1 Foi-se um homem da casa de Levi e casou com uma filha de Levi.2 A mulher concebeu e deu à luz um filho; e, vendo que ele era formoso, escondeu-o três meses.3 Não podendo escondê-lo por mais tempo, tomou para ele uma arca de juncos, e betumou-a com betume e pez; e metendo na arca o menino, pô-la à beira do rio num carriçal.4 Sua irmã ficou de longe para ver o que lhe havia de acontecer.5 Desceu a filha de Faraó para se banhar no rio, e as suas criadas andavam passeando à beira do rio; vendo ela no carriçal a arca, mandou a sua criada buscá-la.6 Quando ela a abriu, viu a criança; e eis que o menino chorava. Tendo compaixão dele, disse: Este é um dos filhos dos hebreus.7 Então perguntou a irmã do menino à filha de Faraó: Queres que eu te vá chamar uma ama das hebréias, para que crie o menino para ti?8 Respondeu-lhe a filha de Faraó: Vai. Foi-se, pois, a moça, e chamou a mãe do menino.9 Então lhe disse a filha de Faraó: Toma este menino, e cria-mo, e eu te darei o teu salário. A mulher tomou o menino e o criou.10 Sendo o menino já grande, ela o trouxe à filha de Faraó, a qual o adotou por filho, e lhe chamou Moisés, dizendo: Porque das águas o tirei.11 Por aqueles dias, sendo Moisés já homem, saiu a ter com seus irmãos, e para as suas cargas atentou; e viu um egípcio ferindo a um de seus irmãos hebreus.12 Olhou para uma e outra parte e, vendo que não havia ali ninguém, matou o egípcio e escondeu-o na areia.13 Saiu no dia seguinte, e eis que dois hebreus estavam brigando; e perguntou ao que fazia a injúria: Por que feres ao teu próximo?14 Respondeu ele: Quem te constituiu a ti príncipe e juiz sobre nós? pensas tu matar-me como mataste o egípcio? Temeu, pois, Moisés e disse: Sem dúvida já está isso conhecido.15 Ora, depois que Faraó soube disso, procurava matar a Moisés. Porém Moisés fugiu da presença de Faraó, e deteve-se na terra de Midiã; e sentou-se junto dum poço.16 O sacerdote de Midiã tinha sete filhas; vieram estas tirar água e encheram os tanques para dar de beber ao rebanho de seu pai.17 Então vieram os pastores, e as enxotaram; Moisés, porém, levantou-se, defendeu-as, e deu de beber ao rebanho delas.18 Tendo voltado à casa de seu pai Reuel, perguntou ele: Como é que voltastes tão cedo hoje?19 Responderam elas: Um egípcio livrou-nos das mãos dos pastores, e além disto tirou água e deu de beber ao rebanho.20 Replicou a suas filhas: Onde está ele? Por que é que deixastes lá o homem? Chamai-o para que coma pão.21 Moisés consentiu em morar com o homem; e ele deu a Moisés sua filha Zípora.22 Ela deu à luz um filho, a quem ele chamou Gérson, porque disse: Peregrino tenho sido numa terra estrangeira.23 No decorrer de muitos dias morreu o rei do Egito; os filhos de Israel gemiam sob a escravidão, e por causa dela clamaram, e subiu a Deus o seu clamor.24 Ouviu-lhes Deus os gemidos, e lembrou-se da sua aliança com Abraão, com Isaque e com Jacó.25 Viu Deus os filhos de Israel, e os conheceu.

1 After this there went a man of the house of Levi; and took a wife of his own kindred.2 And she conceived, and bore a son; and seeing him a goodly child hid him three months.3 And when she could hide him no longer, she took a basket made of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and pitch: and put the little babe therein, and laid him in the sedges by the river's brink,4 His sister standing afar off, and taking notice what would be done.5 And behold the daughter of Pharao came down to wash herself in the river: and her maids walked by the river's brink. And when she saw the basket in the sedges, she sent one of her maids for it: and when it was brought,6 She opened it and seeing within it an infant crying, having compassion on it she said: This is one of the babes of the Hebrews.7 And the child's sister said to her Shall I go and call to thee a Hebrew woman, to nurse the babe ?8 She answered: Go. The maid went and called her mother.9 And Pharao's daughter said to her. Take this child and nurse him for me: I will give thee thy wages. The woman took, and nursed the child: and when he was grown up, she delivered him to Pharao's daughter.10 And she adopted him for a son, and called him Moses, saying: Because I took him out of the water.11 In those days after Moses was grown up, he went out to his brethren: and saw their affliction, and an Egyptian striking one of the Hebrews his brethren.12 And when he had looked about this way and that way, and saw no one there, he slew the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.13 And going out the next day, he saw two Hebrews quarreling: and he said to him that did the wrong: Why strikest thou thy neighbour?14 But he answered: Who hath appointed thee prince and judge over us: wilt thou kill me, as thou didst yesterday kill the Egyptian? Moses feared, and said: How is this come to be known ?15 And Pharao heard of this word and sought to kill Moses: but he fled from his sight, and abode in the land of Madian, and he sat down by a well.16 And the priest of Madian had seven daughters, who came to draw water: and when the troughs were filled, desired to water their father's flocks.17 And the shepherds came and drove them away: and Moses arose, and defending the maids, watered their sheep.18 And when they returned to Raguel their father, he said to them: Why are ye come sooner than usual?19 They answered: A man of Egypt delivered us from the hands of the shepherds: and he drew water also with us, and gave the sheep to drink.20 But he said: Where is he? why have you let the man go? call him that he may eat bread.21 And Moses swore that he would dwell with him. And he took Sephora his daughter to wife:22 And she bore him a son, whom he called Gersam, saying: I have been a stranger in a foreign country. And she bore another, whom he called Eliezer, saying: For the God of my father, my helper hath delivered me out of the hand of Pharao.23 Now after a long time the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel groaning, cried out because of the works: and their cry went up unto God from the works.24 And he heard their groaning, and remembered the covenant which he made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.25 And the Lord looked upon the children of Israel, and he knew them.