Numbers 24
1 And whanne Balaam siy that it pleside the Lord that he schulde blesse Israel, he yede not as he `hadde go bifore, `that he schulde seke fals dyuynyng `bi chiteryng of briddis, but he dresside his face ayens the desert,
When Balaam saw that it pleased Yahweh to bless Israel, he did not go, as at the other times, to use sorcery. Instead, he looked toward the wilderness.
2 and reiside iyen, and siy Israel dwellynge in tentis bi hise lynagis. And whanne the Spirit of God felde on hym, and whanne a parable was takun,
He raised his eyes and saw that Israel was camped, each in their own tribe, and the Spirit of God came on him.
3 he seide, Balaam, the sone of Beor, seide, a man whois iye is stoppid seide,
He received this prophecy and said, “Balaam son of Beor is about to speak, the man whose eyes are wide open.
4 the herere of Goddis wordis seide, which bihelde the reuelacioun of almyyti God, which fallith doun, and hise iyen ben openyd so, Hou faire ben thi tabernaclis,
He speaks and hears God's words. He sees a vision from the Almighty, Before whom he bows down with his eyes open.
5 Jacob, and thi tentis, Israel!
How beautiful are your tents, Jacob, the place where you live, Israel!
6 as valeys ful of woodis, and moiste gardyns bisidis floodis, as tabernaclis whiche the Lord hath set, as cedris bisidis watris;
Like valleys they spread out, like gardens by the riverside, like aloes planted by Yahweh, like cedars beside the waters.
7 watir schal flowe of his bokat, and his seed schal be in to many watris, `that is, puplis. The kyng of hym schal be takun a wei for Agag, and the rewme of hym schal be doon awai.
Water flows from their buckets, and their seed is well-watered. Their king is to be higher than Agag, and their kingdom will be honored.
8 God ledde hym out of Egipt, whos strengthe is lijk an vnicorn; thei schulen deuoure hethene men, enemyes `of hym, that is, of Israel; and thei schulen breke the boonus of hem, and schulen perse with arowis.
God brings him out of Egypt, with strength like a wild ox. He will eat up the nations who fight against him. He will break their bones to pieces. He will shoot them with his arrows.
9 He restide and slepte as a lyoun, and as a lionesse, whom no man schal dore reise. He that blessith thee, schal be blessid; he that cursith, schal
He crouches down like a lion, like a lioness. Who dares disturb him? May everyone who blesses him be blessed; may everyone who curses him be cursed.”
10 be arettid in to cursyng And Balaach was wrooth ayens Balaam, and seide, whanne the hondis weren wrungun to gidere, I clepide thee to curse myn enemyes, whiche ayenward thou hast blessid thries.
Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam and he struck his hands together in anger. Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, but look, you have blessed them three times.
11 Turne ayen to thi place; forsothe Y demede to onoure thee greetli, but the Lord priuyde thee fro onour disposid.
So leave me right now and go home. I said I would greatly reward you, but Yahweh has kept you from getting any reward.”
12 Balaam answeride to Balaach, Whethir Y seide not to thi messangeris, whiche thou sentist to me,
Then Balaam replied to Balak, “I said to the messengers that you sent to me,
13 Thouy Balaach schal yyue to me his hows ful of siluer and of gold, Y schal not mow passe the word of my Lord God, that Y brynge forth of myn herte ony thing, ethir of good ethir of yuel, but what euer thing the Lord schal seie, Y schal speke this?
'Even if Balak gave me his palace full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond Yahweh's word and anything bad or good, or anything at all that I might want to do. I can say only what Yahweh tells me to say.' Did I not say this to them?
14 Netheles Y schal go to my puple, and Y schal yyue counsel to thee, what thi puple schal do in the laste tyme to this puple.
So now, look, I will go back to my people. But first let me warn you what this people will do to your people in the days ahead.”
15 Therfor whanne a parable was takun, he seide eft, Balaam, the sone of Beor seide, a man whos iye is stoppid,
Balaam began this prophecy. He said, “Balaam son of Beor speaks, The man whose eyes are wide open.
16 seide, the herere of Goddis wordis seide, which knowith the doctrine of the hiyeste, and seeth the reuelacioun of almiyti God, which fallith doun and hath opyn iyen,
This is a prophecy of someone who hears words from God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who has visions from the Almighty, Before whom he bows down with open eyes.
17 Y schal se hym, but not now; Y schal biholde hym, but not nyy; a sterre schal be borun of Jacob, and a yerde schal rise of Israel; and he schal smyte the duykis of Moab, and he schal waste alle the sones of Seth; and Ydumye schal be hys possessioun,
I see him, but he is not here now. I look at him, but he is not near. A star will come out of Jacob, and a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will shatter Moab's leaders and destroy all the descendants of Seth.
18 the eritage of Seir schal bifalle to his enemyes; forsothe Israel schal do strongli, of Jacob schal be he that schal be lord,
Then Edom will become a possession of Israel, and Seir will also become their possession, enemies of Israel, whom Israel will conquer with force.
19 and schal leese the relikis of the citee.
Out of Jacob a king will come who will have dominion, and he will destroy the survivors of their city.”
20 And whanne he hadde seyn Amalech, he took a parable, and seide, Amalech is the bigynning of hethene men, whos laste thingis schulen be lost.
Then Balaam looked at Amalek and began his prophecy. He said, “Amalek was once the greatest of nations, but his final end will be destruction.”
21 Also `he siy Cyney, and whanne a parable was takun, he seide, Forsothe thi dwellyng place is strong, but if thou schalt sette thi nest in a stoon,
Then Balaam looked toward the Kenites and began his prophecy. He said, “The place where you live is strong, and your nest is in the rocks.
22 and schalt be chosun of the generacioun of Cyn, hou longe schalt thou mow dwelle? forsothe Assur schal take thee.
Nevertheless you Kenites will be consumed by fire when Assyria carries you away captive.”
23 And whanne a parable was takun, he spak eft, Alas! who schal lyue, whanne the Lord schal make thes thingis?
Then Balaam began his final prophecy. He said, “Woe! Who will survive when God does this?
24 Thei schulen come in grete schippis fro Ytalie, thei schulen ouercome Assiries, and thei schulen distrie Ebrews, and at the last also thei hem silf schulen perische.
Ships will come from the coast of Kittim; they will attack Assyria and will conquer Eber, but they, too, will end in destruction.”
25 And Balaam roos, and turnide ayen in to his place; and Balaach yede ayen bi the weye in which he cam.
Then Balaam got up and left. He returned to his home, and Balak also went away.
