we called out to Yahweh, he heard our voice and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt. Look, we are in Kadesh, a city on the border of your land.

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 dexteram nec ad sinistram declinantes, donec transeamus terminos tuos.

I am asking you to let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or vineyard, nor will we drink the water in your wells. We will go along the king's highway. We will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left until we have passed your border.”

18 Cui respondit Edom: Non transibis per me, alioquin armatus occurram tibi.

But the king of Edom replied to him, “You may not pass through here. If you do, I will come with the sword to attack you.”

19 Dixeruntque filii Israël: Per tritam gradiemur viam: et si biberimus aquas tuas, nos et pecora nostra, dabimus quod justum est: nulla erit in pretio difficultas, tantum velociter transeamus.

Then the people of Israel said to him, “We will go along the highway. If we or our livestock drink your water, we will pay for it. Just let us walk through on foot, without doing anything else.”

20 At ille respondit: Non transibis. Statimque egressus est obvius, cum infinita multitudo, et manu forti,

But the king of Edom replied, “You may not pass through.” So the king of Edom came against Israel with a strong hand with many soldiers.

21 nec voluit acquiescere deprecanti, ut concederet transitum per fines suos. Quam ob rem divertit ab eo Israël.

The king of Edom refused to allow Israel to cross over their border. Because of this, Israel turned away from the land of Edom.

22 Cumque castra movissent de Cades, venerunt in montem Hor, qui est in finibus terræ Edom:

So the people journeyed from Kadesh. The people of Israel, the whole community, came to Mount Hor.

23 ubi locutus est Dominus ad Moysen:

Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, on Edom's border. He said,

24 Pergat, inquit, Aaron ad populos suos: non enim intrabit terram, quam dedi filiis Israël, eo quod incredulus fuerit ori meo, ad aquas contradictionis.

“Aaron must be gathered to his people, for he will not enter the land that I have given to the people of Israel. This is because you both rebelled against my word at the waters of Meribah.

25 Tolle Aaron et filium ejus cum eo, et duces eos in montem Hor.

Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor.

26 Cumque nudaveris patrem veste sua, indues ea Eleazarum filium ejus: Aaron colligetur, et morietur ibi.

Take Aaron's priestly garments off him and put them on Eleazar his son. Aaron must die and be gathered to his people there.”

27 Fecit Moyses ut præceperat Dominus: et ascenderunt in montem Hor coram omni multitudine.

Moses did as Yahweh commanded. They went up Mount Hor in the sight of all the community.

28 Cumque Aaron spoliasset vestibus suis, induit eis Eleazarum filium ejus. Illo mortuo in montis supercilio, descendit cum Eleazaro.

Moses took Aaron's priestly garments off him and put them on Eleazar his son. Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down.

29 Omnis autem multitudo videns occubuisse Aaron, flevit super eo triginta diebus per cunctas familias suas.

When all the community saw that Aaron was dead, the entire nation wept for Aaron for thirty days.