Liber Numeri 22
1 Profectique castrametati sunt in campestribus Moab, ubi trans Jordanem Jericho sita est.
The Israelites moved on and camped on the plains of Moab east of the Jordan, opposite Jericho.
2 Videns autem Balac filius Sephor omnia quæ fecerat Israël Amorrhæo,
Balak, son of Zippor, had seen all that the Israelites had done to the Amorites.
3 et quod pertimuissent eum Moabitæ, et impetum ejus ferre non possent,
The Moabites were terrified of the Israelites because there were so many of them. The Moabites dreaded the arrival of the Israelites
4 dixit ad majores natu Madian: Ita delebit hic populus omnes, qui in nostris finibus commorantur, quomodo solet bos herbas usque ad radices carpere. Ipse erat eo tempore rex in Moab.
and told the leaders of Midian, “This horde will eat up everything we have, just like an ox eats up grass in the field!” (Balak son of Zippor, was king of Moab at that time.)
5 Misit ergo nuntios ad Balaam filium Beor ariolum, qui habitabat super flumen terræ filiorum Ammon, ut vocarent eum, et dicerent: Ecce egressus est populus ex Ægypto, qui operuit superficiem terræ, sedens contra me.
He sent messengers to call Balaam, son of Beor, who lived in Pethor near the Euphrates River in his own country. “Listen, a group of people has arrived here who came from Egypt,” Balak said in his message to Balaam. “There are hordes of them and they present a real threat to me.
6 Veni igitur, et maledic populo huic, quia fortior me est: si quomodo possim percutere et ejicere eum de terra mea. Novi enim quod benedictus sit cui benedixeris, et maledictus in quem maledicta congesseris.
Please come immediately and curse these people for me, because they are stronger than me. Maybe then I'll be able to attack them and drive them out of my country because I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”
7 Perrexeruntque seniores Moab, et majores natu Madian, habentes divinationis pretium in manibus. Cumque venissent ad Balaam, et narrassent ei omnia verba Balac,
The Moabite and Midianite leaders departed, taking payment for the fortune-telling with them. When they arrived they gave Balaam the message from Balak.
8 ille respondit: Manete hic nocte, et respondebo quidquid mihi dixerit Dominus. Manentibus illis apud Balaam, venit Deus, et ait ad eum:
“Stay the night and I'll let you know the answer the Lord gives me,” Balaam told them. So the Moabite leaders stayed there with Balaam.
9 Quid sibi volunt homines isti apud te?
God came to Balaam and asked him, “Who are these men staying with you?”
10 Respondit: Balac filius Sephor rex Moabitarum misit ad me,
Balaam told God, “Balak, son of Zippor, the king of Moab, sent me this message:
11 dicens: Ecce populus qui egressus est de Ægypto, operuit superficiem terræ: veni, et maledic ei, si quomodo possim pugnans abigere eum.
‘Listen, a group of people has arrived here who came from Egypt. There are hordes of them. Please come immediately and curse these people for me. Maybe then I'll be able to fight them and drive them out of my country.’”
12 Dixitque Deus ad Balaam: Noli ire cum eis, neque maledicas populo: quia benedictus est.
But God told Balaam, “You are not to go back with them. You must not curse this people, for they are blessed.”
13 Qui mane consurgens dixit ad principes: Ite in terram vestram, quia prohibuit me Dominus venire vobiscum.
In the morning Balaam got up and said to Balak's messengers, “Go back to where you came from because the Lord has refused to allow me to go with you.”
14 Reversi principes dixerunt ad Balac: Noluit Balaam venire nobiscum.
The Moabite leaders left. They returned to Balak, and told him, “Balaam refused to come back with us.”
15 Rursum ille multo plures et nobiliores quam ante miserat, misit.
Then Balak sent even more leaders who were more prestigious than before.
16 Qui cum venissent ad Balaam, dixerunt: Sic dicit Balac filius Sephor: Ne cuncteris venire ad me:
When they arrived they told Balaam, “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: ‘Please don't let anything stop you from coming to see me,
17 paratus sum honorare te, et quidquid volueris, dabo tibi: veni, et maledic populo isti.
because I will pay you a great deal and follow all the advice you give me. Please come and curse these people for me!’”
18 Respondit Balaam: Si dederit mihi Balac plenam domum suam argenti et auri, non potero immutare verbum Domini Dei mei, ut vel plus, vel minus loquar.
But Balaam told Balak's officials, “Even if Balak gave me his whole palace full of silver and gold, I couldn't disobey the command of the Lord my God in any way.
19 Obsecro ut hic maneatis etiam hac nocte, et scire queam quid mihi rursum respondeat Dominus.
Now you should also stay the night so I can see if the Lord has anything else to tell me.”
20 Venit ergo Deus ad Balaam nocte, et ait ei: Si vocare te venerunt homines isti, surge, et vade cum eis: ita dumtaxat, ut quod tibi præcepero, facias.
God came to Balaam during the night and told him, “Since these men have come for you, get up and go with them. But only do what I tell you.”
21 Surrexit Balaam mane, et strata asina sua profectus est cum eis.
In the morning Balaam got up, put a saddle on his donkey, and left with the Moabite leaders.
22 Et iratus est Deus. Stetitque angelus Domini in via contra Balaam, qui insidebat asinæ, et duos pueros habebat secum.
God's got angry because Balaam had decided to go. The angel of the Lord came and stood in the road to confront him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and he was accompanied by his two servants.
23 Cernens asina angelum stantem in via, evaginato gladio, avertit se de itinere, et ibat per agrum. Quam cum verberaret Balaam, et vellet ad semitam reducere,
The donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road holding a drawn sword, so it turned from the road and went into a field. So Balaam beat it to make it go back to the road.
24 stetit angelus in angustiis duarum maceriarum, quibus vineæ cingebantur.
Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow part of the road that passed between two vineyards, with walls on both sides.
25 Quem videns asina, junxit se parieti, et attrivit sedentis pedem. At ille iterum verberabat eam:
The donkey saw the angel of the Lord and tried to get past. It pushed up against the wall and crushed Balaam's foot against it. So he beat it again.
26 et nihilominus angelus ad locum angustum transiens, ubi nec ad dexteram, nec ad sinistram poterat deviare, obvius stetit.
Then the angel of the Lord went ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to get past, either on the right or the left.
27 Cumque vidisset asina stantem angelum, concidit sub pedibus sedentis: qui iratus, vehementius cædebat fuste latera ejus.
The donkey saw the angel of the Lord and lay down under Balaam. He got angry and beat it with his walking stick.
28 Aperuitque Dominus os asinæ, et locuta est: Quid feci tibi? cur percutis me ecce jam tertio?
The Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you for you to beat me three times?”
29 Respondit Balaam: Quia commeruisti, et illusisti mihi: utinam haberem gladium, ut te percuterem!
“You made me look stupid!” Balaam told the donkey. “If I was holding a sword, I'd kill you now!”
30 Dixit asina: Nonne animal tuum sum, cui semper sedere consuevisti usque in præsentem diem? dic quid simile umquam fecerim tibi. At ille ait: Numquam.
But the donkey asked Balaam, “Aren't I the donkey you've ridden all your life right up to today? Have I ever treated you this way before?” “No,” he admitted.
31 Protinus aperuit Dominus oculos Balaam, et vidit angelum stantem in via, evaginato gladio, adoravitque eum pronus in terram.
Then the Lord gave Balaam the ability to see the angel of the Lord standing in the road holding a drawn sword. Balaam bowed low and fell facedown on the ground.
32 Cui angelus: Cur, inquit, tertio verberas asinam tuam? ego veni ut adversarer tibi, quia perversa est via tua, mihique contraria:
The angel of the Lord asked him, “Why did you beat your donkey three times? Listen, I have come to confront you because you're being obstinate.
33 et nisi asina declinasset de via, dans locum resistenti, te occidissem, et illa viveret.
The donkey saw me and avoided me three times. If it had not avoided me, by now I definitely would have killed you and allowed the donkey to live.”
34 Dixit Balaam: Peccavi, nesciens quod tu stares contra me: et nunc si displicet tibi ut vadam, revertar.
“I have sinned because I did not realize that you were standing in the road to confront me,” Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “So if this isn't what you want, I'll go back home.”
35 Ait angelus: Vade cum istis, et cave ne aliud quam præcepero tibi loquaris. Ivit igitur cum principibus.
The angel of the Lord told Balaam, “No, you can go with the men, but only say what I tell you.” So Balaam continued on with Balak's officials.
36 Quod cum audisset Balac, egressus est in occursum ejus in oppido Moabitarum, quod situm est in extremis finibus Arnon.
When Balak found out that Balaam was on his way, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the border at the Arnon River, the farthest point of his territory.
37 Dixitque ad Balaam: Misi nuntios ut vocarent te: cur non statim venisti ad me? an quia mercedem adventui tuo reddere nequeo?
He said to Balaam, “Didn't you think my call for you to come was urgent? Why didn't you come to me straight away? Did you think I couldn't pay you enough?”
38 Cui ille respondit: Ecce adsum: numquid loqui potero aliud, nisi quod Deus posuerit in ore meo?
“Look, I'm here with you now, aren't I?” Balaam replied. “But do you think I can just say anything? I can only speak the words that God gives me to say.”
39 Perrexerunt ergo simul, et venerunt in urbem, quæ in extremis regni ejus finibus erat.
So Balaam went with Balak and they arrived at Kiriath-huzoth.
40 Cumque occidisset Balac boves et oves, misit ad Balaam, et principes qui cum eo erant, munera.
Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and he shared with meat with Balaam and the leaders who were with him.
41 Mane autem facto, duxit eum ad excelsa Baal, et intuitus est extremam partem populi.
The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth-baal. From there he could see the extent of the Israelite camp.
