Numeri 23

1And Balaam said to Balac: Build me here seven altars, and prepare as many calves, and the same number of rams.

2And when he had done according to the word of Balaam, they laid together a calf and a ram upon every altar.

3And Balaam said to Balac: Stand a while by thy burnt offering, until I go, to see if perhaps the Lord will meet me, and whatsoever he shall command, I will speak to thee.

4And when he was gone with speed, God met him. And Balaam speaking to him, said: I have erected seven altars, and have laid on everyone a calf and a ram.

5And the Lord put the word in his mouth, and said: Return to Balac, and thus shalt thou speak.

6Returning he found Balac standing by his burnt offering, with all the princes of the Moabites:

7And taking up his parable, he said: Balac king of the Moabites hath brought me from Aram, from the mountains of the east: Come, said he, and curse Jacob: make haste and detest Israel.

8How shall I curse him, whom God hath not cursed? By what means should I detest him, whom the Lord detesteth not?

9I shall see him from the tops of the rocks, and shall consider him from the hills. This people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.

10Who can count the dust of Jacob, and know the number of the stock of Israel? Let my soul die the death of the just, and my last end be like to them.

11And Balac said to Balaam: What is this that thou dost? I sent for thee to curse my enemies: and thou contrariwise blessest them.

12He answered him: Call I speak any thing else but what the Lord commandeth?

13Balac therefore said: Come with me to another place from whence thou mayest see part of Israel, and canst not see them all: curse them from thence.

14And when he had brought him to a high place, upon the top of mount Phasga, Balaam built seven altars, and laying on every one a calf and a ram,

15He said to Balac: Stand here by thy burnt offering while I go to meet him.

16And when the Lord had met him, and had put the word in his mouth, he said: Return to Balac, and thus shalt thou say to him.

17Returning he found him standing by his burnt sacrifice, and the princes of the Moabites with him. And Balac said to him: What hath the Lord spoken?

18But he taking up his parable, said: Stand, O Balac, and give ear: hear, thou son of Sephor:

19God is not a man, that he should lie, nor as the son of man, that he should be changed. Hath he said then, and will he not do? hath he spoken, and will he not fulfill?

20I was brought to bless, the blessing I am not able to hinder.

21There is no idol in Jacob, neither is there an image god to be seen in Israel. The Lord his God is with him, and the sound of the victory of the king in him.

22God hath brought him out of Egypt, whose strength is like to the rhinoceros.

23There is no soothsaying in Jacob, nor divination in Israel. In their times it shall be told to Jacob and to Israel what God hath wrought.

24Behold the people shall rise up as a lioness, and shall lift itself up as a lion: it shall not lie down till it devour the prey, and drink the blood of the slain.

25And Balac said to Balaam: Neither curse, nor bless him.

26And he said: Did I not tell thee, that whatsoever God should command me, that I would do?

27And Balac said to him: Come and I will bring thee to another place; if peradventure it please God that thou mayest curse them from thence.

28And when he had brought him upon the top of mount Phogor, which looketh towards the wilderness,

29Balaam said to him: Build me here seven altars, and prepare as many calves, and the same number of rams.

30Balac did as Balaam had said: and he laid on every altar, a calf and a ram.

1Dixitque Balaam ad Balac: Ædifica mihi hic septem aras, et para totidem vitulos, ejusdemque numeri arietes.

2Cumque fecisset juxta sermonem Balaam, imposuerunt simul vitulum et arietem super aram.

3Dixitque Balaam ad Balac: Sta paulisper juxta holocaustum tuum, donec vadam, si forte occurrat mihi Dominus, et quodcumque imperaverit, loquar tibi.

4Cumque abiisset velociter, occurrit illi Deus. Locutusque ad eum Balaam: Septem, inquit, aras erexi, et imposui vitulum et arietem desuper.

5Dominus autem posuit verbum in ore ejus, et ait: Revertere ad Balac, et hæc loqueris.

6Reversus invenit stantem Balac juxta holocaustum suum, et omnes principes Moabitarum:

7assumptaque parabola sua, dixit: [De Aram adduxit me Balac rex Moabitarum, de montibus orientis: Veni, inquit, et maledic Jacob; propera, et detestare Israël.

8Quomodo maledicam, cui non maledixit Deus? qua ratione detester, quem Dominus non detestatur?

9De summis silicibus videbo eum, et de collibus considerabo illum. Populus solus habitabit, et inter gentes non reputabitur.

10Quis dinumerare possit pulverem Jacob, et nosse numerum stirpis Israël? Moriatur anima mea morte justorum, et fiant novissima mea horum similia.]

11Dixitque Balac ad Balaam: Quid est hoc quod agis? ut malediceres inimicis meis vocavi te, et tu e contrario benedicis eis.

12Cui ille respondit: Num aliud possum loqui, nisi quod jusserit Dominus?

13Dixit ergo Balac: Veni mecum in alterum locum unde partem Israël videas, et totum videre non possis: inde maledicito ei.

14Cumque duxisset eum in locum sublimem, super verticem montis Phasga, ædificavit Balaam septem aras, et impositis supra vitulo atque ariete,

15dixit ad Balac: Sta hic juxta holocaustum tuum, donec ego obvius pergam.

16Cui cum Dominus occurrisset, posuissetque verbum in ore ejus, ait: Revertere ad Balac, et hæc loqueris ei.

17Reversus invenit eum stantem juxta holocaustum suum, et principes Moabitarum cum eo. Ad quem Balac: Quid, inquit, locutus est Dominus?

18At ille, assumpta parabola sua, ait: [Sta, Balac, et ausculta; audi, fili Sephor:

19non est Deus quasi homo, ut mentiatur, nec ut filius hominis, ut mutetur. Dixit ergo, et non faciet? locutus est, et non implebit?

20Ad benedicendum adductus sum: benedictionem prohibere non valeo.

21Non est idolum in Jacob, nec videtur simulacrum in Israël. Dominus Deus ejus cum eo est, et clangor victoriæ regis in illo.

22Deus eduxit illum de Ægypto, cujus fortitudo similis est rhinocerotis.

23Non est augurium in Jacob, nec divinatio in Israël: temporibus suis dicetur Jacob et Israëli quid operatus sit Deus.

24Ecce populus ut leæna consurget, et quasi leo erigetur: non accubabit donec devoret prædam, et occisorum sanguinem bibat.]

25Dixitque Balac ad Balaam: Nec maledicas ei, nec benedicas.

26Et ille ait: Nonne dixi tibi quod quidquid mihi Deus imperaret, hoc facerem?

27Et ait Balac ad eum: Veni, et ducam te ad alium locum: si forte placeat Deo ut inde maledicas eis.

28Cumque duxisset eum super verticem montis Phogor, qui respicit solitudinem,

29dixit ei Balaam: Ædifica mihi hic septem aras, et para totidem vitulos, ejusdemque numeri arietes.

30Fecit Balac ut Balaam dixerat: imposuitque vitulos et arietes per singulas aras.

1And Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars here for me, and prepare as many calves, and the same number of rams.”

2And when he had acted according to the words of Balaam, they placed a calf and a ram together on each altar.

3And Balaam said to Balak: “Stand for a little while next to your holocaust, until I go, to see if perhaps the Lord will meet with me. And whatever he will command, I shall speak to you.”

4And after he had quickly departed, God met with him. And Balaam, speaking to him, said: “I have set up seven altars, and I have placed a calf and a ram on each.”

5Then the Lord placed the word in his mouth, and he said: “Return to Balak, and you shall say this.”

6Returning, he found Balak standing next to his holocaust, with all the leaders of the Moabites.

7And taking up his parable, he said: “Balak, king of the Moabites, has led me from Aram, from the mountains of the east. ‘Come forth,’ he said, ‘and curse Jacob. Hurry and condemn Israel.’

8How shall I curse him, whom God has not cursed? For what reason would I condemn him, whom the Lord does not condemn?

9I will look upon him from the tops of the stones, and I will consider him from the hills. This people shall dwell alone, and they shall not be counted among the nations.

10Who can number the dust that is Jacob, and who can know the number of the stock of Israel? May my soul die a just death, and may my end be like theirs.”

11And Balak said to Balaam: “What is this that you are doing? I called for you, in order to curse my enemies, and to the contrary, you bless them.”

12He answered him, “How can I say anything other than what the Lord orders?”

13Therefore, Balak said: “Come with me to another place, from where you may see a portion of Israel, though you cannot see them all. Curse them from there.”

14And when he had led him to a lofty place, on the top of mount Pisgah, Balaam built seven altars, and placing upon each a calf and a ram,

15he said to Balak, “Stand here next to your holocaust, while I continue on to meet him.”

16And when the Lord had met him, and had put the word in his mouth, he said, “Return to Balak, and you shall say this to him.”

17Returning, he found him standing next to his holocaust, and the leaders of the Moabites were with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the Lord spoken?”

18But, taking up his parable, he said: “Stand, Balak, and pay attention. Listen, you son of Zippor.

19God is not like a man, so that he would lie, nor is he like a son of man, so that he would be changed. Therefore, having spoken, will he not act? Has he ever spoken, and not fulfilled?

20I was led here to bless, and I have no strength to hinder the blessing.

21There is no idol in Jacob; neither is there a false image to be seen in Israel. The Lord his God is with him, and the resound of royal victory is in him.

22God has led him away from Egypt; his strength is like that of the rhinoceros.

23There is no soothsaying in Jacob, nor any divination in Israel. In their times, it shall be told to Jacob and to Israel what God has wrought.

24Behold, the people will rise up like a lioness, and lie down like a lion. But they will not lie down until they devour the prey and drink the blood of the slain.”

25And Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse him, nor bless him.”

26And he said, “Have I not told you that whatever God would command of me, I would do?”

27And Balak said to him: “Come and I will lead you to another place. If perhaps it may please God, then you may curse them from there.”

28And when he had led him on to the top of mount Peor, which looks out toward the wilderness,

29Balaam said to him, “Build seven altars here for me, and prepare as many calves, and the same number of rams.”

30Balak did as Balaam had said, and he placed on each altar a calf and a ram.