Livre des Nombres 24

JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Balaam vit alors que Yahvé trouvait bon de bénir Israël. Il n'alla pas comme les autres fois à larecherche de présages, mais il se tourna face au désert.	1 And 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,
2 Levant les yeux, Balaam vit Israël, établi par tribus; l'esprit de Dieu vint sur lui	2 And lifting up his eyes, he saw Israel abiding in their tents by their tribes: and the spirit of God rushing upon him,
3 et il prononça son poème. Il dit: "Oracle de Balaam, fils de Béor, oracle de l'homme au regardpénétrant,	3 He took up his parable and said: Balaam the son of Beor hath said: The man hath said, whose eye ire stopped up:
4 oracle de celui qui écoute les paroles de Dieu. Il voit ce que Shaddaï fait voir, il obtient laréponse divine et ses yeux s'ouvrent.	4 The 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:
5 Que tes tentes sont belles, Jacob! et tes demeures, Israël!	5 How beautiful are thy tabernacles, O Jacob, and thy tents, O Israel!
6 Comme des vallées qui s'étendent, comme des jardins au bord d'un fleuve, comme des aloès queYahvé a plantés, comme des cèdres auprès des eaux!	6 As woody valleys, as watered gardens near the rivers, as tabernacles which the Lord hath pitched, as cedars by the waterside.
7 Un héros grandit dans sa descendance, il domine sur des peuples nombreux. Son roi est plusgrand qu'Agag, sa royauté s'élève.	7 Water 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.
8 Dieu le fait sortir d'Egypte, il est pour lui comme des cornes de buffle. Il dévore le cadavre de sesadversaires, il leur brise les os.	8 God 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.
9 Il s'est accroupi, il s'est couché, comme un lion, comme une lionne: qui le fera lever? Béni soitqui te bénit, et maudit qui te maudit!"	9 Lying 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.
10 Balaq se mit en colère contre Balaam. Il frappa des mains et dit à Balaam: "Je t'avais mandépour maudire mes ennemis, et voilà que tu les bénis, et par trois fois!	10 And 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.
11 Et maintenant déguerpis et va-t'en chez toi. J'avais dit que je te comblerais d'honneurs. C'estYahvé qui t'en a privé."	11 Return to thy place. I had determined indeed greatly to honour thee, but the Lord hath deprived thee of the honour designed for thee.
12 Balaam répondit à Balaq: "N'avais-je pas dit déjà à tes messagers:	12 Balaam made answer to Balac: Did I not say to thy messengers, whom thou sentest to me:
13 Quand Balaq me donnerait plein sa maison d'argent et d'or, je ne pourrais transgresser l'ordre deYahvé et faire de moi-même ni bien ni mal; ce que Yahvé dira, c'est ce que je dirai?	13 If 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?
14 Maintenant que je pars chez les miens, viens, je vais t'aviser de ce que ce peuple fera à tonpeuple, dans l'avenir."	14 But yet going to my people, I will give thee counsel, what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.
15 Alors il prononça son poème. Il dit: "Oracle de Balaam, fils de Béor, oracle de l'homme auregard pénétrant,	15 Therefore taking up his parable, again he said: Balaam the son of Beor hath said: The man whose eye is stopped up, hath said:
16 oracle de celui qui écoute les paroles de Dieu, de celui qui sait la science du Très-Haut. Il voitce que Shaddaï fait voir, il obtient la réponse divine et ses yeux s'ouvrent.	16 The 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:
17 Je le vois -- mais non pour maintenant, je l'aperçois -- mais non de près: Un astre issu de Jacobdevient chef, un sceptre se lève, issu d'Israël. Il frappe les tempes de Moab et le crâne de tous les fils de Seth.	17 I 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.
18 Edom devient un pays conquis; pays conquis, Séïr. Israël déploie sa puissance,	18 And he shall possess Idumea: the inheritance of Seir shall come to their enemies, but Israel shall do manfully
19 Jacob domine sur ses ennemis et fait périr les rescapés d'Ar."	19 Out of Jacob shall he come that shall rule, and shall destroy the remains of the city.
20 Balaam vit Amaleq, il prononça son poème. Il dit: "Amaleq: prémices des nations! Mais sapostérité périra pour toujours."	20 And when he saw Amalec, he took up his parable, and said: Amalec the beginning of nations, whose latter ends shall be destroyed.
21 Puis il vit les Qénites, il prononça son poème. Il dit: "Ta demeure fut stable, Qayîn, et ton nidjuché sur le rocher.	21 He 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,
22 Mais le nid appartient à Béor; jusques à quand seras-tu captif d'Assur?"	22 And thou be chosen of the stock of Cin, how long shalt thou be able to continue? For Assur shall take thee captive.
23 Puis il prononça son poème. Il dit: "Des peuples de la Mer se rassemblent au nord,	23 And taking up his parable, again he said: Alas, who shall live when God shall do these things?
24 des vaisseaux du côté de Kittim. Ils oppriment Assur, ils oppriment Ebèr, lui aussi périra pourtoujours."	24 They 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.
25 Puis Balaam se leva, partit et retourna chez lui. Balaq lui aussi passa son chemin.	25 And Balaam rose, and returned to his place: Balac also returned the way that he came.