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 the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at the other times, to meet with enchantments, 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 tribe by tribe; 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 parable, and said: The saying of Balaam the son of Beor, and the saying of the man whose eye is opened;

4 dixit auditor sermonum Dei, qui visionem Omnipotentis intuitus est, qui cadit, et sic aperiuntur oculi eius:

The saying of him who heareth the words of God, who seeth the vision of the Almighty, fallen down, yet with opened eyes:

5 Quam pulchra tabernacula tua Iacob, et tentoria tua Israel!

How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, thy dwellings, O Israel!

6 ut valles nemorosæ, ut horti iuxta fluvios irrigui, ut tabernacula quæ fixit Dominus, quasi cedri prope aquas.

As valleys stretched out, as gardens by the river-side; as aloes planted of the LORD, as cedars 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 branches, 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 who brought him forth out of Egypt is for him like the lofty horns of the wild-ox; he shall eat up the nations that are his adversaries, and shall break their bones in pieces, and pierce 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? Blessed be every one that blesseth thee, and cursed be every one that curseth thee.

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 smote his hands together; and Balak said unto Balaam: 'I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast 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 unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honour.'

12 Respondit Balaam ad Balac: Nonne nunciis tuis, quos misisti ad me, dixi:

And Balaam said unto Balak: 'Spoke I not also to thy messengers that thou didst send unto 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 the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; what the LORD speaketh, that will I speak?

14 Verumtamen pergens ad populum meum, dabo consilium, quid populus tuus populo huic faciat extremo tempore.

And now, behold, I go unto my people; come, and I will announce to thee what this people shall do to thy people in the end of days.'

15 Sumpta igitur parabola, rursum ait: Dixit Balaam filius Beor: dixit homo, cuius obturatus est oculus:

And he took up his parable, and said: The saying of Balaam the son of Beor, and the saying of the man whose eye is opened;

16 dixit auditor sermonum Dei, qui novit doctrinam Altissimi, et visiones Omnipotentis videt, qui cadens apertos habet oculos.

The saying of him who heareth the words of God, and knoweth the knowledge of the Most High, who seeth the vision of the Almighty, fallen down, yet with opened eyes:

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 nigh; there shall step 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 Seth.

18 Et erit Idumæa possessio eius: hereditas Seir cedet inimicis suis: Israel vero fortiter aget.

And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also, even his enemies, shall be a possession; while Israel doeth valiantly.

19 De Iacob erit qui dominetur. et perdat reliquias civitatis.

And out of Jacob shall one 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 parable, and said: Amalek was the first of the nations; but his 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 parable, and said: Though firm be thy dwelling-place, and though thy nest be set in the rock;

22 et fueris electus de stirpe Cin, quamdiu poteris permanere? Assur enim capiet te.

Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted; How long? 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 parable, and said: Alas, who shall live after God hath appointed him?

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.