Liber Numeri 22
1 Profectique castrametati sunt in campestribus Moab, ubi trans Iordanem Iericho sita est.
And the children of Israel departed, and encamped on the west of Moab by Jordan towards Jericho.
2 Videns autem Balac filius Sephor omnia quae fecerat Israel Amorrhaeo,
And when Balac son of Sepphor saw all that Israel did to the Amorite,
3 et quod pertimuissent eum Moabitae, et impetum eius ferre non possent,
then Moab feared the people exceedingly because they were many; and Moab was grieved before the face of the children of Israel.
4 dixit ad maiores natu Madian: Ita delebit hic populus omnes, qui in nostris finibus commorantur, quo modo solet bos herbas usque ad radices carpere. Ipse autem erat eo tempore rex in Moab.
And Moab said to the elders of Madiam, Now shall this assembly lick up all that are round about us, as a calf would lick up the green [herbs] of the field: —and Balac son of Sepphor was king of Moab at that time.
5 Misit ergo nuncios ad Balaam filium Beor ariolum, qui habitabat super flumen terrae filiorum Ammon, ut vocarent eum, et dicerent: Ecce egressus est populus ex Aegypto, qui operuit superficiem terrae, sedens contra me.
And he sent ambassadors to Balaam the son of Beor, to Phathura, which is on a river of the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, a people is come out of Egypt, and behold it has covered the face of the earth, and it has encamped close to me.
6 Veni igitur, et maledic populo huic, quia fortior me est: siquo modo possim percutere et eiicere eum de terra mea. novi enim quod benedictus sit cui benedixeris, et maledictus in quem maledicta congesseris.
And now come, curse me this people, for it is stronger than we; if we may be able to strike some of them, and I will cast them out of the land: for I know that whoever you do bless, they are blessed, and whoever you do curse, they are cursed.
7 Perrexeruntque seniores Moab, et maiores natu Madian, habentes divinationis pretium in manibus. Cumque venissent ad Balaam, et narrassent ei omnia verba Balac:
And the elders of Moab went, and the elders of Madiam, and their divining [instruments were] in their hands; and they came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balac.
8 ille respondit: Manete hic nocte, et respondebo quidquid mihi dixerit Dominus. Manentibus autem illis apud Balaam, venit Deus, et ait ad eum:
And he said to them, Tarry here the night, and I will answer you the things which the Lord shall say to me; and the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.
9 Quid sibi volunt homines isti apud te?
And God came to Balaam, and said to him, Who are these men with you?
10 Respondit: Balac filius Sephor rex Moabitarum misit ad me,
And Balaam said to God, Balac son of Sepphor, king of Moab, sent them to me, saying,
11 dicens: Ecce populus qui egressus est de Aegypto, operuit superficiem terrae: veni, et maledic ei, siquo modo possim pugnans abigere eum.
Behold, a people has come forth out of Egypt, and has covered the face of the land, and it has encamped near to me; and now come, curse it for me, if indeed I shall be able to strike it, and cast it out of the land.
12 Dixitque Deus ad Balaam: Noli ire cum eis, neque maledicas populo: quia benedictus est.
And God said to Balaam, You shall not go with them, neither shall you curse the people; for they are blessed.
13 Qui mane consurgens dixit ad principes: Ite in terram vestram, quia prohibuit me Dominus venire vobiscum.
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balac, Depart quickly to your lord; God does not permit me to go with you.
14 Reversi principes dixerunt ad Balac: Noluit Balaam venire nobiscum.
And the princes of Moab rose, and came to Balac, and said, Balaam will not come with us.
15 Rursum ille multo plures et nobiliores quam ante miserat, misit.
And Balac yet again sent more princes and more honourable than they.
16 Qui cum venissent ad Balaam, dixerunt: Sic dicit Balac filius Sephor: Ne cuncteris venire ad me:
And they came to Balaam, and they say to him, Thus says Balac the son of Sepphor: I beseech you, delay not to come to me.
17 paratus sum honorare te, et quidquid volueris dabo tibi: veni, et maledic populo isti.
For I will greatly honour you, and will do for you whatever you shall say; come then, curse me this people.
18 Respondit Balaam: Si dederit mihi Balac plenam domum argenti et auri, non potero immutare verbum Domini Dei mei, ut vel plus, vel minus loquar.
And Balaam answered and said to the princes of Balac, If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I shall not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord God, to make it little or great in my mind.
19 Obsecro ut hic maneatis etiam hac nocte, et scire queam quid mihi rursum respondeat Dominus.
And now do you also wait here this night, and I shall know what the Lord will yet say to me.
20 Venit ergo Deus ad Balaam nocte, et ait ei: Si vocare te venerint homines isti, surge, et vade cum eis: ita dumtaxat, ut quod tibi praecepero, facias.
And God came to Balaam by night, and said to him, If these men are come to call you, rise and follow them; nevertheless the word which I shall speak to you, it shall you do.
21 Surrexit Balaam mane, et strata asina sua profectus est cum eis.
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.
22 Et iratus est Deus. Stetitque angelus Domini in via contra Balaam, qui insidebat asinae, et duos pueros habebat secum.
And God was very angry because he went; and the angel of the Lord rose up to withstand him. Now he had mounted his ass, and his two servants were with him.
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,
And when the ass saw the angel of God standing opposite in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand, then the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field; and [Balaam] struck the ass with his staff to direct her in the way.
24 stetit angelus in angustiis duarum maceriarum, quibus vineae cingebantur.
And the angel of the Lord stood in the avenues of the vines, a fence [being] on this side and a fence on that.
25 Quem videns asina, iunxit se parieti, et attrivit sedentis pedem. At ille iterum verberabat eam:
And when the ass saw the angel of God, she thrust herself against the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall, and he struck her again.
26 et nihilominus angelus ad locum angustum transiens, ubi nec ad dexteram, nec ad sinistram poterat deviare, obvius stetit.
And the angel of the Lord went farther, and came and stood in a narrow place where it was impossible to turn to the right or the left.
27 Cumque vidisset asina stantem angelum, concidit sub pedibus sedentis. qui iratus, vehementius caedebat fuste latera eius.
And when the ass saw the angel of God, she lay down under Balaam; and Balaam was angry, and struck the ass with his staff.
28 Aperuitque Dominus os asinae, et locuta est: Quid feci tibi? cur percutis me? ecce iam tertio?
And God opened the mouth of the ass, and she says to Balaam, What have I done to you, that you have struck me this third time?
29 Respondit Balaam: Quia commeruisti, et illusisti mihi: utinam haberem gladium, ut te percuterem.
And Balaam said to the ass, Because you have mocked me; and if I [had] had a sword in my hand, I would now have killed you.
30 Dixit asina: Nonne animal tuum sum, cui semper sedere consuevisti usque in praesentem diem? dic quid simile umquam fecerim tibi. At ille ait: Numquam.
And the ass says to Balaam, [Am] not I your ass on which you have ridden since your youth till this day? did I ever do thus to you, utterly disregarding [you]? and he said, No.
31 Protinus aperuit Dominus oculos Balaam, et vidit angelum stantem in via evaginato gladio, adoravitque eum pronus in terram.
And God opened the eyes of Balaam, and he sees the angel of the Lord withstanding [him] in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand, and he stooped down and worshipped on his face.
32 Cui angelus: Cur, inquit, tertio verberas asinam tuam? Ego veni ut adversarer tibi, quia perversa est via tua, mihique contraria:
And the angel of God said to him, Why have you struck your ass this third time? and, behold, I came out to withstand you, for your way was not seemly before me; and when the ass saw me, she turned away from me this third time.
33 et nisi asina declinasset de via, dans locum resistenti, te occidissem, et illa viveret.
And if she had not turned out of the way, surely now, I should have slain you, and should have saved her alive.
34 Dixit Balaam: Peccavi, nesciens quod tu stares contra me: et nunc si displicet tibi ut vadam, revertar.
And Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing opposite in the way to meet [me]; and now if it shall not be pleasing to you [for me to go on], I will return.
35 Ait angelus: Vade cum istis, et cave ne aliud quam praecepero tibi loquaris. Ivit igitur cum principibus.
And the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, Go with the men: nevertheless the word which I shall speak to you, that you shall take heed to speak. And Balaam went with the princes of Balac.
36 Quod cum audisset Balac, egressus est in occursum eius in oppido Moabitarum, quod situm est in extremis finibus Arnon.
And when Balac heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him, to a city of Moab, which is on the borders of Arnon, which is on the [extreme] part of the borders.
37 Dixitque ad Balaam: Misi nuncios ut vocarent te, cur non statim venisti ad me? an quia mercedem adventui tuo reddere nequeo?
And Balac said to Balaam, Did I not send to you to call you? why have you not come to me? shall I not indeed be able to honour you?
38 Cui ille respondit: Ecce adsum: numquid loqui potero aliud, nisi quod Deus posuerit in ore meo?
And Balaam said to Balac, Behold, I am now come to you: shall I be able to say anything? the word which God shall put into my mouth, that I shall speak.
39 Perrexerunt ergo simul, et venerunt in urbem, quae in extremis regni eius finibus erat.
And Balaam went with Balac, and they came to the cities of streets.
40 Cumque occidisset Balac boves et oves, misit ad Balaam, et principes qui cum eo erant, munera.
And Balac offered sheep and calves, and sent to Balaam and to his princes who were with him.
41 Mane autem facto duxit eum ad excelsa Baal, et intuitus est extremam partem populi.
And it was morning; and Balac took Balaam, and brought him up to the pillar of Baal, and showed him thence a part of the people.
