Numbers 24
1 And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.
Or, Balaam, voyant que l'Éternel trouvait bon de bénir Israël, n'alla point, comme les autres fois, chercher des enchantements; mais il tourna son visage vers le 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.
Et Balaam, levant les yeux, vit Israël campé selon ses tribus; et l'esprit de Dieu fut sur lui.
3 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor has said, and the man whose eyes are open has said:
Et il prononça son discours sentencieux, et dit: Oracle de Balaam, fils de Béor, oracle de l'homme qui a l'œil ouvert:
4 He has 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 voit la vision du Tout-Puissant, qui se prosterne et dont les y eux sont ouverts:
5 How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, and your tabernacles, O Israel!
Que tes tentes sont belles, ô Jacob! et 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 the LORD has planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.
Elles s'étendent comme des vallées, comme des jardins près d'un fleuve, comme des aloès que l'Éternel a plantés, comme des cèdres auprès 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 coulera de ses seaux, et sa postérité sera comme de grandes eaux; son roi s'élèvera au-dessus d'Agag, et son royaume sera exalté.
8 God brought him forth out of Egypt; he has as it were the strength of an unicorn (ox): he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.
Dieu l'a fait sortir d'Égypte; il est pour lui comme la vigueur du buffle; il dévorera les nations, ses ennemies; il brisera leurs os, et les frappera 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 blesses you, and cursed is he that curses you.
Il s'est courbé, il s'est couché comme le lion, comme la lionne: qui le fera lever? Ceux qui te bénissent seront bénis, et ceux qui te maudissent seront maudits!
10 And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he stroke his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called you to curse mine enemies, and, behold, you have altogether blessed them these three times.
Alors la colère de Balak s'enflamma contre Balaam, et il frappa des mains; puis Balak dit à Balaam: Je t'ai appelé pour maudire mes ennemis, et voici, tu les as bénis déjà trois fois!
11 Therefore now flee you to your place: I thought to promote you unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD has kept you back from honour.
Et maintenant, fuis dans ton pays! J'avais dit que je te ferais beaucoup d'honneurs; mais voici, l'Éternel t'a empêché d'être honoré.
12 And Balaam said unto Balak, Spoke I not also to your messengers which you sent unto me, saying,
Et Balaam répondit à Balak: N'avais-je pas dit aussi aux messagers que tu avais envoyés vers moi:
13 If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the LORD says, that will I speak?
Quand Balak me donnerait sa maison pleine d'argent et d'or, je ne pourrais pas transgresser l'ordre de l'Éternel, pour faire du bien ou du mal de moi-même; je dirai ce que l'Éternel dira?
14 And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise you what this people shall do to your people in the latter days.
Et maintenant, voici, je m'en vais vers mon peuple. Viens, que je te déclare ce que ce peuple fera à ton peuple dans la suite des temps.
15 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor has said, and the man whose eyes are open has said:
Alors il prononça son discours sentencieux, et dit: Oracle de Balaam, fils de Béor, oracle de l'homme qui a l'œil ouvert;
16 He has 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 voit la vision du Tout-Puissant, qui se prosterne et dont les yeux sont ouverts.
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 strike the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
Je le vois, mais non maintenant; je le contemple, mais non de près; une étoile est sortie de Jacob, et un sceptre s'est élevé d'Israël; il frappera les deux régions de Moab, il détruira tous les enfants du tumulte.
18 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.
Édom sera possédé, Séir sera possédé par ses ennemis, et Israël agira vaillamment.
19 Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remains of the city.
Et celui qui vient de Jacob dominera, et extirpera les réchappés des villes.
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.
Il vit aussi Amalek. Et il prononça son discours sentencieux, et dit: Amalek est la première des nations; mais son avenir est la perdition.
21 And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is your dwelling place, and you put your nest in a rock.
Puis il vit les Kéniens. Et il prononça son discours sentencieux, et dit: Ta demeure est solide, et ton nid placé dans le rocher.
22 Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry you away captive.
Toutefois, Kaïn sera ravagé, jusqu'à ce qu'Assur t'emmène en captivité.
23 And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God does this!
Et il prononça encore son discours sentencieux, et dit: Malheur à qui vivra, après que Dieu l'aura établi!
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.
Mais des navires viendront du côté de Kittim, et ils humilieront Assur, ils humilieront Héber, et lui aussi sera détruit.
25 And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.
Puis Balaam se leva, et s'en alla, et retourna en son pays. Et Balak aussi s'en alla son chemin.
