Livre des Nombres 24

BIBLES DES PEUPLES	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Balaam vit que Dieu se plaisait à bénir Israël, aussi n’alla-t-il pas comme les autres fois à la recherche de signes, mais il tourna son visage vers le 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 Quand Balaam leva les yeux, il vit Israël groupé par tribus, et l’esprit de Dieu s’empara de 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 Alors il proclama son poème: “Parole de Balaam, fils de Béor, parole de l’homme qui perce le mystère,	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 entend les paroles de Dieu, qui voit ce que le Dieu de la Steppe fait voir, qui se prosterne, et Dieu lui ouvre les yeux.	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, tes demeures, Ô Israël!	5 How beautiful are thy tabernacles, O Jacob, and thy tents, O Israel!
6 Elles s’étirent comme des vallées, comme des jardins sur le bord d’un fleuve, comme des aloès que Yahvé a plantés, comme des cèdres au bord 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 L’eau déborde de ses deux seaux, sa semence est bien irriguée; son roi est plus puissant qu’Agag, et son règne grandit encore!	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’Égypte, et lui donne les cornes du buffle! Il dévore les nations ennemies, il leur brise les os, il les perce de ses flèches.	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’accroupit, se couche comme un lion, comme une lionne: qui le fera lever? Bénis soient ceux qui te bénissent, maudits soient ceux qui te maudissent.”	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 Balak s’emporta contre Balaam; il frappa des mains, puis il lui dit: “Je t’avais fait venir pour maudire mes ennemis, et toi, par trois fois tu les as bénis!	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 Maintenant file chez toi. J’avais promis de te combler d’honneurs, mais Yahvé 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 Balak: “J’avais dit quelque chose aux hommes que tu m’as envoyés; je leur avais dit:	12 Balaam made answer to Balac: Did I not say to thy messengers, whom thou sentest to me:
13 ‘Même si Balak me donnait plein sa maison d’argent et d’or, je ne désobéirais pas à l’ordre de Yahvé. Bien ou mal, je ne ferai rien de moi-même, mais je dirai ce que Yahvé dira.’	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 je m’en retourne dans mon pays! Mais laisse-moi te dire ce que ce peuple fera à ton peuple dans les jours qui viennent.”	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 proclama son poème: “Parole de Balaam, fils de Béor, parole de l’homme qui perce le mystère,	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 entend les paroles de Dieu et qui possède la science du Très-Haut, qui voit ce que le Dieu de la Steppe fait voir, qui se prosterne, et Dieu lui ouvre les yeux.	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 le contemple, mais non de près: un astre se lève de Jacob, un sceptre se dresse en Israël. Il frappe les deux 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 Édom devient sa conquête, il enlève Séïr à ses ennemis, Israël fait de grandes choses,	18 And he shall possess Idumea: the inheritance of Seir shall come to their enemies, but Israel shall do manfully
19 Jacob impose sa force et fait périr les survivants d’Ar.”	19 Out of Jacob shall he come that shall rule, and shall destroy the remains of the city.
20 Balaam vit Amalec et il dit son poème: “Amalec, la première des nations, ta postérité disparaîtra!”	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 Voyant les Kénites, il dit son poème: “Solide est ta demeure, ton nid est établi sur un roc!	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 Le feu pourtant dévorera Kayin, et l’Assyrien à la fin l’emmènera captif.”	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 Il proclama encore ce poème: “Hélas! qui sera là quand Dieu le décidera?	23 And taking up his parable, again he said: Alas, who shall live when God shall do these things?
24 Voici des navires du côté des Kittim, ils soumettent l’Assyrien, ils soumettent l’Hébreu, mais eux aussi courent à la ruine.”	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 Balaam se mit en route pour rentrer chez lui, et Balak aussi s’en alla par son chemin.	25 And Balaam rose, and returned to his place: Balac also returned the way that he came.