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.

And Balaam sees that [it is] good in the eyes of YHWH to bless Israel, and he has not gone as time by time to seek enchantments, and he sets his face toward the wilderness;

2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling tribe by tribe; and the spirit of God came upon him.

and Balaam lifts up his eyes, and sees Israel dwelling by its tribes, and the Spirit of God is on him,

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;

and he takes up his allegory and says: “An affirmation of Balaam son of Beor, And an affirmation of the man whose eyes are shut,

4 The saying of him who heareth the words of God, who seeth the vision of the Almighty, fallen down, yet with opened eyes:

An affirmation of him who is hearing sayings of God, Who sees a vision of the Almighty, Falling—and eyes uncovered:

5 How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, thy dwellings, O Israel!

How good have been your tents, O Jacob, Your dwelling places, O Israel;

6 As valleys stretched out, as gardens by the river-side; as aloes planted of the LORD, as cedars beside the waters;

They have been stretched out as valleys, As gardens by a river; As aloes YHWH has planted, As cedars by waters;

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.

He makes water flow from his buckets, And his seed [is] in many waters; And his King [is] higher than Gog [[or Agag]], And his kingdom is exalted.

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.

God is bringing him out of Egypt, As the swiftness of a wild ox for him, He eats up nations—his adversaries, And he breaks their bones, And he strikes [with] his arrows.

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.

He has bent, he has lain down as a lion, And as a lioness, who raises him up? He who is blessing you [is] blessed, And he who is cursing you [is] cursed.”

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.

And the anger of Balak burns against Balaam, and he strikes his hands; and Balak says to Balaam, “I called you to pierce my enemies, and behold, you have certainly blessed these three times;

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.'

and now, flee for yourself to your place; I have said, I greatly honor you, and behold, YHWH has kept you back from honor.”

12 And Balaam said unto Balak: 'Spoke I not also to thy messengers that thou didst send unto me, saying:

And Balaam says to Balak, “Did I not also speak to your messengers whom you have sent to me, saying,

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?

If Balak gives to me the fullness of his house of silver and gold, I am not able to pass over the command of YHWH, to do good or evil of my own heart; that which YHWH speaks—it I speak?

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.'

And now, behold, I am going to my people; come, I counsel you [concerning] that which this people does to your people in the latter end of the days.”

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;

And he takes up his allegory and says: “An affirmation of Balaam son of Beor, And an affirmation of the man whose eyes [are] shut;

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:

An affirmation of him who is hearing sayings of God, And knowing knowledge of the Most High; He sees a vision of the Almighty, Falling—and eyes uncovered:

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.

I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A star has proceeded from Jacob, And a scepter has risen from Israel, And has struck corners of Moab, And has destroyed all sons of Seth.

18 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also, even his enemies, shall be a possession; while Israel doeth valiantly.

And Edom has been a possession, And Seir has been a possession [for] his enemies, And Israel is doing valiantly;

19 And out of Jacob shall one have dominion, and shall destroy the remnant from the city.

And [One] rules out of Jacob, And has destroyed a remnant from the city.”

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.

And he sees Amalek, and takes up his allegory, and says: “Amalek [is] first [among] nations, But his latter end—destruction forever.”

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;

And he sees the Kenite, and takes up his allegory, and says: “Your dwelling [is] enduring, And your nest is being set in a rock,

22 Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted; How long? Asshur shall carry thee away captive.

But the Kenite is for a burning; Until when does Asshur keep you captive?”

23 And he took up his parable, and said: Alas, who shall live after God hath appointed him?

And he takes up his allegory and says: “Woe! Who lives when God does this?

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.

But ships [come] from the side of Chittim, And they have humbled Asshur, And they have humbled Eber, But it is also perishing forever.”

25 And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way.

And Balaam rises, and goes, and turns back to his place, and Balak has also gone on his way.