Numbers 23
1 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me seven altars here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.”
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。」
2 So Balak did as Balaam had instructed, and Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
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。
3 “Stay here by your burnt offering while I am gone,” Balaam said to Balak. “Perhaps the LORD will meet with me. And whatever He reveals to me, I will tell you.” So Balaam went off to a barren height,
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。
4 and God met with him. “I have set up seven altars,” Balaam said, “and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.”
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。」
5 Then the LORD put a message in Balaam’s mouth, saying, “Return to Balak and give him this message.”
耶和華將話傳給巴蘭，又說：「你回到巴勒那裏，要如此如此說。」
6 So he returned to Balak, who was standing there beside his burnt offering, with all the princes of Moab.
他就回到巴勒那裏，見他同摩押的使臣都站在燔祭旁邊。
7 And Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the mountains of the east. ‘Come,’ he said, ‘put a curse on Jacob for me; come and denounce Israel!’
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。
8 How can I curse what God has not cursed? How can I denounce what the LORD has not denounced?
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？
9 For I see them from atop the rocky cliffs, and I watch them from the hills. Behold, a people dwelling apart, not reckoning themselves among the nations.
我從高峰看他，從小山望他； 這是獨居的民，不列在萬民中。
10 Who can count the dust of Jacob or number even a fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous; let my end be like theirs!”
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。
11 Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, and behold, you have only blessed them!”
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。」
12 But Balaam replied, “Should I not speak exactly what the LORD puts in my mouth?”
他回答說：「耶和華傳給我的話，我能不謹慎傳說嗎？」
13 Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place where you can see them. You will only see the outskirts of their camp—not all of them. And from there, curse them for me.”
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。」
14 So Balak took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, where he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
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。
15 Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your burnt offering while I meet the LORD over there.”
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。」
16 And the LORD met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth, saying, “Return to Balak and speak what I tell you.”
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。」
17 So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with the princes of Moab. “What did the LORD say?” Balak asked.
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？」
18 Then Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Arise, O Balak, and listen; give ear to me, O son of Zippor.
巴蘭就題詩歌說： 巴勒，你起來聽； 西撥的兒子，你聽我言。
19 God is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?
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？
20 I have indeed received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot change it.
我奉命祝福； 上帝也曾賜福，此事我不能翻轉。
21 He considers no disaster for Jacob; He sees no trouble for Israel. The LORD their God is with them, and the shout of the King is among them.
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。
22 God brought them out of Egypt with strength like a wild ox.
上帝領他們出埃及； 他們似乎有野牛之力。
23 For there is no spell against Jacob and no divination against Israel. It will now be said of Jacob and Israel, ‘What great things God has done!’
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！
24 Behold, the people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion, not resting until they devour their prey and drink the blood of the slain.”
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。
25 Now Balak said to Balaam, “Then neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!”
巴勒對巴蘭說：「你一點不要咒詛他們，也不要為他們祝福。」
26 But Balaam replied, “Did I not tell you that whatever the LORD says, I must do?”
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？」
27 “Please come,” said Balak, “I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God that you curse them for me from there.”
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。」
28 And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the wasteland.
巴勒就領巴蘭到那下望曠野的毗珥山頂上。
29 Then Balaam said, “Build for me seven altars here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.”
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。」
30 So Balak did as Balaam had instructed, and he offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
巴勒就照巴蘭的話行，在每座壇上獻一隻公牛，一隻公羊。
