Genesis 23

VULGATA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Vixit autem Sara centum viginti septem annis.	1 The span of Sarah's life was one hundred and twenty-seven years.
2 Et mortua est in civitate Arbee, quæ est Hebron, in terra Chanaan : venitque Abraham ut plangeret et fleret eam.	2 She died in Kiriatharba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham performed the customary mourning rites for her.
3 Cumque surrexisset ab officio funeris, locutus est ad filios Heth, dicens :	3 Then he left the side of his dead one and addressed the Hittites:
4 Advena sum et peregrinus apud vos : date mihi jus sepulchri vobiscum, ut sepeliam mortuum meum.	4 "Although I am a resident alien among you, sell me from your holdings a piece of property for a burial ground, that I may bury my dead wife."
5 Responderunt filii Heth, dicentes :	5 The Hittites answered Abraham: "Please, sir,
6 Audi nos, domine : princeps Dei es apud nos : in electis sepulchris nostris sepeli mortuum tuum, nullusque te prohibere poterit quin in monumento ejus sepelias mortuum tuum.	6 listen to us! You are an elect of God among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our burial sites. None of us would deny you his burial ground for the burial of your dead."
7 Surrexit Abraham, et adoravit populum terræ, filios videlicet Heth :	7 Abraham, however, began to bow low before the local citizens, the Hittites,
8 dixitque ad eos : Si placet animæ vestræ ut sepeliam mortuum meum, audite me, et intercedite pro me apud Ephron filium Seor :	8 while he appealed to them: "If you will allow me room for burial of my dead, listen to me! Intercede for me with Ephron, son of Zohar, asking him
9 ut det mihi speluncam duplicem, quam habet in extrema parte agri sui : pecunia digna tradat eam mihi coram vobis in possessionem sepulchri.	9 to sell me the cave of Machpelah that he owns; it is at the edge of his field. Let him sell it to me in your presence, at its full price, for a burial place."
10 Habitabat autem Ephron in medio filiorum Heth. Responditque Ephron ad Abraham, cunctis audientibus qui ingrediebantur portam civitatis illius, dicens :	10 Now Ephron was present with the Hittites. So Ephron the Hittite replied to Abraham in the hearing of the Hittites who sat on his town council:
11 Nequaquam ita fiat, domine mi, sed tu magis ausculta quod loquor. Agrum trado tibi, et speluncam quæ in eo est, præsentibus filiis populi mei ; sepeli mortuum tuum.	11 "Please, sir, listen to me! I give you both the field and the cave in it; in the presence of my kinsmen I make this gift. Bury your dead!"
12 Adoravit Abraham coram populo terræ.	12 But Abraham, after bowing low before the local citizens, addressed Ephron in the hearing of these men:
13 Et locutus est ad Ephron circumstante plebe : Quæso ut audias me : dabo pecuniam pro agro : suscipe eam, et sic sepeliam mortuum meum in eo.	13 "Ah, if only you would please listen to me! I will pay you the price of the field. Accept it from me, that I may bury my dead there."
14 Responditque Ephron :	14 Ephron replied to Abraham, "Please,
15 Domine mi, audi me : terra, quam postulas, quadringentis siclis argenti valet : istud est pretium inter me et te : sed quantum est hoc ? sepeli mortuum tuum.	15 sir, listen to me! A piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver--what is that between you and me, as long as you can bury your dead?"
16 Quod cum audisset Abraham, appendit pecuniam, quam Ephron postulaverat, audientibus filiis Heth, quadringentos siclos argenti probatæ monetæ publicæ.	16 Abraham accepted Ephron's terms; he weighed out to him the silver that Ephron had stipulated in the hearing of the Hittites, four hundred shekels of silver at the current market value.
17 Confirmatusque est ager quondam Ephronis, in quo erat spelunca duplex, respiciens Mambre, tam ipse, quam spelunca, et omnes arbores ejus in cunctis terminis ejus per circuitum,	17 Thus Ephron's field in Machpelah, facing Mamre, together with its cave and all the trees anywhere within its limits, was conveyed
18 Abrahæ in possessionem, videntibus filiis Heth, et cunctis qui intrabant portam civitatis illius.	18 to Abraham by purchase in the presence of all the Hittites who sat on Ephron's town council.
19 Atque ita sepelivit Abraham Saram uxorem suam in spelunca agri duplici, quæ respiciebat Mambre. Hæc est Hebron in terra Chanaan.	19 After this transaction, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave of the field of Machpelah, facing Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan.
20 Et confirmatus est ager, et antrum quod erat in eo, Abrahæ in possessionem monumenti a filiis Heth.	20 Thus the field with its cave was transferred from the Hittites to Abraham as a burial place.