Liber Numeri 22
1 profectique castrametati sunt in campestribus Moab ubi trans Iordanem Hierichus sita est
And the children of Israel moved forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side of Jordan [by] Jericho.
2 videns autem Balac filius Sepphor omnia quae fecerat Israhel Amorreo
And 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
And Moab was greatly afraid of the people, because they [were] many: and 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 quomodo solet bos herbas usque ad radices carpere ipse erat eo tempore rex in Moab
And Moab said to the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all [that are] around us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor [was] king of the Moabites at that time.
5 misit ergo nuntios 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 therefore to Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which [is] by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there has a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:
6 veni igitur et maledic populo huic quia fortior me est si quo modo possim percutere et eicere eum de terra mea novi enim quod benedictus sit cui benedixeris et maledictus in quem maledicta congesseris
Come now therefore, I pray thee, Curse for me this people; for they [are] too mighty for me: it may be I shall prevail, [that] we may smite them, and [that] I may drive them out of the land: for I know that he whom thou blessest [is] blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.
7 perrexerunt 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 with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak.
8 ille respondit manete hic nocte et respondebo quicquid mihi dixerit Dominus manentibus illis apud Balaam venit Deus et ait ad eum
And he said to them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak to me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.
9 quid sibi volunt homines isti apud te
And God came to Balaam, and said, What men [are] these with thee?
10 respondit Balac filius Sepphor rex Moabitarum misit ad me
And Balaam said to God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent to me, [saying],
11 dicens ecce populus qui egressus est de Aegypto operuit superficiem terrae veni et maledic ei si quo modo possim pugnans abicere eum
Behold, [there has] a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse them for me: it may be I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.
12 dixitque Deus ad Balaam noli ire cum eis neque maledicas populo quia benedictus est
And God said to Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they [are] blessed.
13 qui mane consurgens dixit ad principes ite in terram vestram quia prohibuit me Deus venire vobiscum
And Balaam rose in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, Depart into your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you.
14 reversi principes dixerunt ad Balac noluit Balaam venire nobiscum
And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.
15 rursum ille multo plures et nobiliores quam ante miserat misit
And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honorable than they.
16 qui cum venissent ad Balaam dixerunt sic dicit Balac filius Sepphor ne cuncteris venire ad me
And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming to me:
17 paratum honorare te et quicquid volueris dare veni et maledic populo isti
For I will promote thee to very great honor, and I will do whatever thou sayest to me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse this people for me.
18 respondit Balaam si dederit mihi Balac plenam domum suam argenti et auri non potero inmutare verbum Domini Dei mei ut vel plus vel minus loquar
And Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the LORD 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, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say to me more.
20 venit ergo Deus ad Balaam nocte et ait ei si vocare te venerunt homines isti surge et vade cum eis ita dumtaxat ut quod tibi praecepero facias
And God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, If the men come to call thee, rise [and] go with them; but yet the word which I shall say to thee, that shalt thou perform.
21 surrexit Balaam mane et strata asina profectus est cum eis
And Balaam rose 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 sedebat asinae et duos pueros habebat secum
And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon 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 the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.
24 stetit angelus in angustiis duarum maceriarum quibus vineae cingebantur
But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall [being] on this side, and a wall on that side.
25 quem videns asina iunxit se parieti et adtrivit sedentis pedem at ille iterum verberabat
And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself against the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again.
26 et nihilominus angelus ad locum angustum transiens ubi nec ad dextram nec ad sinistram poterat deviari obvius stetit
And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where [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
And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.
28 aperuitque Dominus os asinae et locuta est quid feci tibi cur percutis me ecce iam tertio
And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said to Balaam, What have I done to thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?
29 respondit Balaam quia commeruisti et inlusisti mihi utinam haberem gladium ut te percuterem
And Balaam said to the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in my hand, for now would I kill thee.
30 dixit asina nonne animal tuum sum cui semper sedere consuesti usque in praesentem diem dic quid simile umquam fecerim tibi at ille ait numquam
And the ass said to Balaam, [Am] not I thy ass, upon which thou hast rid ever since [I was] thine to this day? was I ever wont to do so to thee? And he said, Nay.
31 protinus aperuit Dominus oculos Balaam et vidit angelum stantem in via evaginato gladio adoravitque eum pronus in terram
Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, 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 to him, Why hast thou smitten thy ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because [thy] way is perverse before me:
33 et nisi asina declinasset de via dans locum resistenti te occidissem et illa viveret
And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and 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 knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displeaseth thee, I will return again.
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: but only the word that I shall speak to thee, that thou shalt speak: 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
And when Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him to a city of Moab, which [is] in the border of Arnon, which [is] in the utmost limit.
37 dixitque ad Balaam misi nuntios ut vocarent te cur non statim venisti ad me an quia mercedem adventui tuo reddere nequeo
And Balak said to Balaam, Did I not earnestly send to thee to call thee? why camest thou not to me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honor?
38 cui ille respondit ecce adsum numquid loqui potero aliud nisi quod Deus posuerit in ore meo
And Balaam said to Balak, Lo, I have come to thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.
39 perrexerunt ergo simul et venerunt in urbem quae in extremis regni eius finibus erat
And Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kirjath-huzoth.
40 cumque occidisset Balac boves et oves misit ad Balaam et principes qui cum eo erant munera
And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent 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 it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and conducted him to the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost [part] of the people.
