Numbers 24

1 When Balaam saw that it pleased YHWH to bless Israel, he did not go, as at the other times, to meet with omens, 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 Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came on him.

Ayant levé les yeux, il vit Israël campé par tribus; et l'Esprit de Dieu fut sur lui,

3 He took up his parable, and said, "Balaam the son of Beor says, the man whose eye was closed says;

et il prononça son discours, en disant: Oracle de Balaam fils de Béor, oracle de l'homme dont l'œil est fermé;

4 he says, who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of Shaddai, falling down, and 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 your tents, Jacob, and your tents, Israel.

Qu'elles sont belles tes tentes, ô Jacob, tes demeures, ô Israël!

6 As valleys they are spread forth, as gardens by the riverside, as aloes which YHWH has planted, 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 Water shall flow from his buckets. His seed shall be in many waters. His king shall be higher than Agag. 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 brings him out of Egypt. He has as it were the strength of the wild ox. He shall eat up the nations his adversaries, shall break their bones in pieces, and pierce them with his arrows.

Dieu le fait sortir d'Egypte: 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, as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? Everyone who blesses you is blessed. Everyone who curses you is cursed."

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 Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, "I called you to curse my enemies, and, look, you have 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 you to your place. I thought to promote you to great honor; but, look, YHWH has kept you back from honor."

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 Balaam said to Balak, "Did I not also tell your messengers who you sent to 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 can't go beyond the word of YHWH, to do either good or bad in my heart. I will say what God says'?

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 Now, look, I go to my people: come, I will inform you what this people shall do to your 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 He took up his parable, and said, "Balaam the son of Beor says, the man whose eye was closed says;

Et Balaam prononça son discours et dit: Oracle de Balaam, fils de Béor, oracle de l'homme dont l'œil est fermé;

16 he says, who hears the words of God, knows the knowledge of the Most High, and who sees the vision of Shaddai, falling down, and 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 see him, but not now. I see him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob. A scepter will rise out of Israel, and will crush the forehead of Moab, and the crown of all the sons of tumult.

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 Edom shall be a possession. Seir, his enemies, also shall be a possession, while Israel does valiantly.

Edom est sa possession; Séïr, son ennemi, est sa possession, et Israël déploie sa vaillance.

19 Out of Jacob shall one have dominion, and shall destroy the remnant from the city."

De Jacob sort un dominateur, il fait périr dans les villes ce qui reste d'Edom.

20 He looked at Amalek, and took up his parable, and said, "Amalek was the first of the nations, But his latter end shall come to destruction."

Balaam vit Amalec, et il prononça son discours et dit: Amalec est la première des nations et sa fin sera la ruine.

21 He looked at the Kenite, and took up his parable, and said, "Your dwelling place is strong. Your nest is set in the 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 Kain shall be wasted, until Asshur carries you away captive."

Toutefois le Cinéen ira se consumant; jusqu'à quand? Assur l'emmènera en captivité.

23 He took up his parable, and said, "Alas, who shall live when God does this?

Balaam prononça son discours et dit: Hélas! qui subsistera quand Dieu fera cela?

24 But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim. They shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber. He also shall come to destruction."

Des navires viennent de Citthim; ils oppriment Assur, ils oppriment Héber, et lui aussi est voué à la ruine.

25 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.