Liber Numeri 23
1 dixitque Balaam ad Balac aedifica mihi hic septem aras et para totidem vitulos eiusdemque numeri arietes
Then Balaam told Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice.”
2 cumque fecisset iuxta sermonem Balaam inposuerunt simul vitulum et arietem super aram
Balak did as Balaam had said, and together they offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
3 dixitque Balaam ad Balac sta paulisper iuxta holocaustum tuum donec vadam si forte occurrat mihi Dominus et quodcumque imperaverit loquar tibi
Balaam said to Balak, “Wait here beside your burnt offering while I go and see if perhaps the Lord will come and meet with me. Whatever he reveals to me, I'll share with you.” Then Balaam left to climb up a rocky crag.
4 cumque abisset velociter occurrit ei Deus locutusque ad eum Balaam septem inquit aras erexi et inposui vitulum et arietem desuper
God met with him there, and Balaam said. “I have built seven altars and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.”
5 Dominus autem posuit verbum in ore eius et ait revertere ad Balac et haec loqueris
The Lord gave Balaam a message to share. He told him, “Go back to Balak and this is what you are to say to him.”
6 reversus invenit stantem Balac iuxta holocaustum suum et omnes principes Moabitarum
So he went back to Balak, who was waiting there beside his burnt offering, along with all the Moabite leaders.
7 adsumptaque parabola sua dixit de Aram adduxit me Balac rex Moabitarum de montibus orientis veni inquit et maledic Iacob propera et detestare Israhel
This is the declaration that Balaam gave: “Balak brought me from Aram; the king of Moab brought me from the mountains of the east. He said, ‘Come and curse Jacob for me! Come and condemn Israel!’
8 quomodo maledicam cui non maledixit Deus qua ratione detester quem Dominus non detestatur
But how can I curse what God has not cursed? How can I condemn what the Lord has not condemned?
9 de summis silicibus videbo eum et de collibus considerabo illum populus solus habitabit et inter gentes non reputabitur
For I'm looking down on them from the top of rocky crags; I'm watching them from the hills. I see a people who live on their own, different from the other nations.
10 quis dinumerare possit pulverem Iacob et nosse numerum stirpis Israhel moriatur anima mea morte iustorum et fiant novissima mea horum similia
Who can count Jacob's descendants? They are so many they're like dust! Who can count even a quarter of the Israelites? I would like to die as a good person dies! Let the end of my life be like their end!”
11 dixitque Balac ad Balaam quid est hoc quod agis ut malediceres inimicis vocavi te et tu e contrario benedicis eis
Then Balak complained to Balaam, “What on earth have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, and now look! All you have done is bless them!”
12 cui ille respondit num aliud possum loqui nisi quod iusserit Dominus
But Balaam replied, “Don't you think I should I say precisely what the Lord tells me?”
13 dixit ergo Balac veni mecum in alterum locum unde partem Israhelis videas et totum videre non possis inde maledicito ei
Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place where you can see them. But you'll only see a part of their camp—you won't see all of them. You can curse them for me from there.”
14 cumque duxisset eum in locum sublimem super verticem montis Phasga aedificavit Balaam septem aras et inpositis supra vitulo atque ariete
He took him to the field of Zophim at the top of Mount Pisgah. There he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
15 dixit ad Balac sta hic iuxta holocaustum tuum donec ego pergam obvius
Balaam told Balak, “Wait here beside your burnt offering while I meet the Lord over there.”
16 cui cum Dominus occurrisset posuissetque verbum in ore eius ait revertere ad Balac et haec loqueris ei
The Lord met Balaam and gave him a message to share. He told him, “Go back to Balak and this is what you are to say to him.”
17 reversus invenit eum stantem iuxta holocaustum suum et principes Moabitarum cum eo ad quem Balac quid inquit locutus est Dominus
So he went back to Balak, who was waiting there beside his burnt offering, along with all the Moabite leaders. “What did the Lord say?” Balak asked.
18 at ille adsumpta parabola sua ait sta Balac et ausculta audi fili Sepphor
This is the prophecy that Balaam delivered: “Stand up, Balak, and pay attention! Listen to me, son of Zippor!
19 non est Deus quasi homo ut mentiatur nec ut filius hominis ut mutetur dixit ergo et non faciet locutus est et non implebit
God isn't a human being who would lie. He's not a mere mortal who changes his mind. Does he say he's going to do something but doesn't? Does he make promises he doesn't carry out?
20 ad benedicendum adductus sum benedictionem prohibere non valeo
Look, I have been ordered to give a blessing. God has blessed, and I can't change that.
21 non est idolum in Iacob nec videtur simulacrum in Israhel Dominus Deus eius cum eo est et clangor victoriae regis in illo
He's not expecting anything bad will happen to Jacob; he doesn't foresee any trouble for Israel. The Lord their God is with them; they celebrate him as their king.
22 Deus eduxit eum de Aegypto cuius fortitudo similis est rinocerotis
God led them out of Egypt with great power, as strong as an ox.
23 non est augurium in Iacob nec divinatio in Israhel temporibus suis dicetur Iacob et Israheli quid operatus sit Deus
No spell can be cast against Jacob; no magic can be used against Israel. People will talk about Jacob and Israel, saying, ‘What amazing things God has done for them!’
24 ecce populus ut leaena consurget et quasi leo erigetur non accubabit donec devoret praedam et occisorum sanguinem bibat
Look! The Israelites go out hunting like a lioness; they chase like a lion. They don't rest until they eat their prey, and drink the blood of their dead victim.”
25 dixitque Balac ad Balaam nec maledicas ei nec benedicas
Then Balak said to Balaam, “If you can't give them any curses then at least don't give them any blessings!”
26 et ille nonne ait dixi tibi quod quicquid mihi Deus imperaret hoc facerem
But Balaam replied, “Didn't I explain to you that I have to do whatever the Lord tells me?”
27 et ait Balac ad eum veni et ducam te ad alium locum si forte placeat Deo ut inde maledicas eis
“Please come with me and I will take you somewhere else,” Balak said. “Maybe God would let you curse them for me from there.”
28 cumque duxisset eum super verticem montis Phogor qui respicit solitudinem
Balak took Balaam to the top of Mount Peor, which looks down on the wastelands.
29 dixit ei Balaam aedifica mihi hic septem aras et para totidem vitulos eiusdemque numeri arietes
Balaam told Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice.”
30 fecit Balac ut Balaam dixerat inposuitque vitulos et arietes per singulas aras
Balak what Balaam told him, and he offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
