¹Fuit quidam vir Levites habitans in latere montis Ephraim,There was a certain man, a Levite, living beside mount Ephraim,qui accepit uxorem de Bethlehem Juda:who took a wife from Bethlehem of Judah.

¹Fuit quidam vir Levites habitans in latere montis Ephraim,There was a certain man, a Levite, living beside mount Ephraim,qui accepit uxorem de Bethlehem Juda:who took a wife from Bethlehem of Judah.

²quæ reliquit eum,She left him,et reversa est in domum patris sui in Bethlehem,and she returned to the house of her father in Bethlehem.mansitque apud eum quatuor mensibus.And she stayed with him for four months.

²quæ reliquit eum,She left him,et reversa est in domum patris sui in Bethlehem,and she returned to the house of her father in Bethlehem.mansitque apud eum quatuor mensibus.And she stayed with him for four months.

³Secutusque est eam vir suus,And her husband followed her,volens reconciliari ei,wishing to be reconciled with her,atque blandiri,and to speak kindly to her,et secum reducere,and to lead her back with him.habens in comitatu puerum et duos asinos:And he had with him a servant and two donkeys.quæ suscepit eum,And she received him,et introduxit in domum patris sui.and brought him into the house of her father.Quod cum audisset socer ejus,And when his father-in-law had heard about this,eumque vidisset,and had seen him,occurrit ei lætus,he met him with joy.

³Secutusque est eam vir suus,And her husband followed her,volens reconciliari ei,wishing to be reconciled with her,atque blandiri,and to speak kindly to her,et secum reducere,and to lead her back with him.habens in comitatu puerum et duos asinos:And he had with him a servant and two donkeys.quæ suscepit eum,And she received him,et introduxit in domum patris sui.and brought him into the house of her father.Quod cum audisset socer ejus,And when his father-in-law had heard about this,eumque vidisset,and had seen him,occurrit ei lætus,he met him with joy.

⁴et amplexatus est hominem.And he embraced the man.Mansitque gener in domo soceri tribus diebus,And the son-in-law stayed in the house of his father-in-law for three days,comedens cum eo et bibens familiariter.eating and drinking with him in a friendly manner.

⁴et amplexatus est hominem.And he embraced the man.Mansitque gener in domo soceri tribus diebus,And the son-in-law stayed in the house of his father-in-law for three days,comedens cum eo et bibens familiariter.eating and drinking with him in a friendly manner.

⁵Die autem quarto de nocte consurgens,But on the fourth day, arising in the night,proficisci voluit:he intended to set out.quem tenuit socer, et ait ad eum:But his father-in-law took hold of him,Gusta prius pauxillum panis,and he said to him, “First taste a little bread,et conforta stomachum,and strengthen your stomach,et sic proficisceris.and then you shall set out.”

⁵Die autem quarto de nocte consurgens,But on the fourth day, arising in the night,proficisci voluit:he intended to set out.quem tenuit socer, et ait ad eum:But his father-in-law took hold of him,Gusta prius pauxillum panis,and he said to him, “First taste a little bread,et conforta stomachum,and strengthen your stomach,et sic proficisceris.and then you shall set out.”

⁶Sederuntque simul,And they sat down together,ac comederunt et biberunt.and they ate and drank.Dixitque pater puellæ ad generum suum:And the father of the young woman said to his son-in-law,Quæso te ut hodie hic maneas,“I ask you to remain here today,pariterque lætemur.so that we may rejoice together.”

⁶Sederuntque simul,And they sat down together,ac comederunt et biberunt.and they ate and drank.Dixitque pater puellæ ad generum suum:And the father of the young woman said to his son-in-law,Quæso te ut hodie hic maneas,“I ask you to remain here today,pariterque lætemur.so that we may rejoice together.”

⁷At ille consurgens, cœpit velle proficisci.But getting up, he intended to begin to set out.Et nihilominus obnixe eum socer tenuit,But nevertheless, his father-in-law pressed him resolutely,et apud se fecit manere.and made him remain with him.

⁷At ille consurgens, cœpit velle proficisci.But getting up, he intended to begin to set out.Et nihilominus obnixe eum socer tenuit,But nevertheless, his father-in-law pressed him resolutely,et apud se fecit manere.and made him remain with him.

⁸Mane autem facto,But when morning came,parabat Levites iter.the Levite was preparing for his journey.Cui socer rursum: Oro te, inquit,And his father-in-law said to him again,ut paululum cibi capias,“I beg you to take a little food,et assumptis viribus donec increscat dies,and to be strengthened, until the daylight increases,postea proficiscaris.and after that, you shall set out.”Comederunt ergo simul.Therefore, they ate together.

⁸Mane autem facto,But when morning came,parabat Levites iter.the Levite was preparing for his journey.Cui socer rursum: Oro te, inquit,And his father-in-law said to him again,ut paululum cibi capias,“I beg you to take a little food,et assumptis viribus donec increscat dies,and to be strengthened, until the daylight increases,postea proficiscaris.and after that, you shall set out.”Comederunt ergo simul.Therefore, they ate together.

⁹Surrexitque adolescens,And the young man got up,ut pergeret cum uxore suaso that he might travel with his wife and servant.et puero.And his father-in-law spoke to him again:Cui rursum locutus est socer:“Consider that the daylight is declining,Considera quod dies ad occasum declivior sit,and it approaches toward evening.et propinquat ad vesperum:Remain with me also today,mane apud me etiam hodie,and spend the day in gladness.et duc lætum diem,And tomorrow you shall set out,et cras proficisceris ut vadas in domum tuam.so that you may go to your own house.”

⁹Surrexitque adolescens,And the young man got up,ut pergeret cum uxore suaso that he might travel with his wife and servant.et puero.And his father-in-law spoke to him again:Cui rursum locutus est socer:“Consider that the daylight is declining,Considera quod dies ad occasum declivior sit,and it approaches toward evening.et propinquat ad vesperum:Remain with me also today,mane apud me etiam hodie,and spend the day in gladness.et duc lætum diem,And tomorrow you shall set out,et cras proficisceris ut vadas in domum tuam.so that you may go to your own house.”

¹⁰Noluit gener acquiescere sermonibus ejus:His son-in-law was not willing to agree to his words. Instead,sed statim perrexit,he immediately continued on,et venit contra Jebus,and he arrived opposite Jebus,quæ altero nomine vocatur Jerusalem,which by another name is called Jerusalem,ducens secum duos asinos onustos,leading with him two donkeys carrying burdens,et concubinam.and his mate.

¹⁰Noluit gener acquiescere sermonibus ejus:His son-in-law was not willing to agree to his words. Instead,sed statim perrexit,he immediately continued on,et venit contra Jebus,and he arrived opposite Jebus,quæ altero nomine vocatur Jerusalem,which by another name is called Jerusalem,ducens secum duos asinos onustos,leading with him two donkeys carrying burdens,et concubinam.and his mate.

¹¹Jamque erant juxta Jebus,And now they were near Jebus,et dies mutabatur in noctem:but day was turning into night.dixitque puer ad dominum suum:And the servant said to his lord,Veni,“Come,obsecro:I beg you,declinemus ad urbem Jebusæorum,let us turn aside to the city of the Jebusites,et maneamus in ea.so that we may find lodging in it.”

¹¹Jamque erant juxta Jebus,And now they were near Jebus,et dies mutabatur in noctem:but day was turning into night.dixitque puer ad dominum suum:And the servant said to his lord,Veni,“Come,obsecro:I beg you,declinemus ad urbem Jebusæorum,let us turn aside to the city of the Jebusites,et maneamus in ea.so that we may find lodging in it.”

¹²Cui respondit dominus:His lord responded to him:Non ingrediar oppidum gentis alienæ,“I will not enter into the town of a foreign people,quæ non est de filiis Israël:who are not of the sons of Israel. Instead,sed transibo usque Gabaa,I will cross over as far as Gibeah.

¹²Cui respondit dominus:His lord responded to him:Non ingrediar oppidum gentis alienæ,“I will not enter into the town of a foreign people,quæ non est de filiis Israël:who are not of the sons of Israel. Instead,sed transibo usque Gabaa,I will cross over as far as Gibeah.

¹³et cum illuc pervenero,And when I will have arrived there,manebimus in ea,we will lodge in that place,aut certe in urbe Rama.or at least in the city of Ramah.”

¹³et cum illuc pervenero,And when I will have arrived there,manebimus in ea,we will lodge in that place,aut certe in urbe Rama.or at least in the city of Ramah.”

¹⁴Transierunt ergo Jebus,Therefore, they passed by Jebus,et cœptum carpebant iter,and continuing on, they undertook the journey.occubuitque eis sol juxta Gabaa,But the sun went down on them when they were near Gibeah,quæ est in tribu Benjamin:which is of the tribe of Benjamin.

¹⁴Transierunt ergo Jebus,Therefore, they passed by Jebus,et cœptum carpebant iter,and continuing on, they undertook the journey.occubuitque eis sol juxta Gabaa,But the sun went down on them when they were near Gibeah,quæ est in tribu Benjamin:which is of the tribe of Benjamin.

¹⁵diverteruntque ad eam,And so they diverted to it,ut manerent ibi.so that they might lodge there.Quo cum intrassent,And when they had entered,sedebant in platea civitatis,they were sitting in the street of the city.et nullus eos recipere voluit hospitio.For no one was willing to give them hospitality.

¹⁵diverteruntque ad eam,And so they diverted to it,ut manerent ibi.so that they might lodge there.Quo cum intrassent,And when they had entered,sedebant in platea civitatis,they were sitting in the street of the city.et nullus eos recipere voluit hospitio.For no one was willing to give them hospitality.

¹⁶Et ecce,And behold,apparuit homo senex,they saw an old man,revertens de agro et de opere suo vesperi,returning from the field and from his work in the evening,qui et ipse de monte erat Ephraim,and he was also from mount Ephraim,et peregrinus habitabat in Gabaa:and he was living as a stranger in Gibeah.homines autem regionis illius erant filii Jemini.For the men of that region were of the sons of Benjamin.

¹⁶Et ecce,And behold,apparuit homo senex,they saw an old man,revertens de agro et de opere suo vesperi,returning from the field and from his work in the evening,qui et ipse de monte erat Ephraim,and he was also from mount Ephraim,et peregrinus habitabat in Gabaa:and he was living as a stranger in Gibeah.homines autem regionis illius erant filii Jemini.For the men of that region were of the sons of Benjamin.

¹⁷Elevatisque oculis,And the old man, lifting up his eyes,vidit senex sedentem hominem cum sarcinulis suis in platea civitatis,saw the man sitting with his bundles in the street of the city. And he said to him:et dixit ad eum:“Where have you come from?Unde venis? et quo vadis?And where are you going?”

¹⁷Elevatisque oculis,And the old man, lifting up his eyes,vidit senex sedentem hominem cum sarcinulis suis in platea civitatis,saw the man sitting with his bundles in the street of the city. And he said to him:et dixit ad eum:“Where have you come from?Unde venis? et quo vadis?And where are you going?”

¹⁸Qui respondit ei:He answered him:Profecti sumus de Bethlehem Juda,“We set out from Bethlehem of Judah,et pergimus ad locum nostrum,and we are traveling to our own place,qui est in latere montis Ephraim,which is beside mount Ephraim.unde ieramus in Bethlehem:From there we went to Bethlehem,et nunc vadimus ad domum Dei,and now we go to the house of God.nullusque sub tectum suum nos vult recipere,But no one is willing to receive us under his roof.

¹⁸Qui respondit ei:He answered him:Profecti sumus de Bethlehem Juda,“We set out from Bethlehem of Judah,et pergimus ad locum nostrum,and we are traveling to our own place,qui est in latere montis Ephraim,which is beside mount Ephraim.unde ieramus in Bethlehem:From there we went to Bethlehem,et nunc vadimus ad domum Dei,and now we go to the house of God.nullusque sub tectum suum nos vult recipere,But no one is willing to receive us under his roof.

¹⁹habentes paleas et fœnum in asinorum pabulum,We have straw and hay as fodder for the donkeys,et panem ac vinum in meos et ancillæ tuæ usus,and we have bread and wine for the use of myself,et pueri qui mecum est:and for your handmaid and the servant who is with me.nulla re indigemus nisi hospitio.We lack nothing except lodging.”

¹⁹habentes paleas et fœnum in asinorum pabulum,We have straw and hay as fodder for the donkeys,et panem ac vinum in meos et ancillæ tuæ usus,and we have bread and wine for the use of myself,et pueri qui mecum est:and for your handmaid and the servant who is with me.nulla re indigemus nisi hospitio.We lack nothing except lodging.”

²⁰Cui respondit senex:And the old man responded to him:Pax tecum sit,“Peace be with you.ego præbebo omnia quæ necessaria sunt:I will provide all that is necessary.tantum,Only,quæso,I beg you,ne in platea maneas.do not stay in the street.”

²⁰Cui respondit senex:And the old man responded to him:Pax tecum sit,“Peace be with you.ego præbebo omnia quæ necessaria sunt:I will provide all that is necessary.tantum,Only,quæso,I beg you,ne in platea maneas.do not stay in the street.”

²¹Introduxitque eum in domum suam,And he led him into his house,et pabulum asinis præbuit:and he gave fodder to his donkeys.ac postquam laverunt pedes suos,And after they had washed their feet,recepit eos in convivium.he received them with a banquet.

²¹Introduxitque eum in domum suam,And he led him into his house,et pabulum asinis præbuit:and he gave fodder to his donkeys.ac postquam laverunt pedes suos,And after they had washed their feet,recepit eos in convivium.he received them with a banquet.

²²Illis epulantibus,And while they were feasting,et post laborem itineris cibo et potu reficientibus corpora,and were refreshing their bodies with food and drink after the labor of the journey,venerunt viri civitatis illius,the men of that city,filii Belial (id est,sons of Belial (that is,absque jugo),without yoke),et circumdantes domum senis,came and surrounded the old man’s house.fores pulsare cœperunt,And they began to knock at the door,clamantes ad dominum domus atque dicentes:calling out to the lord of the house,Educ virum,and saying,qui ingressus est domum tuam,“Bring out the man who entered your house,ut abutamur eo.so that we may abuse him.”

²²Illis epulantibus,And while they were feasting,et post laborem itineris cibo et potu reficientibus corpora,and were refreshing their bodies with food and drink after the labor of the journey,venerunt viri civitatis illius,the men of that city,filii Belial (id est,sons of Belial (that is,absque jugo),without yoke),et circumdantes domum senis,came and surrounded the old man’s house.fores pulsare cœperunt,And they began to knock at the door,clamantes ad dominum domus atque dicentes:calling out to the lord of the house,Educ virum,and saying,qui ingressus est domum tuam,“Bring out the man who entered your house,ut abutamur eo.so that we may abuse him.”

²³Egressusque est ad eos senex,And the old man went out to them,et ait:and he said:Nolite,“Do not choose,fratres,brothers,nolite facere malum hoc,do not choose to do this evil.quia ingressus est homo hospitium meum:For this man has entered to my hospitality.et cessate ab hac stultitia.And you must cease from this senselessness.

²³Egressusque est ad eos senex,And the old man went out to them,et ait:and he said:Nolite,“Do not choose,fratres,brothers,nolite facere malum hoc,do not choose to do this evil.quia ingressus est homo hospitium meum:For this man has entered to my hospitality.et cessate ab hac stultitia.And you must cease from this senselessness.

²⁴Habeo filiam virginem,I have a virgin daughter,et hic homo habet concubinam:and this man has a mate.educam eas ad vos,I will lead them out to you,ut humilietis eas,so that you may debase themet vestram libidinem compleatis:and may satisfy your lust.tantum,Only,obsecro,I beg you,ne scelus hoc contra naturam operemini in virum.do not commit this crime against nature on the man.”

²⁴Habeo filiam virginem,I have a virgin daughter,et hic homo habet concubinam:and this man has a mate.educam eas ad vos,I will lead them out to you,ut humilietis eas,so that you may debase themet vestram libidinem compleatis:and may satisfy your lust.tantum,Only,obsecro,I beg you,ne scelus hoc contra naturam operemini in virum.do not commit this crime against nature on the man.”

²⁵Nolebant acquiescere sermonibus illius:But they were not willing to agree to his words.quod cernens homo,So the man, discerning this,eduxit ad eos concubinam suam, et eis tradidit illudendam:led out his mate to them, and he delivered her to their sexual abuse.qua cum tota nocte abusi essent,And when they had abused her for the entire night,dimiserunt eam mane.they released her in the morning.

²⁵Nolebant acquiescere sermonibus illius:But they were not willing to agree to his words.quod cernens homo,So the man, discerning this,eduxit ad eos concubinam suam, et eis tradidit illudendam:led out his mate to them, and he delivered her to their sexual abuse.qua cum tota nocte abusi essent,And when they had abused her for the entire night,dimiserunt eam mane.they released her in the morning.

²⁶At mulier,But the woman,recedentibus tenebris,as darkness was receding,venit ad ostium domus,came to the door of the house,ubi manebat dominus suus,where her lord was staying,et ibi corruit.and there she fell down.

²⁶At mulier,But the woman,recedentibus tenebris,as darkness was receding,venit ad ostium domus,came to the door of the house,ubi manebat dominus suus,where her lord was staying,et ibi corruit.and there she fell down.

²⁷Mane facto,When morning came,surrexit homo,the man arose,et aperuit ostium,and he opened the door,ut cœptam expleret viam:so that he might complete the journey that he had begun.et ecce concubina ejus jacebat ante ostium sparsis in limine manibus.And behold, his mate was lying before the door, with her hands reaching out to the threshold.

²⁷Mane facto,When morning came,surrexit homo,the man arose,et aperuit ostium,and he opened the door,ut cœptam expleret viam:so that he might complete the journey that he had begun.et ecce concubina ejus jacebat ante ostium sparsis in limine manibus.And behold, his mate was lying before the door, with her hands reaching out to the threshold.

²⁸Cui ille,And he,putans eam quiescere,thinking that she was resting,loquebatur:said to her,Surge,“Get up,et ambulemus.and let us walk.”Qua nihil respondente,But since she gave no response,intelligens quod erat mortua,realizing that she had died,tulit eam,he took her up,et imposuit asino,and he laid her on his donkey,reversusque est in domum suam.and he returned to his house.

²⁸Cui ille,And he,putans eam quiescere,thinking that she was resting,loquebatur:said to her,Surge,“Get up,et ambulemus.and let us walk.”Qua nihil respondente,But since she gave no response,intelligens quod erat mortua,realizing that she had died,tulit eam,he took her up,et imposuit asino,and he laid her on his donkey,reversusque est in domum suam.and he returned to his house.

²⁹Quam cum esset ingressus,And when he had arrived,arripuit gladium,he took up a sword,et cadaver uxoris cum ossibus suis in duodecim partes ac frustra concidens,and he cut into pieces the dead body of his wife, with her bones, into twelve parts.misit in omnes terminos Israël.And he sent the pieces into all the parts of Israel.

²⁹Quam cum esset ingressus,And when he had arrived,arripuit gladium,he took up a sword,et cadaver uxoris cum ossibus suis in duodecim partes ac frustra concidens,and he cut into pieces the dead body of his wife, with her bones, into twelve parts.misit in omnes terminos Israël.And he sent the pieces into all the parts of Israel.

³⁰Quod cum vidissent singuli,And when each one had seen this,conclamabant:they were crying out together,Numquam res talis facta est in Israël,“Never has such a thing been done in Israel,ex eo die quo ascenderunt patres nostri de Ægypto usque in præsens tempus:from the day that our fathers ascended from Egypt,ferte sententiam,even to the present time.et in commune decernite quid facto opus sit.Let a sentence be brought and let us decide in common what ought to be done.”

³⁰Quod cum vidissent singuli,And when each one had seen this,conclamabant:they were crying out together,Numquam res talis facta est in Israël,“Never has such a thing been done in Israel,ex eo die quo ascenderunt patres nostri de Ægypto usque in præsens tempus:from the day that our fathers ascended from Egypt,ferte sententiam,even to the present time.et in commune decernite quid facto opus sit.Let a sentence be brought and let us decide in common what ought to be done.”