民數記 23
1 巴郎對巴拉克說：「請伓在這裏給我建造七座祭壇，給我準備七頭公牛犢和七隻公綿羊」。
And Balaam said to Balak, Make me here seven altars and get ready seven oxen and seven male sheep.
2 巴拉克就照巴郎說的做了；巴拉克和巴郎在每座祭壇上奉獻了一頭公牛犢和一隻公綿羊。
And Balak did as Balaam had said; and Balak and Balaam made an offering on every altar of an ox and a male sheep.
3 然後巴郎對巴拉克說：「你留在你的全燔祭旁，我要前去，或許上主會使我遇見衪；衪指示我什麼，我都告訴你」。
Then Balaam said to Balak, Take your place by your burned offering, and I will go and see if the Lord comes to me: and I will give you word of whatever he says to me. And he went to an open place on a hill.
4 他就上了一座荒邱。天主遇到了巴郎，巴郎遂對天主說：「我建造了七座祭壇，在每座祭壇上，奉獻了頭公牛犢和一隻公綿羊」。
And God came to Balaam, and Balaam said to him, I have made ready seven altars, offering an ox and a male sheep on every altar.
5 上主遂把巴郎要說的話放在他口中，然後對他說：「你回到巴拉克那裏就這樣說」。
And the Lord put words in Balaam's mouth, and said, Go back to Balak, and this is what you are to say.
6 他回到巴拉克那裏，看見他和所有的縉紳，仍站在全燔祭旁；
So he went back to him where he was waiting by his burned offering with all the chiefs of Moab.
7 於是吟詩說：「巴拉克將我由阿蘭召來，摩阿布王叫我由東方的山嶺前來：你來替我咒罵雅各伯，你來詛咒以色列!
And in the words which the Lord had given him he said, From Aram Balak has sent for me, the king of Moab from the mountains of the East: come, put curses on Jacob for me and be angry with Israel.
8 我豈能咒罵天主所不咒罵的﹖我豈能詛咒上主所不詛咒的﹖
How may I put curses on him who is not cursed by God? how may I be angry with him with whom the Lord is not angry?
9 我由嚴峰向他們觀看，我由高丘向他們眺望：這是一個獨居，而不應與眾民眾同列的民族。
From the top of the rocks I see him, looking down on him from the hills: it is a people made separate, not to be numbered among the nations.
10 誰能盡數雅各伯的塵埃，誰能算清以色列的塵灰沙﹖惟願我的死有如義人的死，我的結局相似他的結局」。
Who is able to take the measure of the dust of Jacob or the number of the thousands of Israel? May my death be the death of the upright and my last end like his!
11 巴拉克對巴郎說：「你對我做的是什麼事﹖我叫你來是為咒罵我的仇敵，你反而祝福! 」
Then Balak said to Balaam, What have you done to me? I sent for you so that my haters might be cursed, and see, you have given them a blessing.
12 他回答說：「我豈不該謹慎說出上主叫我說的話嗎﹖」
And in answer he said, Am I not ordered to say only what the Lord puts into my mouth?
13 巴拉克對他說：「諘你同我到另一地方去，從那裏可看到他們；這裏只看到一部分，不能看到全部；從那裏替我咒罵他們」。
And Balak said to him, Come with me now into another place from which you will not be able to see them all, but only the outskirts of them; and you will send curses on them from there.
14 於是領他到了丕斯加山頂的瞭望台。在那裏建造了七座，在每座祭壇上，奉獻了一頭公牛犢和頭公綿羊。
So he took him into the country of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and there they made seven altars, offering an ox and a male sheep on every altar.
15 巴郎對巴拉克說：「你在這裏，站在你的全燔祭旁，我到那裏去會見上主。
Then he said to Balak, Take your place here by your burned offering, while I go over there to the Lord.
16 上主就顯現給巴郎，把衪要說的話放在他口內，然後說：「你回巴拉克那裏，就這樣說」。
And the Lord came to Balaam, and put words in his mouth, and said, Go back to Balak, and this is what you are to say.
17 他來到巴拉克那裏，看見他還站在全燔祭旁，摩阿布的縉紳仍同他在一起；巴拉克便問他說：「上主說了什麼﹖」
So he came to him where he was waiting by his burned offering with the chiefs of Moab by his side. And Balak said to him, What has the Lord said?
18 他於是吟詩說：「巴拉克起來靜聽! 漆頗爾的兒子，傾耳聽我!
And in the words which the Lord had given him he said, Up! Balak, and give ear; give attention to me, O son of Zippor:
19 天主不像人能食言，不像人子能返悔。衪說了豈能不行﹖
God is not a man, to say what is false; or the son of man, that his purpose may be changed: what he has said, will he not do? and will he not give effect to the words of his mouth?
20 我受命是為祝福，我不能變更。
See, I have had orders to give blessing: and he has given a blessing which I have no power to take away.
21 在雅各伯中不見罪惡，在以色列中不睹災禍；上主他們的天主與他們同在，歡呼之聲，常在他們中間。
He has seen no evil in Jacob or wrongdoing in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the glad cry of a king is among them.
22 領他們由埃及出來的天主，為他們有如野牛的角。
It is God who has taken them out of Egypt; his horns are like those of the mountain ox.
23 其實雅各伯不需要巫術，以色列不需要占卜；時候一到，自會啟示與雅各伯和以色列：：天主要做什麼。
No evil power has effect against Jacob, no secret arts against Israel; at the right time it will be said of Jacob and of Israel, See what God has done!
24 這民族起來有如母獅，挺身像雄獅，不吞下獵物；不喝疲殺的血，決不臥下」。
See, Israel comes up like a she-lion, lifting himself up like a lion: he will take no rest till he has made a meal of those he has overcome, drinking the blood of those he has put to death.
25 巴拉克對巴郎說：「你不咒罵他們，但也不該祝福啊! 」
Then Balak said to Balaam, If you will not put a curse on them, at all events do not give them a blessing.
26 巴郎回答巴拉克說：「我不是對你說過：我應做上主所吩咐的一切嗎﹖」
But Balaam in answer said to Balak, Did I not say to you, I may only do what the Lord says?
27 巴拉克對巴郎說：「來，我領你到另一個地方去，或者天主喜歡你在那裏替我咒罵他們」。
Then Balak said to Balaam, Come now, I will take you to another place; it may be that God will let you put a curse on them from there.
28 巴拉克於是領巴郎到俯視曠野的培敖爾山頂。
So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, looking down over the waste land.
29 巴郎對巴拉克說：「你在這裏給我建造七座祭壇，給我預備七頭公牛犢和七隻公綿羊」。
And Balaam said to Balak, Make me seven altars here and get seven oxen and seven male sheep ready for me.
30 巴拉克就照巴郎說的做了，在每座祭壇上奉獻了頭公牛和一隻公綿羊。
And Balak did as Balaam said, offering an ox and a male sheep on every altar.
