Livre des Nombres 24

JERUSALEM	KING JAMES BIBLE
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 to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.
2 Levant les yeux, Balaam vit Israël, établi par tribus; l'esprit de Dieu vint sur lui	2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.
3 et il prononça son poème. Il dit: "Oracle de Balaam, fils de Béor, oracle de l'homme au regardpénétrant,	3 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
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 He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
5 Que tes tentes sont belles, Jacob! et tes demeures, Israël!	5 How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, 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 the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.
7 Un héros grandit dans sa descendance, il domine sur des peuples nombreux. Son roi est plusgrand qu'Agag, sa royauté s'élève.	7 He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.
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 brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his 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 He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.
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 Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these 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 Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honour.
12 Balaam répondit à Balaq: "N'avais-je pas dit déjà à tes messagers:	12 And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying,
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 Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the LORD saith, that will I 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 And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee 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 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open 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 He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
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 nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
18 Edom devient un pays conquis; pays conquis, Séïr. Israël déploie sa puissance,	18 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.
19 Jacob domine sur ses ennemis et fait périr les rescapés d'Ar."	19 Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth 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 looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.
21 Puis il vit les Qénites, il prononça son poème. Il dit: "Ta demeure fut stable, Qayîn, et ton nidjuché sur le rocher.	21 And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.
22 Mais le nid appartient à Béor; jusques à quand seras-tu captif d'Assur?"	22 Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.
23 Puis il prononça son poème. Il dit: "Des peuples de la Mer se rassemblent au nord,	23 And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!
24 des vaisseaux du côté de Kittim. Ils oppriment Assur, ils oppriment Ebèr, lui aussi périra pourtoujours."	24 And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.
25 Puis Balaam se leva, partit et retourna chez lui. Balaq lui aussi passa son chemin.	25 And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.