Numbers
Chapter24
1Balaam,however,perceivingthattheLORDwaspleasedtoblessIsrael,didnotgoasideasbeforetoseekomens,butturnedhisgazetowardthedesert.
巴郎见祝福以色列，为上主所喜悦，就不再像前几次一样先去探求预示，只转面向旷野。
2WhenheraisedhiseyesandsawIsraelencamped,tribebytribe,thespiritofGodcameuponhim,
巴郎一举目，看见了按支派扎营的以色列人；那时天主的神降在他身上，
3andhegavevoicetohisoracle:TheutteranceofBalaam,sonofBeor,theutteranceofthemanwhoseeyeistrue,
他遂吟诗说：＂贝敖尔的儿子巴郎的神谕，明眼男子的神谕，
4TheutteranceofonewhohearswhatGodsays,andknowswhattheMostHighknows,OfonewhoseeswhattheAlmightysees,enraptured,andwitheyesunveiled:
那听到天主的话，得见全能者的神视，在沉睡中开了神眼的神谕：
5Howgoodlyareyourtents,OJacob;yourencampments,OIsrael!
雅各伯，你的帐幕，何其壮观！以色列，你的居所，何其美好！
6Theyarelikegardensbesideastream,likethecedarsplantedbytheLORD.
如扩展的棕林，似河畔的花园，像上主栽种的沉香，似临水的香柏。
7Hiswellsshallyieldfree-flowingwaters,heshallhavetheseawithinreach;Hiskingshallrisehigherthanandhisroyaltyshallbeexalted.
英雄由他的后裔而出，他将治理许多民族；他的君王超越阿加格，他的王国必受举扬。
8ItisGodwhobroughthimoutofEgypt,awildbulloftoweringmight.Heshalldevourthenationslikegrass,theirbonesheshallstripbare.
领他出埃及的天主，为他有如野牛的角。他要吞灭那敌对他的人民，粉碎他们的骨骸，折断他们的箭矢。
9Heliescrouchinglikealion,orlikealioness;whoshallarousehim?Blessedishewhoblessesyou,andcursedishewhocursesyou!
他蹲伏卧下有如雄狮，又似母狮；谁敢令他起立？祝福你的，必受祝福；咒骂你的，必受咒骂。＂
101BalakbeathispalmstogetherinablazeofangeratBalaamandsaidtohim,＂ItwastocursemyfoesthatIsummonedyouhere;yetthreetimesnowyouhaveevenblessedtheminstead!
巴拉克对巴郎大发忿怒，拍手向他说：＂我请你来是为咒骂我的仇敌；看，你反祝福他们，且已三次。
11Beoffatonce,then,toyourhome.Ipromisedtorewardyourichly,buttheLORDhaswithheldtherewardfromyou!＂
现在你快回你故乡去！我原想丰富地酬谢你，但是，上主夺去了你的酬报。＂
12BalaamrepliedtoBalak,＂DidInotwarntheverymessengerswhomyousenttome,
巴郎回答巴拉克说：＂我不是已对你遣来的使者声明过：
13‘EvenifBalakgavemehishousefullofsilverandgold,Icouldnotofmyownaccordtoanything,goodorevil,contrarytothecommandoftheLORD'?WhatevertheLORDsaysImustrepeat.
即使巴拉克给我满屋金银，我也不能违犯上主的命令，任意去行善或作恶，而只能说上主所吩咐的吗？
14＂ButnowthatIamabouttogotomyownpeople,letmefirstwarnyouwhatthispeoplewilldotoyourpeopleinthedaystocome.＂
现在我就要回到我民族那里去；来，让我告诉你这民族日后对你的民族所要做的事。＂
15ThenBalaamgavevoicetohisoracle:TheutteranceofBalaam,sonofBeor,theutteranceofthemanwhoseeyeistrue,
于是他吟诗说：＂贝敖尔的儿子巴郎的神谕，明眼男子的神谕，
16TheutteranceofonewhohearswhatGodsays,andknowswhattheMostHighknows,OfonewhoseeswhattheAlmightysees,enrapturedandwitheyesunveiled.
那听到天主的话，深知至高者的思虑，得见全能者的神视，在沉睡中开了神眼的神谕：
172Iseehim,thoughnotnow;Ibeholdhim,thoughnotnear:AstarshalladvancefromJacob,andastaffshallrisefromIsrael,ThatshallsmitethebrowsofMoab,andtheskullsofalltheShuthites,
我看见衪，却不是在现在；我望见衪，却不是在近处：由雅各伯将出现一颗星，由以色列将兴起一权杖，击碎摩阿布的额角，粉碎舍特一切子民的脑盖。
18TillEdomisdispossessed,andnofugitiveisleftinSeir.Israelshalldovaliantly,
厄东将成为他的属地，色依尔将成为他的辖境；以色列必行使威权。
19andJacobshallovercomehisfoes.
由雅各伯将出生一位统治仇敌者，衪要除灭依尔的遗民。＂
203UponseeingAmalek,Balaamgavevoicetohisoracle:FirstofthepeopleswasAmalek,buthisendistoperishforever.
以后他望见阿肋玛克，遂吟诗说：＂阿肋玛克原是众民之首，但他的结局是永远的灭亡。＂
214UponseeingtheKenites,hegavevoicetohisoracle:Yourabodeisenduring,Osmith,andyournestissetonacliff;
后又望见刻尼人，遂吟诗说：＂你的居所固然巩固，你的巢穴纵然建在盘石间；
22Yetdestinedforburning——evenasIwatch——areyourinhabitants.
但刻尼人仍要被毁灭，到何时亚述才将你掳去？＂
235Uponseeinghegavevoicetohisoracle:Alas,whoshallsurviveofIshmael,
他又吟诗说：＂呜呼！若天主履行此事，谁还能生存！
24todeliverhispeoplefromthehandsoftheKittim?WhentheyhaveconqueredAsshurandconqueredEber,Hetooshallperishforever.
从基廷有船来，征服亚述，征服厄贝尔；他们也要永远灭亡。＂
25ThenBalaamsetoutonhisjourneyhome;andBalakalsowenthisway.
然后巴郎起身回了本乡；巴拉克也回去了。
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Footnotes(注解)
1[10]Balakbeathispalms:asignofdisclaiminganyresponsibilityforpayingthepromisedreward.
2[17]Astarastaff:manyoftheFathershaveunderstoodthisasaMessianicprophecy,althoughitisnotreferredtoanywhereintheNewTestament;inthissensethestarisChristhimself,justasheisthestafffromIsrael;cfIsaiah11:1.Butitisdoubtfulwhetherthispassageistobeconnectedwiththe＂staroftheMagi＂inMatthew2:1-12.TheShuthites:mentionedinotherdocumentsofthisperiodasnomadsonthebordersofPalestine.
3[20]First:literally＂thebeginning.＂AmalekwasanaboriginalpeopleinPalestineandthereforeconsideredasofgreatantiquity.Thereisadeliberatecontrastherebetweenthewordsfirstandend.
4[21]TheKeniteslivedinhighstrongholdsinthemountainsofsouthernPalestineandtheSinaiPeninsula,andwereskilledinworkingthevariousmetalsfoundintheirterritory.Theirnameisconnected,atleastbypopularetymology,withtheHebrewwordfor＂smith＂;ofsimilarsoundistheHebrewwordfor＂nest＂-hencetheplayonwordsinthepresentpassage.
5[23-24]Thetranslationofthisshortoracleisbasedonareconstructedtextandisratheruncertain.Ishmael:thesurvivalofIshmaelisindicatedinGenesis17:20;21:13,18.