Nombres 22
1 Les enfants d’Israël repartirent, et ils allèrent camper dans les plaines de Moab, sur la rive du Jourdain, qui fait face à Jéricho.
The children of Israel [God prevails] traveled on and encamped in the plains of Moab [From father] beyond the Jordan [Descender] River, opposite Jericho [Fragrant, Moon].
2 Balak, fils de Cippor, ayant su tout ce qu’Israël avait fait aux Amorréens,
Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel [God prevails] had done to the Amorites [Descendants of Talkers].
3 Moab eut grand peur de ce peuple, parce qu’il était nombreux, et Moab trembla à cause des enfants d’Israël.
Moab [From father] was very afraid of the people, because they were many. Moab [From father] was distressed because of the children of Israel [God prevails].
4 Et Moab dit aux anciens de Madian: "Bientôt cette multitude aura fourragé tous nos alentours, comme le bœuf fourrage l’herbe des champs!" Or, Balak, fils de Cippor, régnait sur Moab, à cette époque.
Moab [From father] said to the elders of Midian [Strife], “Now this multitude will lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab [From father] at that time.
5 Il envoya des messagers à Balaam, fils de Beor, à Pethor qui est sur le fleuve, dans le pays de ses concitoyens, pour le mander, en ces termes: "Un peuple est sorti d’Egypte; déjà il couvre la face du pays, et il est campé vis-à-vis de moi.
He sent messengers to Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people] the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the River, to the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, “Behold, there is a people who came out of Egypt [Abode of slavery]. Behold, they cover the surface of the earth, and they are staying opposite me.
6 Viens donc, je te prie, et maudis-moi ce peuple, car il est plus puissant que moi: peut-être parviendrai-je à le vaincre et le repousserai-je du pays. Car, je le sais, celui que tu bénis est béni, et celui que tu maudis est maudit."
Please come now therefore curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall prevail, that we may strike them, and that I may divorce them out of the land; for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”
7 Les anciens de Moab et ceux de Madian partirent, munis des honoraires de la divination, et, arrivés chez Balaam, lui transmirent les paroles de Balak.
The elders of Moab [From father] and the elders of Midian [Strife] departed with the rewards of divination in their hand. They came to Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people], and spoke to him the words of Balak.
8 Il leur répondit: "Restez ici cette nuit, et je vous rendrai réponse selon ce que l’Éternel m’aura dit." Et les princes moabites restèrent chez Balaam.
He said to them, “Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as Adonai shall speak to me.” The princes of Moab [From father] stayed with Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people].
9 Dieu aborda Balaam, en disant: "Qui sont ces hommes-là chez toi?"
God came to Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people], and said, “Who are these men with you?”
10 Balaam répondit à Dieu: "C’Est Balak fils de Cippor, roi de Moab, qui m’envoie dire:
Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people] said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab [From father], has said to me,
11 Déjà ce peuple, sorti de l’Egypte, a couvert la face du pays. Viens donc, maudis-le moi; peut-être pourrai-je l’attaquer et l’expulserai-je."
‘Behold, the people that has come out of Egypt [Abode of slavery] covers the surface of the earth. Now, come curse me them. Perhaps I shall be able to fight against them, and shall drive them out.’”
12 Dieu dit à Balaam: "Tu n’iras point avec eux. Tu ne maudiras point ce peuple, car il est béni!"
God said to Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people], “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people; for they are blessed.”
13 Balaam, s’étant levé le matin, dit aux officiers de Balak: "Retournez dans votre pays; car l’Éternel n’a pas voulu me permettre de partir avec vous."
Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people] rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your land; for Adonai refuses to permit me to go with you.”
14 Les princes de Moab se retirèrent, revinrent auprès de Balak et lui dirent: "Balaam a refusé de nous accompagner."
The princes of Moab [From father] rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, “Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people] refuses to come with us.”
15 Balak revint à la charge, en envoyant des princes plus nombreux et plus considérés que ceux-là.
Balak again sent princes, more, and more honorable than they.
16 Arrivés chez Balaam, ils lui dirent: "Ainsi parle Balak, fils de Cippor: Ne te défends pas, de grâce, de venir auprès de moi.
They came to Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people], and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me,
17 Car je veux te combler d’honneurs, et tout ce que tu me diras je le ferai; mais viens, de grâce, maudis-moi ce peuple!"
for I will promote you to very great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Please come therefore, and curse this people for me.’”
18 Balaam répondit en ces termes aux serviteurs de Balak: "Quand Balak me donnerait de l’argent et de l’or plein son palais, je ne pourrais contrevenir à l’ordre de l’Éternel mon Dieu, en aucune façon.
Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people] answered the servants of Balak, “If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can’t go beyond the word of Adonai my God, to do less or more.
19 Et maintenant, veuillez attendre ici, vous aussi, cette nuit, que je sache ce que l’Éternel doit encore me dire."
Now therefore, please wait also here this night, that I may know what Adonai will speak to me more.”
20 Dieu aborda Balaam pendant la nuit, en lui disant: "Puisque ces hommes sont venus pour te mander, va, pars avec eux! Et cependant, les ordres que je te donnerai, ceux-là seulement, tu les accompliras!"
God came to Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people] at night, and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak to you, that you shall do.”
21 Balaam se leva le matin, sangla son ânesse, et partit avec les princes de Moab.
Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people] rose up in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab [From father].
22 Mais Dieu étant irrité de ce qu’il partait, un ange du Seigneur se mit sur son chemin pour lui faire obstacle. Or, il était monté sur son ânesse, et ses deux jeunes esclaves l’accompagnaient.
God’s anger burned because he went; and ha mal'ak Yahweh [the Angel of He sustains breathing] placed himself in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
23 L’Ânesse, voyant l’ange du Seigneur debout sur son passage et l’épée nue à la main, s’écarta de la route et alla à travers champs; Balaam frappa l’ânesse pour la ramener sur la route.
The donkey saw ha mal'ak Yahweh [the Angel of He sustains breathing] standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the donkey turned aside out of the way, and went into the field. Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people] struck the donkey, to turn her into the way.
24 Alors l’ange du Seigneur se plaça dans un chemin creux entre les vignes, clôture deçà, clôture delà.
Then ha mal'ak Yahweh [the Angel of He sustains breathing] stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.
25 L’Ânesse, voyant l’ange du Seigneur, se serra contre le mur, et froissa contre le mur le pied de Balaam, qui la frappa de nouveau.
The donkey saw ha mal'ak Yahweh [the Angel of He sustains breathing], and she thrust herself to the wall, and crushed Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people]’s foot against the wall. He struck her again.
26 Mais de nouveau l’ange du Seigneur prit les devants, et il se plaça dans un lieu étroit, où il n’était possible de s’écarter ni à droite ni à gauche.
Ha mal'ak Yahweh [The Angel of He sustains breathing] went further, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.
27 L’Ânesse, voyant encore l’ange du Seigneur, se coucha sous Balaam; enflammé de colère, Balaam la frappa de son bâton.
The donkey saw ha mal'ak Yahweh [the Angel of He sustains breathing], and she lay down under Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people]. Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people]’s anger burned, and he struck the donkey with his staff.
28 Alors le Seigneur ouvrit la bouche de l’ânesse, qui dit à Balaam: "Que t’ai-je fait, pour que tu m’aies frappée ainsi à trois reprises?"
Adonai opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people], “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”
29 Balaam répondit à l’ânesse: "Parce que tu te joues de moi! Si je tenais une épée, certes, je te tuerais sur l’heure!"
Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people] said to the donkey, “Because you have mocked me, I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would have killed you.”
30 Et l’ânesse dit à Balaam: "Ne suis-je pas ton ânesse, que tu as toujours montée jusqu’à ce jour? Avais-je accoutumé d’agir ainsi avec toi?" Et il répondit: "Non."
The donkey said to Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people], “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long until today? Was I ever in the habit of doing so to you?” He said, “No.”
31 Soudan, le Seigneur dessilla les yeux de Balaam, et il vit l’ange du Seigneur debout sur la route; l’épée nue à la main; il s’inclina et se prosterna sur sa face.
Then Adonai opened the eyes of Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people], and he saw ha mal'ak Yahweh [the Angel of He sustains breathing] standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face.
32 L’Ange du Seigneur lui dit: "Pourquoi as-tu frappé ton ânesse par trois fois? C’Est moi qui suis venu me poser en obstacle, parce que ce voyage a lieu contre mon gré.
Ha mal'ak Yahweh [The Angel of He sustains breathing] said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out as an adversary, because your way is perverse before me.
33 Cette ânesse m’a vu, et elle s’est écartée à mon aspect, trois fois; si elle ne s’était écartée de devant moi, assurément je t’aurais fait mourir, tandis que je l’aurais laissée vivre."
The donkey saw me, and turned aside before me these three times. Unless she had turned aside from me, surely now I would have killed you, and saved her alive.”
34 Balaam répondit à l’ange du Seigneur: "J’Ai péché, parce que je ne savais pas que tu fusses posté devant moi sur le chemin; et maintenant, si cela te déplaît, je m’en retournerai."
Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people] said to ha mal'ak Yahweh [the Angel of He sustains breathing], “I have sinned ·deviated (from the standard goal)·; for I didn’t know that you stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases you, I will go back again.”
35 Mais l’ange du Seigneur dit à Balaam: "Va avec ces hommes! Et cependant, la parole que je te dicterai, celle-là seule tu la diras." Et Balaam poursuivit sa route avec les officiers de Balak.
Ha mal'ak Yahweh [The Angel of He sustains breathing] said to Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people], “Go with the men; but only the word that I shall speak to you, that you shall speak.” So Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people] went with the princes of Balak.
36 Balak, ayant appris que Balaam venait, alla le recevoir à Ir-Moab, qui est sur la limite de l’Arnon, au point extrême de la frontière.
When Balak sh'ma ·heard obeyed· that Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people] had come, he went out to meet him to the City of Moab [From father], which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border.
37 Et Balak dit à Balaam: "Ne t’avais-je pas appelé par un premier message? Pourquoi n’es-tu pas venu près de moi? Est-ce qu’en vérité je n’ai pas le pouvoir de te faire honneur?"
Balak said to Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people], “Didn’t I earnestly send to you to call you? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I not able indeed to promote you to honor?”
38 Balaam répondit a Balak: "Tu le vois, je suis venu vers toi; mais est-il en ma puissance de dire quoi que ce soit? La parole que Dieu mettra dans ma bouche, c’est celle-là que je dois dire."
Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people] said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you. Have I now any power at all to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak.”
39 Balaam fit route avec Balak, et ils arrivèrent à Kiryath-Houçoth.
Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people] went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath Huzoth.
40 Balak immola bœufs et brebis, dont il envoya des parts à Balaam et aux officiers qui l’accompagnaient.
Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and sent to Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people], and to the princes who were with him.
41 Et le matin venu, Balak alla prendre Balaam et le conduisit sur les hauteurs de Baal, d’où il vit jusqu’aux dernières lignes du peuple.
In the morning, Balak took Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people], and brought him up into the high places of Baal; and he saw from there part of the people.
