Numbers 22

profectique castrametati sunt in campestribus Moab ubi trans Iordanem Hierichus sita est

And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.

videns autem Balac filius Sepphor omnia quae fecerat Israhel Amorreo

And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

et quod pertimuissent eum Moabitae et impetum eius ferre non possent

And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.

dixit ad maiores 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

And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.

misit ergo nuntios ad Balaam filium Beor ariolum qui habitabat super flumen terrae filiorum Ammon ut vocarent eum et dicerent ecce egressus est populus ex Aegypto qui operuit superficiem terrae sedens contra me

He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:

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

Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.

perrexerunt seniores Moab et maiores natu Madian habentes divinationis pretium in manibus cumque venissent ad Balaam et narrassent ei omnia verba Balac

And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.

ille respondit manete hic nocte et respondebo quicquid mihi dixerit Dominus manentibus illis apud Balaam venit Deus et ait ad eum

And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.

quid sibi volunt homines isti apud te

And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?

respondit Balac filius Sepphor rex Moabitarum misit ad me

And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying,

dicens ecce populus qui egressus est de Aegypto operuit superficiem terrae veni et maledic ei si quo modo possim pugnans abicere eum

Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.

dixitque Deus ad Balaam noli ire cum eis neque maledicas populo quia benedictus est

And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.

qui mane consurgens dixit ad principes ite in terram vestram quia prohibuit me Deus venire vobiscum

And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you.

reversi principes dixerunt ad Balac noluit Balaam venire nobiscum

And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.

rursum ille multo plures et nobiliores quam ante miserat misit

And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.

qui cum venissent ad Balaam dixerunt sic dicit Balac filius Sepphor ne cuncteris venire ad me

And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me:

paratum honorare te et quicquid volueris dare veni et maledic populo isti

For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.

respondit Balaam si dederit mihi Balac plenam domum suam argenti et auri non potero inmutare verbum Domini Dei mei ut vel plus vel minus loquar

And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.

obsecro ut hic maneatis etiam hac nocte et scire queam quid mihi rursum respondeat Dominus

Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.

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

And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.

surrexit Balaam mane et strata asina profectus est cum eis

And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.

et iratus est Deus stetitque angelus Domini in via contra Balaam qui sedebat asinae et duos pueros habebat secum

And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.

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

And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.

stetit angelus in angustiis duarum maceriarum quibus vineae cingebantur

But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.

quem videns asina iunxit se parieti et adtrivit sedentis pedem at ille iterum verberabat

And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again.

et nihilominus angelus ad locum angustum transiens ubi nec ad dextram nec ad sinistram poterat deviari obvius stetit

And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.

cumque vidisset asina stantem angelum concidit sub pedibus sedentis qui iratus vehementius caedebat fuste latera

And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.

aperuitque Dominus os asinae et locuta est quid feci tibi cur percutis me ecce iam tertio

And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?

respondit Balaam quia commeruisti et inlusisti mihi utinam haberem gladium ut te percuterem

And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.

dixit asina nonne animal tuum sum cui semper sedere consuesti usque in praesentem diem dic quid simile umquam fecerim tibi at ille ait numquam

And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.

protinus aperuit Dominus oculos Balaam et vidit angelum stantem in via evaginato gladio adoravitque eum pronus in terram

Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.

cui angelus cur inquit tertio verberas asinam tuam ego veni ut adversarer tibi quia perversa est via tua mihique contraria

And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:

et nisi asina declinasset de via dans locum resistenti te occidissem et illa viveret

And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.

dixit Balaam peccavi nesciens quod tu stares contra me et nunc si displicet tibi ut vadam revertar

And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.

ait angelus vade cum istis et cave ne aliud quam praecepero tibi loquaris ivit igitur cum principibus

And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

quod cum audisset Balac egressus est in occursum eius in oppido Moabitarum quod situm est in extremis finibus Arnon

And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.

dixitque ad Balaam misi nuntios ut vocarent te cur non statim venisti ad me an quia mercedem adventui tuo reddere nequeo

And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour?

cui ille respondit ecce adsum numquid loqui potero aliud nisi quod Deus posuerit in ore meo

And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.

perrexerunt ergo simul et venerunt in urbem quae in extremis regni eius finibus erat

And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjath–huzoth.

cumque occidisset Balac boves et oves misit ad Balaam et principes qui cum eo erant munera

And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.

mane autem facto duxit eum ad excelsa Baal et intuitus est extremam partem populi

And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of the people.