Liber Numeri 24
1 Cumque vidisset Balaam quod placeret Domino ut benediceret Israeli, nequaquam abiit ut ante perrexerat, ut augurium quaereret: sed dirigens contra desertum vultum suum,
When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to blesse Israel, then he went not, as certaine times before, to set diuinations, but set his face toward the wildernesse.
2 et elevans oculos, vidit Israel in tentoriis commorantem per tribus suas: et irruente in se spiritu Dei,
And Balaam lift vp his eyes, and looked vpon Israel, which dwelt according to their tribes, and the Spirit of God came vpon him.
3 assumpta parabola ait: Dixit Balaam filius Beor: dixit homo, cuius obturatus est oculus:
And he vttered his parable, and sayd, Balaam the sonne of Beor hath sayde, and the man, whose eyes were shut vp, hath sayd,
4 dixit auditor sermonum Dei, qui visionem Omnipotentis intuitus est, qui cadit, et sic aperiuntur oculi eius:
He hath sayde, which heard the wordes of God, and sawe the vision of the Almightie, and falling in a traunce had his eyes opened:
5 Quam pulchra tabernacula tua Iacob, et tentoria tua Israel!
How goodly are thy tentes, O Iaakob, and thine habitations, O Israel!
6 ut valles nemorosae, ut horti iuxta fluvios irrigui, ut tabernacula quae fixit Dominus, quasi cedri prope aquas.
As the valleis, are they stretched forth, as gardes by the riuers side, as the aloe trees, which the Lord hath planted, as the cedars beside the waters.
7 Fluet aqua de situla eius, et semen illius erit in aquas multas. Tolletur propter Agag, rex eius, et auferetur regnum illius.
The water droppeth out of his bucket, and his seede shalbe in many waters, and his king shall be hier then Agag, and his kingdome shall bee exalted.
8 Deus eduxit illum de Aegypto, cuius fortitudo similis est rhinocerotis. Devorabunt gentes hostes illius, ossaque eorum confringent, et perforabunt sagittis.
God brought him out of Egypt: his strength shalbe as an vnicorne: he shall eate the nations his enemies, and bruise their bones, and shoote them through with his arrowes.
9 Accubans dormivit ut leo, et quasi leaena, quam suscitare nullus audebit. Qui benedixerit tibi, erit et ipse benedictus: qui maledixerit, in maledictione reputabitur.
He coucheth and lieth downe as a yong lion, and as a lion: who shall stirre him vp? blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.
10 Iratusque Balac contra Balaam, complosis manibus ait: Ad maledicendum inimicis meis vocavi te, quibus econtrario tertio benedixisti:
Then Balak was very angry with Balaam, and smote his handes together: so Balak sayde vnto Balaam, I sent for thee to curse mine enemies, and beholde, thou hast blessed them nowe three times.
11 revertere ad locum tuum. Decreveram quidem magnifice honorare te, sed Dominus privavit te honore disposito.
Therefore nowe flee vnto thy place: I thought surely to promote thee vnto honour, but loe, the Lord hath kept thee backe from honour.
12 Respondit Balaam ad Balac: Nonne nunciis tuis, quos misisti ad me, dixi:
Then Balaam answered Balak, Tolde I not also thy messengers, which thou sentest vnto me, saying,
13 Si dederit mihi Balac: plenam domum argenti et auri, non potero praeterire sermonem Domini Dei mei, ut vel boni quid, vel mali proferam ex corde meo: sed quidquid Dominus dixerit, hoc loquar?
If Balak would giue me his house ful of siluer and gold, I can not passe the commandement of the Lord, to doe either good or bad of mine owne minde? what the Lord shall commaund, the same will I speake.
14 Verumtamen pergens ad populum meum, dabo consilium, quid populus tuus populo huic faciat extremo tempore.
And nowe behold, I goe vnto my people: come, I will aduertise thee what this people shall doe to thy folke in the later dayes.
15 Sumpta igitur parabola, rursum ait: Dixit Balaam filius Beor: dixit homo, cuius obturatus est oculus:
And he vttered his parable, and sayd, Balaam the sonne of Beor hath sayde, and the man whose eyes were shut vp, hath sayd,
16 dixit auditor sermonum Dei, qui novit doctrinam Altissimi, et visiones Omnipotentis videt, qui cadens apertos habet oculos.
He hath said that heard the words of God, and hath the knowledge of the most High, and sawe the vision of the Almightie, and falling in a traunce had his eyes opened:
17 Videbo eum, sed non modo: intuebor illum, sed non prope. ORIETUR STELLA ex Iacob, et consurget virga de Israel: et percutiet duces Moab, vastabitque omnes filios Seth.
I shall see him, but not nowe: I shall behold him, but not neere: there shall come a starre of Iaakob, and a scepter shall rise of Israel, and shall smite the coastes of Moab, and destroy all the sonnes of Sheth.
18 Et erit Idumaea possessio eius: hereditas Seir cedet inimicis suis: Israel vero fortiter aget.
And Edom shalbe possessed, and Seir shall be a possession to their enemies: but Israel shall do valiantly.
19 De Iacob erit qui dominetur. et perdat reliquias civitatis.
He also that shall haue dominion shall bee of Iaakob, and shall destroy the remnant of the citie.
20 Cumque vidisset Amalec, assumens parabolam, ait: Principium Gentium Amalec, cuius extrema perdentur.
And when he looked on Amalek, he vttered his parable, and sayd, Amalek was the first of the nations: but his latter ende shall come to destruction.
21 Vidit quoque Cinaeum: et assumpta parabola, ait: Robustum quidem est habitaculum tuum: sed si in petra posueris nidum tuum,
And he looked on the Kenites, and vttered his parable, and sayde, Strong is thy dwelling place, and put thy nest in the rocke.
22 et fueris electus de stirpe Cin, quamdiu poteris permanere? Assur enim capiet te.
Neuerthelesse, the Kenite shalbe spoyled vntill Asshur cary thee away captiue.
23 Assumptaque parabola iterum locutus est: Heu, quis victurus est, quando ista faciet Deus?
Againe he vttered his parable, and sayd, Alas, who shall liue when God doeth this?
24 Venient in trieribus de Italia, superabunt Assyrios, vastabuntque Hebraeos, et ad extremum etiam ipsi peribunt.
The ships also shall come from the coastes of Chittim, and subdue Asshur, and shall subdue Eber, and he also shall come to destruction.
25 Surrexitque Balaam, et reversus est in locum suum: Balac quoque via, qua venerat, rediit.
Then Balaam rose vp, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.
