Numbers 23
1 Balaam said to King Balak, “Build seven altars for me here. Then kill seven young bulls and seven rams [for a sacrifice].”
Dijo Balaam a Balac: “Edifícame aquí siete altares, y prepárame aquí mismo siete becerros y siete carneros.”
2 So Balak did that. And then he and Balaam each burned a young bull and a ram [as a sacrifice] on each altar.
Hizo Balac según ordenara Balaam, y ofrecieron Balac y Balaam sobre cada altar un becerro y un carnero.
3 Then Balaam said to Balak, “You stand here close to your burned offerings, and I will go and ask Yahweh if he has something else to tell me. Then I will tell you what he says to me.” Then Balaam went by himself to the top of a hill,
Después dijo Balaam a Balac: “Ponte junto a tu holocausto, en tanto que yo me voy a ver si Yahvé viene a mi encuentro; y lo que Él me diga, eso te manifestaré.” Y se retiró a una altura desnuda.
4 and God appeared to him there. Balaam said to him, “We have built seven altars, and I have killed and burned a young bull and a ram [as a sacrifice to you] on each altar.”
Efectivamente salió Dios al encuentro de Balaam, y este le dijo: “He preparado siete altares y he ofrecido un becerro y un carnero en cada altar.”
5 Then Yahweh gave Balaam a message to give to King Balak. Then he said, “Go back and tell him what I told you.”
Y Yahvé puso en boca de Balaam una palabra y dijo: “Vuélvete a Balac, y hablarás así.”
6 When Balaam returned to Balak, Balak was standing with the leaders from Moab beside the offerings he had burned [on the altar].
Vuelto a él, lo vio todavía parado junto a su holocausto, con todos los príncipes de Moab.
7 This is the message that Balaam told them: “Balak, the King of Moab, summoned me to come here from Syria; he brought me here from the hills at the eastern side of Syria. He said, ‘Come and curse the descendants of Jacob for me, saying that bad things will happen to these Israeli people!’
Entonces pronunció su oráculo, y dijo: “De Aram me hizo venir Balac, el rey de Moab (me hizo venir) de los montes de oriente: ¡Ven, maldíceme a Jacob! ¡Ven y execra a Israel!
8 But (how can I curse people whom God has not cursed?/I certainly cannot curse people whom God has not cursed!) [RHQ] (How can I condemn people whom Yahweh has not condemned?/I cannot condemn people whom Yahweh has not condemned!) [RHQ]
¿Cómo maldeciré yo a quien no ha maldecido Dios? ¿Cómo voy a execrar a quien no ha execrado Yahvé?
9 I have seen them from the tops of the rocky peaks. I see that they are a group of people who live by themselves; they have separated themselves from other nations.
Desde la cima de las peñas le veo, desde lo alto le estoy contemplando: es un pueblo que habita aparte, y no se cuenta entre las naciones.
10 (Who can count the descendants of Jacob; they are as numerous as particles of (dust/dirt)?/No one can count the descendants of Jacob; they are as numerous as particles of (dust/dirt)!) [RHQ] (Who can count even a quarter of the Israeli people?/No one can count even a quarter of the Israeli people!) [RHQ] I wish/hope that I will die like righteous people die; I hope that I will die [peacefully] like they will die.”
¿Quién podrá contar a Jacob numeroso como el polvo, enumerar siquiera la cuarta parte de Israel? ¡Pueda yo morir la muerte de los justos, y sea mi fin semejante al suyo!”
11 Then Balak said, “What have you done to me [RHQ]? I brought you here to curse my enemies, but instead you have (blessed them/asked Yahweh to bless them)!”
Dijo entonces Balac a Balaam: “¿Qué es lo que me has hecho? Te he llamado para maldecir a mis enemigos, y tú los has colmado de bendiciones.”
12 But Balaam replied, “I can [RHQ] say only what Yahweh tells me to say. I cannot say anything else.”
Respondió él y dijo: “¿No tengo yo que observar las palabras que Yahvé pone en mi boca?”
13 Then King Balak told Balaam, “Come with me to another place. There you will see only part of the Israeli people, and you will be able to curse those people for me.”
Díjole Balac: “Ven, te ruego, conmigo, a otro lugar, desde donde puedas verle; no verás sino su parte extrema, no le verás todo; y me lo maldices desde allí.”
14 So Balak took Balaam to a field on the top of Pisgah [Mountain]. There, again he built seven altars and offered a young bull and a ram [as a sacrifice] on each altar.
Y le llevó al Campo de los Atalayas, situado en las alturas del Fasga, donde edificó siete altares y ofreció en cada altar un becerro y un carnero.
15 Then Balaam said to the king, “Stand here close to your burned offerings, while I go and talk with Yahweh.”
Y dijo a Balac: “Ponte aquí junto a tu holocausto, mientras yo voy al encuentro (de Dios).”
16 So Balaam did that, and Yahweh appeared to Balaam again and gave him another message. Then he said, “Go back to Balak and tell him that message.”
Y salió Dios al encuentro de Balaam, y poniéndole una palabra en la boca, dijo: “Vuelve a donde está Balac, y le dirás así.”
17 So Balaam returned to where the king and the leaders from Moab were standing, next to the altar where Balak had burned the sacrifices. Balak asked him, “What did Yahweh say?”
Se volvió a él, y he aquí que estaba todavía parado junto a su holocausto, y con él los príncipes de Moab. Le preguntó Balac: “¿Qué te ha dicho Yahvé?”
18 Then Balaam told him this message: “Balak, listen carefully; hear what I have to say, you son of Zippor [DOU]!
Entonces pronunció su oráculo, y dijo: “Levántate, Balac, y escucha; préstame atención, hijo de Sefor.
19 God is not a human being. Humans lie, but God never lies. He never changes his mind/thoughts, as humans do. Whatever he has said that he will do, he does.
No es Dios un hombre, para que mienta, ni hijo de hombre para arrepentirse. Si Él dice una cosa, ¿no la hará? Si Él habla, ¿acaso dejará de cumplirlo?
20 He commanded me [to request him] to bless [the Israelis], So he has blessed them, and I cannot change that.
He aquí, la bendición está dada; Él ha bendecido, yo no puedo revocarlo.
21 Yahweh their God is with/helping them; they have declared that he is their true king. So the descendants of Jacob will not be harmed; they will not have any troubles [DOU].
Él no ve iniquidad en Jacob, ni encuentra perversidad en Israel. Yahvé, su Dios, está entre ellos, y a Él le aclaman por rey.
22 God brought them out of Egypt [where they were slaves]; he is as strong as a wild ox.
Es Dios quien le ha sacado de Egipto; su fuerza es como la del búfalo.
23 When people curse [PRS] the descendants of Jacob, they will not be harmed; when people work sorcery on them, it will have no power. So now people will say about the descendants of Jacob, ‘God has done wonderful things for the Israelis!’
Pues no hay magia en Jacob, ni adivinos en Israel. A su tiempo se le dirá a Jacob y a Israel lo que Dios va a cumplir.
24 They are very strong, like lionesses that are ready to attack [other animals]; they stand firm like lions. The lions refuse to rest until they have [killed and] eaten their prey, and drunk the blood of the animals they slaughtered.”
He aquí un pueblo que se yergue como leona, y se alza cual león, no se acuesta sin que devore la presa, y beba la sangre de los traspasados.”
25 Then Balak said to Balaam, “If you will not curse them, then [I certainly] do not [want you to] bless them!”
Entonces dijo Balac a Balaam: “Ya que no puedes maldecirle, tampoco le bendigas.”
26 But Balaam replied, “I told you that I must do only what Yahweh tells me to do!”
Pero Balaam respondió y dijo a Balac: “¿No te he dicho: Todo cuanto hablare Yahvé, eso debo hacer?”
27 Then King Balak said to Balaam, “Come with me; I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God to allow you to curse them from that place.”
Y dijo Balac a Balaam: “Ven, pues, y te llevaré a otro sitio, por si acaso quiere Dios que desde allí los maldigas.”
28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor [Mountain] where they could look down [and see the Israelis in] the desert.
Y condujo Balac a Balaam a la cumbre del Fegor que domina el desierto.
29 Balaam again told Balak, “Build me seven altars again and kill seven young bulls and seven rams [for a sacrifice].”
Y dijo Balaam a Balac: “Erígeme aquí siete altares y prepárame aquí mismo siete becerros y siete carneros.”
30 So Balak did what Balaam told him to do. He burned a young bull and a ram on each altar as sacrifices.
Hizo Balac como le ordenara Balaam y ofreció un becerro y un carnero sobre cada altar.
