< Numbers 23 >

1 And Balaam saith unto Balak, 'Build for me in this [place] seven altars, and make ready for me in this [place] seven bullocks and seven rams.'
巴郎對巴拉克說:「請伓在這裏給我建造七座祭壇,給我準備七頭公牛犢和七隻公綿羊」。
2 And Balak doth as Balaam hath spoken, and Balak — Balaam also — offereth a bullock and a ram on the altar,
巴拉克就照巴郎說的做了;巴拉克和巴郎在每座祭壇上奉獻了一頭公牛犢和一隻公綿羊。
3 and Balaam saith to Balak, 'Station thyself by thy burnt-offering and I go on, it may be Jehovah doth come to meet me, and the thing which He sheweth me — I have declared to thee;' and he goeth [to] a high place.
然後巴郎對巴拉克說:「你留在你的全燔祭旁,我要前去,或許上主會使我遇見衪;衪指示我什麼,我都告訴你」。
4 And God cometh unto Balaam, and he saith unto Him, 'The seven altars I have arranged, and I offer a bullock and a ram on the altar;'
他就上了一座荒邱。天主遇到了巴郎,巴郎遂對天主說:「我建造了七座祭壇,在每座祭壇上,奉獻了頭公牛犢和一隻公綿羊」。
5 and Jehovah putteth a word in the mouth of Balaam, and saith, 'Turn back unto Balak, and thus thou dost speak.'
上主遂把巴郎要說的話放在他口中,然後對他說:「你回到巴拉克那裏就這樣說」。
6 And he turneth back unto him, and lo, he is standing by his burnt-offering, he and all the princes of Moab.
他回到巴拉克那裏,看見他和所有的縉紳,仍站在全燔祭旁;
7 And he taketh up his simile, and saith: 'From Aram he doth lead me — Balak king of Moab; From mountains of the east: Come — curse for me Jacob, And come — be indignant [with] Israel.
於是吟詩說:「巴拉克將我由阿蘭召來,摩阿布王叫我由東方的山嶺前來:你來替我咒罵雅各伯,你來詛咒以色列!
8 What — do I pierce? — God hath not pierced! And what — am I indignant? — Jehovah hath not been indignant!
我豈能咒罵天主所不咒罵的﹖我豈能詛咒上主所不詛咒的﹖
9 For from the top of rocks I see it, And from heights I behold it; Lo a people! alone it doth tabernacle, And among nations doth not reckon itself.
我由嚴峰向他們觀看,我由高丘向他們眺望:這是一個獨居,而不應與眾民眾同列的民族。
10 Who hath counted the dust of Jacob, And the number of the fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of upright ones, And let my last end be like his!'
誰能盡數雅各伯的塵埃,誰能算清以色列的塵灰沙﹖惟願我的死有如義人的死,我的結局相似他的結局」。
11 And Balak saith unto Balaam, 'What hast thou done to me? to pierce mine enemies I have taken thee — and lo, thou hast certainly blessed;'
巴拉克對巴郎說:「你對我做的是什麼事﹖我叫你來是為咒罵我的仇敵,你反而祝福! 」
12 and he answereth and saith, 'That which Jehovah doth put in my mouth — it do I not take heed to speak?'
他回答說:「我豈不該謹慎說出上主叫我說的話嗎﹖」
13 And Balak saith unto him, 'Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, whence thou dost see it, only its extremity thou dost see, and all of it thou dost not see, and pierce it for me thence;'
巴拉克對他說:「諘你同我到另一地方去,從那裏可看到他們;這裏只看到一部分,不能看到全部;從那裏替我咒罵他們」。
14 and he taketh him [to] the field of Zophim, unto the top of Pisgah, and buildeth seven altars, and offereth a bullock and a ram on the altar.
於是領他到了丕斯加山頂的瞭望台。在那裏建造了七座,在每座祭壇上,奉獻了一頭公牛犢和頭公綿羊。
15 And he saith unto Balak, 'Station thyself here by thy burnt-offering, and I — I meet [Him] there;'
巴郎對巴拉克說:「你在這裏,站在你的全燔祭旁,我到那裏去會見上主。
16 and Jehovah cometh unto Balaam, and setteth a word in his mouth, and saith, 'Turn back unto Balak, and thus thou dost speak.'
上主就顯現給巴郎,把衪要說的話放在他口內,然後說:「你回巴拉克那裏,就這樣說」。
17 And he cometh unto him, and lo, he is standing by his burnt-offering, and the princes of Moab with him, and Balak saith to him: 'What hath Jehovah spoken?'
他來到巴拉克那裏,看見他還站在全燔祭旁,摩阿布的縉紳仍同他在一起;巴拉克便問他說:「上主說了什麼﹖」
18 And he taketh up his simile, and saith: 'Rise, Balak, and hear; Give ear unto me, son of Zippor!
他於是吟詩說:「巴拉克起來靜聽! 漆頗爾的兒子,傾耳聽我!
19 God [is] not a man — and lieth, And a son of man — and repenteth! Hath He said — and doth He not do [it]? And spoken — and doth He not confirm it?
天主不像人能食言,不像人子能返悔。衪說了豈能不行﹖
20 Lo, to bless I have received: Yea, He blesseth, and I [can] not reverse it.
我受命是為祝福,我不能變更。
21 He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, Nor hath He seen perverseness in Israel; Jehovah his God [is] with him, And a shout of a king [is] in him.
在雅各伯中不見罪惡,在以色列中不睹災禍;上主他們的天主與他們同在,歡呼之聲,常在他們中間。
22 God is bringing them out from Egypt, As the swiftness of a Reem is to him;
領他們由埃及出來的天主,為他們有如野牛的角。
23 For no enchantment [is] against Jacob, Nor divination against Israel, At the time it is said of Jacob and Israel, What hath God wrought!
其實雅各伯不需要巫術,以色列不需要占卜;時候一到,自會啟示與雅各伯和以色列::天主要做什麼。
24 Lo, the people as a lioness riseth, And as a lion he lifteth himself up, He lieth not down till he eateth prey, And blood of pierced ones doth drink.'
這民族起來有如母獅,挺身像雄獅,不吞下獵物;不喝疲殺的血,決不臥下」。
25 And Balak saith unto Balaam, 'Neither pierce it at all, nor bless it at all;'
巴拉克對巴郎說:「你不咒罵他們,但也不該祝福啊! 」
26 and Balaam answereth and saith unto Balak, 'Have I not spoken unto thee, saying, All that Jehovah speaketh — it I do?'
巴郎回答巴拉克說:「我不是對你說過:我應做上主所吩咐的一切嗎﹖」
27 And Balak saith unto Balaam, 'Come, I pray thee, I take thee unto another place; it may be it is right in the eyes of God — to pierce it for me from thence.'
巴拉克對巴郎說:「來,我領你到另一個地方去,或者天主喜歡你在那裏替我咒罵他們」。
28 And Balak taketh Balaam to the top of Peor, which is looking on the front of the wilderness,
巴拉克於是領巴郎到俯視曠野的培敖爾山頂。
29 and Balaam saith unto Balak, 'Build for me in this [place] seven altars, and make ready for me in this [place] seven bullocks and seven rams;'
巴郎對巴拉克說:「你在這裏給我建造七座祭壇,給我預備七頭公牛犢和七隻公綿羊」。
30 and Balak doth as Balaam said, and he offereth a bullock and a ram on an altar.
巴拉克就照巴郎說的做了,在每座祭壇上奉獻了頭公牛和一隻公綿羊。

< Numbers 23 >