Nombres 24
1 Lorsque Balaam vit qu'il plaisait à Yahvé de bénir Israël, il n'alla pas, comme les autres fois, recourir à la divination, mais il tourna son visage vers le désert.
Now when Balaam saw that it was the Lord's pleasure to give his blessing to Israel, he did not, as at other times, make use of secret arts, but turning his face to the waste land,
2 Balaam leva les yeux, et il vit Israël habitant selon ses tribus; et l'Esprit de Dieu vint sur lui.
And lifting up his eyes, he saw Israel there, with their tents in the order of their tribes: and the spirit of God came on him.
3 Il reprit sa parabole, et dit, « Balaam, fils de Beor, dit, l'homme dont les yeux sont ouverts dit;
And moved by the spirit, he said, These are the words of Balaam, son of Beor, the words of the man whose eyes are open:
4 dit-il, qui entend les paroles de Dieu, qui voit la vision du Tout-Puissant, en tombant, et en ayant les yeux ouverts:
He says, whose ears are open to the words of God, who has seen the vision of the Ruler of all, falling down, but having his eyes open:
5 Que tes tentes sont belles, Jacob! et tes habitations, Israël!
How fair are your tents, O Jacob, your houses, O Israel!
6 Ils s'étendent comme des vallées, comme des jardins au bord de la rivière, comme des aloès que Yahvé a plantés, comme des cèdres au bord de l'eau.
They are stretched out like valleys, like gardens by the riverside, like flowering trees planted by the Lord, like cedar-trees by the waters.
7 L'eau coulera de ses seaux. Sa semence sera dans de nombreuses eaux. Son roi sera plus haut qu'Agag. Son royaume sera exalté.
Peoples will be in fear before his strength, his arm will be on great nations: his king will be higher than Agag, and his kingdom made great in honour.
8 Dieu le fait sortir d'Égypte. Il a pour ainsi dire la force du bœuf sauvage. Il consumera les nations, ses adversaires, brisera leurs os en morceaux, et les transpercer de ses flèches.
It is God who has taken him out of Egypt; his horns are like those of the mountain ox; the nations warring against him will be his food, their bones will be broken, they will be wounded with his arrows.
9 Il s'est couché, il s'est couché comme un lion, comme une lionne; qui le réveillera? Tous ceux qui vous bénissent sont bénis. Tous ceux qui te maudissent sont maudits. »
He took his sleep stretched out like a lion, and like a she-lion: by whom will his rest be broken? May a blessing be on everyone who gives you blessing, and a curse on everyone by whom you are cursed.
10 La colère de Balak s'enflamma contre Balaam, et il frappa ses mains l'une contre l'autre. Balak dit à Balaam: « Je t'ai appelé pour que tu maudisses mes ennemis, et voici que tu les as tous bénis ces trois fois.
Then Balak was full of wrath against Balaam, and angrily waving his hands he said to Balaam, I sent for you so that those who are against me might be cursed, but now, see, three times you have given them a blessing.
11 C'est pourquoi, fuis à ta place, maintenant! Je pensais te promouvoir à de grands honneurs, mais voici que Yahvé t'en a empêché. »
Go back quickly to the place you came from: it was my purpose to give you a place of honour, but now the Lord has kept you back from honour.
12 Balaam dit à Balak: « N'ai-je pas dit à tes messagers que tu m'as envoyés:
Then Balaam said to Balak, Did I not say to the men you sent to me,
13 « Si Balak me donne sa maison pleine d'argent et d'or, je ne peux pas aller au-delà de la parole de Yahvé, pour faire du bien ou du mal de mon propre chef. Je dirai ce que dit l'Éternel »?
Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, it would not be possible for me to go outside the orders of the Lord, doing good or evil at the impulse of my mind; whatever the Lord says I will say?
14 Maintenant, voici que je vais vers mon peuple. Viens, je vais t'informer de ce que ce peuple fera à ton peuple dans la suite des temps. »
So now I will go back to my people: but first let me make clear to you what this people will do to your people in days to come.
15 Il reprit sa parabole, et dit, « Balaam, fils de Beor, dit, l'homme dont les yeux sont ouverts dit;
Then he went on with his story and said, These are the words of Balaam, the son of Beor, the words of him whose eyes are open:
16 il dit, qui entend les paroles de Dieu, connaît la connaissance du Très-Haut, et qui voit la vision du Tout-Puissant, en tombant, et en ayant les yeux ouverts:
He says, whose ear is open to the words of God, who has knowledge of the Most High, who has seen the vision of the Ruler of all, falling down and having his eyes open:
17 Je le vois, mais pas maintenant. Je le vois, mais pas près. Une étoile sortira de Jacob. Un sceptre s'élèvera d'Israël, et il frappera les coins de Moab, et écraser tous les fils de Sheth.
I see him, but not now: looking on him, but not near: a star will come out of Jacob, and a rod of authority out of Israel, sending destruction to the farthest limits of Moab and on the head of all the sons of Sheth.
18 Edom sera une possession. Séir, son ennemi, sera aussi une possession, alors qu'Israël le fait vaillamment.
Edom will be his heritage, and he will put an end to the last of the people of Seir.
19 De Jacob, un seul dominera, et détruira le reste de la ville. »
And Israel will go on in strength, and Jacob will have rule over his haters.
20 Il regarda Amalek, et reprit sa parabole, et dit, « Amalek était la première des nations, mais sa finalité sera la destruction. »
Then, turning his eyes to Amalek, he went on with his story and said, Amalek was the first of the nations, but his part will be destruction for ever.
21 Il regarda le Kenite, et reprit sa parabole, et dit, « Ta demeure est forte. Votre nid est fixé dans la roche.
And looking on the Kenites he went on with his story and said, Strong is your living-place, and your secret place is safe in the rock.
22 Cependant, Kain sera perdue, jusqu'à ce qu'Asshur vous emmène en captivité. »
But still the Kenites will be wasted, till Asshur takes you away prisoner.
23 Il reprit sa parabole, et dit, « Hélas, qui vivra quand Dieu fera cela?
Then he went on with his story and said, But who may keep his life when God does this?
24 Mais des navires viendront de la côte de Kittim. Ils feront souffrir Asshur, et ils feront souffrir Eber. Lui aussi viendra à la destruction. »
But ships will come from the direction of Kittim, troubling Asshur and troubling Eber, and like the others their fate will be destruction.
25 Balaam se leva, et s'en alla et retourna à sa place; et Balak aussi s'en alla.
Then Balaam got up and went back to his place: and Balak went away.
