Numbers 22

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 The Israelites then set out and pitched their camp in the Plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan oppositeJericho.	1 And they went forward and encamped in the plains of Moab, over against where Jericho is situate beyond the Jordan.
2 Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites,	2 And Balac the son of Sephor, seeing all that Israel had done to the Amorrhite,
3 and Moab was terrified of the people, because there were so many of them. Moab was afraid of theIsraelites;	3 And that the Moabites were in great fear of him, and were not able to sustain his assault,
4 he said to the elders of Midian, 'This horde wil soon have cropped everything round us as closely asan ox crops grass in the countryside.' Now Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at the time.	4 He said to the elders of Madian: So will this people destroy all that dwell in our borders, as the ox is wont to eat the grass to the very roots. Now he was at that time king in Moab.
5 He sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, at Pethor on the River, in the territory of theAmawites, saying, 'Look, a people coming from Egypt has overrun the whole countryside; they have halted at myvery door.	5 He sent therefore messengers to Balaam the son of Beer, a soothsayer, who dwelt by the river of the land of the children of Ammon, to call him, and to say: Behold a people is come out of Egypt, that hath covered the face of the earth, sitting over against me.
6 I beg you come and curse this people for me, for they are stronger than I am. We may then be able todefeat them and drive them out of the country. For this I know: anyone you bless is blessed, anyone you curse isaccursed.'	6 Come therefore, and curse this people, because it is mightier than I: if by any means I may beat them and drive them out of my land: for I know that he whom thou shalt bless is blessed, and he whom thou shalt curse is cursed.
7 The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian set out, taking the fee for the divination with them. Theyfound Balaam and gave him Balak's message.	7 And the ancients of Moab, and the elders of Madian, went with the price of divination in their hands. And when they were come to Balaam, and had told him all the words of Balac:
8 He said to them, 'Stay the night here, and I wil answer as Yahweh directs me.' So the chiefs of Moabstayed with Balaam.	8 He answered: Tarry here this night, and I will answer whatsoever the Lord shall say to me. And while they stayed with Balaam, God came and said to him:
9 God came to Balaam and said, 'Who are these men staying with you?'	9 What mean these men that are with thee?
10 Balaam said to God, 'Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent me this message,	10 He answered: Balac the son of Sephor king of the Moabites hath sent to me,
11 "Look, a people coming from Egypt has overrun the whole countryside. Come now and curse themfor me; I may then be able to defeat them and drive them out." '	11 Saying: Behold a people that is come out of Egypt, hath covered the face of the land: come and curse them, if by any means I may fight with them and drive them away.
12 God said to Balaam, 'You are not to go with them. You are not to curse the people, for they areblessed.'	12 And God said to Balaam : Thou shalt not go with them, nor shalt thou curse the people: because it is blessed.
13 In the morning Balaam got up and said to the chiefs sent by Balak, 'Go back to your country, forYahweh wil not let me go with you.'	13 And he rose in the morning and said to the princes: Go into your country, because the Lord hath forbid me to come with you.
14 So the chiefs of Moab got up, went back to Balak and said, 'Balaam refuses to come with us.'	14 The princes returning, said to Balac: Balaam would not come with us.
15 And again Balak sent chiefs, more numerous and more renowned than the first.	15 Then he sent many more and more noble than he had sent before:
16 They came to Balaam and said, 'A message from Balak son of Zippor, "Now do not refuse to cometo me.	16 Who, when they were come to Balaam, said: Thus saith Balac the son of Sephor, Delay not to come to me:
17 I wil load you with honours and do whatever you say. I beg you come and curse this people for me."'	17 For I am ready to honour thee, and will give thee whatsoever thou wilt: come and curse this people.
18 In reply, Balaam said to Balak's envoys, 'Even if Balak gave me his house ful of silver and gold, Icould not go against the order of Yahweh my God in anything, great or smal .	18 Balaam answered: If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot alter the word of the Lord my God, to speak either more or less.
19 Now please stay the night here yourselves, and I wil learn what else Yahweh has to tel me.'	19 I pray you to stay here this night also, that I may know what the Lord will answer me once more.
20 God came to Balaam during the night and said to him, 'Have not these men come to summon you?Get up, go with them, but do only what I tel you to do.'	20 God therefore came to Balaam in the night, and said to him: It these men be come to call thee, arise and go with them: yet so, that thou do what I shall command thee.
21 Balaam got up and saddled his donkey and set out with the chiefs of Moab.	21 Balaam arose in the morning, and saddling his ass went with them.
22 His going kindled Yahweh's anger, and the angel of Yahweh took his stand on the road to bar hisway. Balaam was riding his donkey and his two servants were with him.	22 And God was angry. And an angel of the Lord stood in the way against Balaam, who sat on the ass, and had two servants with him.
23 Now the donkey saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, andshe turned off the road into the open country. Balaam then struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road.	23 The ass seeing the angel standing in the way, with a drawn sword, turned herself out of the way, and went into the field. And when Balaam beat her, and had a mind to bring her again to the way,
24 The angel of Yahweh then went and stood on a narrow path among the vineyards, with a wall to theright and a wal to the left.	24 The angel stood in a narrow place between two walls, wherewith the vineyards were enclosed.
25 The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh and scraped against the wal , scraping Balaam's foot againstit, so he struck her again.	25 And the ass seeing him, thrust herself close to the wall, and bruised the foot of the rider. But he beat her again:
26 The angel of Yahweh then moved and stood in a place so narrow that there was no room to passeither to right or left.	26 And nevertheless the angel going on to a narrow place, where there was no way to turn aside either to the right hand or to the left, stood to meet him.
27 When the donkey saw the angel of Yahweh, she lay down under Balaam. Balaam flew into a rageand struck the donkey with his stick.	27 And when the ass saw the angel standing, she fell under the feet of the rider: who being angry beat her sides more vehemently with a staff.
28 Yahweh then gave the donkey the power to talk, and she said to Balaam, 'What harm have I doneyou, for you to strike me three times like this?'	28 And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said: What have I done to thee? Why strikest thou me, lo, now this third time?
29 Balaam answered the donkey, 'Because you have been making a fool of me! If I had been carryinga sword, I should have killed you by now.'	29 Balaam answered: Because thou hast deserved it, and hast served me ill: I would I had a sword that I might kill thee.
30 The donkey said to Balaam, 'Am I not your donkey, and have I not been your mount all your life?Have I ever behaved like this with you before?' 'No,' he replied.	30 The ass said: Am not I thy beast, on which thou hast been always accustomed to ride until this present day? tell me if I ever did the like thing to thee. But he said: Never.
31 Yahweh then opened Balaam's eyes and he saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the road with adrawn sword in his hand; and he bowed his head and threw himself on his face.	31 Forthwith the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel standing in the way with a drawn sword, and he worshipped him falling flat on the ground.
32 And the angel of Yahweh said to him, 'Why did you strike your donkey three times like that? I myselfhad come to bar your way; while I am here your road is blocked.	32 And the angel said to him: Why beatest thou thy ass these three times? I am come to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse, and contrary to me:
33 The donkey saw me and turned aside because of me three times. You are lucky she did turn aside,or I should have kil ed you by now, though I would have spared her.'	33 And unless the ass had turned out of the way, giving place to me who stood against thee, I had slain thee, and she should have lived.
34 Balaam said to the angel of Yahweh, 'I have sinned. I did not know you were standing in the road tostop me. But if what I am doing displeases you, I wil go home again.'	34 Balaam said: I have sinned, not knowing that thou didst stand against me: and now if it displease thee that I go, I will return.
35 The angel of Yahweh said to Balaam, 'Go with these men, but say only what I tel you to say.' SoBalaam went on with the chiefs sent by Balak.	35 The angel said: Go with these men, and see thou speak no other thing than what I shall command thee. He went therefore with the princes.
36 Balak learned that Balaam was coming and went out to meet him, in the direction of Ar in Moab, atthe Arnon frontier on the country's furthest boundary.	36 And when Balac heard it he came forth to meet him in a town of the Moabites, that is situate in the uttermost borders of Arnon.
37 Balak said to Balaam, 'Did I not send messengers to summon you? Why did you not come to me?Did you think, perhaps, I could confer no honours on you?'	37 And he said to Balaam: I sent messengers to call thee, why didst thou not come immediately to me? was it because I am not able to reward thy coming?
38 Balaam said to Balak, 'I have come to you after al . I suppose you know I cannot say anything on myown? The words God puts into my mouth are what I shall say.'	38 He answered him: Lo, here I am: shall I have power to speak any other thing but that which God shall put in my mouth?
39 Balaam set out with Balak. They came to Kiriath-Huzoth.	39 So they went on together, and came into a city, that was in the uttermost borders of his kingdom.
40 Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and offered portions to Balaam and the chiefs who were with him.	40 And when Balac had killed oxen and sheep, he sent presents to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.
41 Next morning Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-Baal, from where he could see theedge of the camp.	41 And when morning was come, he brought him to the high places of Baal, and he beheld the uttermost part of the people.