Liber Numeri 22
1 Profectique castrametati sunt in campestribus Moab, ubi trans Iordanem Iericho sita est.
And the sons of Israel journey and encamp in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan, [by] Jericho.
2 Videns autem Balac filius Sephor omnia quae fecerat Israel Amorrhaeo,
And Balak son of Zippor sees all that Israel has done to the Amorite,
3 et quod pertimuissent eum Moabitae, et impetum eius ferre non possent,
and Moab is exceedingly afraid of the presence of the people, for it [is] numerous; and Moab is distressed by the presence of the sons 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 says to [the] elderly of Midian, “Now the assembly licks up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the green thing of the field.” And Balak son of Zippor [is] 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 sends messengers to Balaam son of Beor, to Pethor, which [is] by the River of the land of the sons of his people, to call for him, saying, “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt; behold, it has covered the eye of the land, and it is abiding in front of 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, please curse this people for me, for it [is] mightier than I. It may be I prevail, [and] we strike it, and I cast it out from the land; for I have known that which you bless is blessed, and that which you curse is 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] elderly of Moab and [the] elderly of Midian go with divinations in their hand, and they come to Balaam and speak the words of Balak to him,
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 says to them, “Lodge here tonight, and I have brought you back word, as YHWH speaks to me”; and the princes of Moab abide with Balaam.
9 Quid sibi volunt homines isti apud te?
And God comes to Balaam and says, “Who [are] these men with you?”
10 Respondit: Balac filius Sephor rex Moabitarum misit ad me,
And Balaam says to God, “Balak, son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me:
11 dicens: Ecce populus qui egressus est de Aegypto, operuit superficiem terrae: veni, et maledic ei, siquo modo possim pugnans abigere eum.
Behold, the people that is coming out from Egypt and covers the eye of the land—now come, pierce it for me; it may be I am able to fight against it and have cast it out”;
12 Dixitque Deus ad Balaam: Noli ire cum eis, neque maledicas populo: quia benedictus est.
and God says to Balaam, “You do not go with them; you do not curse the people, for it [is] blessed.”
13 Qui mane consurgens dixit ad principes: Ite in terram vestram, quia prohibuit me Dominus venire vobiscum.
And Balaam rises in the morning and says to the princes of Balak, “Go to your land, for YHWH is refusing to permit me to go with you”;
14 Reversi principes dixerunt ad Balac: Noluit Balaam venire nobiscum.
and the princes of Moab rise, and come to Balak, and say, “Balaam is refusing to come with us.”
15 Rursum ille multo plures et nobiliores quam ante miserat, misit.
And Balak adds yet to send princes, more numerous and honored than these,
16 Qui cum venissent ad Balaam, dixerunt: Sic dicit Balac filius Sephor: Ne cuncteris venire ad me:
and they come to Balaam and say to him, “Thus said Balak son of Zippor: Please do not be withheld from coming to me,
17 paratus sum honorare te, et quidquid volueris dabo tibi: veni, et maledic populo isti.
for I honor you very greatly, and all that you say to me I do; and come, please pierce this people for me.”
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 answers and says to the servants of Balak, “If Balak gives to me the fullness of his house of silver and gold, I am not able to pass over the command of my God YHWH, to do a little or a great thing;
19 Obsecro ut hic maneatis etiam hac nocte, et scire queam quid mihi rursum respondeat Dominus.
and now, please abide in this [place], you also, tonight, then I know what YHWH is adding to speak with 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 comes to Balaam by night and says to him, “If the men have come to call for you, rise, go with them, and only the thing which I speak to you—do it.”
21 Surrexit Balaam mane, et strata asina sua profectus est cum eis.
And Balaam rises in the morning, and saddles his donkey, and goes 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 the anger of God burns because he is going, and the Messenger of YHWH stations Himself in the way for an adversary to him, and he is riding on his donkey, and two of his servants [are] 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 the donkey sees the Messenger of YHWH standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and the donkey turns aside out of the way and goes into a field, and Balaam strikes the donkey to turn it aside into the way.
24 stetit angelus in angustiis duarum maceriarum, quibus vineae cingebantur.
And the Messenger of YHWH stands in a narrow path of the vineyards, [with] a wall on this [side] and a wall on that [side],
25 Quem videns asina, iunxit se parieti, et attrivit sedentis pedem. At ille iterum verberabat eam:
and the donkey sees the Messenger of YHWH, and is pressed to the wall, and presses Balaam’s foot to the wall, and he adds to strike her;
26 et nihilominus angelus ad locum angustum transiens, ubi nec ad dexteram, nec ad sinistram poterat deviare, obvius stetit.
and the Messenger of YHWH adds to pass over, and stands in a narrow place where there is no way to turn aside [to] the right or left,
27 Cumque vidisset asina stantem angelum, concidit sub pedibus sedentis. qui iratus, vehementius caedebat fuste latera eius.
and the donkey sees the Messenger of YHWH, and crouches under Balaam, and the anger of Balaam burns, and he strikes the donkey with a staff.
28 Aperuitque Dominus os asinae, et locuta est: Quid feci tibi? cur percutis me? ecce iam tertio?
And YHWH opens the mouth of the donkey, and she says to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have struck me these three times?”
29 Respondit Balaam: Quia commeruisti, et illusisti mihi: utinam haberem gladium, ut te percuterem.
And Balaam says to the donkey, “Because you have rolled yourself against me; oh that there were a sword in my hand, for now I had slain 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 donkey says to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden since [I became] yours, even to this day? Have I at all been accustomed to do thus to you?” And he says, “No.”
31 Protinus aperuit Dominus oculos Balaam, et vidit angelum stantem in via evaginato gladio, adoravitque eum pronus in terram.
And YHWH uncovers the eyes of Balaam, and he sees the Messenger of YHWH standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and he bows and pays respect, to 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 Messenger of YHWH says to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out for an adversary, for [your] way has been perverse before Me,
33 et nisi asina declinasset de via, dans locum resistenti, te occidissem, et illa viveret.
and the donkey sees Me and turns aside at My presence these three times; unless she had turned aside from My presence, surely I had also slain you now, and kept her alive.”
34 Dixit Balaam: Peccavi, nesciens quod tu stares contra me: et nunc si displicet tibi ut vadam, revertar.
And Balaam says to the Messenger of YHWH, “I have sinned, for I did not know that You [are] standing to meet me in the way; and now, if [it is] evil in Your eyes, I turn back by myself.”
35 Ait angelus: Vade cum istis, et cave ne aliud quam praecepero tibi loquaris. Ivit igitur cum principibus.
And the Messenger of YHWH says to Balaam, “Go with the men; and only the word which I speak to you—it you speak”; and Balaam goes with the princes of Balak.
36 Quod cum audisset Balac, egressus est in occursum eius in oppido Moabitarum, quod situm est in extremis finibus Arnon.
And Balak hears that Balaam has come, and goes out to meet him, to a city of Moab, which [is] on the border of Arnon, which [is] in the extremity of the border;
37 Dixitque ad Balaam: Misi nuncios ut vocarent te, cur non statim venisti ad me? an quia mercedem adventui tuo reddere nequeo?
and Balak says to Balaam, “Did I not diligently send to you to call for you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not truly able to honor you?”
38 Cui ille respondit: Ecce adsum: numquid loqui potero aliud, nisi quod Deus posuerit in ore meo?
And Balaam says to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you; now, am I able to speak anything at all? The word which God sets in my mouth—it I speak.”
39 Perrexerunt ergo simul, et venerunt in urbem, quae in extremis regni eius finibus erat.
And Balaam goes with Balak, and they come to Kirjath-Huzoth,
40 Cumque occidisset Balac boves et oves, misit ad Balaam, et principes qui cum eo erant, munera.
and Balak sacrifices oxen and sheep, and sends [some] to Balaam and to the princes who [are] with him;
41 Mane autem facto duxit eum ad excelsa Baal, et intuitus est extremam partem populi.
and it comes to pass in the morning, that Balak takes Balaam and causes him to go up [to] the high places of Ba‘al, and he sees the extremity of the people from there.
