Livre des Nombres 24

JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
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 had seen that it was pleasing to the Lord that he should bless Israel, he by no means went out as he had gone before, to seek divination. But directing his face opposite 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 dwelling in tents by their tribes. And with the Spirit of God rushing into him,
3 et il prononça son poème. Il dit: "Oracle de Balaam, fils de Béor, oracle de l'homme au regardpénétrant,	3 taking up his parable, he said: “Balaam, the son of Beor, the man whose eye has been obstructed,
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 sermon of God, he who has gazed upon a vision of the Almighty, he who falls down and so his eyes are opened, has declared:
5 Que tes tentes sont belles, Jacob! et tes demeures, Israël!	5 ‘How beautiful are your tabernacles, O Jacob, and your 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 They are like forested valleys, like gardens irrigated next to rivers, like tabernacles which the Lord has fixed, like cedars close to 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 Water shall flow from his jar, and his offspring shall be amid many waters, because Agag, his king, shall be taken, and his kingdom shall be removed.
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 Away from Egypt, God has led him, whose strength is like 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 has slept like a lion, and like a lioness, whom no one would dare to awaken. He who blesses you, shall himself also be blessed. He who curses you, shall be considered cursed.”
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, being angry against Balaam, clapped his hands together and said: “I called you to curse my enemies, and, to the contrary, you have 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 your place. I had decided, indeed, to honor you greatly, but the Lord has deprived you of the designated honor.”
12 Balaam répondit à Balaq: "N'avais-je pas dit déjà à tes messagers:	12 Balaam responded to Balak: “Did I not say to your messengers, whom you sent 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 Even if Balak would give me his house, filled with silver and gold, I still could not go away from the word of the Lord my God, so as to offer anything, either good or evil, from my own heart; but whatever the Lord will speak, this, too, I shall 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 Yet truly, as I continue on to my own people, I will give you counsel as to what this people shall do to your people in the end times.”
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, he again spoke: “Balaam the son of Beor, the man whose eye has been obstructed,
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 sermon of God, he who knows the doctrine of the Most High, and who sees the visions of the Almighty, who, falling down, has his eyes opened, has declared:
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 presently. I shall gaze upon him, but not soon. A star shall rise out of Jacob, and a rod shall spring up from Israel. And he shall strike down the commanders of Moab, and he shall devastate all the sons 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 fall to their enemies. Yet truly, Israel shall act with strength.
19 Jacob domine sur ses ennemis et fait périr les rescapés d'Ar."	19 From Jacob will be he who shall be ruler. And he shall perish the remnants 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 Amalek, taking up his parable, he said: “Amalek, first among the Gentiles, whose very end shall be perdition.”
21 Puis il vit les Qénites, il prononça son poème. Il dit: "Ta demeure fut stable, Qayîn, et ton nidjuché sur le rocher.	21 Likewise, he saw the Kainites, and taking up his parable, he said: “Robust, indeed, is your habitation. But though you will set your nest in a rock,
22 Mais le nid appartient à Béor; jusques à quand seras-tu captif d'Assur?"	22 and you will be elect among the stock of Kain, how long will you be able to remain? For Assur shall take you captive.”
23 Puis il prononça son poème. Il dit: "Des peuples de la Mer se rassemblent au nord,	23 And taking up his parable once more he said: “Alas! Who will be able to survive, when God will do these things?
24 des vaisseaux du côté de Kittim. Ils oppriment Assur, ils oppriment Ebèr, lui aussi périra pourtoujours."	24 They shall arrive in Greek warships from Italy. They shall overcome the Assyrians, and they shall devastate the Hebrews, and yet, at the very end, even they themselves shall perish.”
25 Puis Balaam se leva, partit et retourna chez lui. Balaq lui aussi passa son chemin.	25 And Balaam rose up, and he returned to his place. Likewise, Balak went back, along the way by which he had arrived.