Liber Numeri 24
1 Cumque vidisset Balaam quod placeret Domino ut benediceret Israeli, nequaquam abiit ut ante perrexerat, ut augurium quæreret: sed dirigens contra desertum vultum suum,
And when Balaam saw that it pleased Jehovah to bless Israel, he did not go, as at the other times, to meet with omens, but he set his face toward the wilderness.
2 et elevans oculos, vidit Israel in tentoriis commorantem per tribus suas: et irruente in se spiritu Dei,
And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes, and the Spirit of God came upon him.
3 assumpta parabola ait: Dixit Balaam filius Beor: dixit homo, cuius obturatus est oculus:
And he took up his oracle, and said, Balaam the son of Beor says, and the man whose eye was closed says,
4 dixit auditor sermonum Dei, qui visionem Omnipotentis intuitus est, qui cadit, et sic aperiuntur oculi eius:
he says who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down, and having his eyes open,
5 Quam pulchra tabernacula tua Iacob, et tentoria tua Israel!
How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, thy tabernacles, O Israel!
6 ut valles nemorosæ, ut horti iuxta fluvios irrigui, ut tabernacula quæ fixit Dominus, quasi cedri prope aquas.
As valleys they are spread forth, as gardens by the river-side, as aloes which Jehovah has planted, as cedar trees beside the waters.
7 Fluet aqua de situla eius, et semen illius erit in aquas multas. Tolletur propter Agag, rex eius, et auferetur regnum illius.
Water shall flow from his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.
8 Deus eduxit illum de Ægypto, cuius fortitudo similis est rhinocerotis. Devorabunt gentes hostes illius, ossaque eorum confringent, et perforabunt sagittis.
God brings him forth out of Egypt. He has as it were the strength of the wild-ox. He shall eat up the nations his adversaries, and shall break their bones in pieces, and smite them through with his arrows.
9 Accubans dormivit ut leo, et quasi leæna, quam suscitare nullus audebit. Qui benedixerit tibi, erit et ipse benedictus: qui maledixerit, in maledictione reputabitur.
He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a lioness. Who shall rouse him up? He who blesses thee is blessed, And he who curses thee is cursed.
10 Iratusque Balac contra Balaam, complosis manibus ait: Ad maledicendum inimicis meis vocavi te, quibus econtrario tertio benedixisti:
And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, I called thee to curse my enemies, and, behold, thou have altogether blessed them these three times.
11 revertere ad locum tuum. Decreveram quidem magnifice honorare te, sed Dominus privavit te honore disposito.
Therefore now flee thou to thy place. I thought to promote thee to great honor, but, lo, Jehovah has kept thee back from honor.
12 Respondit Balaam ad Balac: Nonne nunciis tuis, quos misisti ad me, dixi:
And Balaam said to Balak, Did I not also speak to thy messengers that thou sent to me, saying,
13 Si dederit mihi Balac: plenam domum suam argenti et auri, non potero præterire sermonem Domini Dei mei, ut vel boni quid, vel mali proferam ex corde meo: sed quidquid Dominus dixerit, hoc loquar?
If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of Jehovah, to do either good or bad of my own mind. What Jehovah speaks, that I will speak?
14 Verumtamen pergens ad populum meum, dabo consilium, quid populus tuus populo huic faciat extremo tempore.
And now, behold, I go to my people. Come, I will advise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.
15 Sumpta igitur parabola, rursum ait: Dixit Balaam filius Beor: dixit homo, cuius obturatus est oculus:
And he took up his oracle, and said, Balaam the son of Beor says, and the man whose eye was closed says,
16 dixit auditor sermonum Dei, qui novit doctrinam Altissimi, et visiones Omnipotentis videt, qui cadens apertos habet oculos.
he says who hears the words of God, and knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down, and having his eyes open:
17 Videbo eum, sed non modo: intuebor illum, sed non prope. ORIETUR STELLA ex Iacob, et consurget virga de Israel: et percutiet duces Moab, vastabitque omnes filios Seth.
I see him, but not now. I behold him, but not near. There shall come forth a star out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite through the corners of Moab, and break down all the sons of tumult.
18 Et erit Idumæa possessio eius: hereditas Seir cedet inimicis suis: Israel vero fortiter aget.
And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession, who were his enemies, while Israel does valiantly.
19 De Iacob erit qui dominetur. et perdat reliquias civitatis.
And out of Jacob shall come he who shall have dominion, and shall destroy the remnant from the city.
20 Cumque vidisset Amalec, assumens parabolam, ait: Principium Gentium Amalec, cuius extrema perdentur.
And he looked on Amalek, and took up his oracle, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations, but his latter end shall come to destruction.
21 Vidit quoque Cinæum: et assumpta parabola, ait: Robustum quidem est habitaculum tuum: sed si in petra posueris nidum tuum,
And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his oracle, and said, Strong is thy dwelling-place, and thy nest is set in the rock.
22 et fueris electus de stirpe Cin, quamdiu poteris permanere? Assur enim capiet te.
Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.
23 Assumptaque parabola iterum locutus est: Heu, quis victurus est, quando ista faciet Deus?
And he took up his oracle, and said, Alas, who shall live when God does this?
24 Venient in trieribus de Italia, superabunt Assyrios, vastabuntque Hebræos, et ad extremum etiam ipsi peribunt.
But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim, and they shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall come to destruction.
25 Surrexitque Balaam, et reversus est in locum suum: Balac quoque via, qua venerat, rediit.
And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place, and Balak also went his way.
