Numeri 22

VULGATA	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Profectique castrametati sunt in campestribus Moab, ubi trans Jordanem Jericho 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 quæ fecerat Israël Amorrhæo,	2 Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites,
3 et quod pertimuissent eum Moabitæ, et impetum ejus ferre non possent,	3 and Moab was terrified of the people, because there were so many of them. Moab was afraid of theIsraelites;
4 dixit ad majores natu Madian : Ita delebit hic populus omnes, qui in nostris finibus commorantur, quomodo solet bos herbas usque ad radices carpere. Ipse 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 ariolum, qui habitabat super flumen terræ filiorum Ammon, ut vocarent eum, et dicerent : Ecce egressus est populus ex Ægypto, qui operuit superficiem terræ, 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 quomodo possim percutere et ejicere 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 majores 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, venit Deus, et ait ad eum :	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 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 Ægypto, operuit superficiem terræ : veni, et maledic ei, si quomodo 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 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 immutare 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 præcepero, 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. Stetitque angelus Domini in via contra Balaam, qui insidebat asinæ, 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 stantem in via, evaginato gladio, 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 in angustiis duarum maceriarum, quibus vineæ 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, junxit 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 nihilominus angelus ad locum angustum transiens, 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, concidit sub pedibus sedentis : qui iratus, vehementius cædebat fuste latera ejus.	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 asinæ, et locuta est : Quid feci tibi ? cur percutis me ecce jam 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 commeruisti, et illusisti mihi : utinam haberem gladium, ut te percuterem !	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 præsentem 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 stantem in via, evaginato gladio, 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 : 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 nisi asina declinasset de via, dans locum resistenti, te occidissem, et illa viveret.	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 : et nunc si displicet tibi ut vadam, 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 : Vade cum istis, et cave ne aliud quam præcepero tibi loquaris. Ivit igitur cum principibus.	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, egressus est in occursum ejus in oppido Moabitarum, 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 : Misi nuntios ut vocarent te : cur non statim venisti ad me ? an quia mercedem adventui tuo reddere 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 urbem, quæ in extremis regni ejus finibus erat.	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, munera.	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.