民數記 23
1 巴蘭對巴勒說：「你在這裏給我築七座壇，為我預備七隻公牛，七隻公羊。」
And Balaam said unto Balak: 'Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.'
2 巴勒照巴蘭的話行了。巴勒和巴蘭在每座壇上獻一隻公牛，一隻公羊。
And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.
3 巴蘭對巴勒說：「你站在你的燔祭旁邊，我且往前去，或者耶和華來迎見我。他指示我甚麼，我必告訴你。」於是巴蘭上一淨光的高處。
And Balaam said unto Balak: 'Stand by thy burnt-offering, and I will go; peradventure the LORD will come to meet me; and whatsoever He showeth me I will tell thee.' And he went to a bare height.
4 上帝迎見巴蘭；巴蘭說：「我預備了七座壇，在每座壇上獻了一隻公牛，一隻公羊。」
And God met Balaam; and he said unto Him: 'I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.'
5 耶和華將話傳給巴蘭，又說：「你回到巴勒那裏，要如此如此說。」
And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said: 'Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.'
6 他就回到巴勒那裏，見他同摩押的使臣都站在燔祭旁邊。
And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt-offering, he, and all the princes of Moab.
7 巴蘭便題起詩歌說： 巴勒引我出亞蘭， 摩押王引我出東山，說： 來啊，為我咒詛雅各； 來啊，怒罵以色列。
And he took up his parable, and said: From Aram Balak bringeth me, the king of Moab from the mountains of the East: 'Come, curse me Jacob, and come, execrate Israel.'
8 上帝沒有咒詛的，我焉能咒詛？ 耶和華沒有怒罵的，我焉能怒罵？
How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? And how shall I execrate, whom the LORD hath not execrated?
9 我從高峰看他，從小山望他； 這是獨居的民，不列在萬民中。
For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, it is a people that shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.
10 誰能數點雅各的塵土？ 誰能計算以色列的四分之一？ 我願如義人之死而死； 我願如義人之終而終。
Who hath counted the dust of Jacob, or numbered the stock of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let mine end be like his!
11 巴勒對巴蘭說：「你向我做的是甚麼事呢？我領你來咒詛我的仇敵，不料，你竟為他們祝福。」
And Balak said unto Balaam: 'What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.'
12 他回答說：「耶和華傳給我的話，我能不謹慎傳說嗎？」
And he answered and said: 'Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD putteth in my mouth?'
13 巴勒說：「求你同我往別處去，在那裏可以看見他們；你不能全看見，只能看見他們邊界上的人。在那裏要為我咒詛他們。」
And Balak said unto him: 'Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them; thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all; and curse me them from thence.'
14 於是領巴蘭到了瑣腓田，上了毗斯迦山頂，築了七座壇；每座壇上獻一隻公牛，一隻公羊。
And he took him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.
15 巴蘭對巴勒說：「你站在這燔祭旁邊，等我往那邊去迎見耶和華。」
And he said unto Balak: 'Stand here by thy burnt-offering, while I go toward a meeting yonder.'
16 耶和華臨到巴蘭那裏，將話傳給他；又說：「你回到巴勒那裏，要如此如此說。」
And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said: 'Return unto Balak, and thus shalt thou speak.'
17 他就回到巴勒那裏，見他站在燔祭旁邊；摩押的使臣也和他在一處。巴勒問他說：「耶和華說了甚麼話呢？」
And he came to him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt-offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him: 'What hath the LORD spoken?'
18 巴蘭就題詩歌說： 巴勒，你起來聽； 西撥的兒子，你聽我言。
And he took up his parable, and said: Arise, Balak, and hear; give ear unto me, thou son of Zippor:
19 上帝非人，必不致說謊， 也非人子，必不致後悔。 他說話豈不照着行呢？ 他發言豈不要成就呢？
God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent: when He hath said, will He not do it? or when He hath spoken, will He not make it good?
20 我奉命祝福； 上帝也曾賜福，此事我不能翻轉。
Behold, I am bidden to bless; and when He hath blessed, I cannot call it back.
21 他未見雅各中有罪孽， 也未見以色列中有奸惡。 耶和華－他的上帝和他同在； 有歡呼王的聲音在他們中間。
None hath beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath one seen perverseness in Israel; the LORD his God is with him, and the shouting for the King is among them.
22 上帝領他們出埃及； 他們似乎有野牛之力。
God who brought them forth out of Egypt is for them like the lofty horns of the wild-ox.
23 斷沒有法術可以害雅各， 也沒有占卜可以害以色列。 現在必有人論及雅各，就是論及以色列說： 上帝為他行了何等的大事！
For there is no enchantment with Jacob, neither is there any divination with Israel; now is it said of Jacob and of Israel: 'What hath God wrought!'
24 這民起來，彷彿母獅， 挺身，好像公獅， 未曾吃野食， 未曾喝被傷者之血，決不躺臥。
Behold a people that riseth up as a lioness, and as a lion doth he lift himself up; he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain.
25 巴勒對巴蘭說：「你一點不要咒詛他們，也不要為他們祝福。」
And Balak said unto Balaam: 'Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.'
26 巴蘭回答巴勒說：「我豈不是告訴你說『凡耶和華所說的，我必須遵行』嗎？」
But Balaam answered and said unto Balak: 'Told not I thee, saying: All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do?'
27 巴勒對巴蘭說：「來吧，我領你往別處去，或者上帝喜歡你在那裏為我咒詛他們。」
And Balak said unto Balaam: 'Come now, I will take thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence.'
28 巴勒就領巴蘭到那下望曠野的毗珥山頂上。
And Balak took Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh down upon the desert.
29 巴蘭對巴勒說：「你在這裏為我築七座壇，又在這裏為我預備七隻公牛，七隻公羊。」
And Balaam said unto Balak: 'Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.'
30 巴勒就照巴蘭的話行，在每座壇上獻一隻公牛，一隻公羊。
And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.
