Numeri 24

VULGATA	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Cumque vidisset Balaam quod placeret Domino ut benediceret Israëli, nequaquam abiit ut ante perrexerat, ut augurium quæreret : sed dirigens contra desertum vultum suum,	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 et elevans oculos, vidit Israël in tentoriis commorantem per tribus suas : et irruente in se spiritu Dei,	2 Raising his eyes Balaam saw Israel settled tribe by tribe; the spirit of God came on him
3 assumpta parabola, ait : Dixit Balaam filius Beor : dixit homo, cujus obturatus est oculus :	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 dixit auditor sermonum Dei, qui visionem Omnipotentis intuitus est, qui cadit, et sic aperiuntur oculi ejus :	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 Quam pulchra tabernacula tua, Jacob, et tentoria tua, Israël !	5 How fair your tents are, Jacob, how fair your dwel ings, Israel,
6 ut valles nemorosæ, ut horti juxta fluvios irrigui, ut tabernacula quæ fixit Dominus, quasi cedri prope aquas.	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 Fluet aqua de situla ejus, et semen illius erit in aquas multas. Tolletur propter Agag, rex ejus, et auferetur regnum illius.	7 A hero arises from their stock, he reigns over countless peoples. His king is greater than Agag, andhis kingship held in honour.
8 Deus eduxit illum de Ægypto, cujus fortitudo similis est rhinocerotis. Devorabunt gentes hostes illius, ossaque eorum confringent, et perforabunt sagittis.	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 Accubans dormivit ut leo, et quasi leæna, quam suscitare nullus audebit. Qui benedixerit tibi, erit et ipse benedictus : qui maledixerit, in maledictione reputabitur.	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 Iratusque Balac contra Balaam, complosis manibus ait : Ad maledicendum inimicis meis vocavi te, quibus e contrario tertio benedixisti :	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 revertere ad locum tuum. Decreveram quidem magnifice honorare te, sed Dominus privavit te honore disposito.	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 Respondit Balaam ad Balac : Nonne nuntiis tuis, quos misisti ad me, dixi :	12 Balaam retorted to Balak, 'Did I not tel the messengers you sent me,
13 Si dederit mihi Balac plenam domum suam argenti et auri, non potero præterire sermonem Domini Dei mei, ut vel boni quid vel mali proferam ex corde meo : sed quidquid Dominus dixerit, hoc loquar ?	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 verumtamen pergens ad populum meum, dabo consilium, quid populus tuus populo huic faciat extremo tempore.	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 Sumpta igitur parabola, rursum ait : Dixit Balaam filius Beor : dixit homo, cujus obturatus est oculus :	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 dixit auditor sermonum Dei, qui novit doctrinam Altissimi, et visiones Omnipotentis videt, qui cadens apertos habet oculos :	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 Videbo eum, sed non modo : intuebor illum, sed non prope. Orietur stella ex Jacob, et consurget virga de Israël : et percutiet duces Moab, vastabitque omnes filios 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 Et erit Idumæa possessio ejus : hæreditas Seir cedet inimicis suis : Israël vero fortiter aget.	18 Edom too wil be a conquered land, Seir too wil be a conquered land, when Israel exerts hisstrength,
19 De Jacob erit qui dominetur, et perdat reliquias civitatis.	19 when Jacob tramples on his enemies and destroys the last survivors of Ar.
20 Cumque vidisset Amalec, assumens parabolam, ait : Principium gentium Amalec, cujus extrema perdentur.	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 Vidit quoque Cinæum : et assumpta parabola, ait : Robustum quidem est habitaculum tuum : sed si in petra posueris nidum tuum,	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 et fueris electus de stirpe Cin, quamdiu poteris permanere ? Assur enim capiet te.	22 But the nest belongs to Beor; how long wil you be Asshur's captive?
23 Assumptaque parabola iterum locutus est : Heu ! quis victurus est, quando ista faciet Deus ?	23 He then declaimed his poem, as fol ows: The Sea-people are gathering in the north,
24 Venient in trieribus de Italia : superabunt Assyrios, vastabuntque Hebræos, et ad extremum etiam ipsi peribunt.	24 the vessels from the coasts of Kittim. They wil bear down on Asshur, bear down on Eber; he too willperish forever.
25 Surrexitque Balaam, et reversus est in locum suum : Balac quoque via, qua venerat, rediit.	25 Balaam then got up, left and went home, and Balak too went his way.