< 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.
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 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.
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 he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
他遂吟詩說:「貝敖爾的兒子巴郎的神諭,明眼男子的神諭,
4 He hath said, who heard the words of God, who saw the vision of the Almighty, falling [into a trance], but having his eyes open:
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 How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, [and] thy tabernacles, O Israel!
雅各伯,你的帳幕,何其壯觀! 以色列,你的居住,何其美好!
6 As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lign-aloes which the LORD hath planted, [and] as cedar-trees beside the waters.
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 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.
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 him forth from Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of a unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce [them] through 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 He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall rouse him? Blessed [is] he that blesseth thee, and cursed [is] he that curseth thee.
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 And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said to Balaam, I called thee to curse my enemies, and behold, thou hast altogether blessed [them] these 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 Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee to great honor; but lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honor.
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 And Balaam said to Balak, Did I not speak also to thy messengers whom thou sentest to me, saying,
巴郎回答巴拉克說:「我不是已對你遺來的使者聲明過:
13 If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do [either] good or bad of my own mind; [but] what the LORD saith, that will I speak?
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 And now, behold, I go to my people: come [therefore], I will advertise thee what this people will do to thy people in the latter days.
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 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
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 He hath said, who heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the Most High, [who] saw the vision of the Almighty, falling [into a trance], but having his eyes open:
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 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
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 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.
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 Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.
由雅各伯將山生一位統治仇敵者,衪要除滅依爾的遺民」。
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 shall perish for ever.
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 And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwelling-place, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.
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 Nevertheless, the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asher shall carry thee away captive.
但刻尼人仍要被毀滅,到何時亞述才將你擄去﹖」
23 And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!
他又吟詩說:「嗚呼! 若天主履行此事,誰還能生存!
24 And ships [shall come] from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Ashur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.
從基廷有船來,征服亞述,征服厄貝爾;他們也要永遠滅亡」。
25 And Balaam arose, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.
然後巴郎起身回了本鄉;巴拉克也回去了。