Liber Numeri 22
1 profectique castrametati sunt in campestribus Moab ubi trans Iordanem Hierichus sita est
And the sons of Israel journey and encamp in the plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan, [by] Jericho.
2 videns autem Balac filius Sepphor omnia quae fecerat Israhel Amorreo
And Balak son of Zippor seeth all that Israel hath done to the Amorite,
3 et quod pertimuissent eum Moabitae et impetum eius ferre non possent
and Moab is exceedingly afraid of the presence of the people, for it [is] numerous; and Moab is vexed by the presence of the sons 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 saith unto the elders of Midian, 'Now doth the assembly lick up all that is round about us, as the ox licketh up the green thing of the field.' And Balak son of Zippor [is] king of Moab 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
and he sendeth messengers unto Balaam son of Beor, to Pethor, which [is] by the River of the land of the sons of his people, to call for him, saying, 'Lo, a people hath come out of Egypt; lo, it hath covered the eye of the land, and it is abiding 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
and now, come, I pray thee, curse for me this people, for it [is] mightier than I; it may be I prevail — we smite it — and I cast it out from the land; for I have known — that which thou blessest is blessed, and that which 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 go, and divinations in their hand, and they come in unto Balaam, and speak unto 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 saith unto them, 'Lodge here to-night, and I have brought you back word, as Jehovah speaketh unto me;' and the princes of Moab abide with Balaam.
9 quid sibi volunt homines isti apud te
And God cometh in unto Balaam, and saith, 'Who [are] these men with thee?'
10 respondit Balac filius Sepphor rex Moabitarum misit ad me
And Balaam saith unto God, 'Balak, son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me:
11 dicens ecce populus qui egressus est de Aegypto operuit superficiem terrae veni et maledic ei si quo modo possim pugnans abicere eum
Lo, the people that is coming out from Egypt and covereth the eye of the land, — now come, pierce it for me; it may be I am able to fight against it, and have cast it out;'
12 dixitque Deus ad Balaam noli ire cum eis neque maledicas populo quia benedictus est
and God saith unto Balaam, 'Thou dost not go with them; thou dost not curse the people; for it [is] blessed.'
13 qui mane consurgens dixit ad principes ite in terram vestram quia prohibuit me Deus venire vobiscum
And Balaam riseth in the morning, and saith unto the princes of Balak, 'Go unto your land, for Jehovah is refusing to suffer me to go with you;'
14 reversi principes dixerunt ad Balac noluit Balaam venire nobiscum
and the princes of Moab rise, and come in unto Balak, and say, 'Balaam is refusing to come with us.'
15 rursum ille multo plures et nobiliores quam ante miserat misit
And Balak addeth yet to send princes, more numerous and honoured than these,
16 qui cum venissent ad Balaam dixerunt sic dicit Balac filius Sepphor ne cuncteris venire ad me
and they come in unto Balaam, and say to him, 'Thus said Balak son of Zippor, Be not, I pray thee, withheld from coming unto me,
17 paratum honorare te et quicquid volueris dare veni et maledic populo isti
for very greatly I honour thee, and all that thou sayest unto me I do; and come, I pray thee, pierce for me this people.'
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 answereth and saith unto the servants of Balak, 'If Balak doth give to me the fulness of his house of silver and gold, I am not able to pass over the command of Jehovah my God, to do a little or a great thing;
19 obsecro ut hic maneatis etiam hac nocte et scire queam quid mihi rursum respondeat Dominus
and, now, abide, I pray you, in this [place], you also, to-night; and I know what Jehovah is adding to speak with me.'
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 cometh in unto Balaam, by night, and saith to him, 'If to call for thee the men have come, rise, go with them, and only the thing which I speak unto thee — it thou dost do.'
21 surrexit Balaam mane et strata asina profectus est cum eis
And Balaam riseth in the morning, and saddleth his ass, and goeth 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 the anger of God burneth because he is going, and a messenger of Jehovah stationeth himself in the way for an adversary to him, and he is riding on his ass, and two of his servants [are] 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 seeth the messenger of Jehovah standing in the way, and his drawn sword in his hand, and the ass turneth aside out of the way, and goeth into a field, and Balaam smiteth the ass to turn it aside into the way.
24 stetit angelus in angustiis duarum maceriarum quibus vineae cingebantur
And the messenger of Jehovah standeth in a narrow path of the vineyards — a wall on this [side] and a wall on that —
25 quem videns asina iunxit se parieti et adtrivit sedentis pedem at ille iterum verberabat
and the ass seeth the messenger of Jehovah, and is pressed unto the wall, and presseth Balaam's foot unto the wall, and he addeth to smite her;
26 et nihilominus angelus ad locum angustum transiens ubi nec ad dextram nec ad sinistram poterat deviari obvius stetit
and the messenger of Jehovah addeth to pass over, and standeth in a strait place where there is no way to turn aside — right or left —
27 cumque vidisset asina stantem angelum concidit sub pedibus sedentis qui iratus vehementius caedebat fuste latera
and the ass seeth the messenger of Jehovah, and croucheth under Balaam, and the anger of Balaam burneth, and he smiteth the ass with a staff.
28 aperuitque Dominus os asinae et locuta est quid feci tibi cur percutis me ecce iam tertio
And Jehovah openeth the mouth of the ass, and she saith 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 saith to the ass, 'Because thou hast rolled thyself against me; oh that there were a sword in my hand, for now I had slain 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 saith unto Balaam, 'Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden since [I was] thine unto this day? have I at all been accustomed to do to thee thus?' and he saith, 'No.'
31 protinus aperuit Dominus oculos Balaam et vidit angelum stantem in via evaginato gladio adoravitque eum pronus in terram
And Jehovah uncovereth the eyes of Balaam, and he seeth the messenger of Jehovah standing in the way, and his drawn sword in his hand, and he boweth and doth obeisance, to 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 messenger of Jehovah saith unto him, 'Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? lo, I — I have come out for an adversary, for [thy] way hath been perverse before me,
33 et nisi asina declinasset de via dans locum resistenti te occidissem et illa viveret
and the ass seeth me, and turneth aside at my presence these three times; unless she had turned aside from my presence, surely now also, thee I had slain, and her kept alive.'
34 dixit Balaam peccavi nesciens quod tu stares contra me et nunc si displicet tibi ut vadam revertar
And Balaam saith unto the messenger of Jehovah, 'I have sinned, for I did not know that thou [art] standing to meet me in the way; and now, if evil in thine eyes — I turn back by myself.'
35 ait angelus vade cum istis et cave ne aliud quam praecepero tibi loquaris ivit igitur cum principibus
And the messenger of Jehovah saith unto Balaam, 'Go with the men; and only the word which I speak unto thee — it thou dost speak;' and Balaam goeth 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 Balak heareth that Balaam hath come, and goeth out to meet him, unto a city of Moab, which [is] on the border of Arnon, which [is] in the extremity of the border;
37 dixitque ad Balaam misi nuntios ut vocarent te cur non statim venisti ad me an quia mercedem adventui tuo reddere nequeo
and Balak saith unto Balaam, 'Did I not diligently sent unto thee to call for thee? why didst thou not come unto me? am I not truly able to honour thee?'
38 cui ille respondit ecce adsum numquid loqui potero aliud nisi quod Deus posuerit in ore meo
And Balaam saith unto Balak, 'Lo, I have come unto thee; now — am I at all able to speak anything? the word which God setteth in my mouth — it I do speak.'
39 perrexerunt ergo simul et venerunt in urbem quae in extremis regni eius finibus erat
And Balaam goeth with Balak, and they come to Kirjath-Huzoth,
40 cumque occidisset Balac boves et oves misit ad Balaam et principes qui cum eo erant munera
and Balak sacrificeth oxen and sheep, and sendeth to Balaam, and to the princes who [are] with him;
41 mane autem facto duxit eum ad excelsa Baal et intuitus est extremam partem populi
and it cometh to pass in the morning, that Balak taketh Balaam, and causeth him to go up the high places of Baal, and he seeth from thence the extremity of the people.
