< Numbers 24 >
1 And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at the other times, to meet with enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.
巴蘭見耶和華喜歡賜福與以色列,就不像前兩次去求法術,卻面向曠野。
2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling tribe by tribe; and the spirit of God came upon him.
巴蘭舉目,看見以色列人照着支派居住。上帝的靈就臨到他身上,
3 And he took up his parable, and said: The saying of Balaam the son of Beor, and the saying of the man whose eye is opened;
他便題起詩歌說: 比珥的兒子巴蘭說, 眼目閉住的人說,
4 The saying of him who heareth the words of God, who seeth the vision of the Almighty, fallen down, yet with opened eyes:
得聽上帝的言語, 得見全能者的異象, 眼目睜開而仆倒的人說:
5 How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, thy dwellings, O Israel!
雅各啊,你的帳棚何等華美! 以色列啊,你的帳幕何其華麗!
6 As valleys stretched out, as gardens by the river-side; as aloes planted of the LORD, as cedars beside the waters;
如接連的山谷, 如河旁的園子, 如耶和華所栽的沉香樹, 如水邊的香柏木。
7 Water shall flow from his branches, and his seed shall be in many waters; and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.
水要從他的桶裏流出; 種子要撒在多水之處。 他的王必超過亞甲; 他的國必要振興。
8 God who brought him forth out of Egypt is for him like the lofty horns of the wild-ox; he shall eat up the nations that are his adversaries, and shall break their bones in pieces, and pierce them through with his arrows.
上帝領他出埃及; 他似乎有野牛之力。 他要吞吃敵國, 折斷他們的骨頭, 用箭射透他們。
9 He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? Blessed be every one that blesseth thee, and cursed be every one that curseth thee.
他蹲如公獅, 臥如母獅,誰敢惹他? 凡給你祝福的,願他蒙福; 凡咒詛你的,願他受咒詛。
10 And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together; and Balak said unto Balaam: 'I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.
巴勒向巴蘭生氣,就拍起手來,對巴蘭說:「我召你來為我咒詛仇敵,不料,你這三次竟為他們祝福。
11 Therefore now flee thou to thy place; I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honour.'
如今你快回本地去吧!我想使你得大尊榮,耶和華卻阻止你不得尊榮。」
12 And Balaam said unto Balak: 'Spoke I not also to thy messengers that thou didst send unto me, saying:
巴蘭對巴勒說:「我豈不是對你所差遣到我那裏的使者說:
13 If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; what the LORD speaketh, that will I speak?
『巴勒就是將他滿屋的金銀給我,我也不得越過耶和華的命,憑自己的心意行好行歹。耶和華說甚麼,我就要說甚麼』?」
14 And now, behold, I go unto my people; come, and I will announce to thee what this people shall do to thy people in the end of days.'
「現在我要回本族去。你來,我告訴你這民日後要怎樣待你的民。」
15 And he took up his parable, and said: The saying of Balaam the son of Beor, and the saying of the man whose eye is opened;
他就題起詩歌說: 比珥的兒子巴蘭說: 眼目閉住的人說,
16 The saying of him who heareth the words of God, and knoweth the knowledge of the Most High, who seeth the vision of the Almighty, fallen down, yet with opened eyes:
得聽上帝的言語, 明白至高者的意旨, 看見全能者的異象, 眼目睜開而仆倒的人說:
17 I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not nigh; there shall step forth a star out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite through the corners of Moab, and break down all the sons of Seth.
我看他卻不在現時; 我望他卻不在近日。 有星要出於雅各,有杖要興於以色列, 必打破摩押的四角,毀壞擾亂之子。
18 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also, even his enemies, shall be a possession; while Israel doeth valiantly.
他必得以東為基業, 又得仇敵之地西珥為產業; 以色列必行事勇敢。
19 And out of Jacob shall one have dominion, and shall destroy the remnant from the city.
有一位出於雅各的,必掌大權; 他要除滅城中的餘民。
20 And he looked on Amalek, and took up his parable, and said: Amalek was the first of the nations; but his end shall come to destruction.
巴蘭觀看亞瑪力,就題起詩歌說: 亞瑪力原為諸國之首, 但他終必沉淪。
21 And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his parable, and said: Though firm be thy dwelling-place, and though thy nest be set in the rock;
巴蘭觀看基尼人,就題起詩歌說: 你的住處本是堅固; 你的窩巢做在巖穴中。
22 Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted; How long? Asshur shall carry thee away captive.
然而基尼必至衰微, 直到亞述把你擄去。
23 And he took up his parable, and said: Alas, who shall live after God hath appointed him?
巴蘭又題起詩歌說: 哀哉!上帝行這事,誰能得活?
24 But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim, and they shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall come to destruction.
必有人乘船從基提界而來, 苦害亞述,苦害希伯; 他也必至沉淪。
25 And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way.
於是巴蘭起來,回他本地去;巴勒也回去了。