And they went forward and encamped in the plains of Moab, over against where Jericho is situate beyond the Jordan.

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

Their next encampment was in the plains of Moab, on the further side of Jordan opposite Jericho.

And Balac the son of Sephor, seeing all that Israel had done to the Amorrhite,

Videns autem Balac filius Sephor omnia quæ fecerat Israël Amorrhæo,

But there was one man that took note of all this, Balac the son of Sephor. He saw how the sons of Israel had defeated the Amorrhites,

And that the Moabites were in great fear of him, and were not able to sustain his assault,

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

how they had struck terror into Moab, and could not be halted in their advance.

He said to the elders of Madian: So will this people destroy all that dwell in our borders, as the ox is wont to eat the grass to the very roots. Now he was at that time king in Moab.

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.

And he said to the Madianite chiefs, Here is a people that will make short work of all our neighbours, as easily as an ox tears up grass by the roots. It was in Moab that Balac himself bore rule at this time.

He sent therefore messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, a soothsayer, who dwelt by the river of the land of the children of Ammon, to call him, and to say: Behold a people is come out of Egypt, that hath covered the face of the earth, sitting over against me.

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.

So he sent envoys to Balaam son of Beor, the soothsayer who dwelt on the Ammonite border, desiring his presence. Here is a people on the march from Egypt, he said, whose hosts darken the face of earth, and they are encamped at my doors;

Come therefore, and curse this people, because it is mightier than I: if by any means I may beat them and drive them out of my land: for I know that he whom thou shalt bless is blessed, and he whom thou shalt curse is cursed.

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.

come and lay thy curse on them, or they are too strong for me. I would fain overthrow them, drive them out of my country; and I know well that a blessing falls where thou dost bless, a curse where thou dost curse.

And the ancients of Moab, and the elders of Madian, went with the price of divination in their hands. And when they were come to Balaam, and had told him all the words of Balac:

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

So the elders of Moab, chiefs of the Madianite country, set out with gifts in their hands to fee the soothsayer. When they reached Balaam, and gave him Balac’s message,

He answered: Tarry here this night, and I will answer whatsoever the Lord shall say to me. And while they stayed with Balaam, God came and said to him:

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

he bade them stay there for the night, so that he might answer as the Lord should direct him. To this they consented; and when God came to Balaam and asked him,

What mean these men that are with thee?

Quid sibi volunt homines isti apud te?

What is their errand, these guests of thine?

He answered: Balac the son of Sephor king of the Moabites hath sent to me,

Respondit: Balac filius Sephor rex Moabitarum misit ad me,

he answered, They have brought me a message from Balac, son of Sephor.

Saying: Behold a people that is come out of Egypt, hath covered the face of the land: come and curse them, if by any means I may fight with them and drive them away.

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

He says a people has marched there from Egypt, whose hosts darken the face of earth, and he would have me come and lay my ban on them, so that he can make war on them and drive them out of his country.

And God said to Balaam: Thou shalt not go with them, nor shalt thou curse the people: because it is blessed.

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

Do not go with them, the Lord said to Balaam; do not lay thy curse on the people, for a blessing goes with them.

And he rose in the morning and said to the princes: Go into your country, because the Lord hath forbid me to come with you.

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

So when he rose next morning he bade the chiefs go back to their own country; the Lord would not allow him to accompany them.

The princes returning, said to Balac: Balaam would not come with us.

Reversi principes dixerunt ad Balac: Noluit Balaam venire nobiscum.

And when these returned and told Balac how Balaam had refused to come with them,

Then he sent many more and more noble than he had sent before:

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

he sent other chiefs, more in number and greater in rank than those whom he had sent first.

Who, when they were come to Balaam, said: Thus saith Balac the son of Sephor, Delay not to come to me:

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

And the message these brought with them to Balaam in the name of Balac son of Sephor was this; Come to me with all speed;

For I am ready to honour thee, and will give thee whatsoever thou wilt: come and curse this people.

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

I am ready to grant thee honours and whatever else thou wouldst have, if thou wilt only come and lay thy ban on this people.

Balaam answered: If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot alter the word of the Lord my God, to speak either more or less.

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.

But Balaam told them, Though Balac should fill his house with silver and gold and offer to give it me, I have no power to go beyond the Lord’s bidding by a word great or small.

I pray you to stay here this night also, that I may know what the Lord will answer me once more.

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

Be pleased to lodge with me to-night, and wait to hear what answer the Lord will give me this time.

God therefore came to Balaam in the night, and said to him: If these men be come to call thee, arise and go with them: yet so, that thou do what I shall command thee.

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.

And that night the Lord came to Balaam and said, If they are here to summon thee, rise and go with them, but do ever what I bid thee.

Balaam arose in the morning, and saddling his ass went with them.

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

When Balaam arose in the morning, he saddled his ass and set out in their company.

And God was angry. And an angel of the Lord stood in the way against Balaam, who sat on the ass, and had two servants with him.

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

But now God was angry at his going. There rode Balaam on his ass, with two servants attending him, when all at once an angel of the Lord stood in his path to prevent him.

The ass seeing the angel standing in the way, with a drawn sword, turned herself out of the way, and went into the field. And when Balaam beat her, and had a mind to bring her again to the way,

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, seeing an angel standing there with drawn sword, edged away from the road and took to the open fields, so that Balaam must needs beat her, to force her into the path again.

The angel stood in a narrow place between two walls, wherewith the vineyards were enclosed.

stetit angelus in angustiis duarum maceriarum, quibus vineæ cingebantur.

Next, the angel stood in a narrow entry between two vineyard walls;

And the ass seeing him, thrust herself close to the wall, and bruised the foot of the rider. But he beat her again:

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

and at the sight of him the ass cowered close against one of the walls, crushing her rider’s foot, and he must beat her forward again.

And nevertheless the angel going on to a narrow place, where there was no way to turn aside either to the right hand or to the left, stood to meet him.

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

But still the angel of the Lord would have his way; he moved on to a narrow defile, where there was no room to pass right or left, and stood there to intercept them.

And when the ass saw the angel standing, she fell under the feet of the rider: who being angry beat her sides more vehemently with a staff.

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

And now the ass, seeing him standing there, lay down under her rider; so that Balaam fell into a rage, and beat her flanks harder than ever.

And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said: What have I done to thee? Why strikest thou me, lo, now this third time?

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

Hereupon the Lord endowed the ass with the power of speech, and she said, This is the third time thou hast beaten me; what have I done to deserve it?

Balaam answered: Because thou hast deserved it, and hast served me ill: I would I had a sword that I might kill thee.

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

Thou hast deserved it, answered Balaam, by playing me false; if I had but a sword in my hand, I would kill thee.

The ass said: Am not I thy beast, on which thou hast been always accustomed to ride until this present day? tell me if I ever did the like thing to thee. But he said: Never.

Dixit asina: Nonne animal tuum sum, cui semper sedere consuevisti usque in præsentem diem? dic quid simile umquam fecerim tibi. At ille ait: Numquam.

Why, said the ass, am I not thy own beast, that thou hast ridden these years past? And did I ever play thee such a trick before? Never, said he;

Forthwith the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel standing in the way with a drawn sword, and he worshipped him falling flat on the ground.

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

and with that the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, to make him see the angel standing there with drawn sword, and he fell to the ground in worship.

And the angel said to him: Why beatest thou thy ass these three times? I am come to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse, and contrary to me:

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

How comes it, asked the angel, that thou hast thrice beaten thy ass? I came to intercept thee, because this errand of thine is headstrong and defies my will;

And unless the ass had turned out of the way, giving place to me who stood against thee, I had slain thee, and she should have lived.

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

if the ass had not turned aside, yielding to my ban, I would have taken thy life and spared hers.

Balaam said: I have sinned, not knowing that thou didst stand against me: and now if it displease thee that I go, I will return.

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

I have been at fault, said Balaam, little thinking that thou wert standing in my way; if thou art displeased with my errand, I will go home again.

The angel said: Go with these men, and see thou speak no other thing than what I shall command thee. He went therefore with the princes.

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

No, said the angel, go with them, but be sure thou utterest no word save what I bid thee. So he went on with the chiefs;

And when Balac heard it he came forth to meet him in a town of the Moabites, that is situate in the uttermost borders of Arnon.

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

and at the news of his coming Balac went out to meet him, at a town where Arnon marks the furthest boundaries of Moab.

And he said to Balaam: I sent messengers to call thee, why didst thou not come immediately to me? was it because I am not able to reward thy coming?

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

I sent messengers to summon thee, he said to Balaam; why didst thou not come to me there and then? Didst thou think I had not the means to reward thee for thy pains?

He answered him: Lo, here I am: shall I have power to speak any other thing but that which God shall put in my mouth?

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

And Balaam answered, I have come, as thou seest; but with no message for thee save what the Lord puts on my lips.

So they went on together, and came into a city, that was in the uttermost borders of his kingdom.

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

So together they made their way to this city on the frontier of Balac’s dominions.

And when Balac had killed oxen and sheep, he sent presents to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.

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

Here he sacrificed oxen and sheep, sending a portion to Balaam and to the chiefs who had accompanied him;

And when morning was come, he brought him to the high places of Baal, and he beheld the uttermost part of the people.

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

and when morning came, he took him up to the Hill of Baal, whence he could see the furthest outposts of Israel.