Liber Numeri, 24

1. cumque vidisset Balaam quod placeret Domino ut benediceret Israheli nequaquam abiit ut ante perrexerat ut augurium quæreret sed dirigens contra desertum vultum suum

1. And when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord that he should bless Israel. he went not as he had gone before, to seek divination: but setting his face towards the desert,

2. et elevans oculos vidit Israël in tentoriis commorantem per tribus suas et inruente in se spiritu Dei

2. And lifting up his eyes, he saw Israel abiding in their tents by their tribes: and the spirit of God rushing upon him,

3. adsumpta parabola ait dixit Balaam filius Beor dixit homo cujus obturatus est oculus

3. He took up his parable and said: Balaam the son of Beor hath said: The man hath said, whose eye ire stopped up:

4. dixit auditor sermonum Dei qui visionem Omnipotentis intuitus est qui cadit et sic aperiuntur oculi ejus

4. The hearer of the words of God hath said, he that hath beheld the vision of the Almighty, he that falleth, and so his eyes are opened:

5. quam pulchra tabernacula tua Jacob et tentoria tua Israël

5. How beautiful are thy tabernacles, O Jacob, and thy tents, O Israel!

6. ut valles nemorosæ ut horti juxta fluvios inrigui ut tabernacula quæ fixit Dominus quasi cedri propter aquas

6. As woody valleys, as watered gardens near the rivers, as tabernacles which the Lord hath pitched, as cedars by the waterside.

7. fluet aqua de situla ejus et semen illius erit in aquas multas tolletur propter Agag rex ejus et auferetur regnum illius

7. Water shall flow out of his bucket, and his seed shall be in many waters. For Agag his king shall be removed, and his kingdom shall be taken awry.

8. Deus eduxit illum de Ægypto cujus fortitudo similis est rinocerotis devorabunt gentes hostes illius ossaque eorum confringent et perforabunt sagittis

8. God hath brought him out of Egypt, whose strength is like to the rhinoceros. They shall devour the nations that are his enemies, and break their bones, and pierce them with arrows.

9. accubans dormivit ut leo et quasi leæna quam suscitare nullus audebit qui benedixerit tibi erit ipse benedictus qui maledixerit in maledictione reputabitur

9. Lying down he hath slept as a lion, and as a lioness, whom none shall dare to rouse. He that blesseth thee, shall also himself be blessed: he that curseth thee shall be reckoned accursed.

10. iratusque Balac contra Balaam conplosis manibus ait ad maledicendum inimicis meis vocavi te quibus e contrario tertio benedixisti

10. And Balac being angry against Balaam, clapped his hands together and said: I called thee to curse my enemies, and thou on the contrary hast blessed them three times.

11. revertere ad locum tuum decreveram quidem magnifice honorare te sed Dominus privavit te honore disposito

11. Return to thy place. I had determined indeed greatly to honour thee, but the Lord hath deprived thee of the honour designed for thee.

12. respondit Balaam ad Balac nonne nuntiis tuis quos misisti ad me dixi

12. Balaam made answer to Balac: Did I not say to thy messengers, whom thou sentest to 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 quicquid Dominus dixerit hoc loquar

13. If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to utter any thing of my own head either good or evil: but whatsoever the Lord shall say, that I will speak?

14. verumtamen pergens ad populum meum dabo consilium quid populus tuus huic populo faciat extremo tempore

14. But yet going to my people, I will give thee counsel, what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.

15. sumpta igitur parabola rursum ait dixit Balaam filius Beor dixit homo cujus obturatus est oculus

15. Therefore taking up his parable, again he said: Balaam the son of Beor hath said: The man whose eye is stopped up, hath said:

16. dixit auditor sermonum Dei qui novit doctrinam Altissimi et visiones Omnipotentis videt qui cadens apertos habet oculos

16. The hearer of the words of God hath said, who knoweth the doctrine of the Highest, and seeth the visions of the Almighty, who falling hath his eyes 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 shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not near. A STAR SHALL RISE out of Jacob and a sceptre shall spring up from Israel: and shall strike the chiefs of Moab, and shall waste all the children of Seth.

18. et erit Idumea possessio ejus hereditas Seir cedet inimicis suis Israël vero fortiter aget

18. And he shall possess Idumea: the inheritance of Seir shall come to their enemies, but Israel shall do manfully

19. de Jacob erit qui dominetur et perdat reliquias civitatis

19. Out of Jacob shall he come that shall rule, and shall destroy the remains of the city.

20. cumque vidisset Amalech adsumens parabolam ait principium gentium Amalech cujus extrema perdentur

20. And when he saw Amalec, he took up his parable, and said: Amalec the beginning of nations, whose latter ends shall be destroyed.

21. vidit quoque Cineum et adsumpta parabola ait robustum est quidem habitaculum tuum sed si in petra posueris nidum tuum

21. He saw also the Cinite: and took up his parable, and said: Thy habitation in- deed is strong: but though thou build thy nest in a rock,

22. et fueris electus de stirpe Cain quamdiu poteris permanere Assur enim capiet te

22. And thou be chosen of the stock of Cin, how long shalt thou be able to continue? For Assur shall take thee captive.

23. adsumptaque parabola iterum locutus est heu quis victurus est quando ista faciet Deus

23. And taking up his parable, again he said: Alas, who shall live when God shall do these things?

24. venient in trieribus de Italia superabunt Assyrios vastabuntque Hebræos et ad extremum etiam ipsi peribunt

24. They shall come in galleys from Italy, they shall overcome the Assyrians, and shall waste the Hebrews, and at the last they themselves also shall perish.

25. surrexitque Balaam et reversus est in locum suum Balac quoque via qua venerat rediit

25. And Balaam rose, and returned to his place: Balac also returned the way that he came.