Numbers 24
1 Balaam now realized that Yahweh wanted to bless the Israeli people, [not curse them]. So he did not use magic/divination [like a shaman would do] to find out what Yahweh wanted, as he often did. Instead, he turned toward the desert.
巴郎見祝福以色列，為上主所喜悅，就不再像前幾次一樣先去探求預示，只轉面向曠野。
2 He saw the Israeli people camped there [in their tents], with each tribe gathered in its own group. Then the Spirit of God took control of him,
巴郎一舉目，看見了按支派紮營的以色列人；那時天主的神降在他身上，
3 and enabled him to give this prophetic message to Balak: “I, Balaam, the son of Beor, am giving this prophecy; I am speaking as a man who sees [what will happen in the future] clearly speaks.
他遂吟詩說：「貝敖爾的兒子巴郎的神諭，明眼男子的神諭，
4 I hear this message from God; I see a vision from him who is all-powerful. My eyes are open as I prostrate myself in front of him.
那聽到天主木話，得見全能者的神視，在沉睡中開了神眼的神視：
5 You descendants of Jacob, your tents are very beautiful; they are truly lovely!
雅各伯，你的帳幕，何其壯觀! 以色列，你的居住，何其美好!
6 Your tents are spread out [in front of me like groves of palm trees in] valleys, like gardens alongside a river. They are like strong aloe trees/plants that Yahweh has planted, like [strong] cedar trees [that grow] along the rivers.
如擴展的棕林，似河畔的花園，像牆上上主栽種的沉香，似臨水的香柏。
7 Your water buckets will always be full; the seeds [that you plant] will always have plenty of water [to make them grow]. The Israelis’ king will be greater than [King] Agag; the kingdom that he rules will be honored.
英雄由他的 後裔而出，他將治理許多民族；他的君王超越阿加格，他的王國必受舉揚。
8 God brought the Israelis out of Egypt, [leading them along] with his great power [MTY] like a wild ox has. He devastates all the nations that oppose him; he breaks all those people’s bones into pieces, and shoots them with his arrows.
領他出埃及的天主，為他有如野牛的角。他要吞滅那敵對他的人民，粉碎他們的骨骸，折斷他們的箭矢。
9 The Israelis are like lions that crouch and lie down, [ready to pounce on their prey] [SIM]. They are like lionesses [that are resting, but ready to attack]; no one [RHQ] would dare to arouse them! [God] will bless everyone who blesses you Israelis, and he will curse everyone who curses you.”
他蹲伏臥下有如雄獅，又似母獅；誰敢令他起立﹖祝福你的，必受祝福；咒罵你的，必受咒罵」。
10 Then King Balak was extremely angry with Balaam. He showed with his hands that he was very angry, and he [shouted at Balaam], “I summoned you here to curse my enemies! Instead, you have (blessed/asked God to bless) them three times!
巴拉克對巴郎大發憤怒，拍手向他說：「我請你來是為咒罵我的仇敵；看，你反而祝福他們，且已三次。
11 So now, get out of here! Go back home! I said that I would pay you a lot of money [if you cursed them], but Yahweh has prevented you from getting any pay!”
現在你快回你故鄉去! 我原想豐富地酬謝你，但是，上主奪去了你的酬報」。
12 Balaam said to Balak, “[Do you not remember what] [RHQ] I told the messengers that you sent to me? I said,
巴郎回答巴拉克說：「我不是已對你遺來的使者聲明過：
13 ‘Even if Balak would give me a palace filled with silver and gold, I would not disobey Yahweh. I cannot do anything bad or anything that is good [that he does not approve of].’ And I told you that I could say only what Yahweh says to me.
既使巴拉克給我滿屋金銀，我也不能違犯上主的命令，任意去行善或作惡，而只能說上主所吩咐的嗎﹖
14 So yes, I will return to my people, but first, allow me to tell you what will happen to you Moab people in the future.”
現在我就要回到我民族那裏去；來，讓我告訴你這民族日後對你的民族所要做事」。
15 So Balaam said this [to Balak]: “I, Balaam, son of Beor, am again giving a prophecy, speaking as a man who sees [what will happen in the future] clearly speaks.
於是他吟詩 u金敖爾的兒子巴郎的神諭，明眼男子的神諭，
16 I hear a message from God; I know things that God, who lives in heaven, has [revealed to me]. I see a vision from him who is all-powerful. My eyes are open as I prostrate myself in front of him.
那聽到天主的話，深知至高者的思慮，得見全能者的神視，在沉睡中開了神眼的神諭：
17 The things that I see [in the vision] are not [going to happen] now; I see things [that God will cause to happen] in the future. A man who is [a descendant of] Jacob will appear like a star [MET]; a king who holds a scepter will be one of the Israeli people. He will crush the heads of you people of Moab; he will wipe out the descendants of Seth.
我看見衪，卻不是在現在；卻不是在近處：由雅各伯將出現一顆星，由以色列將興起一權杖，擊碎摩阿布木頍角，粉碎特一切子民的腦蓋。
18 The Israelis will occupy Edom, and they will conquer their enemies [who live near] Seir [Mountain]. The Israeli people will be victorious/strong.
厄東將成為他的屬地，色依爾將成為他的轄境；以色列必行使威權。
19 A ruler who is a descendant of Jacob will come; he will get rid of the people who still live in the city [where Balaam first met Balak].”
由雅各伯將山生一位統治仇敵者，衪要除滅依爾的遺民」。
20 Then Balaam looked out over where the Amalek people-group [lived], and he prophesied this: “The Amalek people-group were the greatest nation, but they will be wiped out.”
以後他望見阿肋瑪克，遂吟詩說：「阿肋瑪克原是眾民之首，但他的結局是永遠的滅亡」。
21 Then he looked out over the area where the Ken people-group [lived], and he prophesied this: “You [think that] the place where you live is secure/safe like a nest that is made in the cliffs [MET],
後又望見刻尼人，遂吟詩說：「你的居住固然鞏固，你的巢穴縱然建在磐石間；
22 but you will be wiped out when the army of Assyria conquers you.”
但刻尼人仍要被毀滅，到何時亞述才將你擄去﹖」
23 Balaam ended his prophecies by saying, “Also, (who can (survive/escape) when God does all these things?/no one will be able to (survive/escape) when God does all these things!) [RHQ]
他又吟詩說：「嗚呼! 若天主履行此事，誰還能生存!
24 Ships will come from Cyprus [Island], and [the men in those ships] will defeat [the armies of] Assyria and Eber. But God will get rid of those men, too.”
從基廷有船來，征服亞述，征服厄貝爾；他們也要永遠滅亡」。
25 Then Balaam and Balak returned to their homes.
然後巴郎起身回了本鄉；巴拉克也回去了。
