Numbers 22
1 The Israelites moved on and camped on the plains of Moab east of the Jordan, opposite Jericho.
以色列人起行，在摩押平原、約旦河東，對着耶利哥安營。
2 Balak, son of Zippor, had seen all that the Israelites had done to the Amorites.
以色列人向亞摩利人所行的一切事，西撥的兒子巴勒都看見了。
3 The Moabites were terrified of the Israelites because there were so many of them. The Moabites dreaded the arrival of the Israelites
摩押人因以色列民甚多，就大大懼怕，心內憂急，
4 and told the leaders of Midian, “This horde will eat up everything we have, just like an ox eats up grass in the field!” (Balak son of Zippor, was king of Moab at that time.)
對米甸的長老說：「現在這眾人要把我們四圍所有的一概餂盡，就如牛餂盡田間的草一般。」那時西撥的兒子巴勒作摩押王。
5 He sent messengers to call Balaam, son of Beor, who lived in Pethor near the Euphrates River in his own country. “Listen, a group of people has arrived here who came from Egypt,” Balak said in his message to Balaam. “There are hordes of them and they present a real threat to me.
他差遣使者往大河邊的毗奪去，到比珥的兒子巴蘭本鄉那裏，召巴蘭來，說：「有一宗民從埃及出來，遮滿地面，與我對居。
6 Please come immediately and curse these people for me, because they are stronger than me. Maybe then I'll be able to attack them and drive them out of my country because I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”
這民比我強盛，現在求你來為我咒詛他們，或者我能得勝，攻打他們，趕出此地。因為我知道，你為誰祝福，誰就得福；你咒詛誰，誰就受咒詛。」
7 The Moabite and Midianite leaders departed, taking payment for the fortune-telling with them. When they arrived they gave Balaam the message from Balak.
摩押的長老和米甸的長老手裏拿着卦金，到了巴蘭那裏，將巴勒的話都告訴了他。
8 “Stay the night and I'll let you know the answer the Lord gives me,” Balaam told them. So the Moabite leaders stayed there with Balaam.
巴蘭說：「你們今夜在這裏住宿，我必照耶和華所曉諭我的回報你們。」摩押的使臣就在巴蘭那裏住下了。
9 God came to Balaam and asked him, “Who are these men staying with you?”
上帝臨到巴蘭那裏，說：「在你這裏的人都是誰？」
10 Balaam told God, “Balak, son of Zippor, the king of Moab, sent me this message:
巴蘭回答說：「是摩押王西撥的兒子巴勒打發人到我這裏來，說：
11 ‘Listen, a group of people has arrived here who came from Egypt. There are hordes of them. Please come immediately and curse these people for me. Maybe then I'll be able to fight them and drive them out of my country.’”
『從埃及出來的民遮滿地面，你來為我咒詛他們，或者我能與他們爭戰，把他們趕出去。』」
12 But God told Balaam, “You are not to go back with them. You must not curse this people, for they are blessed.”
上帝對巴蘭說：「你不可同他們去，也不可咒詛那民，因為那民是蒙福的。」
13 In the morning Balaam got up and said to Balak's messengers, “Go back to where you came from because the Lord has refused to allow me to go with you.”
巴蘭早晨起來，對巴勒的使臣說：「你們回本地去吧，因為耶和華不容我和你們同去。」
14 The Moabite leaders left. They returned to Balak, and told him, “Balaam refused to come back with us.”
摩押的使臣就起來，回巴勒那裏去，說：「巴蘭不肯和我們同來。」
15 Then Balak sent even more leaders who were more prestigious than before.
巴勒又差遣使臣，比先前的又多又尊貴。
16 When they arrived they told Balaam, “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: ‘Please don't let anything stop you from coming to see me,
他們到了巴蘭那裏，對他說：「西撥的兒子巴勒這樣說：『求你不容甚麼事攔阻你不到我這裏來，
17 because I will pay you a great deal and follow all the advice you give me. Please come and curse these people for me!’”
因為我必使你得極大的尊榮。你向我要甚麼，我就給你甚麼；只求你來為我咒詛這民。』」
18 But Balaam told Balak's officials, “Even if Balak gave me his whole palace full of silver and gold, I couldn't disobey the command of the Lord my God in any way.
巴蘭回答巴勒的臣僕說：「巴勒就是將他滿屋的金銀給我，我行大事小事也不得越過耶和華－我上帝的命。
19 Now you should also stay the night so I can see if the Lord has anything else to tell me.”
現在我請你們今夜在這裏住宿，等我得知耶和華還要對我說甚麼。」
20 God came to Balaam during the night and told him, “Since these men have come for you, get up and go with them. But only do what I tell you.”
當夜，上帝臨到巴蘭那裏，說：「這些人若來召你，你就起來同他們去，你只要遵行我對你所說的話。」
21 In the morning Balaam got up, put a saddle on his donkey, and left with the Moabite leaders.
巴蘭早晨起來，備上驢，和摩押的使臣一同去了。
22 God's got angry because Balaam had decided to go. The angel of the Lord came and stood in the road to confront him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and he was accompanied by his two servants.
上帝因他去就發了怒；耶和華的使者站在路上敵擋他。他騎着驢，有兩個僕人跟隨他。
23 The donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road holding a drawn sword, so it turned from the road and went into a field. So Balaam beat it to make it go back to the road.
驢看見耶和華的使者站在路上，手裏有拔出來的刀，就從路上跨進田間，巴蘭便打驢，要叫牠回轉上路。
24 Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow part of the road that passed between two vineyards, with walls on both sides.
耶和華的使者就站在葡萄園的窄路上；這邊有牆，那邊也有牆。
25 The donkey saw the angel of the Lord and tried to get past. It pushed up against the wall and crushed Balaam's foot against it. So he beat it again.
驢看見耶和華的使者，就貼靠牆，將巴蘭的腳擠傷了；巴蘭又打驢。
26 Then the angel of the Lord went ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to get past, either on the right or the left.
耶和華的使者又往前去，站在狹窄之處，左右都沒有轉折的地方。
27 The donkey saw the angel of the Lord and lay down under Balaam. He got angry and beat it with his walking stick.
驢看見耶和華的使者，就臥在巴蘭底下，巴蘭發怒，用杖打驢。
28 The Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you for you to beat me three times?”
耶和華叫驢開口，對巴蘭說：「我向你行了甚麼，你竟打我這三次呢？」
29 “You made me look stupid!” Balaam told the donkey. “If I was holding a sword, I'd kill you now!”
巴蘭對驢說：「因為你戲弄我，我恨不能手中有刀，把你殺了。」
30 But the donkey asked Balaam, “Aren't I the donkey you've ridden all your life right up to today? Have I ever treated you this way before?” “No,” he admitted.
驢對巴蘭說：「我不是你從小時直到今日所騎的驢嗎？我素常向你這樣行過嗎？」巴蘭說：「沒有。」
31 Then the Lord gave Balaam the ability to see the angel of the Lord standing in the road holding a drawn sword. Balaam bowed low and fell facedown on the ground.
當時，耶和華使巴蘭的眼目明亮，他就看見耶和華的使者站在路上，手裏有拔出來的刀，巴蘭便低頭俯伏在地。
32 The angel of the Lord asked him, “Why did you beat your donkey three times? Listen, I have come to confront you because you're being obstinate.
耶和華的使者對他說：「你為何這三次打你的驢呢？我出來敵擋你，因你所行的，在我面前偏僻。
33 The donkey saw me and avoided me three times. If it had not avoided me, by now I definitely would have killed you and allowed the donkey to live.”
驢看見我就三次從我面前偏過去；驢若沒有偏過去，我早把你殺了，留牠存活。」
34 “I have sinned because I did not realize that you were standing in the road to confront me,” Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “So if this isn't what you want, I'll go back home.”
巴蘭對耶和華的使者說：「我有罪了。我不知道你站在路上阻擋我；你若不喜歡我去，我就轉回。」
35 The angel of the Lord told Balaam, “No, you can go with the men, but only say what I tell you.” So Balaam continued on with Balak's officials.
耶和華的使者對巴蘭說：「你同這些人去吧！你只要說我對你說的話。」於是巴蘭同着巴勒的使臣去了。
36 When Balak found out that Balaam was on his way, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the border at the Arnon River, the farthest point of his territory.
巴勒聽見巴蘭來了，就往摩押京城去迎接他；這城是在邊界上，在亞嫩河旁。
37 He said to Balaam, “Didn't you think my call for you to come was urgent? Why didn't you come to me straight away? Did you think I couldn't pay you enough?”
巴勒對巴蘭說：「我不是急急地打發人到你那裏去召你嗎？你為何不到我這裏來呢？我豈不能使你得尊榮嗎？」
38 “Look, I'm here with you now, aren't I?” Balaam replied. “But do you think I can just say anything? I can only speak the words that God gives me to say.”
巴蘭說：「我已經到你這裏來了！現在我豈能擅自說甚麼呢？上帝將甚麼話傳給我，我就說甚麼。」
39 So Balaam went with Balak and they arrived at Kiriath-huzoth.
巴蘭和巴勒同行，來到基列‧胡瑣。
40 Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and he shared with meat with Balaam and the leaders who were with him.
巴勒宰了牛羊，送給巴蘭和陪伴的使臣。
41 The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth-baal. From there he could see the extent of the Israelite camp.
到了早晨，巴勒領巴蘭到巴力的高處；巴蘭從那裏觀看以色列營的邊界。
