Liber Numeri 22
1 Profectique castrametati sunt in campestribus Moab, ubi trans Iordanem Iericho sita est.
The children of Israel traveled, and encamped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho.
2 Videns autem Balac filius Sephor omnia quae fecerat Israel Amorrhaeo,
Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
3 et quod pertimuissent eum Moabitae, et impetum eius ferre non possent,
Moab was very afraid of the people, because they were many. Moab was distressed because 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.
Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this multitude will lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” Balak the son of Zippor 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.
He sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the River, to the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, “Behold, there is a people who came out of Egypt. Behold, they cover the surface of the earth, and they are staying opposite 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.
Please come now therefore, and curse this people for me; for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall prevail, that we may strike them, and that I may drive them out of the land; for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom 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:
The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand. They came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words 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:
He said to them, “Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as Yahweh shall speak to me.” The princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.
9 Quid sibi volunt homines isti apud te?
God came to Balaam, and said, “Who are these men with you?”
10 Respondit: Balac filius Sephor rex Moabitarum misit ad me,
Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has said 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 has come out of Egypt covers the surface of the earth. Now, come curse them for me. Perhaps I shall be able to fight against them, and shall drive them out.’”
12 Dixitque Deus ad Balaam: Noli ire cum eis, neque maledicas populo: quia benedictus est.
God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.”
13 Qui mane consurgens dixit ad principes: Ite in terram vestram, quia prohibuit me Dominus venire vobiscum.
Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your land; for Yahweh refuses to permit me to go with you.”
14 Reversi principes dixerunt ad Balac: Noluit Balaam venire nobiscum.
The princes of Moab rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”
15 Rursum ille multo plures et nobiliores quam ante miserat, misit.
Balak again sent princes, more, and more honorable than they.
16 Qui cum venissent ad Balaam, dixerunt: Sic dicit Balac filius Sephor: Ne cuncteris venire ad me:
They came to Balaam, and said to him, “Balak the son of Zippor says, ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me,
17 paratus sum honorare te, et quidquid volueris dabo tibi: veni, et maledic populo isti.
for I will promote you to very great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Please come therefore, and curse 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.
Balaam answered the servants of Balak, “If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can’t go beyond the word of Yahweh my God, to do less or more.
19 Obsecro ut hic maneatis etiam hac nocte, et scire queam quid mihi rursum respondeat Dominus.
Now therefore please stay here tonight as well, that I may know what else Yahweh will speak 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.
God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak to you, that you shall do.”
21 Surrexit Balaam mane, et strata asina sua profectus est cum eis.
Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his donkey, 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.
God’s anger burned because he went; and Yahweh’s angel placed himself in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey, 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,
The donkey saw Yahweh’s angel standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the donkey turned out of the path, and went into the field. Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the path.
24 stetit angelus in angustiis duarum maceriarum, quibus vineae cingebantur.
Then Yahweh’s angel stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, a wall being 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:
The donkey saw Yahweh’s angel, and she thrust herself to the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. He struck her again.
26 et nihilominus angelus ad locum angustum transiens, ubi nec ad dexteram, nec ad sinistram poterat deviare, obvius stetit.
Yahweh’s angel went further, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn 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.
The donkey saw Yahweh’s angel, and she lay down under Balaam. Balaam’s anger burned, and he struck the donkey with his staff.
28 Aperuitque Dominus os asinae, et locuta est: Quid feci tibi? cur percutis me? ecce iam tertio?
Yahweh opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said 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.
Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have mocked me, I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would 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.
The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long until today? Was I ever in the habit of doing so to you?” He said, “No.”
31 Protinus aperuit Dominus oculos Balaam, et vidit angelum stantem in via evaginato gladio, adoravitque eum pronus in terram.
Then Yahweh opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw Yahweh’s angel standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face.
32 Cui angelus: Cur, inquit, tertio verberas asinam tuam? Ego veni ut adversarer tibi, quia perversa est via tua, mihique contraria:
Yahweh’s angel said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out as an adversary, because your way is perverse before me.
33 et nisi asina declinasset de via, dans locum resistenti, te occidissem, et illa viveret.
The donkey saw me, and turned away before me these three times. Unless she had turned away from me, surely now I would have killed you, and saved her alive.”
34 Dixit Balaam: Peccavi, nesciens quod tu stares contra me: et nunc si displicet tibi ut vadam, revertar.
Balaam said to Yahweh’s angel, “I have sinned; for I didn’t know that you stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases you, I will go back again.”
35 Ait angelus: Vade cum istis, et cave ne aliud quam praecepero tibi loquaris. Ivit igitur cum principibus.
Yahweh’s angel said to Balaam, “Go with the men; but you shall only speak the word that I shall speak to you.” So Balaam went 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.
When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him to the City of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost part 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?
Balak said to Balaam, “Didn’t I earnestly send for you to summon you? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I not able indeed to promote you to honor?”
38 Cui ille respondit: Ecce adsum: numquid loqui potero aliud, nisi quod Deus posuerit in ore meo?
Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you. Have I now any power at all to speak anything? I will speak the word that God puts in my mouth.”
39 Perrexerunt ergo simul, et venerunt in urbem, quae in extremis regni eius finibus erat.
Balaam went with Balak, and they came to 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 sent to Balaam, and to the princes who were with him.
41 Mane autem facto duxit eum ad excelsa Baal, et intuitus est extremam partem populi.
In the morning, Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal; and he saw from there part of the people.
