Numeri 23

NOVA VULGATA	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Dixitque Balaam ad Balac: “ Aedifica mihi hic septem aras et para totidem vitulos eiusdemque numeri arietes ”.	1 And Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars here for me, and prepare as many calves, and the same number of rams.”
2 Cumque fecisset iuxta sermonem Balaam, imposuerunt vitulum et arietem super aram.	2 And when he had acted according to the words of Balaam, they placed a calf and a ram together on each altar.
3 Dixitque Balaam ad Balac: “ Sta paulisper iuxta holocaustum tuum, donec vadam, si forte occurrat mihi Dominus; et, quodcumque imperaverit, loquar tibi ”. Cumque abiisset in collem nudum,	3 And Balaam said to Balak: “Stand for a little while next to your holocaust, until I go, to see if perhaps the Lord will meet with me. And whatever he will command, I shall speak to you.”
4 occurrit illi Deus. Locutusque ad eum Balaam: “ Septem, inquit, aras erexi et imposui vitulum et arietem desuper ”.	4 And after he had quickly departed, God met with him. And Balaam, speaking to him, said: “I have set up seven altars, and I have placed a calf and a ram on each.”
5 Dominus autem posuit verbum in ore eius et ait: “ Revertere ad Balac et haec loqueris ”.	5 Then the Lord placed the word in his mouth, and he said: “Return to Balak, and you shall say this.”
6 Reversus invenit stantem Balac iuxta holocaustum suum et omnes principes Moabitarum;	6 Returning, he found Balak standing next to his holocaust, with all the leaders of the Moabites.
7 assumptaque parabola sua, dixit: “ De Aram adduxit me Balac, rex Moabitarum de montibus orientis: "Veni, inquit, et maledic pro me Iacob; propera et detestare Israel!".	7 And taking up his parable, he said: “Balak, king of the Moabites, has led me from Aram, from the mountains of the east. ‘Come forth,’ he said, ‘and curse Jacob. Hurry and condemn Israel.’
8 Quomodo maledicam, cui non maledixit Deus? Qua ratione detester, quem Dominus non detestatur?	8 How shall I curse him, whom God has not cursed? For what reason would I condemn him, whom the Lord does not condemn?
9 De summis silicibus video eum et de collibus considero illum: populus solus habitabit et inter gentes non reputabitur.	9 I will look upon him from the tops of the stones, and I will consider him from the hills. This people shall dwell alone, and they shall not be counted among the nations.
10 Et quis dinumerare possit pulverem Iacob et quis numeravit arenam Israel? Moriatur anima mea morte iustorum, et fiant novissima mea horum similia ”.	10 Who can number the dust that is Jacob, and who can know the number of the stock of Israel? May my soul die a just death, and may my end be like theirs.”
11 Dixitque Balac ad Balaam: “ Quid est hoc, quod agis? Ut malediceres inimicis meis, vocavi te, et tu e contrario benedicis eis! ”.	11 And Balak said to Balaam: “What is this that you are doing? I called for you, in order to curse my enemies, and to the contrary, you bless them.”
12 Cui ille respondit: “ Num aliud possum loqui, nisi quod iusserit Dominus? ”.	12 He answered him, “How can I say anything other than what the Lord orders?”
13 Dixit ergo Balac: “ Veni mecum in alterum locum, unde partem Israel videas et totum videre non possis; inde maledicito ei ”.	13 Therefore, Balak said: “Come with me to another place, from where you may see a portion of Israel, though you cannot see them all. Curse them from there.”
14 Cumque duxisset eum in campum speculatorum super verticem montis Phasga, aedificavit septem aras imposuitque supra vitulum atque arietem.	14 And when he had led him to a lofty place, on the top of mount Pisgah, Balaam built seven altars, and placing upon each a calf and a ram,
15 Et dixit Balaam ad Balac: “ Sta hic iuxta holocaustum tuum, donec ego obvius pergam ”.	15 he said to Balak, “Stand here next to your holocaust, while I continue on to meet him.”
16 Cui cum Dominus occurrisset posuissetque verbum in ore eius, ait: “ Revertere ad Balac et haec loqueris ei ”.	16 And when the Lord had met him, and had put the word in his mouth, he said, “Return to Balak, and you shall say this to him.”
17 Reversus invenit eum stantem iuxta holocaustum suum et principes Moabitarum cum eo. Ad quem Balac: “ Quid, inquit, locutus est Dominus? ”.	17 Returning, he found him standing next to his holocaust, and the leaders of the Moabites were with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the Lord spoken?”
18 At ille, assumpta parabola sua, ait: “ Surge, Balac, et ausculta; audi, fili Sephor.	18 But, taking up his parable, he said: “Stand, Balak, and pay attention. Listen, you son of Zippor.
19 Non est Deus quasi homo, ut mentiatur, nec ut filius hominis, ut mutetur. Numquid dixit et non faciet? Locutus est et non implebit?	19 God is not like a man, so that he would lie, nor is he like a son of man, so that he would be changed. Therefore, having spoken, will he not act? Has he ever spoken, and not fulfilled?
20 Ad benedicendum adductus sum, benedictionem prohibere non valeo.	20 I was led here to bless, and I have no strength to hinder the blessing.
21 Non conspicitur malum in Iacob, nec videtur calamitas in Israel. Dominus Deus eius cum eo est, et clangor regis in illo.	21 There is no idol in Jacob; neither is there a false image to be seen in Israel. The Lord his God is with him, and the resound of royal victory is in him.
22 Deus eduxit illum de Aegypto, sicut cornua bubali est ei.	22 God has led him away from Egypt; his strength is like that of the rhinoceros.
23 Non est augurium in Iacob, nec divinatio in Israel. Temporibus suis dicetur Iacob et Israeli quid operatus sit Deus.	23 There is no soothsaying in Jacob, nor any divination in Israel. In their times, it shall be told to Jacob and to Israel what God has wrought.
24 Ecce populus ut leaena consurget, et quasi leo erigetur; non accubabit, donec devoret praedam et occisorum sanguinem bibat ”.	24 Behold, the people will rise up like a lioness, and lie down like a lion. But they will not lie down until they devour the prey and drink the blood of the slain.”
25 Dixitque Balac ad Balaam: “ Nec maledicas ei, nec benedicas! ”.	25 And Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse him, nor bless him.”
26 Et ille ait: “ Nonne dixi tibi quod, quidquid mihi Dominus imperaret, hoc facerem? ”.	26 And he said, “Have I not told you that whatever God would command of me, I would do?”
27 Et ait Balac ad eum: “ Veni, et ducam te ad alîum locum, si forte placeat Deo, ut inde maledicas ei ”.	27 And Balak said to him: “Come and I will lead you to another place. If perhaps it may please God, then you may curse them from there.”
28 Cumque duxisset eum super verticem montis Phegor, qui respicit solitudinem,	28 And when he had led him on to the top of mount Peor, which looks out toward the wilderness,
29 dixit ei Balaam: “ Aedifica mihi hic septem aras et para totidem vitulos eiusdemque numeri arietes ”.	29 Balaam said to him, “Build seven altars here for me, and prepare as many calves, and the same number of rams.”
30 Fecit Balac, ut Balaam dixerat, imposuitque vitulos et arietes per singulas aras.	30 Balak did as Balaam had said, and he placed on each altar a calf and a ram.