1  And when Balaam saw that it pleased YHWH to bless Israel, he went not, as at the other times, to meet with enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

1  And when Balaam had seen that it was pleasing to the Lord that he should bless Israel, he by no means went out as he had gone before, to seek divination. But directing his face opposite the desert,

2  And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling tribe by tribe; and the spirit of God came upon him.

2  and lifting up his eyes, he saw Israel dwelling in tents by their tribes. And with the Spirit of God rushing into him,

3  And he took up his parable, and said: The saying of Balaam the son of Beor, and the saying of the man whose eye is opened;

3  taking up his parable, he said: “Balaam, the son of Beor, the man whose eye has been obstructed,

4  The saying of him who heareth the words of God, who seeth the vision of the Almighty, fallen down, yet with opened eyes

4  He has said, who heard the word of God, who saw the vision of God, falling into a trance but having his eyes open

5  How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, thy dwellings, O Israel!

5  ‘How beautiful are your tabernacles, O Jacob, and your tents, O Israel!

6  As valleys stretched out, as gardens by the river-side; as aloes planted of YHWH, as cedars beside the waters;

6  They are like forested valleys, like gardens irrigated next to rivers, like tabernacles which the Lord has fixed, like cedars close to waters.

6  As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.

7  Water shall flow from his branches, and his seed shall be in many waters; and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.

7  There shall come a man out of his seed, and he shall rule over many nations; and the kingdom of Gog shall be exalted, and his kingdom shall be increased.

8  God who brought him forth out of Egypt is for him like the lofty horns of the wild-ox; he shall eat up the nations that are his adversaries, and shall break their bones in pieces, and pierce them through with his arrows.

8  Away from Egypt, God has led him, whose strength is like the rhinoceros. They shall devour the nations that are his enemies, and break their bones, and pierce them with arrows.

8  The God who brought them forth out of Egypt with his might and excellency, he shall devour the nations that are their enemies, and shall break their bones in pieces, and cut off their loins.

9  He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? Blessed be every one that blesseth thee, and cursed be every one that curseth thee.

9  He lay down, he rested as a lion, and as a young lion; who shall stir him up? they that bless thee are blessed, and they that curse thee are cursed.

9  Lying down, he has slept like a lion, and like a lioness, whom no one would dare to awaken. He who blesses you, shall himself also be blessed. He who curses you, shall be considered cursed.”

10  And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together; and Balak said unto Balaam: 'I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.

10  And Balac was angry with Balaam, and clapped his hands together; and Balac said to Balaam, I called thee to curse my enemy, and behold thou hast decidedly blessed him this third time.

10  And Balak, being angry against Balaam, clapped his hands together and said: “I called you to curse my enemies, and, to the contrary, you have blessed them three times.

11  Therefore now flee thou to thy place; I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, YHWH hath kept thee back from honour.'

11  Now therefore flee to thy place: I said, I will honour thee, but now the Lord has deprived thee of glory.

12  And Balaam said unto Balak: 'Spoke I not also to thy messengers that thou didst send unto me, saying

12  Balaam responded to Balak: “Did I not say to your messengers, whom you sent to me

12  And Balaam answered and said to Balak, Did I not say to your messengers whom you sent to me,

13  If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of YHWH, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; what the YHWH speaketh, that will I speak?

13  If Balac should give me his house full of silver and gold, I shall not be able to transgress the word of the Lord to make it good or bad by myself; whatsoever things God shall say, them will I speak.

13  Even if Balak would give me his house, filled with silver and gold, I still could not go away from the word of the Lord my God, so as to offer anything, either good or evil, from my own heart; but whatever the Lord will speak, this, too, I shall speak.

14  And now, behold, I go unto my people; come, and I will announce to thee what this people shall do to thy people in the end of days.'

14  Yet truly, as I continue on to my own people, I will give you counsel as to what this people shall do to your people in the end times.”

15  And he took up his parable, and said: The saying of Balaam the son of Beor, and the saying of the man whose eye is opened;

15  Therefore, taking up his parable, he again spoke: “Balaam the son of Beor, the man whose eye has been obstructed,

16  The saying of him who heareth the words of God, and knoweth the knowledge of the Most High, who seeth the vision of the Almighty, fallen down, yet with opened eyes

16  hearing the oracles of God, receiving knowledge from the Most High, and having seen a vision of God in sleep; his eyes were opened.

16  He has said, who heard the words of God and knew the knowledge of the Most High, who saw the vision of God, falling into a trance but having his eyes open;

17  I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not nigh; there shall step forth a star out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite through the corners of Moab, and break down all the sons of Seth.

18  And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also, even his enemies, shall be a possession; while Israel doeth valiantly.

18  And Edom shall be an inheritance, and Esau his enemy shall be an inheritance of Israel, and Israel wrought valiantly.

18  And he shall possess Idumea; the inheritance of Seir shall fall to their enemies. Yet truly, Israel shall act with strength.

19  And out of Jacob shall one have dominion, and shall destroy the remnant from the city.

19  From Jacob will be he who shall be ruler. And he shall perish the remnants of the city.”

19  Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him who has survived out of the city.

20  And he looked on Amalek, and took up his parable, and said: Amalek was the first of the nations; but his end shall come to destruction.

21  And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his parable, and said: Though firm be thy dwelling-place, and though thy nest be set in the rock;

21  And having seen the Kenite, he took up his parable and said, thy dwelling-place is strong; yet though thou shouldest put thy nest in a rock,

21  Likewise, he saw the Kainites, and taking up his parable, he said: “Robust, indeed, is your habitation. But though you will set your nest in a rock,

22  Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted; How long? Asshur shall carry thee away captive.

22  and though Beor should have a skillfully contrived hiding-place, the Assyrians shall carry thee away captive.

22  and you will be elect among the stock of Kain, how long will you be able to remain? For Assur shall take you captive.”

23  And he took up his parable, and said: Alas, who shall live after God hath appointed him?

23  And he looked upon Og, and took up his parable and said, Oh, oh, who shall live, when God shall do these things?

23  And taking up his parable once more he said: “Alas! Who will be able to survive, when God will do these things?

24  But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim, and they shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall come to destruction.

24  They shall arrive in Greek warships from Italy. They shall overcome the Assyrians, and they shall devastate the Hebrews, and yet, at the very end, even they themselves shall perish.”

24  And legions shall come from the land of China, and shall conquer Assyria, and shall subdue the Hebrews, and they also shall perish for ever.

25  And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way.