Numeri 22

NOVA VULGATA	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Profectique castrametati sunt filii Israel in campestri bus Moab, ubi trans Iordanem Iericho sita est.	1 The Israelites then set out and pitched their camp in the Plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan oppositeJericho.
2 Videns autem Balac filius Sephor omnia, quae fecerat Israel Amorraeo,	2 Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites,
3 valde metuit Moab populum, quia multus erat. Et cum pertimeret Moab filios Israel,	3 and Moab was terrified of the people, because there were so many of them. Moab was afraid of theIsraelites;
4 dixit ad maiores natu Madian: “ Nunc carpet haec congregatio omnem regionem per circuitum, quomodo solet bos herbas campi carpere ”. Balac filius Sephor erat eo tempore rex in Moab.	4 he said to the elders of Midian, 'This horde wil soon have cropped everything round us as closely asan ox crops grass in the countryside.' Now Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at the time.
5 Misit ergo nuntios ad Balaam filium Beor in Phethor, quae est super flumen in terra filiorum Ammau, ut vocarent eum et dicerent: “ Ecce egressus est populus ex Aegypto, qui operuit superficiem terrae sedens contra me.	5 He sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, at Pethor on the River, in the territory of theAmawites, saying, 'Look, a people coming from Egypt has overrun the whole countryside; they have halted at myvery door.
6 Veni igitur et maledic populo huic, quia fortior me est; si quo modo possim percutere et eicere eum de terra mea. Novi enim quod benedictus sit, cui benedixeris, et maledictus, in quem maledicta congesseris ”.	6 I beg you come and curse this people for me, for they are stronger than I am. We may then be able todefeat them and drive them out of the country. For this I know: anyone you bless is blessed, anyone you curse isaccursed.'
7 Perrexeruntque seniores Moab et maiores natu Madian habentes divinationis pretium in manibus. Cumque venissent ad Balaam et narrassent ei omnia verba Balac,	7 The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian set out, taking the fee for the divination with them. Theyfound Balaam and gave him Balak's message.
8 ille respondit: “ Manete hic nocte, et respondebo quidquid mihi dixerit Dominus ”. Manentibus illis apud Balaam,	8 He said to them, 'Stay the night here, and I wil answer as Yahweh directs me.' So the chiefs of Moabstayed with Balaam.
9 venit Deus et ait ad eum: “ Quid sibi volunt homines isti apud te? ”.	9 God came to Balaam and said, 'Who are these men staying with you?'
10 Respondit: “ Balac filius Sephor rex Moabitarum misit ad me	10 Balaam said to God, 'Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent me this message,
11 dicens: "Ecce populus, qui egressus est de Aegypto, operuit superficiem terrae; veni et maledic ei pro me, si quo modo possim pugnans abigere eum".	11 "Look, a people coming from Egypt has overrun the whole countryside. Come now and curse themfor me; I may then be able to defeat them and drive them out." '
12 Dixitque Deus ad Balaam: “Noli ire cum eis neque maledicas populo, quia benedictus est ”.	12 God said to Balaam, 'You are not to go with them. You are not to curse the people, for they areblessed.'
13 Qui mane consurgens dixit ad principes: “ Ite in terram vestram, quia prohibuit me Dominus venire vobiscum ”.	13 In the morning Balaam got up and said to the chiefs sent by Balak, 'Go back to your country, forYahweh wil not let me go with you.'
14 Reversi principes dixerunt ad Balac: “ Noluit Balaam venire nobiscum ”.	14 So the chiefs of Moab got up, went back to Balak and said, 'Balaam refuses to come with us.'
15 Rursum ille multo plures et nobiliores, quam ante miserat, misit.	15 And again Balak sent chiefs, more numerous and more renowned than the first.
16 Qui cum venissent ad Balaam, dixerunt: “ Sic dicit Balac filius Sephor: "Ne cuncteris venire ad me;	16 They came to Balaam and said, 'A message from Balak son of Zippor, "Now do not refuse to cometo me.
17 paratus sum honorare te et, quidquid volueris, dabo tibi. Veni et maledic pro me populo isti" ”.	17 I wil load you with honours and do whatever you say. I beg you come and curse this people for me."'
18 Respondit Balaam: “ Si dederit mihi Balac plenam domum suam argenti et auri, non potero transgredi verbum Domini Dei mei, ut vel plus vel minus loquar.	18 In reply, Balaam said to Balak's envoys, 'Even if Balak gave me his house ful of silver and gold, Icould not go against the order of Yahweh my God in anything, great or smal .
19 Obsecro, ut hic maneatis etiam hac nocte, et scire queam quid mihi rursum respondeat Dominus ”.	19 Now please stay the night here yourselves, and I wil learn what else Yahweh has to tel me.'
20 Venit ergo Deus ad Balaam nocte et ait ei: “ Si vocare te venerunt homines isti, surge et vade cum eis, ita dumtaxat, ut, quod tibi praecepero, facias ”.	20 God came to Balaam during the night and said to him, 'Have not these men come to summon you?Get up, go with them, but do only what I tel you to do.'
21 Surrexit Balaam mane et, strata asina sua, profectus est cum eis.	21 Balaam got up and saddled his donkey and set out with the chiefs of Moab.
22 Et iratus est Deus, cum profectus esset; stetitque angelus Domini in via contra Balaam, ut adversaretur ei, qui insidebat asinae et duos pueros habebat secum.	22 His going kindled Yahweh's anger, and the angel of Yahweh took his stand on the road to bar hisway. Balaam was riding his donkey and his two servants were with him.
23 Cernens asina angelum Domini stantem in via, evaginato gladio in manu sua, avertit se de itinere et ibat per agrum. Quam cum verberaret Balaam et vellet ad semitam reducere,	23 Now the donkey saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, andshe turned off the road into the open country. Balaam then struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road.
24 stetit angelus Domini in angustiis duarum maceriarum, quibus vineae cingebantur.	24 The angel of Yahweh then went and stood on a narrow path among the vineyards, with a wall to theright and a wal to the left.
25 Quem videns asina iunxit se parieti et attrivit sedentis pedem. At ille iterum verberabat eam;	25 The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh and scraped against the wal , scraping Balaam's foot againstit, so he struck her again.
26 et angelus Domini iterum transiens ad locum angustum, ubi nec ad dexteram nec ad sinistram poterat deviare, obvius stetit.	26 The angel of Yahweh then moved and stood in a place so narrow that there was no room to passeither to right or left.
27 Cumque vidisset asina stantem angelum Domini, concidit sub pedibus sedentis; qui iratus vehementius caedebat fuste latera eius.	27 When the donkey saw the angel of Yahweh, she lay down under Balaam. Balaam flew into a rageand struck the donkey with his stick.
28 Aperuitque Dominus os asinae, et locuta est: “ Quid feci tibi? Cur percutis me ecce iam tertio? ”.	28 Yahweh then gave the donkey the power to talk, and she said to Balaam, 'What harm have I doneyou, for you to strike me three times like this?'
29 Respondit Balaam: “ Quia illusisti mihi. Utinam haberem gladium, ut te interficerem! ”.	29 Balaam answered the donkey, 'Because you have been making a fool of me! If I had been carryinga sword, I should have killed you by now.'
30 Dixit asina: “ Nonne animal tuum sum, cui semper sedere consuevisti usque in praesentem diem? Dic quid simile umquam fecerim tibi ”. At ille ait: “ Numquam ”.	30 The donkey said to Balaam, 'Am I not your donkey, and have I not been your mount all your life?Have I ever behaved like this with you before?' 'No,' he replied.
31 Protinus aperuit Dominus oculos Balaam, et vidit angelum Domini stantem in via, evaginato gladio in manu eius; adoravitque eum pronus in terram.	31 Yahweh then opened Balaam's eyes and he saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the road with adrawn sword in his hand; and he bowed his head and threw himself on his face.
32 Cui angelus Domini: “ Cur, inquit, tertio verberas asinam tuam? Ego veni, ut adversarer tibi, quia perversa est via tua mihique contraria.	32 And the angel of Yahweh said to him, 'Why did you strike your donkey three times like that? I myselfhad come to bar your way; while I am here your road is blocked.
33 Et videns me asina declinavit ter a me; nisi declinasset, te occidissem et illam vivam reliquissem ”.	33 The donkey saw me and turned aside because of me three times. You are lucky she did turn aside,or I should have kil ed you by now, though I would have spared her.'
34 Dixit Balaam: “ Peccavi nesciens quod tu stares contra me in via; et nunc, si displicet tibi, revertar ”.	34 Balaam said to the angel of Yahweh, 'I have sinned. I did not know you were standing in the road tostop me. But if what I am doing displeases you, I wil go home again.'
35 Ait angelus Domini: “ Vade cum istis et cave, ne aliud, quam praecepero tibi, loquaris ”. Ivit igitur cum principibus Balac.	35 The angel of Yahweh said to Balaam, 'Go with these men, but say only what I tel you to say.' SoBalaam went on with the chiefs sent by Balak.
36 Quod cum audisset Balac, venisse scilicet Balaam, egressus est in occursum eius in Irmoab, quod situm est in extremis finibus Arnon;	36 Balak learned that Balaam was coming and went out to meet him, in the direction of Ar in Moab, atthe Arnon frontier on the country's furthest boundary.
37 dixitque ad Balaam: “ Nonne misi nuntios, ut vocarem te? Cur non statim venisti ad me? An quia honorare te nequeo? ”.	37 Balak said to Balaam, 'Did I not send messengers to summon you? Why did you not come to me?Did you think, perhaps, I could confer no honours on you?'
38 Cui ille respondit: “ Ecce adsum; numquid loqui potero aliud, nisi quod Deus posuerit in ore meo? ”.	38 Balaam said to Balak, 'I have come to you after al . I suppose you know I cannot say anything on myown? The words God puts into my mouth are what I shall say.'
39 Perrexerunt ergo simul et venerunt in Cariathusoth.	39 Balaam set out with Balak. They came to Kiriath-Huzoth.
40 Cumque occidisset Balac boves et oves, misit ad Balaam et principes, qui cum eo erant.	40 Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and offered portions to Balaam and the chiefs who were with him.
41 Mane autem facto, duxit eum ad excelsa Baal et intuitus est extremam partem populi.	41 Next morning Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-Baal, from where he could see theedge of the camp.