Nombres 24

1 Balaam vit que l’Éternel trouvait bon de bénir Israël, et il n’alla point comme les autres fois, à la rencontre des enchantements; mais il tourna son visage du côté du désert.

And when Balaam saw that it pleased God to bless Israel, he did not go according to his custom to meet the omens, but turned his face toward the wilderness.

2 Balaam leva les yeux, et vit Israël campé selon ses tribus. Alors l’esprit de Dieu fut sur lui.

And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and sees Israel encamped by their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.

3 Balaam prononça son oracle, et dit: Parole de Balaam, fils de Beor, Parole de l’homme qui a l’œil ouvert,

And he took up his parable and said, Balaam son of Beor says, the man who sees truly says,

4 Parole de celui qui entend les paroles de Dieu, De celui qui voit la vision du Tout-Puissant, De celui qui se prosterne et dont les yeux s’ouvrent.

he says who hears the oracle of the Mighty One, who saw a vision of God in sleep; his eyes were opened:

5 Qu’elles sont belles, tes tentes, ô Jacob! Tes demeures, ô Israël!

How goodly [are] thy habitations, Jacob, and thy tents, Israel!

6 Elles s’étendent comme des vallées, Comme des jardins près d’un fleuve, Comme des aloès que l’Éternel a plantés, Comme des cèdres le long des eaux.

as shady groves, and as gardens by a river, and as tents which God pitched, and as cedars by the waters.

7 L’eau coule de ses seaux, Et sa semence est fécondée par d’abondantes eaux. Son roi s’élève au-dessus d’Agag, Et son royaume devient puissant.

There shall come a man out of his seed, and he shall rule over many nations; and the kingdom of Gog shall be exalted, and his kingdom shall be increased.

8 Dieu l’a fait sortir d’Égypte, Il est pour lui comme la vigueur du buffle. Il dévore les nations qui s’élèvent contre lui, Il brise leurs os, et les abat de ses flèches.

God led him out of Egypt; he has as it were the glory of a unicorn: he shall consume the nations of his enemies, and he shall drain their marrow, and with his darts he shall shoot through the enemy.

9 Il ploie les genoux, il se couche comme un lion, comme une lionne: Qui le fera lever? Béni soit quiconque te bénira, Et maudit soit quiconque te maudira!

He lay down, he rested as a lion, and as a young lion; who shall stir him up? they that bless thee are blessed, and they that curse thee are cursed.

10 La colère de Balak s’enflamma contre Balaam; il frappa des mains, et dit à Balaam: C’est pour maudire mes ennemis que je t’ai appelé, et voici, tu les as bénis déjà trois fois.

And Balac was angry with Balaam, and clapped his hands together; and Balac said to Balaam, I called thee to curse my enemy, and behold thou hast decidedly blessed [him] this third time.

11 Fuis maintenant, va-t’en chez toi! J’avais dit que je te rendrais des honneurs, mais l’Éternel t’empêche de les recevoir.

Now therefore flee to thy place: I said, I will honour thee, but now the Lord has deprived thee of glory.

12 Balaam répondit à Balak: Eh! N’ai-je pas dit aux messagers que tu m’as envoyés:

And Balaam said to Balac, Did I not speak to thy messengers also whom thou sentest to me, saying,

13 Quand Balak me donnerait sa maison pleine d’argent et d’or, je ne pourrais faire de moi-même ni bien ni mal contre l’ordre de l’Éternel; je répéterai ce que dira l’Éternel?

If Balac should give me his house full of silver and gold, I shall not be able to transgress the word of the Lord to make it good or bad by myself; whatsoever things God shall say, them will I speak.

14 Et maintenant voici, je m’en vais vers mon peuple. Viens, je t’annoncerai ce que ce peuple fera à ton peuple dans la suite des temps.

And now, behold, I return to my place; come, I will advise thee of what this people shall do to thy people in the last days.

15 Balaam prononça son oracle, et dit: Parole de Balaam, fils de Beor, Parole de l’homme qui a l’œil ouvert,

And he took up his parable and said, Balaam the son of Beor says, the man who sees truly says,

16 Parole de celui qui entend les paroles de Dieu, De celui qui connaît les desseins du Très-Haut, De celui qui voit la vision du Tout-Puissant, De celui qui se prosterne et dont les yeux s’ouvrent.

hearing the oracles of God, receiving knowledge from the Most High, and having seen a vision of God in sleep; his eyes were opened.

17 Je le vois, mais non maintenant, Je le contemple, mais non de près. Un astre sort de Jacob, Un sceptre s’élève d’Israël. Il perce les flancs de Moab, Et il abat tous les enfants de Seth.

I will point to him, but not now; I bless him, but he draws not near: a star shall rise out of Jacob, a man shall spring out of Israel; and shall crush the princes of Moab, and shall spoil all the sons of Seth.

18 Il se rend maître d’Édom, Il se rend maître de Séir, ses ennemis. Israël manifeste sa force.

And Edom shall be an inheritance, and Esau his enemy shall be an inheritance [of Israel], and Israel wrought valiantly.

19 Celui qui sort de Jacob règne en souverain, Il fait périr ceux qui s’échappent des villes.

And [one] shall arise out of Jacob, and destroy out of the city him that escapes.

20 Balaam vit Amalek. Il prononça son oracle, et dit: Amalek est la première des nations, Mais un jour il sera détruit.

And having seen Amalec, he took up his parable and said, Amalec [is] the first of the nations; yet his seed shall perish.

21 Balaam vit les Kéniens. Il prononça son oracle, et dit: Ta demeure est solide, Et ton nid posé sur le roc.

And having seen the Kenite, he took up his parable and said, thy dwelling-place [is] strong; yet though thou shouldest put thy nest in a rock,

22 Mais le Kénien sera chassé, Quand l’Assyrien t’emmènera captif.

and though Beor should have a skillfully contrived hiding-place, the Assyrians shall carry thee away captive.

23 Balaam prononça son oracle, et dit: Hélas! Qui vivra après que Dieu l’aura établi?

And he looked upon Og, and took up his parable and said, Oh, oh, who shall live, when God shall do these things?

24 Mais des navires viendront de Kittim, Ils humilieront l’Assyrien, ils humilieront l’Hébreu; Et lui aussi sera détruit.

And one shall come forth from the hands of the Citians, and shall afflict Assur, and shall afflict the Hebrews, and they shall perish together.

25 Balaam se leva, partit, et retourna chez lui. Balak s’en alla aussi de son côté.

And Balaam rose up and departed and returned to his place, and Balac went to his own home.