11 — Judges

1There was at that time Jephte, the Galaadite, a most valiant man, and a warrior, the son of a woman that was a harlot, and his father was Galaad.Era in quel tempo Jephte di Galaad uomo valorosissimo nel mestiero dell'armi, figliuolo di Galaad, e di una donna meretrice.THERE was at that time Iephte the Galaadite a most valiant man and a warrier, the sonne of a woman that was an harlot, who was borne of Galaad.Fuit illo tempore Jephte Galaadites vir fortissimus atque pugnator, filius mulieris meretricis, qui natus est de Galaad. 2Now Galaad had a wife of whom he had sons: who, after they were grown up, thrust out Jephte, saying: Thou canst not inherit in the house of our father, because thou art born of another mother.Or Galaad avea moglie, e da lei ebbe de' figliuoli, i quali cresciuti in età cacciarono Jephte dicendo: Tu non puoi esser erede nella casa del padre nostro, perchè se' nato di un'altra donna.And Galaad had a wife of whom he had sonnes: who after they were growen, cast out Iepthte, saying: Thou canst not be heyre in the house of our father, because thou art borne of an other mother.Habuit autem Galaad uxorem, de qua suscepit filios: qui postquam creverant, ejecerunt Jephte, dicentes: Hæres in domo patris nostri esse non poteris, quia de altera matre natus es. 3Then he fled and avoided them, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered to him needy men and robbers, and they followed him as their prince.Ed egli fuggendo, e nascondendosi a loro, abitò nella terra di Tob: e si adunarono presso di lui degli uomini miserabili che viveano di preda, e lo seguitavano come loro principe.Whom he fleeing and auoyding, dwelt in the Land of Tob: and there were gathered to him needie men, and theeui•h, and folowed him as their prince.Quos ille fugiens atque devitans, habitavit in terra Tob: congregatique sunt ad eum viri inopes, et latrocinantes, et quasi principem sequebantur. 4In those days the children of Ammon made war against Israel.In que' giorni combattevano i figliuoli di Ammon contro Israele.In those dayes the children of Ammon fought against Israel.In illis diebus pugnabant filii Ammon contra Israël. 5And as they pressed hard upon them, the ancients of Galaad went to fetch Jephte out of the land of Tob to help them:E avendolo quelli ridotto in grandi strettezze, andarono i seniori di Galaad a prendere dalla terra di Tob Jephte per loro soccorso,who pressing sore vpon them, the ancientes of Galaad went to take Iephte out of the Land of Tob to helpe them:Quibus acriter instantibus perrexerunt majores natu de Galaad, ut tollerent in auxilium sui Jephte de terra Tob:

6And they said to him: Come thou, and be our prince, and fight against the children of Ammon.E dissero a lui: Vieni, e sii nostro principe, e combatti contro i figliuoli di Ammon.and they saied to him: Come and be our prince, and fight against the children of Ammon.dixeruntque ad eum: Veni et esto princeps noster, et pugna contra filios Ammon. 7And he answered them: Are not you the men that hated me, and cast me out of my father’s house, and now you are come to me, constrained by necessity?Ma egli rispose loro: Non siete voi quegli che mi odiate, e mi avete scacciato dalla casa del padre mio? E adesso stretti dalla necessità ricorrete a me.To whom he answered: Are not you they that hated me, and cast me out of my fathers house, and now are come to me forced by necessitie.Quibus ille respondit: Nonne vos estis, qui odistis me, et ejecistis de domo patris mei ? et nunc venistis ad me necessitate compulsi. 8And the princes of Galaad said to Jephte: For this cause we are now come to thee, that thou mayst go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be head over all the inhabitants of Galaad.E i principi di Galaad dissero a Jephte: Per questo appunto siamo ora venuti da te; affinchè tu venga con noi, e combatta contro i figliuoli di Ammon, e sii condottiero di tutti quelli che abitano in Galaad.And the princes of Galaad said to Iephte: For this cause be we now come to thee, that thou goe forth with vs, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be the captaine of al that dwell in Galaad.Dixeruntque principes Galaad ad Jephte: Ob hanc igitur causam nunc ad te venimus, ut proficiscaris nobiscum, et pugnes contra filios Ammon, sisque dux omnium qui habitant in Galaad. 9Jephte also said to them: If you be come to me sincerely, that I should fight for you against the children of Ammon, and the Lord shall deliver them into my hand, shall I be your prince?Ma Jephte rispose loro: Se veramente siete venuti a trovarmi, affinchè io combatta per voi contro i figliuoli di Ammon, quando egli avvenga che il Signore li dia in mio potere, sarò il vostro principe?Iephte also said to them: If you be come to me sincerly, that I should fight for you against the children of Ammon, and if our Lord deliuer them into my handes, shal I be your prince?Jephte quoque dixit eis: Si vere venistis ad me, ut pugnem pro vobis contra filios Ammon, tradideritque eos Dominus in manus meas, ego ero vester princeps ? 10They answered him: The Lord, who heareth these things, he himself is mediator and witness that we will do as we have promised.E quelli risposero a lui: Il Signore che ascolta queste cose, egli è mezzano, e testimone, come noi adempiremo le nostre promesse.Who answered him: Our Lord which heareth these thinges, him selfe is mediatour and witnes that we wil doe as we haue promised.Qui responderunt ei: Dominus, qui hæc audit, ipse mediator ac testis est quod nostra promissa faciemus.

11Jephte therefore went with the princes of Galaad, and all the people made him their prince. And Jephte spoke all his words before the Lord in Maspha.Andò adunque Jephte co' principi di Galaad, e tutto il popolo lo creò suo principe. E parlò Jephte di tutte le cose sue dinanzi al Signore in Maspha.Iephte therfore went with the princes of Galaad, and al the people made him their prince. And Iephte spake al his wordes before our Lord in Maspha.Abiit itaque Jephte cum principibus Galaad, fecitque eum omnis populus principem sui. Locutusque est Jephte omnes sermones suos coram Domino in Maspha. 12And he sent messengers to the king of the children of Ammon, to say in his name: What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me, to waste my land?E mandò ambasciadori al re de' figliuoli di Ammon, i quali a suo nome dicessero: Che hai da fare con me tu, che ti se' mosso contro di me e dai il guasto al mio paese?And he sent messengers to the king of the children of Ammon, which should say in his person: What is betwen me and thee, that thou art come against me, to wast my Land?Et misit nuntios ad regem filiorum Ammon, qui ex persona sua dicerent: Quid mihi et tibi est, quia venisti contra me, ut vastares terram meam ? 13And he answered them: Because Israel took away my land, when he came up out of Egypt, from the confines of the Arnon unto the Jaboc and the Jordan: now, therefore, restore the same peaceably to me.Ma quegli rispose loro: Israele occupò il mio paese in venendo dall'Egitto da' confini di Arnon sino a Jaboc, e al Giordano: ora adunque rendilo a me colle buone.To whom he answered: Because Israel tooke my land, when he ascended out of Aegypt, from the coasts of Arnon vnto Iaboc and Iordan now therfore with peace restore the same to me.Quibus ille respondit: Quia tulit Israël terram meam, quando ascendit de Ægypto, a finibus Arnon usque Jaboc atque Jordanem: nunc ergo cum pace redde mihi eam. 14And Jephte again sent word by them, and commanded them to say to the king of Ammon:Jephte pe' medesimi uomini diede risposta, e comandò loro di dire al re di Ammon:By whom Iephte againe sent word, and commanded them that they should say to the king of Ammon:Per quos rursum mandavit Jephte, et imperavit eis ut dicerent regi Ammon: 15Thus saith Jephte: Israel did not take away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon:Queste cose dice Jephte: Israele non si prese la terra di Moab, nè la terra de' figliuoli di Ammon;Thus sayth Iephte: Israel did not take the Land of Moab, nor the Land of the children of Ammon:Hæc dicit Jephte: Non tulit Israël terram Moab, nec terram filiorum Ammon:

16But when they came up out of Egypt, he walked through the desert to the Red Sea, and came into Cades.Ma allorché uscirono dall'Egitto, camminarono pel deserto fino al mar Rosso, e giunti a Cades,but when they ascended out of Aegypt, he walked through the desert vnto the Readsea, and came into Cades.sed quando de Ægypto conscenderunt, ambulavit per solitudinem usque ad mare Rubrum, et venit in Cades. 17And he sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying: Suffer me to pass through thy land. But he would not condescend to his request. He sent also to the king of Moab, who, likewise, refused to give him passage. He abode, therefore, in Cades,Mandarono ambasciadori al re di Edom, dicendo: Permettici di passare per la tua terra. Ma egli non volle esaudire queste preghiere. Mandarono anche al re di Moab, il quale negò anch'egli con disprezzo di concedere il transito; ond'essi si fermaron in Cades.And he sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying: Suffer me that I may passe through thy land. Who would not condescend to his requestes. He sent also to the king of Moab, who also him selfe contemned to geue passage. He abode therfore in Cades,Misitque nuntios ad regem Edom, dicens: Dimitte me ut transeam per terram tuam. Qui noluit acquiescere precibus ejus. Misit quoque ad regem Moab, qui et ipse transitum præbere contempsit. Mansit itaque in Cades, 18And went round the land of Edom at the side, and the land of Moab: and came over against the east coast of the land of Moab, and camped on the other side of the Arnon: and he would not enter the bounds of Moab.E costeggiò la terra di Edom, e la terra di Moab, e arrivò verso la parte orientale della terra di Moab, e pose il campo di là da Arnon, e non volle mettere il piede dentro i confini di Moab; perocché Arnon è il confine della terra di Moab.and compassed the Land of Edom at the side, and the land of Moab: and came against the East quarter of the Land of Moab, and camped beyond Arnon: neither would he enter the boundes of Moab: for Arnon is the border of the Land of Moab.et circuivit ex latere terram Edom et terram Moab: venitque contra orientalem plagam terræ Moab, et castrametatus est trans Arnon: nec voluit intrare terminos Moab. (Arnon quippe confinium est terræ Moab.) 19So Israel sent messengers to Sehon, king of the Amorrhites, who dwelt in Hesebon, and they said to him: Suffer me to pass through thy land to the river.Mandò adunque Israele ambasciadori a Sehon re degli Amorrhei che abitava in Hesebon, i quali gli dissero: Permettici di passare pel tuo paese sino al fiume.Israel therfore sent messengers to Sehon the king of the Ammorrheites, who dwelt in Hesebon, and they said to him Suffer me to passe through thy land vnto the riuer.Misit itaque Israël nuntios ad Sehon regem Amorrhæorum, qui habitabat in Hesebon, et dixerunt ei: Dimitte ut transeam per terram tuam usque ad fluvium.

20But he, also despising the words of Israel, suffered him not to pass through his borders: but gathering an infinite multitude, went out against him to Jasa, and made strong opposition.Ma egli pure disprezzando le parole d'Israele non gli permise di passare dentro i suoi confini, ma, radunata una immensa moltitudine, si mosse contro di lui fino a Jasa, e si opponeva a lui con gran forza.Who also him selfe despising the wordes of Israel, suffered him not to passe through his borders: but gathering an infinite multitude went forth against him into Iasa, and resisted strongly.Qui et ipse Israël verba despiciens, non dimisit eum transire per terminos suos: sed infinita multitudine congregata, egressus est contra eum in Jasa, et fortiter resistebat. 21And the Lord delivered him, with all his army, into the hands of Israel, and he slew him, and possessed all the land of the Amorrhite, the inhabitant of that country,Ma il Signore diede lui, e tutto il suo esercito in potere d'Israele, il quale lo sconfisse, e divenne padrone di tutta la terra degli Amorrhei che abitavano in quella regione,And our Lord deliuered him into the handes of Israel with al his armie, and he stroke him, and possessed al the Land of the Ammorrheite the inhabiter of that countrie,Tradiditque eum Dominus in manus Israël cum omni exercitu suo: qui percussit eum, et possedit omnem terram Amorrhæi habitatoris regionis illius, 22And all the coasts thereof from the Arnon to the Jaboc, and from the wilderness to the Jordan.E di tutto quello che era compreso dentro i loro confini dall'Arnon sino a Jaboc, e dalla solitudine sino al Giordano.and al the coastes therof from Arnon vnto Iaboc, & from the wildernes vnto Iordan.et universos fines ejus, de Arnon usque Jaboc, et de solitudine usque ad Jordanem. 23So the Lord, the God of Israel, destroyed the Amorrhite, his people of Israel fighting against him, and wilt thou now possess his land?Avendo adunque il Signore Dio cacciati gli Amorrhei per mezzo d'Israele suo popolo che fece guerra contro di essi, tu vuoi adesso esser padrone della lor terra?Our Lord therfore the God of Israel subuerted the Amorrheite, his people of Israel fighting against him, and wilt thou now possesse his land?Dominus ergo Deus Israël subvertit Amorrhæum, pugnante contra illum populo suo Israël, et tu nunc vis possidere terram ejus ? 24Are not those things which thy god Chamos possesseth, due to thee by right? But what the Lord our God hath obtained by conquest, shall be our possession:Non è egli vero che è di tua ragione tutto quello che appartiene al tuo dio Chamos? Sarà adunque di nostra proprietà tutto quello che il Signore Dio nostro acquistò colla vittoria:Are not those thinges which Chamos thy God possessed, dew to thee by right? But the thinges that our Lord God hath obteyned conquerour, shal come to our possession:nonne ea quæ possidet Chamos deus tuus, tibi jure debentur ? quæ autem Dominus Deus noster victor obtinuit, in nostram cedent possessionem:

25Unless, perhaps, thou art better than Balac, the son of Sephor, king of Moab: or canst shew that he strove against Israel, and fought against him,Se pure tu forse non sei qualche cosa di più che Balac figliuolo di Sephor re di Moab; ovvero hai da far vedere che questi abbia mosso querela ad Israele, e abbia impugnate le armi contro di lui,vnlesse perhaps thou be better then Balac the sonne of Sephor the king of Moab: or canst shew, that he wrangled against Israel, and fought against him,nisi forte melior es Balac filio Sephor rege Moab; aut docere potes, quod jurgatus sit contra Israël, et pugnaverit contra eum, 26Whereas he hath dwelt in Hesebon, and the villages thereof, and in Aroer, and its villages, and in all the cities near the Jordan, for three hundred years. Why have you for so long a time attempted nothing about this claim?Per tutto il tempo che questi ha abitato in Hesebon, e ne' suoi villaggi, e in Aroer, e ne' suoi villaggi, e in tutte quante le città vicine al Giordano, cioè per trecento anni. Per qual ragione in si lungo spazio di tempo nulla tentaste, e nulla aveste da ripetere?when he dwelt in Hesebon, and the litle to w•es therof, and in Aroer, and the townes therof, or in al the cities nere Iordan, for three hundred yeares. Wherfore haue you so long attempted nothing for reclaime?quando habitavit in Hesebon et viculis ejus, et in Aroër et villis illius, vel in cunctis civitatibus juxta Jordanem, per trecentos annos. Quare tanto tempore nihil super hac repetitione tentastis ? 27Therefore I do not trespass against thee, but thou wrongest me by declaring an unjust war against me. The Lord be judge, and decide this day, between Israel and the children of Ammon.Non fo adunque io torto a te, ma tu male ti porti contro di me, intimandomi una guerra non giusta. Giudichi il Signore arbitro in questo dì tra Israele, e i figliuoli di Ammon.Therfore I doe not sinne against thee, but thou doest euil against me, denouncing me vniust warres. Our Lord be iudge the arbiter of this day betwen Israel, and betwen the children of Ammon.Igitur non ego pecco in te, sed tu contra me male agis, indicens mihi bella non justa. Judicet Dominus arbiter hujus diei inter Israël, et inter filios Ammon. 28And the king of the children of Ammon would not hearken to the words of Jephte, which he sent him by the messengers.Ma il re de' figliuoli di Ammon non volle restar appagato delle parole di Jephte riferite a lui dagli ambasciadori.And the king of the children of Ammon would not harken to the wordes of Iephte, which he sent him by the messengers.Noluitque acquiescere rex filiorum Ammon verbis Jephte, quæ per nuntios mandaverat.

29Therefore the spirit of the Lord came upon Jephte, and going round Galaad, and Manasses, and Maspha of Galaad, and passing over from thence to the children of Ammon,Entrò adunque in Jephte io spirito del Signore, ed egli andò in giro per tutto il paese di Galaad, e di Manasse, e di Maspha di Galaad, e di là si avanzò verso i figliuoli di Ammon.Therfore the spirite of our Lord came vpon Iephte, and circuiting Galaad, and Manasses. Maspha also of Galaad, and thence passing to the children of Ammon,Factus est ergo super Jephte spiritus Domini, et circuiens Galaad et Manasse, Maspha quoque Galaad, et inde transiens ad filios Ammon, 30He made a vow to the Lord, saying: If thou wilt deliver the children of Ammon into my hands,E fece voto al Signore, e disse: Se tu darai in mio potere i figliuoli di Ammon,he vowed a vow to our Lord, saying: If thou wilt deliuer the children of Ammon into my handes,votum vovit Domino, dicens: Si tradideris filios Ammon in manus meas, 31Whosoever shall first come forth out of the doors of my house, and shall meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, the same will I offer a holocaust to the Lord.Il primo, chiunque egli sia, che uscirà dalle porte di casa mia, e verrà incontro a me nel ritornar che farò vincitore de' figliuoli di Ammon, l'offerirò in olocausto al Signore.whosoeuer shal first come forth out of the doores of my house, and shal meete me returning with peace from the children of Ammon, him wil I offer an holocauste to our Lord.quicumque primus fuerit egressus de foribus domus meæ, mihique occurrerit revertenti cum pace a filiis Ammon, eum holocaustum offeram Domino. 32And Jephte passed over to the children of Ammon to fight against them: and the Lord delivered them into his hands.E Jephte andò contro i figliuoli di Ammon per combatterli: e il Signore li diede nelle sue mani.And Iephte passed to the children of Ammon, to fight against them: whom our Lord deliuered into his handes.Transivitque Jephte ad filios Ammon, ut pugnaret contra eos: quos tradidit Dominus in manus ejus. 33And he smote them from Aroer till you come to Mennith, twenty cities, and as far as Abel, which is set with vineyards, with a very great slaughter: and the children of Ammon were humbled by the children of Israel.Ed espugnò venti città da Aroer sino a Mennith, e sino ad Abel che è circondata di vigne, sconfitta grande oltre modo colla quale furono abbattuti i figliuoli di Ammon da' figliuoli d'Israele.and he stroke from Aroer til thou come to Mennith, twentie cities, and as farre as Abel, which is sette with vineyardes, with a very great plague. and the children of Ammon were humbled by the children of Israel.Percussitque ab Aroër usque dum venias in Mennith, viginti civitates, et usque ad Abel, quæ est vineis consita, plaga magna nimis: humiliatique sunt filii Ammon a filiis Israël.

34And when Jephte returned into Maspha, to his house, his only daughter met him with timbrels and with dances: for he had no other children.Ma nel ritornar che faceva Jephte a casa sua in Maspha, gli andò incontro la sua unica figlia (imperocché non avea egli altri figliuoli) menando carole al suono di timpani.But Iephte returning into Maspha to his house, his onlie begotten daughter mette him with tymbrels and daunces. for he had not other children.Revertente autem Jephte in Maspha domum suam, occurrit ei unigenita filia sua cum tympanis et choris: non enim habebat alios liberos. 35And when he saw her, he rent his garments, and said: Alas! my daughter, thou hast deceived me, and thou thyself art deceived: for I have opened my mouth to the Lord, and I can do no other thing.E com'ei l'ebbe veduta, stracciò le sue vesti, e disse: Ahi, figliuola mia! Tu mi hai ingannato, e ti se' ingannata anche tu: perocché io ho data parola al Signore, e non potrò fare altra cosa.Whom when he saw, he rent his gatmentes, and said: Wo is me my daughter thou hast deceiued me, and thy self art deceiued: for I haue opened my mouth to our Lord, and I can doe no other thing.Qua visa, scidit vestimenta sua, et ait: Heu me, filia mea ! decepisti me, et ipsa decepta es: aperui enim os meum ad Dominum, et aliud facere non potero. 36And she answered him: My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth to the Lord, do unto me whatsoever thou hast promised, since the victory hath been granted to thee, and revenge of thy enemies.Rispose ella a lui: Padre mio, se tu hai data parola al Signore, fa di me quello che hai promesso, essendo stato a te conceduto di far vendetta dei tuoi nemici, e di vincerli.To whom she answered: My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth to our Lord, do vnto me whatsoeuer thou hast promised, the reuenge and victorie of thyne enemies being granted to thee.Cui illa respondit: Pater mi, si aperuisti os tuum ad Dominum, fac mihi quodcumque pollicitus es, concessa tibi ultione atque victoria de hostibus tuis. 37And she said to her father: Grant me only this, which I desire: Let me go, that I may go about the mountains for two months, and may bewail my virginity with my companions.E disse di poi al padre: Questo solo concedimi, di che ti prego. Lasciami andar per due mesi girando attorno pe' monti colle mie compagne a piangere la mia verginità.And she said to her father: This only graunt me which I desire: Suffer me that two monethes I may goe about the mountaines, and bewayle my virginitie with my felowes.Dixitque ad patrem: Hoc solum mihi præsta quod deprecor: dimitte me ut duobus mensibus circumeam montes, et plangam virginitatem meam cum sodalibus meis.

38And he answered her: Go. And he sent her away for two months. And when she was gone with her comrades and companions, she mourned her virginity in the mountains.Ed ei rispose: Va pure. E lasciolla andare per due mesi: ed ella partì colle sue compagne, e amiche, e piangeva su' monti la sua verginità.To whom he answered: Goe. And he dismissed her two monethes. And when she was gone with her felowes and companions, she mourned her virginitie in the mountaines.Cui ille respondit: Vade. Et dimisit eam duobus mensibus. Cumque abiisset cum sociis ac sodalibus suis, flebat virginitatem suam in montibus. 39And the two months being expired, she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed, and she knew no man. From thence came a fashion in Israel, and a custom has been kept:E finiti i due mesi se ne tornò al padre, ed egli fece di lei quel che avea promesso con voto, ed ella non conobbe uomo. E quindi venne in Israele il costume, e si è conservata questa consuetudine,And the two monethes being expired, she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed, who knew not man. Thence forth a fashion in Israel, and a custome was kept:Expletisque duobus mensibus, reversa est ad patrem suum, et fecit ei sicut voverat, quæ ignorabat virum. Exinde mos increbruit in Israël, et consuetudo servata est, 40That, from year to year, the daughters of Israel assemble together, and lament the daughter of Jephte the Galaadite, for four days.Che una volta l'anno si radunino insieme le fanciulle d'Israele a piangere la figliuola di Jephte di Galaad per quattro giorni.that after the compasse of a yeare the daughters of Israel assemble together, and mourne the daughter of Iephte the Galaadite foure dayes.ut post anni circulum conveniant in unum filiæ Israël, et plangant filiam Jephte Galaaditæ diebus quatuor.