Exodus 22:1

Posted on March 13, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

1 Si quis furatus fuerit bovem, aut ovem, et occiderit vel vendiderit: quinque boves pro uno bove restituet, et quattuor oves pro una ove.

If anyone steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it, he shall restore five oxen for one ox, and four sheep for one sheep.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Si if CONJ
2 quis anyone PRON.NOM.SG.M/F.INDEF
3 furatus having stolen PTCP.PERF.DEP.NOM.SG.M
4 fuerit has been 3SG.FUTP.ACT.IND
5 bovem ox NOUN.ACC.SG.M.3RD DECL
6 aut or CONJ
7 ovem sheep NOUN.ACC.SG.F.3RD DECL
8 et and CONJ
9 occiderit has killed 3SG.FUTP.ACT.IND.3RD CONJ
10 vel or CONJ
11 vendiderit has sold 3SG.FUTP.ACT.IND.3RD CONJ
12 quinque five ADJ.INVAR.NUM
13 boves oxen NOUN.ACC.PL.M.3RD DECL
14 pro for PREP+ABL
15 uno one ADJ.ABL.SG.M.NUM
16 bove ox NOUN.ABL.SG.M.3RD DECL
17 restituet he shall restore 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND.3RD CONJ
18 et and CONJ
19 quattuor four ADJ.INVAR.NUM
20 oves sheep NOUN.ACC.PL.F.3RD DECL
21 pro for PREP+ABL
22 una one ADJ.ABL.SG.F.NUM
23 ove sheep NOUN.ABL.SG.F.3RD DECL

Syntax

Protasis: Si quis furatus fuerit bovem aut ovem — subject = quis; verbal idea = periphrastic perfect furatus fuerit.
Further Actions: et occiderit vel vendiderit — coordinated future perfect verbs marking completed harmful acts.
Main Apodosis: quinque boves pro uno bove restituet — restitution ratio for cattle.
Parallel Apodosis: et quattuor oves pro una ove — restitution rate for sheep.
Preposition “pro”: Introduces equivalence/exchange value in legal compensation.

Morphology

  1. Si — Lemma: si; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces conditional protasis; Translation: “if”; Notes: Typical legal formulation.
  2. quis — Lemma: quis; Part of Speech: indefinite pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine/feminine; Function: subject; Translation: “anyone”; Notes: Generic legal subject.
  3. furatus — Lemma: furor (DEP); Part of Speech: deponent participle; Form: nominative singular masculine perfect participle; Function: part of periphrastic verb; Translation: “having stolen”; Notes: Used with fuerit to mark completed theft.
  4. fuerit — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd singular future perfect active indicative; Function: completes periphrastic construction; Translation: “has been”; Notes: Legal future perfect.
  5. bovem — Lemma: bos; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object; Translation: “ox”; Notes: First possible stolen animal.
  6. aut — Lemma: aut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: offers exclusive alternative; Translation: “or”; Notes: Distinguishes species.
  7. ovem — Lemma: ovis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: second possible object; Translation: “sheep”; Notes: Smaller livestock category.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: connects additional actions; Translation: “and”; Notes: Coordinating marker.
  9. occiderit — Lemma: occido; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd singular future perfect active indicative, 3rd conjugation; Function: harmful act; Translation: “has killed”; Notes: Killing triggers fivefold/fourfold restitution.
  10. vel — Lemma: vel; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: alternative; Translation: “or”; Notes: Less exclusive than aut.
  11. vendiderit — Lemma: vendo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd singular future perfect active indicative, 3rd conjugation; Function: harmful act (sale of stolen property); Translation: “has sold”; Notes: Same restitution requirement as killing.
  12. quinque — Lemma: quinque; Part of Speech: numeral adjective; Form: invariable; Function: quantifier; Translation: “five”; Notes: Marks penalty severity.
  13. boves — Lemma: bos; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: object of restituet; Translation: “oxen”; Notes: Fivefold repayment.
  14. pro — Lemma: pro; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses equivalence; Translation: “for”; Notes: Exchange marker.
  15. uno — Lemma: unus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: modifies bove; Translation: “one”; Notes: Penalty ratio.
  16. bove — Lemma: bos; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of pro; Translation: “ox”; Notes: Original stolen animal.
  17. restituet — Lemma: restituo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd singular future active indicative, 3rd conjugation; Function: main apodosis verb; Translation: “he shall restore”; Notes: Legal restitution.
  18. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: coordinates second restitution phrase; Translation: “and”; Notes: Parallel structure.
  19. quattuor — Lemma: quattuor; Part of Speech: numeral adjective; Form: invariable; Function: quantifier; Translation: “four”; Notes: Sheep restitution rate.
  20. oves — Lemma: ovis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: object of restituet (implied); Translation: “sheep”; Notes: Fourfold repayment.
  21. pro — Lemma: pro; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: indicates equivalence; Translation: “for”; Notes: Marks exchange value.
  22. una — Lemma: unus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: modifies ove; Translation: “one”; Notes: Penalty ratio.
  23. ove — Lemma: ovis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of pro; Translation: “sheep”; Notes: Original stolen animal.

 

About Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Born around 346 A.D. in Stridon, St. Jerome was a scholar fluent in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew whose ascetic discipline and deep engagement with Scripture prepared him for a monumental task: translating the Bible into Latin. Commissioned by Pope Damasus I around 382 A.D., Jerome began by revising the flawed Old Latin Gospels, then expanded his work to the entire Bible. For the New Testament, he corrected Latin texts using Greek manuscripts; for the Old Testament, he translated most books directly from Hebrew—a controversial but principled choice. His final Psalter, however, followed the Greek Septuagint tradition for liturgical use. This composite translation, later known as the Vulgate (editio vulgata), became the authoritative biblical text of the Western Church, formally endorsed at the Council of Trent in 1546. The Vulgate’s influence extends beyond theology into textual criticism and Latin education. As one of the earliest translations grounded in original-language scholarship, it offers a vital witness to the state of biblical texts in late antiquity. Jerome’s lexical and syntactic decisions are studied to trace manuscript history and assess variant readings. Its elegant Latin, consistent in grammar and rich in vocabulary, became a model for medieval and Renaissance learning, bridging classical and ecclesiastical Latin. More than a translation, the Vulgate helped define Christian doctrine, preserved the Latin language, and laid essential groundwork for the critical study of Scripture—remaining indispensable to students of Latin, theology, and textual history.
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