Liber Numeri 23
1 Dixitque Balaam ad Balac: Ædifica mihi hic septem aras, et para totidem vitulos, eiusdemque numeri arietes.
Then Balaam told Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice.”
2 Cumque fecisset iuxta sermonem Balaam, imposuerunt simul vitulum et arietem super aram.
Balak did as Balaam had said, and together they offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
3 Dixitque Balaam ad Balac: Sta paulisper iuxta holocaustum tuum, donec vadam, si forte occurrat mihi Dominus, et quodcumque imperaverit, loquar tibi.
Balaam said to Balak, “Wait here beside your burnt offering while I go and see if perhaps the Lord will come and meet with me. Whatever he reveals to me, I'll share with you.” Then Balaam left to climb up a rocky crag.
4 Cumque abiisset velociter, occurrit illi Deus. Locutusque ad eum Balaam: Septem, inquit, aras erexi, et imposui vitulum et arietem desuper.
God met with him there, and Balaam said. “I have built seven altars and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.”
5 Dominus autem posuit verbum in ore eius, et ait: Revertere ad Balac, et hæc loqueris.
The Lord gave Balaam a message to share. He told him, “Go back to Balak and this is what you are to say to him.”
6 Reversus invenit stantem Balac iuxta holocaustum suum, et omnes principes Moabitarum:
So he went back to Balak, who was waiting there beside his burnt offering, along with all the Moabite leaders.
7 assumptaque parabola sua, dixit: De Aram adduxit me Balac rex Moabitarum, de montibus Orientis: Veni, inquit, et maledic Iacob: propera, et detestare Israel.
This is the declaration that Balaam gave: “Balak brought me from Aram; the king of Moab brought me from the mountains of the east. He said, ‘Come and curse Jacob for me! Come and condemn Israel!’
8 Quo modo maledicam, cui non maledixit Deus? Qua ratione detester, quem Dominus non detestatur?
But how can I curse what God has not cursed? How can I condemn what the Lord has not condemned?
9 De summis silicibus videbo eum, et de collibus considerabo illum. Populus solus habitabit, et inter gentes non reputabitur.
For I'm looking down on them from the top of rocky crags; I'm watching them from the hills. I see a people who live on their own, different from the other nations.
10 Quis dinumerare possit pulverem Iacob, et nosse numerum stirpis Israel? Moriatur anima mea morte iustorum, et fiant novissima mea horum similia.
Who can count Jacob's descendants? They are so many they're like dust! Who can count even a quarter of the Israelites? I would like to die as a good person dies! Let the end of my life be like their end!”
11 Dixitque Balac ad Balaam: Quid est hoc quod agis? Ut malediceres inimicis meis vocavi te: et tu econtrario benedicis eis.
Then Balak complained to Balaam, “What on earth have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, and now look! All you have done is bless them!”
12 Cui ille respondit: Num aliud possum loqui, nisi quod iusserit Dominus?
But Balaam replied, “Don't you think I should I say precisely what the Lord tells me?”
13 Dixit ergo Balac: Veni mecum in alterum locum unde partem Israel videas, et totum videre non possis, inde maledicito ei.
Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place where you can see them. But you'll only see a part of their camp—you won't see all of them. You can curse them for me from there.”
14 Cumque duxisset eum in locum sublimem, super verticem montis Phasga, ædificavit Balaam septem aras, et impositis supra vitulo atque ariete,
He took him to the field of Zophim at the top of Mount Pisgah. There he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
15 dixit ad Balac: Sta hic iuxta holocaustum tuum, donec ego obvius pergam.
Balaam told Balak, “Wait here beside your burnt offering while I meet the Lord over there.”
16 Cui cum Dominus occurrisset, posuissetque verbum in ore eius, ait: Revertere ad Balac, et hæc loqueris ei.
The Lord met Balaam and gave him a message to share. He told him, “Go back to Balak and this is what you are to say to him.”
17 Reversus invenit eum stantem iuxta holocaustum suum, et principes Moabitarum cum eo. Ad quem Balac: Quid, inquit, locutus est Dominus?
So he went back to Balak, who was waiting there beside his burnt offering, along with all the Moabite leaders. “What did the Lord say?” Balak asked.
18 At ille assumpta parabola sua, ait: Sta Balac, et ausculta, audi fili Sephor:
This is the prophecy that Balaam delivered: “Stand up, Balak, and pay attention! Listen to me, son of Zippor!
19 Non est Deus quasi homo, ut mentiatur: nec ut filius hominis, ut mutetur. Dixit ergo, et non faciet? Locutus est, et non implebit?
God isn't a human being who would lie. He's not a mere mortal who changes his mind. Does he say he's going to do something but doesn't? Does he make promises he doesn't carry out?
20 Ad benedicendum adductus sum, benedictionem prohibere non valeo.
Look, I have been ordered to give a blessing. God has blessed, and I can't change that.
21 Non est idolum in Iacob, nec videtur simulacrum in Israel. Dominus Deus eius cum eo est, et clangor victoriæ regis in illo.
He's not expecting anything bad will happen to Jacob; he doesn't foresee any trouble for Israel. The Lord their God is with them; they celebrate him as their king.
22 Deus eduxit illum de Ægypto, cuius fortitudo similis est rhinocerotis.
God led them out of Egypt with great power, as strong as an ox.
23 Non est augurium in Iacob, nec divinatio in Israel. Temporibus suis dicetur Iacob et Israeli quid operatus sit Deus.
No spell can be cast against Jacob; no magic can be used against Israel. People will talk about Jacob and Israel, saying, ‘What amazing things God has done for them!’
24 Ecce populus ut leæna consurget, et quasi leo erigetur: non accubabit donec devoret prædam, et occisorum sanguinem bibat.
Look! The Israelites go out hunting like a lioness; they chase like a lion. They don't rest until they eat their prey, and drink the blood of their dead victim.”
25 Dixitque Balac ad Balaam: Nec maledicas ei, nec benedicas.
Then Balak said to Balaam, “If you can't give them any curses then at least don't give them any blessings!”
26 Et ille ait: Nonne dixi tibi quod quidquid mihi Deus imperaret, hoc facerem?
But Balaam replied, “Didn't I explain to you that I have to do whatever the Lord tells me?”
27 Et ait Balac ad eum: Veni, et ducam te ad alium locum: si forte placeat Deo ut inde maledicas eis.
“Please come with me and I will take you somewhere else,” Balak said. “Maybe God would let you curse them for me from there.”
28 Cumque duxisset eum super verticem montis Phogor, qui respicit solitudinem,
Balak took Balaam to the top of Mount Peor, which looks down on the wastelands.
29 dixit ei Balaam: Ædifica mihi hic septem aras, et para totidem vitulos, eiusdemque numeri arietes.
Balaam told Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice.”
30 Fecit Balac ut Balaam dixerat: imposuitque vitulos et arietes per singulas aras.
Balak what Balaam told him, and he offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
