Numbers 22
1 Then the children of Israel, journeying on, put up their tents in the lowlands of Moab, on the other side of Jordan at Jericho.
Les enfants d’Israël repartirent, et ils allèrent camper dans les plaines de Moab, sur la rive du Jourdain, qui fait face à Jéricho.
2 Now Balak, the son of Zippor, saw what Israel had done to the Amorites.
Balak, fils de Cippor, ayant su tout ce qu’Israël avait fait aux Amorréens,
3 And in Moab there was great fear of the people, because their numbers were so great: and the feeling of Moab was bitter against the children of Israel.
Moab eut grand peur de ce peuple, parce qu’il était nombreux, et Moab trembla à cause des enfants d’Israël.
4 Then Moab said to the responsible men of Midian, It is clear that this great people will be the destruction of everything round us, making a meal of us as the ox does of the grass of the field. At that time Balak, the son of Zippor, was king of Moab.
Et Moab dit aux anciens de Madian: "Bientôt cette multitude aura fourragé tous nos alentours, comme le bœuf fourrage l’herbe des champs!" Or, Balak, fils de Cippor, régnait sur Moab, à cette époque.
5 So he sent men to Balaam, son of Beor, at Pethor by the River in the land of the children of his people, saying to him, See, a people has come out of Egypt, covering all the face of the earth, and they have put up their tents opposite to me:
Il envoya des messagers à Balaam, fils de Beor, à Pethor qui est sur le fleuve, dans le pays de ses concitoyens, pour le mander, en ces termes: "Un peuple est sorti d’Egypte; déjà il couvre la face du pays, et il est campé vis-à-vis de moi.
6 Come now, in answer to my prayer, and put a curse on this people, for they are greater than I: and then I may be strong enough to overcome them and send them out of the land: for it is clear that good comes to him who has your blessing, but he on whom you put your curse is cursed.
Viens donc, je te prie, et maudis-moi ce peuple, car il est plus puissant que moi: peut-être parviendrai-je à le vaincre et le repousserai-je du pays. Car, je le sais, celui que tu bénis est béni, et celui que tu maudis est maudit."
7 So the responsible men of Moab and Midian went away, taking in their hands rewards for the prophet; and they came to Balaam and said to him what Balak had given them orders to say.
Les anciens de Moab et ceux de Madian partirent, munis des honoraires de la divination, et, arrivés chez Balaam, lui transmirent les paroles de Balak.
8 And he said to them, Take your rest here tonight, and I will give you an answer after hearing what the Lord says; so the chiefs of Moab kept there with Balaam that night.
Il leur répondit: "Restez ici cette nuit, et je vous rendrai réponse selon ce que l’Éternel m’aura dit." Et les princes moabites restèrent chez Balaam.
9 And God came to Balaam and said, Who are these men with you?
Dieu aborda Balaam, en disant: "Qui sont ces hommes-là chez toi?"
10 And Balaam said to God, Balak, the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent them to me, saying,
Balaam répondit à Dieu: "C’Est Balak fils de Cippor, roi de Moab, qui m’envoie dire:
11 See, the people who have come out of Egypt are covering all the earth: now, put a curse on this people for me, so that I may be able to make war on them, driving them out of the land.
Déjà ce peuple, sorti de l’Egypte, a couvert la face du pays. Viens donc, maudis-le moi; peut-être pourrai-je l’attaquer et l’expulserai-je."
12 And God said to Balaam, You are not to go with them, or put a curse on this people, for they have my blessing.
Dieu dit à Balaam: "Tu n’iras point avec eux. Tu ne maudiras point ce peuple, car il est béni!"
13 In the morning Balaam got up and said to the chiefs of Balak, Go back to your land, for the Lord will not let me go with you.
Balaam, s’étant levé le matin, dit aux officiers de Balak: "Retournez dans votre pays; car l’Éternel n’a pas voulu me permettre de partir avec vous."
14 So the chiefs of Moab went back to Balak and said, Balaam will not come with us.
Les princes de Moab se retirèrent, revinrent auprès de Balak et lui dirent: "Balaam a refusé de nous accompagner."
15 So Balak sent more chiefs, greater in number and of higher position than the others.
Balak revint à la charge, en envoyant des princes plus nombreux et plus considérés que ceux-là.
16 And they came to Balaam and said, Balak, son of Zippor, says, Let nothing keep you from coming to me:
Arrivés chez Balaam, ils lui dirent: "Ainsi parle Balak, fils de Cippor: Ne te défends pas, de grâce, de venir auprès de moi.
17 For I will give you a place of very great honour, and whatever you say to me I will do; so come, in answer to my prayer, and put a curse on this people.
Car je veux te combler d’honneurs, et tout ce que tu me diras je le ferai; mais viens, de grâce, maudis-moi ce peuple!"
18 But Balaam, in answer; said to the servants of Balak, Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, it would not be possible for me to do anything more or less than the orders of the Lord my God.
Balaam répondit en ces termes aux serviteurs de Balak: "Quand Balak me donnerait de l’argent et de l’or plein son palais, je ne pourrais contrevenir à l’ordre de l’Éternel mon Dieu, en aucune façon.
19 So take your rest here this night, till I have knowledge what more the Lord has to say to me.
Et maintenant, veuillez attendre ici, vous aussi, cette nuit, que je sache ce que l’Éternel doit encore me dire."
20 And that night God came to Balaam and said to him, If these men have come for you, go with them: but do only what I say to you.
Dieu aborda Balaam pendant la nuit, en lui disant: "Puisque ces hommes sont venus pour te mander, va, pars avec eux! Et cependant, les ordres que je te donnerai, ceux-là seulement, tu les accompliras!"
21 So in the morning Balaam got up and, making his ass ready, went with the chiefs of Moab.
Balaam se leva le matin, sangla son ânesse, et partit avec les princes de Moab.
22 But God was moved to wrath because he went: and the angel of the Lord took up a position in the road to keep him from his purpose. Now he was seated on his ass, and his two servants were with him.
Mais Dieu étant irrité de ce qu’il partait, un ange du Seigneur se mit sur son chemin pour lui faire obstacle. Or, il était monté sur son ânesse, et ses deux jeunes esclaves l’accompagnaient.
23 And the ass saw the angel of the Lord waiting in the road with his sword in his hand; and turning from the road, the ass went into the field; and Balaam gave the ass blows, to get her back on to the road.
L’Ânesse, voyant l’ange du Seigneur debout sur son passage et l’épée nue à la main, s’écarta de la route et alla à travers champs; Balaam frappa l’ânesse pour la ramener sur la route.
24 Then the angel of the Lord took up his position in a narrow road through the vine-gardens, with a wall on this side and on that.
Alors l’ange du Seigneur se plaça dans un chemin creux entre les vignes, clôture deçà, clôture delà.
25 And the ass saw the angel of the Lord, and went near the wall, crushing Balaam's foot against the wall; and he gave her more blows.
L’Ânesse, voyant l’ange du Seigneur, se serra contre le mur, et froissa contre le mur le pied de Balaam, qui la frappa de nouveau.
26 Then the angel of the Lord went further, stopping in a narrow place where there was no room for turning to the right or to the left.
Mais de nouveau l’ange du Seigneur prit les devants, et il se plaça dans un lieu étroit, où il n’était possible de s’écarter ni à droite ni à gauche.
27 And the ass saw the angel of the Lord and went down on the earth under Balaam; and full of wrath, Balaam gave her hard blows with his stick.
L’Ânesse, voyant encore l’ange du Seigneur, se coucha sous Balaam; enflammé de colère, Balaam la frappa de son bâton.
28 Then the Lord gave the ass the power of talking, and opening her mouth she said to Balaam, What have I done to you that you have given me blows these three times?
Alors le Seigneur ouvrit la bouche de l’ânesse, qui dit à Balaam: "Que t’ai-je fait, pour que tu m’aies frappée ainsi à trois reprises?"
29 And Balaam said to the ass, You have made me seem foolish: if only I had a sword in my hand I would put you to death.
Balaam répondit à l’ânesse: "Parce que tu te joues de moi! Si je tenais une épée, certes, je te tuerais sur l’heure!"
30 And the ass said to Balaam, Am I not your ass upon which you have gone all your life till this day? and have I ever done this to you before? And he said, No.
Et l’ânesse dit à Balaam: "Ne suis-je pas ton ânesse, que tu as toujours montée jusqu’à ce jour? Avais-je accoutumé d’agir ainsi avec toi?" Et il répondit: "Non."
31 Then the Lord made Balaam's eyes open, and he saw the angel of the Lord in the way with his sword in his hand: and he went down on his face to the earth.
Soudan, le Seigneur dessilla les yeux de Balaam, et il vit l’ange du Seigneur debout sur la route; l’épée nue à la main; il s’inclina et se prosterna sur sa face.
32 And the angel of the Lord said to him, Why have you given your ass blows these three times? See, I have come out against you to keep you back, because your purpose is not pleasing to me.
L’Ange du Seigneur lui dit: "Pourquoi as-tu frappé ton ânesse par trois fois? C’Est moi qui suis venu me poser en obstacle, parce que ce voyage a lieu contre mon gré.
33 And the ass saw me, turning to one side from me three times: if she had not gone to one side, I would certainly have put you to death and kept her safe.
Cette ânesse m’a vu, et elle s’est écartée à mon aspect, trois fois; si elle ne s’était écartée de devant moi, assurément je t’aurais fait mourir, tandis que je l’aurais laissée vivre."
34 And Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, I have done wrong, for I did not see that you were in the way against me: but now, if it is evil in your eyes, I will go back again.
Balaam répondit à l’ange du Seigneur: "J’Ai péché, parce que je ne savais pas que tu fusses posté devant moi sur le chemin; et maintenant, si cela te déplaît, je m’en retournerai."
35 And the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, Go with the men; but say only what I give you to say. Then Balaam went on with the chiefs of Balak.
Mais l’ange du Seigneur dit à Balaam: "Va avec ces hommes! Et cependant, la parole que je te dicterai, celle-là seule tu la diras." Et Balaam poursuivit sa route avec les officiers de Balak.
36 Now Balak, hearing that Balaam had come, went to the chief town of Moab, on the edge of the Arnon, in the farthest part of the land, for the purpose of meeting him.
Balak, ayant appris que Balaam venait, alla le recevoir à Ir-Moab, qui est sur la limite de l’Arnon, au point extrême de la frontière.
37 And Balak said to Balaam, Did I not send to you, requesting you with all my heart to come to me? why did you not come? am I not able to give you a place of honour?
Et Balak dit à Balaam: "Ne t’avais-je pas appelé par un premier message? Pourquoi n’es-tu pas venu près de moi? Est-ce qu’en vérité je n’ai pas le pouvoir de te faire honneur?"
38 Then Balaam said to Balak, Now I have come to you; but have I power to say anything? Only what God puts into my mouth may I say.
Balaam répondit a Balak: "Tu le vois, je suis venu vers toi; mais est-il en ma puissance de dire quoi que ce soit? La parole que Dieu mettra dans ma bouche, c’est celle-là que je dois dire."
39 And Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath-huzoth.
Balaam fit route avec Balak, et ils arrivèrent à Kiryath-Houçoth.
40 And Balak made offerings of oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam and the chiefs who were with him.
Balak immola bœufs et brebis, dont il envoya des parts à Balaam et aux officiers qui l’accompagnaient.
41 And in the morning Balak took Balaam up to the high places of Baal, and from there he was able to see the outer limits of the people.
Et le matin venu, Balak alla prendre Balaam et le conduisit sur les hauteurs de Baal, d’où il vit jusqu’aux dernières lignes du peuple.
