Numbers 24

DOUAI-RHEIMS	NEW JERUSALEM
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,	1 Balaam then saw that it pleased Yahweh to bless Israel. He did not go as before to seek omens butturned towards the desert.
2 And lifting up his eyes, he saw Israel abiding in their tents by their tribes: and the spirit of God rushing upon him,	2 Raising his eyes Balaam saw Israel settled tribe by tribe; the spirit of God came on him
3 He took up his parable and said: Balaam the son of Beor hath said: The man hath said, whose eye ire stopped up:	3 and he declaimed his poem, as fol ows: The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of theman with far-seeing eyes,
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:	4 the prophecy of one who hears the words of God. He sees what Shaddai makes him see, receivesthe divine answer, and his eyes are opened.
5 How beautiful are thy tabernacles, O Jacob, and thy tents, O Israel!	5 How fair your tents are, Jacob, how fair your dwel ings, Israel,
6 As woody valleys, as watered gardens near the rivers, as tabernacles which the Lord hath pitched, as cedars by the waterside.	6 like val eys that stretch afar, like gardens by the banks of a river, like aloes planted by Yahweh, likecedars beside the waters!
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.	7 A hero arises from their stock, he reigns over countless peoples. His king is greater than Agag, andhis kingship held in honour.
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.	8 God has brought him out of Egypt, is like the wild ox's horns to him. He devours the corpses of hisenemies, breaking their bones, piercing them with his arrows.
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.	9 He has crouched, he has lain down, like a lion, like a lioness; who dare rouse him? Blessed be thosewho bless you, and accursed be those who curse you!
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.	10 Balak flew into a rage with Balaam. He struck his hands together and said to Balaam, 'I brought youto curse my enemies, and you have insisted on blessing them three times over!
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.	11 So now go home as fast as your legs can carry you. I promised to load you with honours. Yahwehhimself has deprived you of them.'
12 Balaam made answer to Balac: Did I not say to thy messengers, whom thou sentest to me:	12 Balaam retorted to Balak, 'Did I not tel the messengers you sent me,
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?	13 "Even if Balak gave me his house ful of gold and silver I could not go against Yahweh's order anddo anything of my own accord, whether for good or il ; whatever Yahweh says is what I shal say"?
14 But yet going to my people, I will give thee counsel, what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.	14 Now that I am going back to my own folk, let me warn you what this people wil do to your people, indays to come.'
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:	15 He then declaimed his poem, as fol ows: The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of theman with far-seeing eyes,
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:	16 the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, of one who knows the knowledge of the MostHigh. He sees what Shaddai makes him see, receives the divine answer, and his eyes are opened.
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.	17 I see him -- but not in the present. I perceive him -- but not close at hand: a star is emerging fromJacob, a sceptre is rising from Israel, to strike the brow of Moab, the skul s of al the children of Seth.
18 And he shall possess Idumea: the inheritance of Seir shall come to their enemies, but Israel shall do manfully	18 Edom too wil be a conquered land, Seir too wil be a conquered land, when Israel exerts hisstrength,
19 Out of Jacob shall he come that shall rule, and shall destroy the remains of the city.	19 when Jacob tramples on his enemies and destroys the last survivors of Ar.
20 And when he saw Amalec, he took up his parable, and said: Amalec the beginning of nations, whose latter ends shall be destroyed.	20 Balaam then looked at Amalek and declaimed his poem, as fol ows: Amalek, the earliest of nations!But his posterity wil perish forever.
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,	21 He then looked at the Kenites and declaimed his poem, as fol ows: Your dwel ing was firm, Kain,your nest perched high in the rock.
22 And thou be chosen of the stock of Cin, how long shalt thou be able to continue? For Assur shall take thee captive.	22 But the nest belongs to Beor; how long wil you be Asshur's captive?
23 And taking up his parable, again he said: Alas, who shall live when God shall do these things?	23 He then declaimed his poem, as fol ows: The Sea-people are gathering in the north,
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.	24 the vessels from the coasts of Kittim. They wil bear down on Asshur, bear down on Eber; he too willperish forever.
25 And Balaam rose, and returned to his place: Balac also returned the way that he came.	25 Balaam then got up, left and went home, and Balak too went his way.