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

1 Profectique castrametati sunt in campestribus Moab, ubi trans Jordanem Jericho sita est.

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

2 Videns autem Balac filius Sephor omnia quæ fecerat Israël Amorrhæo,

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

3 et quod pertimuissent eum Moabitæ, et impetum ejus ferre non possent,

4 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.

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.

5 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:

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.

6 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.

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.

7 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.

7 Perrexeruntque seniores Moab, et majores natu Madian, habentes divinationis pretium in manibus. Cumque venissent ad Balaam, et narrassent ei omnia verba Balac,

8 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.

8 ille respondit: Manete hic nocte, et respondebo quidquid mihi dixerit Dominus. Manentibus illis apud Balaam, venit Deus, et ait ad eum:

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

9 Quid sibi volunt homines isti apud te?

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

10 Respondit: Balac filius Sephor rex Moabitarum misit ad me,

11 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.

11 dicens: Ecce populus qui egressus est de Ægypto, operuit superficiem terræ: veni, et maledic ei, si quomodo possim pugnans abigere eum.

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

12 Dixitque Deus ad Balaam: Noli ire cum eis, neque maledicas populo: quia benedictus est.

13 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.

13 Qui mane consurgens dixit ad principes: Ite in terram vestram, quia prohibuit me Dominus venire vobiscum.

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

14 Reversi principes dixerunt ad Balac: Noluit Balaam venire nobiscum.

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

15 ¶ Rursum ille multo plures et nobiliores quam ante miserat, misit.

16 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:

16 Qui cum venissent ad Balaam, dixerunt: Sic dicit Balac filius Sephor: Ne cuncteris venire ad me:

17 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.

17 paratus sum honorare te, et quidquid volueris, dabo tibi: veni, et maledic populo isti.

18 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.

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.

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

19 Obsecro ut hic maneatis etiam hac nocte, et scire queam quid mihi rursum respondeat Dominus.

20 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.

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.

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

21 Surrexit Balaam mane, et strata asina sua profectus est cum eis.

22 ¶ 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.

22 ¶ Et iratus est Deus. Stetitque angelus Domini in via contra Balaam, qui insidebat asinæ, et duos pueros habebat secum.

23 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.

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,

24 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.

24 stetit angelus in angustiis duarum maceriarum, quibus vineæ cingebantur.

25 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.

25 Quem videns asina, junxit se parieti, et attrivit sedentis pedem. At ille iterum verberabat eam:

26 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.

26 et nihilominus angelus ad locum angustum transiens, ubi nec ad dexteram, nec ad sinistram poterat deviare, obvius stetit.

27 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.

27 Cumque vidisset asina stantem angelum, concidit sub pedibus sedentis: qui iratus, vehementius cædebat fuste latera ejus.

28 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?

28 Aperuitque Dominus os asinæ, et locuta est: Quid feci tibi? cur percutis me ecce jam tertio?

29 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.

29 Respondit Balaam: Quia commeruisti, et illusisti mihi: utinam haberem gladium, ut te percuterem!

30 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.

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.

31 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.

31 Protinus aperuit Dominus oculos Balaam, et vidit angelum stantem in via, evaginato gladio, adoravitque eum pronus in terram.

32 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:

32 Cui angelus: Cur, inquit, tertio verberas asinam tuam? ego veni ut adversarer tibi, quia perversa est via tua, mihique contraria:

33 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.

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

34 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.

34 ¶ Dixit Balaam: Peccavi, nesciens quod tu stares contra me: et nunc si displicet tibi ut vadam, revertar.

35 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.

35 Ait angelus: Vade cum istis, et cave ne aliud quam præcepero tibi loquaris. Ivit igitur cum principibus.

36 ¶ 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.

36 Quod cum audisset Balac, egressus est in occursum ejus in oppido Moabitarum, quod situm est in extremis finibus Arnon.

37 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?

37 Dixitque ad Balaam: Misi nuntios ut vocarent te: cur non statim venisti ad me? an quia mercedem adventui tuo reddere nequeo?

38 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.

38 Cui ille respondit: Ecce adsum: numquid loqui potero aliud, nisi quod Deus posuerit in ore meo?

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

39 Perrexerunt ergo simul, et venerunt in urbem, quæ in extremis regni ejus finibus erat.

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

40 Cumque occidisset Balac boves et oves, misit ad Balaam, et principes qui cum eo erant, munera.

41 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.

41 Mane autem facto, duxit eum ad excelsa Baal, et intuitus est extremam partem populi.