Liber Numeri 24

1 cumque vidisset Balaam quod placeret Domino ut benediceret Israheli nequaquam abiit ut ante perrexerat ut augurium quaereret sed dirigens contra desertum vultum suum

And when Bil'am saw that it was pleasing in the eyes of the Lord to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

2 et elevans oculos vidit Israhel in tentoriis commorantem per tribus suas et inruente in se spiritu Dei

And Bil'am lifted up his eyes, and when he saw Israel encamped according to their tribes, there came upon him the spirit of God.

3 adsumpta parabola ait dixit Balaam filius Beor dixit homo cuius obturatus est oculus

And he took up his parable, and said, Thus saith Bil'am the son of Beor, and thus saith the man whose eyes are open;

4 dixit auditor sermonum Dei qui visionem Omnipotentis intuitus est qui cadit et sic aperiuntur oculi eius

Thus saith he who heareth the sayings of God, who seeth the vision of the Almighty, falling down, with unvailed eyes:

5 quam pulchra tabernacula tua Iacob et tentoria tua Israhel

How beautiful are thy tents, O Jacob, thy dwelling, O Israel!

6 ut valles nemorosae ut horti iuxta fluvios inrigui ut tabernacula quae fixit Dominus quasi cedri propter aquas

As streams are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as aloe-trees, which the Lord hath planted, as cedar-trees 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

Water runneth out of His buckets, that his seed may be moistened by abundance of water; and exalted above Agag shall be his king, and raised on high shall be his kingdom.

8 Deus eduxit illum de Aegypto cuius fortitudo similis est rinocerotis devorabunt gentes hostes illius ossaque eorum confringent et perforabunt sagittis

God, who brought him forth out of Egypt, is to him like the heights of the reem; he will devour nations, his oppressors, and their bones will he break, and pierce [them] through with his arrows.

9 accubans dormivit ut leo et quasi leaena quam suscitare nullus audebit qui benedixerit tibi erit ipse benedictus qui maledixerit in maledictione reputabitur

He coucheth, he lieth down as a lion, and as a lioness: who shall make him rise up? They that bless thee be blessed, and they that curse thee be cursed.

10 iratusque Balac contra Balaam conplosis manibus ait ad maledicendum inimicis meis vocavi te quibus e contrario tertio benedixisti

And the anger of Balak was kindled against Bil'am, and he struck his hands together: and Balak said unto Bil'am, To denounce my enemies did I call thee, and, behold, thou hast even blessed them these three times.

11 revertere ad locum tuum decreveram quidem magnifice honorare te sed Dominus privavit te honore disposito

And now flee thou to thy place: I thought to honor thee greatly; but, lo, the Lord hath kept thee back from honor.

12 respondit Balaam ad Balac nonne nuntiis tuis quos misisti ad me dixi

And Bil'am said unto Balak, Did I not already speak to thy messengers, whom thou sentest unto me, saying,

13 si dederit mihi Balac plenam domum suam argenti et auri non potero praeterire sermonem Domini Dei mei ut vel boni quid vel mali proferam ex corde meo sed quicquid Dominus dixerit hoc loquar

If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not transgress the order of the Lord, to do good or evil out of my own heart: what the Lord will speak, that must I speak?

14 verumtamen pergens ad populum meum dabo consilium quid populus tuus huic populo faciat extremo tempore

And now, behold, I am going unto my people: come, I will advise thee against what this people will do to thy people in the end of days.

15 sumpta igitur parabola rursum ait dixit Balaam filius Beor dixit homo cuius obturatus est oculus

And he took up his parable and said, Thus saith Bil'am the son of Beor, and thus saith the man whose eyes are open;

16 dixit auditor sermonum Dei qui novit doctrinam Altissimi et visiones Omnipotentis videt qui cadens apertos habet oculos

Thus saith he who heareth the sayings of God, and knoweth the knowledge of the Most High, who seeth the vision of the Almighty, falling down, with unvailed eyes:

17 videbo eum sed non modo intuebor illum sed non prope orietur stella ex Iacob et consurget virga de Israhel et percutiet duces Moab vastabitque omnes filios Seth

I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not nigh; there steppeth forth a star out of Jacob, and there ariseth a sceptre out of Israel, and he pierceth the chiefs of Moab, and destroyeth all the children of Sheth.

18 et erit Idumea possessio eius hereditas Seir cedet inimicis suis Israhel vero fortiter aget

And Edom shall be a conquest, and Seir shall be a conquest for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.

19 de Iacob erit qui dominetur et perdat reliquias civitatis

And there shall rule the one from Jacob, and he shall destroy whatever escapeth out of the city.

20 cumque vidisset Amalech adsumens parabolam ait principium gentium Amalech cuius extrema perdentur

And he looked on Amalek, and he took up his parable, and said, The first of nations is Amalek; but his latter end shall be destruction for ever.

21 vidit quoque Cineum et adsumpta parabola ait robustum est quidem habitaculum tuum sed si in petra posueris nidum tuum

And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwelling-place, and placed on the rock is thy nest.

22 et fueris electus de stirpe Cain quamdiu poteris permanere Assur enim capiet te

Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted: whither will Asshur carry thee away captive?

23 adsumptaque parabola iterum locutus est heu quis victurus est quando ista faciet Deus

And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doth appoint this one?

24 venient in trieribus de Italia superabunt Assyrios vastabuntque Hebraeos et ad extremum etiam ipsi peribunt

But ships will come from the coast of Kittim, and will afflict Asshur, and will afflict 'Eber; and he also will be given to destruction for ever.

25 surrexitque Balaam et reversus est in locum suum Balac quoque via qua venerat rediit

And Bil'am rose up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way.