Numbers 24
1 And when Balaam had seen that it was pleasing to the Lord that he should bless Israel, he by no means went out as he had gone before, to seek divination. But directing his face opposite the desert,
バラムはイスラエルを祝福することが主の心にかなうのを見たので、今度はいつものように行って魔術を求めることをせず、顔を荒野にむけ、
2 and lifting up his eyes, he saw Israel dwelling in tents by their tribes. And with the Spirit of God rushing into him,
目を上げて、イスラエルがそれぞれ部族にしたがって宿営しているのを見た。その時、神の霊が臨んだので、
3 taking up his parable, he said: “Balaam, the son of Beor, the man whose eye has been obstructed,
彼はこの託宣を述べた。「ベオルの子バラムの言葉、目を閉じた人の言葉、
4 the hearer of the sermon of God, he who has gazed upon a vision of the Almighty, he who falls down and so his eyes are opened, has declared:
神の言葉を聞く者、全能者の幻を見る者、倒れ伏して、目の開かれた者の言葉。
5 ‘How beautiful are your tabernacles, O Jacob, and your tents, O Israel!
ヤコブよ、あなたの天幕は麗しい、イスラエルよ、あなたのすまいは、麗しい。
6 They are like forested valleys, like gardens irrigated next to rivers, like tabernacles which the Lord has fixed, like cedars close to waters.
それは遠くひろがる谷々のよう、川べの園のよう、主が植えられた沈香樹のよう、流れのほとりの香柏のようだ。
7 Water shall flow from his jar, and his offspring shall be amid many waters, because Agag, his king, shall be taken, and his kingdom shall be removed.
水は彼らのかめからあふれ、彼らの種は水の潤いに育つであろう。彼らの王はアガグよりも高くなり、彼らの国はあがめられるであろう。
8 Away from Egypt, God has led him, whose strength is like the rhinoceros. They shall devour the nations that are his enemies, and break their bones, and pierce them with arrows.
神は彼らをエジプトから導き出された、彼らは野牛の角のようだ。彼らは敵なる国々の民を滅ぼし、その骨を砕き、矢をもって突き通すであろう。
9 Lying down, he has slept like a lion, and like a lioness, whom no one would dare to awaken. He who blesses you, shall himself also be blessed. He who curses you, shall be considered cursed.”
彼らは雄じしのように身をかがめ、雌じしのように伏している。だれが彼らを起しえよう。あなたを祝福する者は祝福され、あなたをのろう者はのろわれるであろう」。
10 And Balak, being angry against Balaam, clapped his hands together and said: “I called you to curse my enemies, and, to the contrary, you have blessed them three times.
そこでバラクはバラムにむかって怒りを発し、手を打ち鳴らした。そしてバラクはバラムに言った、「敵をのろうために招いたのに、あなたはかえって三度までも彼らを祝福した。
11 Return to your place. I had decided, indeed, to honor you greatly, but the Lord has deprived you of the designated honor.”
それで今あなたは急いで自分のところへ帰ってください。わたしはあなたを大いに優遇しようと思った。しかし、主はその優遇をあなたに得させないようにされました」。
12 Balaam responded to Balak: “Did I not say to your messengers, whom you sent to me:
バラムはバラクに言った、「わたしはあなたがつかわされた使者たちに言ったではありませんか、
13 Even if Balak would give me his house, filled with silver and gold, I still could not go away from the word of the Lord my God, so as to offer anything, either good or evil, from my own heart; but whatever the Lord will speak, this, too, I shall speak.
『たといバラクがその家に満ちるほどの金銀をわたしに与えようとも、主の言葉を越えて心のままに善も悪も行うことはできません。わたしは主の言われることを述べるだけです』。
14 Yet truly, as I continue on to my own people, I will give you counsel as to what this people shall do to your people in the end times.”
わたしは今わたしの民のところへ帰って行きます。それでわたしはこの民が後の日にあなたの民にどんなことをするかをお知らせしましょう」。
15 Therefore, taking up his parable, he again spoke: “Balaam the son of Beor, the man whose eye has been obstructed,
そしてこの託宣を述べた。「ベオルの子バラムの言葉、目を閉じた人の言葉。
16 the hearer of the sermon of God, he who knows the doctrine of the Most High, and who sees the visions of the Almighty, who, falling down, has his eyes opened, has declared:
神の言葉を聞く者、いと高き者の知識をもつ者、全能者の幻を見、倒れ伏して、目の開かれた者の言葉。
17 I shall see him, but not presently. I shall gaze upon him, but not soon. A star shall rise out of Jacob, and a rod shall spring up from Israel. And he shall strike down the commanders of Moab, and he shall devastate all the sons of Seth.
わたしは彼を見る、しかし今ではない。わたしは彼を望み見る、しかし近くではない。ヤコブから一つの星が出、イスラエルから一本のつえが起り、モアブのこめかみと、セツのすべての子らの脳天を撃つであろう。
18 And he shall possess Idumea; the inheritance of Seir shall fall to their enemies. Yet truly, Israel shall act with strength.
敵のエドムは領地となり、セイルもまた領地となるであろう。そしてイスラエルは勝利を得るであろう。
19 From Jacob will be he who shall be ruler. And he shall perish the remnants of the city.”
権を執る者がヤコブから出、生き残った者を町から断ち滅ぼすであろう」。
20 And when he saw Amalek, taking up his parable, he said: “Amalek, first among the Gentiles, whose very end shall be perdition.”
バラムはまたアマレクを望み見て、この託宣を述べた。「アマレクは諸国民のうちの最初のもの、しかし、ついに滅び去るであろう」。
21 Likewise, he saw the Kainites, and taking up his parable, he said: “Robust, indeed, is your habitation. But though you will set your nest in a rock,
またケニびとを望み見てこの託宣を述べた。「お前のすみかは堅固だ、岩に、お前は巣をつくっている。
22 and you will be elect among the stock of Kain, how long will you be able to remain? For Assur shall take you captive.”
しかし、カインは滅ぼされるであろう。アシュルはいつまでお前を捕虜とするであろうか」。
23 And taking up his parable once more he said: “Alas! Who will be able to survive, when God will do these things?
彼はまたこの託宣を述べた。「ああ、神が定められた以上、だれが生き延びることができよう。
24 They shall arrive in Greek warships from Italy. They shall overcome the Assyrians, and they shall devastate the Hebrews, and yet, at the very end, even they themselves shall perish.”
キッテムの海岸から舟がきて、アシュルを攻めなやまし、エベルを攻めなやますであろう。そして彼もまたついに滅び去るであろう」。
25 And Balaam rose up, and he returned to his place. Likewise, Balak went back, along the way by which he had arrived.
こうしてバラムは立ち上がって、自分のところへ帰っていった。バラクもまた立ち去った。
