Numbers 23
1 Then Balaam told Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice.”
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 Balak did as Balaam had said, and together they 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 Balaam said to Balak, “Wait here beside your burnt offering while I go and see if perhaps the Lord will come and meet with me. Whatever he reveals to me, I'll share with you.” Then Balaam left to climb up a rocky crag.
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 God met with him there, and Balaam said. “I have built seven altars 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 The Lord gave Balaam a message to share. He told him, “Go back to Balak and this is what you are to say to him.”
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 went back to Balak, who was waiting there beside his burnt offering, along with all the Moabite leaders.
他就回到巴勒那裏，見他同摩押的使臣都站在燔祭旁邊。
7 This is the declaration that Balaam gave: “Balak brought me from Aram; the king of Moab brought me from the mountains of the east. He said, ‘Come and curse Jacob for me! Come and condemn 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 But how can I curse what God has not cursed? How can I condemn what the Lord has not condemned?
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'm looking down on them from the top of rocky crags; I'm watching them from the hills. I see a people who live on their own, different from the other 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 Jacob's descendants? They are so many they're like dust! Who can count even a quarter of the Israelites? I would like to die as a good person dies! Let the end of my life be like their end!”
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 complained to Balaam, “What on earth have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, and now look! All you have done is bless 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, “Don't you think I should I say precisely what the Lord tells me?”
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. But you'll only see a part of their camp—you won't see all of them. You can curse them for me from there.”
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 He took him to the field of Zophim at the top of Mount Pisgah. There 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 told Balak, “Wait 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 The Lord met Balaam and gave him a message to share. He told him, “Go back to Balak and this is what you are to say to him.”
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 went back to Balak, who was waiting there beside his burnt offering, along with all the Moabite leaders. “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 This is the prophecy that Balaam delivered: “Stand up, Balak, and pay attention! Listen to me, 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 isn't a human being who would lie. He's not a mere mortal who changes his mind. Does he say he's going to do something but doesn't? Does he make promises he doesn't carry out?
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 Look, I have been ordered to give a blessing. God has blessed, and I can't change that.
我奉命祝福； 上帝也曾賜福，此事我不能翻轉。
21 He's not expecting anything bad will happen to Jacob; he doesn't foresee any trouble for Israel. The Lord their God is with them; they celebrate him as their king.
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 led them out of Egypt with great power, as strong as an ox.
上帝領他們出埃及； 他們似乎有野牛之力。
23 No spell can be cast against Jacob; no magic can be used against Israel. People will talk about Jacob and Israel, saying, ‘What amazing things God has done for them!’
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 Look! The Israelites go out hunting like a lioness; they chase like a lion. They don't rest until they eat their prey, and drink the blood of their dead victim.”
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 Then Balak said to Balaam, “If you can't give them any curses then at least don't give them any blessings!”
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, “Didn't I explain to you that I have to do whatever the Lord tells me?”
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 with me and I will take you somewhere else,” Balak said. “Maybe God would let 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 Balak took Balaam to the top of Mount Peor, which looks down on the wastelands.
巴勒就領巴蘭到那下望曠野的毗珥山頂上。
29 Balaam told Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice.”
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 Balak what Balaam told him, 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。
