Numbers 24
1 And when Balaam saw that it pleased Yhwh to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.
Balaam vit que Yahweh avait pour agréable de bénir Israël, et il n’alla pas, comme les autres fois, à la rencontre des signes magiques; mais il tourna son visage du côté du désert.
2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.
Ayant levé les yeux, il vit Israël campé par tribus; et l’Esprit de Dieu fut sur lui,
3 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
et il prononça son discours, en disant: Oracle de Balaam fils de Béor, oracle de l’homme dont l’œil est fermé;
4 He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
oracle de celui qui entend les paroles de Dieu, qui contemple la vision du Tout-Puissant, qui tombe, et dont les yeux s’ouvrent.
5 How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!
Qu’elles sont belles tes tentes, ô Jacob, tes demeures, ô Israël!
6 As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river’s side, as the trees of lign aloes which Yhwh hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.
Elles s’étendent comme des vallées, comme des jardins au bord d’un fleuve, comme des aloès que Yahweh a plantés, comme des cèdres sur le bord des eaux.
7 He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.
L’eau déborde de ses deux seaux, sa race croît sur des eaux abondantes, son roi s’élève au-dessus d’Agag, et son royaume est exalté!
8 God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.
Dieu le fait sortir d’Égypte: il lui donne la vigueur du buffle. Il dévore les nations qui lui font la guerre. Il brise leurs os et les foudroie de ses flèches.
9 He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.
Il ploie les genoux, il se couche comme un lion, comme une lionne; qui le fera lever? Béni soit qui te bénira et maudit soit qui te maudira!
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.
La colère de Balac s’enflamma contre Balaam, et il frappa des mains; et Balac dit à Balaam: « Je t’ai appelé pour maudire mes ennemis, et voici, tu n’as fait que les bénir ces trois fois!
11 Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, Yhwh hath kept thee back from honour.
Et maintenant fuis, va-t’en chez toi! J’avais dit que je te comblerais d’honneur; et voici, Yahweh t’écarte de l’honneur. »
12 And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying,
Balaam répondit à Balac: « N’ai-je pas dit à tes messagers que tu m’as envoyés:
13 If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of Yhwh, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what Yhwh saith, that will I speak?
Quand Balac me donnerait plein sa maison d’argent et d’or, je ne pourrai transgresser l’ordre de Yahweh, en faisant de moi-même une chose bonne ou mauvaise; mais ce que Yahweh me dira, je le dirai?
14 And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.
Et maintenant, voici, je m’en vais vers mon peuple; viens donc, que je t’annonce ce que ce peuple fera à ton peuple dans la suite des jours. »
15 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
Et Balaam prononça son discours et dit: Oracle de Balaam, fils de Béor, oracle de l’homme dont l’œil est fermé;
16 He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
oracle de celui qui entend les paroles de Dieu, qui connaît la science du Très-Haut, qui contemple la vision du Tout-puissant, qui tombe, et dont les yeux s’ouvrent.
17 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
Je le vois, mais non comme présent; je le contemple, mais non de près. Un astre sort de Jacob, un sceptre s’élève d’Israël. Il brise les deux flancs de Moab, il extermine tous les fils du tumulte.
18 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.
Edom est sa possession; Séïr, son ennemi, est sa possession, et Israël déploie sa vaillance.
19 Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.
De Jacob sort un dominateur, il fait périr dans les villes ce qui reste d’Edom.
20 And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.
Balaam vit Amalec, et il prononça son discours et dit: Amalec est la première des nations et sa fin sera la ruine.
21 And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.
Balaam vit le Cinéen, et il prononça son discours et dit: Ta demeure est solide, et ton nid posé sur le roc.
22 Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.
Toutefois le Cinéen ira se consumant; jusqu’à quand? Assur l’emmènera en captivité.
23 And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!
Balaam prononça son discours et dit: Hélas! qui subsistera quand Dieu fera cela?
24 And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.
Des navires viennent de Citthim; ils oppriment Assur, ils oppriment Héber, et lui aussi est voué à la ruine.
25 And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.
Balaam s’étant levé, se mit en route et s’en retourna chez lui; Balac s’en alla aussi de son côté.
