Numbers 24
1 And when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord that he should bless Israel. he went not as he had gone before, to seek divination: but setting his face towards the desert,
Balaam, voyant que l’Éternel se plaisait à bénir Israël, n’eut plus recours, comme précédemment, à des opérations magiques, mais tourna son visage du côté du désert.
2 And lifting up his eyes, he saw Israel abiding in their tents by their tribes: and the spirit of God rushing upon him,
En y portant ses regards, Balaam vit Israël, dont les tribus s’y déployaient; et l’esprit divin s’empara de lui;
3 He took up his parable and said: Balaam the son of Beor hath said: The man hath said, whose eye ire stopped up:
et il proféra son oracle en ces termes: "Parole de Balaam, fils de Beor, parole de l’homme au clairvoyant regard,
4 The hearer of the words of God hath said, he that hath beheld the vision of the Almighty, he that falleth, and so his eyes are opened:
de celui qui entend le verbe divin, qui perçoit la vision du Tout-Puissant il fléchit, mais son œil reste ouvert:
5 How beautiful are thy tabernacles, O Jacob, and thy tents, O Israel!
Qu’elles sont belles tes tentes, ô Jacob! Tes demeures, ô Israël!
6 As woody valleys, as watered gardens near the rivers, as tabernacles which the Lord hath pitched, as cedars by the waterside.
Elles se développent comme des vallées, comme des vergers le long d’un fleuve; Dieu les a plantées comme des aloès, comme des cèdres au bord des eaux.
7 Water shall flow out of his bucket, and his seed shall be in many waters. For Agag his king shall be removed, and his kingdom shall be taken awry.
La sève ruisselle de ses branches, et sa graine est abondamment arrosée; son roi est plus grand que n’est Agag, sa royauté est souveraine!
8 God hath brought him out of Egypt, whose strength is like to the rhinoceros. They shall devour the nations that are his enemies, and break their bones, and pierce them with arrows.
Quand Dieu le fit sortir de l’Egypte, son élan fut celui du réêm; iI dévore les peuples qui l’attaquent, il brise leurs os, trempe ses flèches dans leur sang.
9 Lying down he hath slept as a lion, and as a lioness, whom none shall dare to rouse. He that blesseth thee, shall also himself be blessed: he that curseth thee shall be reckoned accursed.
Il se couche, il repose comme le lion et le léopard: qui osera le réveiller? Heureux ceux qui te bénissent! Malheur à qui te maudit."
10 And Balac being angry against Balaam, clapped his hands together and said: I called thee to curse my enemies, and thou on the contrary hast blessed them three times.
Balak, enflammé de colère contre Balaam, frappa des mains, et il dit à Balaam: "C’Est pour maudire mes ennemis que je t’avais appelé, et tu as persisté à les bénir, par trois fois!
11 Return to thy place. I had determined indeed greatly to honour thee, but the Lord hath deprived thee of the honour designed for thee.
Eh bien donc, fuis dans ton pays; je voulais te combler d’honneurs, et voici que l’Éternel t’en a frustré!"
12 Balaam made answer to Balac: Did I not say to thy messengers, whom thou sentest to me:
Balaam repartit à Balak: "N’Avais-je pas déjà, aux messagers que tu m’avais envoyés, répondu en ces termes:
13 If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to utter any thing of my own head either good or evil: but whatsoever the Lord shall say, that I will speak?
Quand Balak me donnerait de l’argent et de l’or plein son palais, je ne saurais désobéir à la voix de l’Éternel, en agissant bien ou mal de mon chef; ce que dira l’Éternel, je le dirai.
14 But yet going to my people, I will give thee counsel, what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.
Et maintenant, je m’en retourne chez mon peuple; mais écoute, je veux t’avertir de ce que ce peuple-ci fera au tien dans la suite des jours."
15 Therefore taking up his parable, again he said: Balaam the son of Beor hath said: The man whose eye is stopped up, hath said:
Et il proféra son oracle de la sorte: "Parole de Balaam, fils de Beor, parole de l’homme au lucide regard,
16 The hearer of the words of God hath said, who knoweth the doctrine of the Highest, and seeth the visions of the Almighty, who falling hath his eyes opened:
de celui qui entend le verbe divin et connaît le secret du Très-Haut qui perçoit la vision du Tout-Puissant, qui fléchit, mais dont l’œil reste ouvert:
17 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not near. A STAR SHALL RISE out of Jacob and a sceptre shall spring up from Israel: and shall strike the chiefs of Moab, and shall waste all the children of Seth.
je le vois, mais ce n’est pas encore l’heure; je le distingue; mais il n’est pas proche: un astre s’élance de Jacob, et une comète surgit du sein d’Israël, qui écrasera les sommités de Moab et renversera tous les enfants de l’orgueil,
18 And he shall possess Idumea: the inheritance of Seir shall come to their enemies, but Israel shall do manfully.
fera sa proie de l’Idumée, sa proie de Séir, ses ennemis; et Israël triomphera.
19 Out of Jacob shall he come that shall rule, and shall destroy the remains of the city.
Oui, un dominateur naîtra de Jacob, qui balaiera des villes leurs derniers habitants."
20 And when he saw Amalec, he took up his parable, and said: Amalec the beginning of nations, whose latter ends shall be destroyed.
Puis il vit Amalec, et il proféra son oracle en disant: "Amalec était le premier des peuples; mais son avenir est voué à la perdition."
21 He saw also the Cinite: and took up his parable, and said: Thy habitation indeed is strong: but though thou build thy nest in a rock,
Il vit le Kénéen, et il proféra son oracle en disant: "Fortifie ta demeure! Pose ton nid sur le rocher!
22 And thou be chosen of the stock of Cin, how long shalt thou be able to continue? For Assur shall take thee captive.
Car, s’il est consumé, ô Kénéen, en combien peu de temps Assur te fera captif!"
23 And taking up his parable, again he said: Alas, who shall live when God shall do these things?
Il proféra encore son oracle et il dit: "Hélas! Qui peut vivre quand Dieu ne l’a pas voulu?
24 They shall come in galleys from Italy, they shall overcome the Assyrians, and shall waste the Hebrews, and at the last they themselves also shall perish.
Des flottes, parties de la côte de Kitttm, subjugueront Assur, subjugueront Héber mais lui aussi est voué à la ruine."
25 And Balaam rose, and returned to his place: Balac also returned the way that he came.
Alors Balaam se leva et reprit le chemin de son pays; et Balak aussi se remit en route.
