Numbers 22

NEW JERUSALEM	NOVA VULGATA
1 The Israelites then set out and pitched their camp in the Plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan oppositeJericho.	1 Profectique castrametati sunt filii Israel in campestri bus Moab, ubi trans Iordanem Iericho sita est.
2 Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites,	2 Videns autem Balac filius Sephor omnia, quae fecerat Israel Amorraeo,
3 and Moab was terrified of the people, because there were so many of them. Moab was afraid of theIsraelites;	3 valde metuit Moab populum, quia multus erat. Et cum pertimeret Moab filios Israel,
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 dixit ad maiores natu Madian: “ Nunc carpet haec congregatio omnem regionem per circuitum, quomodo solet bos herbas campi carpere ”. Balac filius Sephor erat eo tempore rex 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 Misit ergo nuntios ad Balaam filium Beor in Phethor, quae est super flumen in terra filiorum Ammau, ut vocarent eum et dicerent: “ Ecce egressus est populus ex Aegypto, qui operuit superficiem terrae sedens contra 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 Veni igitur et maledic populo huic, quia fortior me est; si quo modo possim percutere et eicere eum de terra mea. Novi enim quod benedictus sit, cui benedixeris, et maledictus, in quem maledicta congesseris ”.
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 Perrexeruntque seniores Moab et maiores natu Madian habentes divinationis pretium in manibus. Cumque venissent ad Balaam et narrassent ei omnia verba 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 ille respondit: “ Manete hic nocte, et respondebo quidquid mihi dixerit Dominus ”. Manentibus illis apud Balaam,
9 God came to Balaam and said, 'Who are these men staying with you?'	9 venit Deus et ait ad eum: “ Quid sibi volunt homines isti apud te? ”.
10 Balaam said to God, 'Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent me this message,	10 Respondit: “ Balac filius Sephor rex Moabitarum misit ad 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 dicens: "Ecce populus, qui egressus est de Aegypto, operuit superficiem terrae; veni et maledic ei pro me, si quo modo possim pugnans abigere eum".
12 God said to Balaam, 'You are not to go with them. You are not to curse the people, for they areblessed.'	12 Dixitque Deus ad Balaam: “Noli ire cum eis neque maledicas populo, quia benedictus est ”.
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 Qui mane consurgens dixit ad principes: “ Ite in terram vestram, quia prohibuit me Dominus venire vobiscum ”.
14 So the chiefs of Moab got up, went back to Balak and said, 'Balaam refuses to come with us.'	14 Reversi principes dixerunt ad Balac: “ Noluit Balaam venire nobiscum ”.
15 And again Balak sent chiefs, more numerous and more renowned than the first.	15 Rursum ille multo plures et nobiliores, quam ante miserat, misit.
16 They came to Balaam and said, 'A message from Balak son of Zippor, "Now do not refuse to cometo me.	16 Qui cum venissent ad Balaam, dixerunt: “ Sic dicit Balac filius Sephor: "Ne cuncteris venire ad me;
17 I wil load you with honours and do whatever you say. I beg you come and curse this people for me."'	17 paratus sum honorare te et, quidquid volueris, dabo tibi. Veni et maledic pro me populo isti" ”.
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 Respondit Balaam: “ Si dederit mihi Balac plenam domum suam argenti et auri, non potero transgredi verbum Domini Dei mei, ut vel plus vel minus loquar.
19 Now please stay the night here yourselves, and I wil learn what else Yahweh has to tel me.'	19 Obsecro, ut hic maneatis etiam hac nocte, et scire queam quid mihi rursum respondeat Dominus ”.
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 Venit ergo Deus ad Balaam nocte et ait ei: “ Si vocare te venerunt homines isti, surge et vade cum eis, ita dumtaxat, ut, quod tibi praecepero, facias ”.
21 Balaam got up and saddled his donkey and set out with the chiefs of Moab.	21 Surrexit Balaam mane et, strata asina sua, profectus est cum eis.
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 Et iratus est Deus, cum profectus esset; stetitque angelus Domini in via contra Balaam, ut adversaretur ei, qui insidebat asinae et duos pueros habebat secum.
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 Cernens asina angelum Domini stantem in via, evaginato gladio in manu sua, avertit se de itinere et ibat per agrum. Quam cum verberaret Balaam et vellet ad semitam reducere,
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 stetit angelus Domini in angustiis duarum maceriarum, quibus vineae cingebantur.
25 The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh and scraped against the wal , scraping Balaam's foot againstit, so he struck her again.	25 Quem videns asina iunxit se parieti et attrivit sedentis pedem. At ille iterum verberabat eam;
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 et angelus Domini iterum transiens ad locum angustum, ubi nec ad dexteram nec ad sinistram poterat deviare, obvius stetit.
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 Cumque vidisset asina stantem angelum Domini, concidit sub pedibus sedentis; qui iratus vehementius caedebat fuste latera eius.
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 Aperuitque Dominus os asinae, et locuta est: “ Quid feci tibi? Cur percutis me ecce iam tertio? ”.
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 Respondit Balaam: “ Quia illusisti mihi. Utinam haberem gladium, ut te interficerem! ”.
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 Dixit asina: “ Nonne animal tuum sum, cui semper sedere consuevisti usque in praesentem diem? Dic quid simile umquam fecerim tibi ”. At ille ait: “ Numquam ”.
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 Protinus aperuit Dominus oculos Balaam, et vidit angelum Domini stantem in via, evaginato gladio in manu eius; adoravitque eum pronus in terram.
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 Cui angelus Domini: “ Cur, inquit, tertio verberas asinam tuam? Ego veni, ut adversarer tibi, quia perversa est via tua mihique contraria.
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 Et videns me asina declinavit ter a me; nisi declinasset, te occidissem et illam vivam reliquissem ”.
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 Dixit Balaam: “ Peccavi nesciens quod tu stares contra me in via; et nunc, si displicet tibi, revertar ”.
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 Ait angelus Domini: “ Vade cum istis et cave, ne aliud, quam praecepero tibi, loquaris ”. Ivit igitur cum principibus Balac.
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 Quod cum audisset Balac, venisse scilicet Balaam, egressus est in occursum eius in Irmoab, quod situm est in extremis finibus 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 dixitque ad Balaam: “ Nonne misi nuntios, ut vocarem te? Cur non statim venisti ad me? An quia honorare te nequeo? ”.
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 Cui ille respondit: “ Ecce adsum; numquid loqui potero aliud, nisi quod Deus posuerit in ore meo? ”.
39 Balaam set out with Balak. They came to Kiriath-Huzoth.	39 Perrexerunt ergo simul et venerunt in Cariathusoth.
40 Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and offered portions to Balaam and the chiefs who were with him.	40 Cumque occidisset Balac boves et oves, misit ad Balaam et principes, qui cum eo erant.
41 Next morning Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-Baal, from where he could see theedge of the camp.	41 Mane autem facto, duxit eum ad excelsa Baal et intuitus est extremam partem populi.