Liber Numeri 24

1 Cumque vidisset Balaam quod placeret Domino ut benediceret Israëli, 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 Israël 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, cujus obturatus est oculus:

And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor saith, And the man whose eye was closed saith:

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

He saith, which heareth the words of God, Which seeth the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, and having his eyes open:

5 Quam pulchra tabernacula tua, Jacob, et tentoria tua, Israël!

How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, Thy tabernacles, O Israel!

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

As valleys are they spread forth, As gardens by the river side, As lign-aloes which the LORD hath planted, As cedar trees beside the waters.

7 Fluet aqua de situla ejus, et semen illius erit in aquas multas. Tolletur propter Agag, rex ejus, 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, cujus fortitudo similis est rhinocerotis. Devorabunt gentes hostes illius, ossaque eorum confringent, et perforabunt sagittis.

God bringeth him forth out of Egypt; He hath 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? 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 e contrario 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 nuntiis tuis, quos misisti ad me, dixi:

And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest 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 advertise 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, cujus obturatus est oculus:

And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor saith, And the man whose eye was closed saith:

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

He saith, which heareth the words of God, And knoweth the knowledge of the Most High, Which seeth 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 Jacob, et consurget virga de Israël: et percutiet duces Moab, vastabitque omnes filios Seth.

I see him, but not now: I behold him, but not nigh: There shall come forth a star out of Jacob, And a sceptre 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 ejus: hæreditas Seir cedet inimicis suis: Israël vero fortiter aget.

And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession, [which were] his enemies; While Israel doeth valiantly.

19 De Jacob 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, cujus extrema perdentur.

And he looked on Amalek, and took up his parable, 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 parable, 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 parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth 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.