Liber Numeri 22
1 Profectique castrametati sunt in campestribus Moab, ubi trans Iordanem Iericho sita est.
After, the children of Israel departed and pitched in the plaine of Moab on the other side of Iorden from Iericho.
2 Videns autem Balac filius Sephor omnia quae fecerat Israel Amorrhaeo,
Now Balak the sonne of Zippor sawe all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
3 et quod pertimuissent eum Moabitae, et impetum eius ferre non possent,
And the Moabites were sore afraide of the people, because they were many, and Moab fretted against 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.
Therfore Moab said vnto the Elders of Midian, Nowe shall this multitude licke vp all that are round about vs, as an oxe licketh vp ye grasse of the fielde: and Balak the sonne of Zippor was King of the Moabites 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.
Hee sent messengers therefore vnto Balaam the sonne of Beor to Pethor (which is by the riuer of the lande of the children of his folke) to call him, saying, Beholde, there is a people come out of Egypt, which couer the face of the earth, and lye ouer against 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.
Come now therefore, I pray thee, and curse me this people (for they are stronger then I) so it may be that I shall be able to smite them, and to driue them out of the land: for I knowe that hee, whome thou blessest, is blessed, and he whom thou cursest, shall be 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, and the Elders of Midian departed, hauing the reward of the soothsaying in their hande, and they came vnto Balaam, and tolde him the wordes of Balak.
8 ille respondit: Manete hic nocte, et respondebo quidquid mihi dixerit Dominus. Manentibus autem illis apud Balaam, venit Deus, et ait ad eum:
Who answered them, Tary here this night, and I will giue you an answere, as the Lord shall say vnto mee. So the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.
9 Quid sibi volunt homines isti apud te?
Then God came vnto Balaam, and sayde, What men are these with thee?
10 Respondit: Balac filius Sephor rex Moabitarum misit ad me,
And Baalam said vnto God, Balak ye sonne of Zippor, king of Moab hath set vnto me, saying,
11 dicens: Ecce populus qui egressus est de Aegypto, operuit superficiem terrae: veni, et maledic ei, siquo modo possim pugnans abigere eum.
Beholde, there is a people come out of Egypt and couereth the face of the earth: come nowe, curse them for my sake: so it may be that I shalbe able to ouercome them in battell, and to driue them out.
12 Dixitque Deus ad Balaam: Noli ire cum eis, neque maledicas populo: quia benedictus est.
And God said vnto Balaam, Go not thou with them, neither 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 vp in the morning, and sayde vnto ye princes of Balak, Returne vnto your land: for the Lord hath refused to giue me leaue to go with you.
14 Reversi principes dixerunt ad Balac: Noluit Balaam venire nobiscum.
So the princes of Moab rose vp, and went vnto Balak, and sayd, Balaam hath refused to come with vs.
15 Rursum ille multo plures et nobiliores quam ante miserat, misit.
Balak yet sent againe moe princes, and more honourable then they.
16 Qui cum venissent ad Balaam, dixerunt: Sic dicit Balac filius Sephor: Ne cuncteris venire ad me:
Who came to Balaam, and sayde to him, Thus saith Balak the sonne of Zippor, Bee not thou staied, I pray thee, from comming vnto me.
17 paratus sum honorare te, et quidquid volueris dabo tibi: veni, et maledic populo isti.
For I wil promote thee vnto great honour, and wil do whatsoeuer thou sayest vnto me: come therefore, I pray thee, 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 sayde vnto the seruants of Balak, If Balak woulde giue me his house full of siluer and golde, I can not goe beyonde the worde of the Lord my God, to doe lesse or more.
19 Obsecro ut hic maneatis etiam hac nocte, et scire queam quid mihi rursum respondeat Dominus.
But nowe, I pray you, tary here this night, that I may wit, what the Lord will say vnto mee more.
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 vnto Balaam by night, and sayd vnto him, If the men come to call thee, rise vp, and goe with them: but onely what thing I say vnto thee, that shalt thou doe.
21 Surrexit Balaam mane, et strata asina sua profectus est cum eis.
So Balaam rose vp early, and sadled his asse, 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 ye wrath of God was kindled, because he went: and the Angel of the Lord stood in the way to be against him, as he rode vpon his asse, and his two seruants 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 asse saw the Angel of the Lord stand in the way, and his sworde drawen in his hand, the asse turned out of the way and went into the field, but Balaam smote the asse, to turne her into the way.
24 stetit angelus in angustiis duarum maceriarum, quibus vineae cingebantur.
Againe the Angel of the Lord stood in a path of the vineyardes, hauing a wall on the one side, and a wall on the other.
25 Quem videns asina, iunxit se parieti, et attrivit sedentis pedem. At ille iterum verberabat eam:
And when the asse sawe the Angel of the Lord, she thrust her selfe vnto the wall, and dasht Balaams foote against the wall: wherefore hee smote her againe.
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 further, and stoode in a narowe place, where was no way to turne, either to the right hand, or to the left.
27 Cumque vidisset asina stantem angelum, concidit sub pedibus sedentis. qui iratus, vehementius caedebat fuste latera eius.
And when the asse sawe the Angell of the Lord, she lay downe vnder Balaam: therefore Balaam was very wroth, and smote the asse with a staffe.
28 Aperuitque Dominus os asinae, et locuta est: Quid feci tibi? cur percutis me? ecce iam tertio?
Then the Lord opened the mouth of the asse, and she saide vnto Balaam, What haue I done vnto thee, that thou hast smitten me nowe three times?
29 Respondit Balaam: Quia commeruisti, et illusisti mihi: utinam haberem gladium, ut te percuterem.
And Balaam saide vnto the asse, Because thou hast mocked me: I woulde there were a sworde in mine hand, for nowe would I kill thee.
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 asse saide vnto Balaam, Am not I thine asse, which thou hast ridden vpon since thy first time vnto this day? haue I vsed at any time to doe thus vnto thee? Who said, Nay.
31 Protinus aperuit Dominus oculos Balaam, et vidit angelum stantem in via evaginato gladio, adoravitque eum pronus in terram.
And the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he sawe the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with his sword drawen in his hande: then he bowed him selfe, and fell flat 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 the Lord said vnto him, Wherefore hast thou nowe smitten thine asse three times? beholde, I came out to withstande thee, because thy way is not straight before me.
33 et nisi asina declinasset de via, dans locum resistenti, te occidissem, et illa viveret.
But the asse sawe me, and turned from me now three times: for els, if she had not turned from me, surely I had euen nowe slaine thee, and saued her aliue.
34 Dixit Balaam: Peccavi, nesciens quod tu stares contra me: et nunc si displicet tibi ut vadam, revertar.
Then Balaam saide vnto the Angel of the Lord, I haue sinned: for I wist not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore if it displease thee, I will turne home againe.
35 Ait angelus: Vade cum istis, et cave ne aliud quam praecepero tibi loquaris. Ivit igitur cum principibus.
But the Angel said vnto Balaam, Go with the men: but what I say vnto thee, that shalt thou speake. So Balaam went with ye princes of Balak.
36 Quod cum audisset Balac, egressus est in occursum eius in oppido Moabitarum, quod situm est in extremis finibus Arnon.
And when Balak heard that Balaam came, he went out to meete him vnto a citie of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, euen in the vtmost coast.
37 Dixitque ad Balaam: Misi nuncios ut vocarent te, cur non statim venisti ad me? an quia mercedem adventui tuo reddere nequeo?
Then Balak saide vnto Balaam, Did I not sende for thee to call thee? Wherefore camest thou not vnto me? am I not able in deede to promote thee vnto honour?
38 Cui ille respondit: Ecce adsum: numquid loqui potero aliud, nisi quod Deus posuerit in ore meo?
And Balaam made answere vnto Balak, Lo, I am come vnto thee, and can I nowe say any thing at all? the worde that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speake.
39 Perrexerunt ergo simul, et venerunt in urbem, quae in extremis regni eius finibus erat.
So Balaam went with Balak, and they came vnto the citie of Huzoth.
40 Cumque occidisset Balac boves et oves, misit ad Balaam, et principes qui cum eo erant, munera.
Then Balak offred bullockes, and sheepe, and sent thereof to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.
41 Mane autem facto duxit eum ad excelsa Baal, et intuitus est extremam partem populi.
And on the morowe Balak tooke Balaam, and brought him vp into the hie places of Baal, that thence hee might see the vtmost part of the people.
