Números 24

1Viendo Balaam que era del agrado de Yahvé bendecir a Israel, no fue, como las otras veces, en busca de augurio, sino que volvió su rostro hacia el desierto.

2Y cuando alzando los ojos vio a Israel acampado según sus tribus, vino sobre él el Espíritu de Dios,

3y formulando su oráculo dijo: “Palabra de Balaam, hijo de Beor; palabra del hombre de ojos cerrados,

4palabra del que oye los dichos de Dios, y ve las visiones del Todopoderoso; recibe visión y se les abren los ojos:

5¡Cuan hermosas tus tiendas, oh Jacob, tus moradas, oh Israel!

6Son como valles extendidos, como jardines a lo largo del río; como áloes plantados por Yahvé, como cedros junto a las aguas.

7Se desbordan de sus cubos las aguas, abundan las aguas en sus sembrados. Más poderoso que Agag será su rey, y se ensalzará su reino.

8El Dios que le sacó de Egipto, le ha dado fuerzas como de búfalo; devorará pueblos, sus enemigos, les desmenuzará los huesos, y con sus saetas los traspasará.

9Se agazapa, se posa como león, y cual leona; ¿quién osará despertarle? ¡Bendito el que te bendiga, y maldito el que te maldiga!”

10Se airó entonces Balac contra Balaam, y dando palmadas dijo a Balaam: “Para maldecir a mis enemigos te he llamado, y he aquí que tú les has echado bendiciones ya tres veces.

11Retírate ahora a tu lugar. Yo pensaba colmarte de honores, mas he aquí que Yahvé te ha negado el honor.”

12Respondió Balaam a Balac: “¿No dije ya a tus mensajeros que tú me enviaste:

13Aun cuando Balac me diera tanta plata y oro como cabe en su casa, no podré transgredir la orden de Yahvé, haciendo por mi cuenta cosa buena o mala, pues repetiré solamente lo que dijere Yahvé?

14Ahora, pues, al volverme a mi pueblo, ven, que te anunciaré lo que este pueblo hará a tu pueblo en los días postreros.”

15Y pronunció su oráculo diciendo: “Palabra de Balaam, hijo de Beor; palabra del hombre de ojos cerrados,

16palabra del que oye los dichos de Dios, conoce los pensamientos del Altísimo, y ve las visiones del Todopoderoso; recibe visión y se le abren los ojos.

17Le veo, pero no como presente, le contemplo, mas no de cerca: una estrella sale de Jacob, y de Israel surge un cetro, que destrozará las sienes de Moab, y destruirá a todos los hijos de Set.

18Edom será propiedad suya, Seír será presa de sus enemigos, e Israel hará proezas.

19De Jacob saldrá un dominador, el cual destruirá los restos de la ciudad.”

20Y mirando a Amalec, dijo este oráculo: “Amalec es el primero de los pueblos, mas su fin será eterno exterminio.”

21Echando su mirada hacia el Cineo, pronunció este oráculo: “Fuerte es tu morada, tu nido está colocado en la peña; con todo será devastado el Cineo.

22Tiempo vendrá, y Asur te llevará cautivo.”

23Prosiguió su oráculo, y dijo: “¡Ay! ¿quién subsistirá cuando Dios lo ponga por obra?

24Vendrán naves de Kitim que humillarán a Asur, y oprimirán a Eber, y él mismo al fin perecerá.”

25Con esto se levantó Balaam y se fue, y volvió a su lugar. También Balac se fue por su camino.

1Cumque vidisset Balaam quod placeret Domino ut benediceret Israëli, nequaquam abiit ut ante perrexerat, ut augurium quæreret: sed dirigens contra desertum vultum suum,

2et elevans oculos, vidit Israël in tentoriis commorantem per tribus suas: et irruente in se spiritu Dei,

3assumpta parabola, ait: [Dixit Balaam filius Beor: dixit homo, cujus obturatus est oculus:

4dixit auditor sermonum Dei, qui visionem Omnipotentis intuitus est, qui cadit, et sic aperiuntur oculi ejus:

5Quam pulchra tabernacula tua, Jacob, et tentoria tua, Israël !

6ut valles nemorosæ, ut horti juxta fluvios irrigui, ut tabernacula quæ fixit Dominus, quasi cedri prope aquas.

7Fluet aqua de situla ejus, et semen illius erit in aquas multas. Tolletur propter Agag, rex ejus, et auferetur regnum illius.

8Deus eduxit illum de Ægypto, cujus fortitudo similis est rhinocerotis. Devorabunt gentes hostes illius, ossaque eorum confringent, et perforabunt sagittis.

9Accubans dormivit ut leo, et quasi leæna, quam suscitare nullus audebit. Qui benedixerit tibi, erit et ipse benedictus: qui maledixerit, in maledictione reputabitur.]

10Iratusque Balac contra Balaam, complosis manibus ait: Ad maledicendum inimicis meis vocavi te, quibus e contrario tertio benedixisti:

11revertere ad locum tuum. Decreveram quidem magnifice honorare te, sed Dominus privavit te honore disposito.

12Respondit Balaam ad Balac: Nonne nuntiis tuis, quos misisti ad me, dixi:

13Si dederit mihi Balac plenam domum suam argenti et auri, non potero præterire sermonem Domini Dei mei, ut vel boni quid vel mali proferam ex corde meo: sed quidquid Dominus dixerit, hoc loquar?

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

15Sumpta igitur parabola, rursum ait: [Dixit Balaam filius Beor: dixit homo, cujus obturatus est oculus:

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

17Videbo eum, sed non modo: intuebor illum, sed non prope. Orietur stella ex Jacob, et consurget virga de Israël: et percutiet duces Moab, vastabitque omnes filios Seth.

18Et erit Idumæa possessio ejus: hæreditas Seir cedet inimicis suis: Israël vero fortiter aget.

19De Jacob erit qui dominetur, et perdat reliquias civitatis.]

20Cumque vidisset Amalec, assumens parabolam, ait: [Principium gentium Amalec, cujus extrema perdentur.]

21Vidit quoque Cinæum: et assumpta parabola, ait: [Robustum quidem est habitaculum tuum: sed si in petra posueris nidum tuum,

22et fueris electus de stirpe Cin, quamdiu poteris permanere? Assur enim capiet te.]

23Assumptaque parabola iterum locutus est: [Heu ! quis victurus est, quando ista faciet Deus?

24Venient in trieribus de Italia: superabunt Assyrios, vastabuntque Hebræos, et ad extremum etiam ipsi peribunt.]

25Surrexitque Balaam, et reversus est in locum suum: Balac quoque via, qua venerat, rediit.

1And when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord that he should bless Israel. he went not as he had gone before, to seek divination: but setting his face towards the desert,

2And lifting up his eyes, he saw Israel abiding in their tents by their tribes: and the spirit of God rushing upon him,

3He took up his parable and said: Balaam the son of Beor hath said: The man hath said, whose eye ire stopped up:

4The hearer of the words of God hath said, he that hath beheld the vision of the Almighty, he that falleth, and so his eyes are opened:

5How beautiful are thy tabernacles, O Jacob, and thy tents, O Israel!

6As woody valleys, as watered gardens near the rivers, as tabernacles which the Lord hath pitched, as cedars by the waterside.

7Water shall flow out of his bucket, and his seed shall be in many waters. For Agag his king shall be removed, and his kingdom shall be taken awry.

8God hath brought him out of Egypt, whose strength is like to the rhinoceros. They shall devour the nations that are his enemies, and break their bones, and pierce them with arrows.

9Lying down he hath slept as a lion, and as a lioness, whom none shall dare to rouse. He that blesseth thee, shall also himself be blessed: he that curseth thee shall be reckoned accursed.

10And Balac being angry against Balaam, clapped his hands together and said: I called thee to curse my enemies, and thou on the contrary hast blessed them three times.

11Return to thy place. I had determined indeed greatly to honour thee, but the Lord hath deprived thee of the honour designed for thee.

12Balaam made answer to Balac: Did I not say to thy messengers, whom thou sentest to me:

13If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to utter any thing of my own head either good or evil: but whatsoever the Lord shall say, that I will speak?

14But yet going to my people, I will give thee counsel, what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.

15Therefore taking up his parable, again he said: Balaam the son of Beor hath said: The man whose eye is stopped up, hath said:

16The hearer of the words of God hath said, who knoweth the doctrine of the Highest, and seeth the visions of the Almighty, who falling hath his eyes opened:

17I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not near. A STAR SHALL RISE out of Jacob and a sceptre shall spring up from Israel: and shall strike the chiefs of Moab, and shall waste all the children of Seth.

18And he shall possess Idumea: the inheritance of Seir shall come to their enemies, but Israel shall do manfully.

19Out of Jacob shall he come that shall rule, and shall destroy the remains of the city.

20And when he saw Amalec, he took up his parable, and said: Amalec the beginning of nations, whose latter ends shall be destroyed.

21He saw also the Cinite: and took up his parable, and said: Thy habitation indeed is strong: but though thou build thy nest in a rock,

22And thou be chosen of the stock of Cin, how long shalt thou be able to continue? For Assur shall take thee captive.

23And taking up his parable, again he said: Alas, who shall live when God shall do these things?

24They shall come in galleys from Italy, they shall overcome the Assyrians, and shall waste the Hebrews, and at the last they themselves also shall perish.

25And Balaam rose, and returned to his place: Balac also returned the way that he came.