Numbers 24

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Balaam, however, perceiving that the LORD was pleased to bless Israel, did not go aside as before to seek omens, but turned his gaze toward the desert.	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 When he raised his eyes and saw Israel encamped, tribe by tribe, the spirit of God came upon him,	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 and he gave voice to his oracle: The utterance of Balaam, son of Beor, the utterance of the man whose eye is true,	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 The utterance of one who hears what God says, and knows what the Most High knows, Of one who sees what the Almighty sees, enraptured, and with eyes unveiled:	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 How goodly are your tents, O Jacob; your encampments, O Israel!	5 How beautiful are thy tabernacles, O Jacob, and thy tents, O Israel!
6 They are like gardens beside a stream, like the cedars planted by the LORD.	6 As woody valleys, as watered gardens near the rivers, as tabernacles which the Lord hath pitched, as cedars by the waterside.
7 His wells shall yield free-flowing waters, he shall have the sea within reach; His king shall rise higher than. . . . and his royalty shall be exalted.	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 It is God who brought him out of Egypt, a wild bull of towering might. He shall devour the nations like grass, their bones he shall strip bare.	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 He lies crouching like a lion, or like a lioness; who shall arouse him? Blessed is he who blesses you, and cursed is he who curses you!	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 beat his palms together in a blaze of anger at Balaam and said to him, "It was to curse my foes that I summoned you here; yet three times now you have even blessed them instead!	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 Be off at once, then, to your home. I promised to reward you richly, but the LORD has withheld the reward from you!"	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 replied to Balak, "Did I not warn the very messengers whom you sent to me,	12 Balaam made answer to Balac: Did I not say to thy messengers, whom thou sentest to me:
13 'Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, I could not of my own accord to anything, good or evil, contrary to the command of the LORD'? Whatever the LORD says I must repeat.	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 "But now that I am about to go to my own people, let me first warn you what this people will do to your people in the days to come."	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 Then Balaam gave voice to his oracle: The utterance of Balaam, son of Beor, the utterance of the man whose eye is true,	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 The utterance of one who hears what God says, and knows what the Most High knows, Of one who sees what the Almighty sees, enraptured and with eyes unveiled.	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 I see him, though not now; I behold him, though not near: A star shall advance from Jacob, and a staff shall rise from Israel, That shall smite the brows of Moab, and the skulls of all the Shuthites,	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 Till Edom is dispossessed, and no fugitive is left in Seir. Israel shall do valiantly,	18 And he shall possess Idumea: the inheritance of Seir shall come to their enemies, but Israel shall do manfully
19 and Jacob shall overcome his foes.	19 Out of Jacob shall he come that shall rule, and shall destroy the remains of the city.
20 Upon seeing Amalek, Balaam gave voice to his oracle: First of the peoples was Amalek, but his end is to perish forever.	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 Upon seeing the Kenites, he gave voice to his oracle: Your abode is enduring, O smith, and your nest is set on a cliff;	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 Yet destined for burning-- even as I watch--are your inhabitants.	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 Upon seeing. . . . he gave voice to his oracle: Alas, who shall survive of Ishmael,	23 And taking up his parable, again he said: Alas, who shall live when God shall do these things?
24 to deliver his people from the hands of the Kittim? When they have conquered Asshur and conquered Eber, He too shall perish forever.	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 Then Balaam set out on his journey home; and Balak also went his way.	25 And Balaam rose, and returned to his place: Balac also returned the way that he came.