LatineEnglish
Verse 16. Thou shalt make a window in the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish the top of it; and the door of the ark thou shalt set in the side; with lower, middle, and third stories shalt thou make it.1
Vers. 16. Fenestram in arca facies, et in cubito consummabis summitatem eius; ostium autem arcae pones ex latere; deorsum cenacula et tristega facies in ea.
Hoc loco de ratione structurae et figura ac dispositione ipsius Arcae disputandum est. Ad supradictorum autem verborum Mosis explanationem pertinet ut quinque de rebus nonnulla quae obscuritatem et difficultatem habent explicemus: primum, de intervallis seu interstitiis quae erant intra arcam, hoc est de tabulatis et contignationibus arcae; tum de mansiunculis designatis atque comparatis ad habitationem animalium et conservationem escarum; deinde de ostio arcae; adhaec de fenestra arcae; postremo de culmine et fastigio arcae. Quod attinet ad primum, scire oportet arcam fuisse...
Here we must dispute about the plan of the structure, and the figure and disposition of the Ark itself. And to the explanation of the aforesaid words of Moses it pertains that we explain, concerning five matters, certain things that have obscurity and difficulty: first, about the intervals or interstices which were within the ark — that is, about the stories and floorings of the ark; then about the little rooms designed and prepared for the habitation of the animals and the preservation of the food; next about the door of the ark; besides, about the window of the ark; lastly, about the peak and ridge of the ark. As to the first, one must know that the ark was…2
...divisam in aliquot interstitia seu intervalla diversis tectis inter se distincta, quae secundum longitudinem et latitudinem Arcae aequalia erant inter se, differebant autem secundum altitudinem arcae. Haec appellant alii vel tabulata, vel contignationes, vel cameras, vel denique cenacula; nos perspicuitatis gratia nominabimus principales Arcae partes.
…divided into several interstices or intervals, distinguished from one another by different decks, which were equal among themselves according to the length and breadth of the Ark, but differed according to the height of the ark. These some call ‘stories,’ or ‘floorings,’ or ‘chambers,’ or finally ‘upper-rooms’ (cenacula); we, for the sake of clarity, will name them the ‘principal parts’ of the Ark.3
Translator’s notes
- Genesis 6:16 (Vulgate lemma). ↩
- Introduction (continues on p. 206): five obscure points to be explained — the stories, the rooms, the door, the window, and the roof. ↩
- Introduction (continued from p. 205): the Ark divided into several stories, equal in length and breadth but differing in height; called stories, floorings, chambers, or upper-rooms (Pererius: ‘principal parts’). ↩