And the Lord said to Aaron: Thou, and thy sons, and thy father’s house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the sins of your priesthood.

Dixitque Dominus ad Aaron: Tu, et filii tui, et domus patris tui tecum, portabitis iniquitatem sanctuarii: et tu et filii tui simul sustinebitis peccata sacerdotii vestri.

This was the Lord’s word to Aaron: For what is done in the sanctuary, for the duties of your priesthood, none but thou and thy sons with thee shall be answerable;

And take with thee thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, and the sceptre of thy father, and let them be ready in hand, and minister to thee: but thou and thy sons shall minister in the tabernacle of the testimony.

Sed et fratres tuos de tribu Levi, et sceptrum patris tui sume tecum, præstoque sint, et ministrent tibi: tu autem et filii tui ministrabitis in tabernaculo testimonii.

but all the sons of Levi are thy brethren, and these, all that come of thy father’s tribe, thou mayest call in to relieve thee by their ministry, while thou and thy sons minister in the tabernacle that bears record of me.

And the Levites shall watch to do thy commands, and about all the works of the tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary nor the altar, lest both they die, and you also perish with them.

Excubabuntque Levitæ ad præcepta tua, et ad cuncta opera tabernaculi: ita dumtaxat ut ad vasa sanctuarii et ad altare non accedant, ne et illi moriantur, et vos pereatis simul.

The Levites shall wait on thy bidding, as the service of the tabernacle requires it, yet never, at their peril and yours, having access to the things of the sanctuary, or to the altar.

But let them be with thee, and watch in the charge of the tabernacle, and in all the ceremonies thereof. A stranger shall not join himself with you.

Sint autem tecum, et excubent in custodiis tabernaculi, et in omnibus cæremoniis ejus. Alienigena non miscebitur vobis.

They shall be content to relieve you by waiting on the needs of the tabernacle and its worship, in which no other tribe may take part.

Watch ye in the charge of the sanctuary, and in the ministry of the altar: lest indignation rise upon the children of Israel.

Excubate in custodia sanctuarii, et in ministerio altaris: ne oriatur indignatio super filios Israël.

It is for you, if you would not have my displeasure fall on Israel, to guard the sanctuary and serve the altar’s needs.

I have given you your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel, and have delivered them for a gift to the Lord, to serve in the ministries of the tabernacle.

Ego dedi vobis fratres vestros Levitas de medio filiorum Israël, et tradidi donum Domino, ut serviant in ministeriis tabernaculi ejus.

If I have separated your fellow-Levites from the rest of the people, and dedicated them as a gift to myself, I have designated them only for the menial offices of my tabernacle;

But thou and thy sons look ye to the priesthood: and all things that pertain to the service of the altar, and that are within the veil, shall be executed by the priests. If any stranger shall approach, he shall be slain.

Tu autem et filii tui custodite sacerdotium vestrum: et omnia quæ ad cultum altaris pertinent, et intra velum sunt, per sacerdotes administrabuntur: si quis externus accesserit, occidetur.

the priesthood is for thee and for thy sons. All the ceremonies of the altar, all that is hidden within the veil, belongs to the priests’ charge; it is death for any other to take part.

And the Lord said to Aaron: Behold I have given thee the charge of my firstfruits. All things that are sanctified by the children of Israel, I have delivered to thee and to thy sons for the priestly office, by everlasting ordinances.

Locutusque est Dominus ad Aaron: Ecce dedi tibi custodiam primitiarum mearum. Omnia quæ sanctificantur a filiis Israël, tradidi tibi et filiis tuis pro officio sacerdotali legitima sempiterna.

This, too, the Lord said to Aaron: Hereby I put the offerings made to me at thy disposal; all that the sons of Israel dedicate to me, I pass on to thee and to thy sons, a portion assigned to the priesthood by right inalienable.

These therefore shalt thou take of the things that are sanctified, and are offered to the Lord. Every offering, and sacrifice, and whatsoever is rendered to me for sin and for trespass, and becometh holy of holies, shall be for thee and thy sons.

Hæc ergo accipies de his, quæ sanctificantur et oblata sunt Domino. Omnis oblatio, et sacrificium, et quidquid pro peccato atque delicto redditur mihi, et cedit in Sancta sanctorum, tuum erit, et filiorum tuorum.

All that is set apart, when offerings are made to the Lord, is my gift to thee; whatever is offered by way of bloodless sacrifice, or to atone for some fault or wrong done, and vowed to holy uses, belongs to thee and thine.

Thou shalt eat it in the sanctuary: the males only shall eat thereof, because it is a consecrated thing to thee.

In sanctuario comedes illud: mares tantum edent ex eo, quia consecratum est tibi.

It must be eaten on holy ground, and only by men, this consecrated gift I make thee.

But the firstfruits, which the children of Israel shall vow and offer, I have given to thee, and to thy sons, and to thy daughters, by a perpetual law. He that is clean in thy house, shall eat them.

Primitias autem, quas voverint et obtulerint filii Israël, tibi dedi, et filiis tuis, ac filiabus tuis, jure perpetuo: qui mundus est in domo tua, vescetur eis.

The first-fruits which the Israelites dedicate to me, and hold up in my presence, belong at all times to thee and to thy sons and to thy daughters as well; all that are clean of defilement in thy household may partake of them.

All the best of the oil, and of the wine, and of the corn, whatsoever firstfruits they offer to the Lord, I have given them to thee.

Omnem medullam olei, et vini, ac frumenti, quidquid offerunt primitiarum Domino, tibi dedi.

Do they bring me the best of their oil, their wine, their corn, or any other kind of first-fruits? It is thine;

All the firstripe of the fruits, that the ground bringeth forth, and which are brought to the Lord, shall be for thy use: he that is clean in thy house, shall eat them.

Universa frugum initia, quas gignit humus, et Domino deportantur, cedent in usus tuos: qui mundus est in domo tua, vescetur eis.

no early fruits of the ground that are brought to the Lord but shall go to thy use; none of thy household that is clean of defilement but may partake.

Every thing that the children of Israel shall give by vow, shall be thine.

Omne quod ex voto reddiderint filii Israël, tuum erit.

All that the Israelites give in payment of their vows, is thine.

Whatsoever is firstborn of all flesh, which they offer to the Lord, whether it be of men, or of beasts, shall belong to thee: only for the firstborn of man thou shalt take a price, and every beast that is unclean thou shalt cause to be redeemed,

Quidquid primum erumpit e vulva cunctæ carnis, quam offerunt Domino, sive ex hominibus, sive de pecoribus fuerit, tui juris erit: ita dumtaxat ut pro hominis primogenito pretium accipias, et omne animal quod immundum est redimi facias,

Thine, too, is every living thing that handsels the womb, and so must be offered to the Lord, be it man or beast; for the first-born of men, and for the first-born of unclean beasts, thou wilt take a ransom instead.

And the redemption of it shall be after one month, for five sicles of silver, by the weight of the sanctuary. A sicle hath twenty obols.

cujus redemptio erit post unum mensem, siclis argenti quinque, pondere sanctuarii. Siclus viginti obolos habet.

(The ransom-price, to be paid after one month, is five silver pieces, by sanctuary reckoning; one silver piece is worth twenty pence).

But the firstling of a cow and of a sheep and of a goat thou shalt not cause to be redeemed, because they are sanctified to the Lord. Their blood only thou shalt pour upon the altar, and their fat thou shalt burn for a most sweet odour to the Lord.

Primogenitum autem bovis, et ovis, et capræ, non facies redimi, quia sanctificata sunt Domino. Sanguinem tantum eorum fundes super altare, et adipes adolebis in suavissimum odorem Domino.

But there is no ransoming the first-born of ox or sheep or goat; they are set apart for the Lord. Their blood is to be shed upon the altar, and their fat burned, to please the Lord with the smell of its burning;

But the flesh shall fall to thy use, as the consecrated breast, and the right shoulder shall be thine.

Carnes vero in usum tuum cedent, sicut pectusculum consecratum, et armus dexter: tua erunt.

but the flesh-meat shall go to thy use; like the breast and the right shoulder, it is thy due.

All the firstfruits of the sanctuary which the children of Israel offer to the Lord, I have given to thee and to thy sons and daughters, by a perpetual ordinance. It is a covenant of salt for ever before the Lord, to thee and to thy sons.

Omnes primitias sanctuarii, quas offerunt filii Israël Domino, tibi dedi, et filiis, ac filiabus tuis, jure perpetuo. Pactum salis est sempiternum coram Domino, tibi ac filiis tuis.

All the sanctuary dues which the sons of Israel offer I give to thee and to thy sons and daughters by a perpetual deed of gift; it is a covenant between the Lord and thy race that time cannot alter.

And the Lord said to Aaron: You shall possess nothing in their land, neither shall you have a portion among them: I am thy portion and inheritance in the midst of the children of Israel.

Dixitque Dominus ad Aaron: In terra eorum nihil possidebitis, nec habebitis partem inter eos: ego pars et hæreditas tua in medio filiorum Israël.

This, too, the Lord said to Aaron: You are to hold no lands, no portion is to be assigned to you, among your fellow-Israelites. I am all thy portion; these others have their several possessions, thou hast me.

And I have given to the sons of Levi all the tithes of Israel for a possession, for the ministry wherewith they serve me in the tabernacle of the covenant:

Filiis autem Levi dedi omnes decimas Israëlis in possessionem, pro ministerio, quo serviunt mihi in tabernaculo fœderis:

And in return for the service they do me in the tabernacle that bears record of my covenant, I have allotted to the sons of Levi the enjoyment of all the tithe Israel pays.

That the children of Israel may not approach any more to the tabernacle, nor commit deadly sin,

ut non accedant ultra filii Israël ad tabernaculum, nec committant peccatum mortiferum,

Never henceforward, upon pain of death, must other Israelites come near my sanctuary;

But only the sons of Levi may serve me in the tabernacle, and bear the sins of the people. It shall be an everlasting ordinance in your generations. They shall not possess any other thing,

solis filiis Levi mihi in tabernaculo servientibus, et portantibus peccata populi. Legitimum sempiternum erit in generationibus vestris. Nihil aliud possidebunt,

it is for the Levites only to do the work of the tabernacle, and make themselves answerable for all the people does amiss; and it shall be a law unalterable, age after age, that they possess nothing else,

But be content with the oblation or tithes, which I have separated for their uses and necessities.

decimarum oblatione contenti, quas in usus eorum et necessaria separavi.

but live content with the tithe which I have set apart for their use, to defray all their needs.

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

Locutusque est Dominus ad Moysen, dicens:

And the Lord bade Moses

Command the Levites, and declare unto them: When you shall receive of the children of Israel the tithes, which I have given you, offer the firstfruits of them to the Lord, that is to say, the tenth part of the tenth:

Præcipe Levitis, atque denuntia: Cum acceperitis a filiis Israël decimas, quas dedi vobis, primitias earum offerte Domino, id est, decimam partem decimæ,

give this charge to the Levites: When the sons of Israel pay the tithe I have assigned to you, you must offer to the Lord the first-fruits of them, the tenth part of your tithe,

That it may be reckoned to you as an oblation of firstfruits, as well of the barnfloors as of the winepresses:

ut reputetur vobis in oblationem primitivorum, tam de areis quam de torcularibus:

as if you were paying dues from threshing-floor and wine-press of your own;

And of all the things of which you receive tithes, offer the firstfruits to the Lord, and give them to Aaron the priest.

et universis quorum accipitis primitias, offerte Domino, et date Aaron sacerdoti.

you too must offer the Lord first-fruits of all that comes to you, making them over to the high priest Aaron.

All the things that you shall offer of the tithes, and shall separate for the gifts of the Lord, shall be the best and choicest things.

Omnia quæ offeretis ex decimis, et in donaria Domini separabitis, optima et electa erunt.

And the part of your tithe which you set aside as an offering to the Lord must be the best part, the choice part.

And thou shalt say to them: If you offer all the goodly and the better things of the tithes, it shall be reckoned to you as if you had given the firstfruits of the barnfloor and the winepress:

Dicesque ad eos: Si præclara et meliora quæque obtuleritis ex decimis, reputabitur vobis quasi de area, et torculari dederitis primitias:

When you have offered all that is best and richest, you will have paid your dues, as surely as if they came from threshing-floor and wine-press of your own;

And you shall eat them in all your places, both you and your families: because it is your reward for the ministry, wherewith you serve in the tabernacle of the testimony.

et comedetis eas in omnibus locis vestris, tam vos quam familiæ vestræ: quia pretium est pro ministerio, quo servitis in tabernaculo testimonii.

then you may enjoy the rest of the tithe, and your households with you; it is the reward of all your tabernacle service.

And you shall not sin in this point, by reserving the choicest and fat things to yourselves, lest you profane the oblations of the children of Israel, and die.

Et non peccabitis super hoc, egregia vobis et pinguia reservantes, ne polluatis oblationes filiorum Israël, et moriamini.

You must not incur guilt by keeping the best and the richest for yourselves; for such misuse of the offerings which the sons of Israel make, death is the penalty.