When Balaamוַ בִּלְעָםsawיַּרְאthatכִּיit was goodטוֹבin the eyesבְּעֵינֵיof YHWHיְהוָהto blessלְבָרֵךְIsrael,אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵלhe did notוְלֹאgo,הָלַךְas at other times,כְּפַעַם בְּפַעַםto meetלִקְרַאתomens,נְחָשִׁיםbut setוַיָּשֶׁתhis faceפָּנָיוtowardאֶלthe wilderness.הַמִּדְבָּר
And Balaamוַ בִלְעָםlifted upיִּשָּׂאhis eyesאֶת עֵינָיוand sawוַיַּרְאIsraelאֶת יִשְׂרָאֵלcampingשֹׁכֵןtribe by tribe;לִשְׁבָטָיוand the spiritוַ רוּחַof Elohimאֱלֹהִיםcameתְּהִיupon him.עָלָיו
And he took upוַיִּשָּׂאhis poemמְשָׁלוֹand said,וַיֹּאמַר“The oracleנְאֻםof Balaamבִּלְעָםsonבְּנוֹof Beor,בְעֹרandוּthe oracleנְאֻםof the manהַגֶּבֶרwhose eyeהָעָיִןis opened,שְׁתֻם
the oracleנְאֻםof him who hearsשֹׁמֵעַthe wordsאִמְרֵיof El,אֵלwhoאֲשֶׁרseesיֶחֱזֶהthe visionמַחֲזֵהof Shaddai,שַׁדַּיfallen downנֹפֵלandוּwith eyesעֵינָיִםuncovered:גְלוּי
Howמַהgoodטֹּבוּare your tents,אֹהָלֶיךָJacob,יַעֲקֹבyour dwellings,מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶיךָIsrael!יִשְׂרָאֵל
Like valleysכִּנְחָלִיםthey stretch out,נִטָּיוּlike gardensכְּגַנֹּתbesideעֲלֵיa river,נָהָרlike aloesכַּאֲהָלִיםYHWHיְהוָהhas planted,נָטַעlike cedarsכַּאֲרָזִיםbesideעֲלֵיthe waters.מָיִם
Waterמַיִםshall flowיִזַּלfrom his buckets,מִדָּלְיָוand his seedוְזַרְעוֹshall be by manyרַבִּיםwaters;בְּמַיִםand his kingוְ מַלְכּוֹshall be higherיָרֹםthan Agag,מֵאֲגַגand his kingdomוְ מַלְכֻתוֹshall be exalted.תִנַּשֵּׂא
Elאֵלbrings him outמוֹצִיאוֹof Egypt;מִמִּצְרַיִםhe hasלוֹas it were the hornsכְּתוֹעֲפֹתof the wild ox.רְאֵםHe shall devourיֹאכַלthe nations,גּוֹיִםhis adversaries,צָרָיוandוְbreakיְגָרֵםtheir bones,עַצְמֹתֵיהֶםandוְwith his arrowsחִצָּיוshatter them.יִמְחָץ
He crouched,כָּרַעhe lay downשָׁכַבlike a lion,כַּאֲרִיandוּlike a lioness;כְלָבִיאwhoמִיwill rouse him?יְקִימֶנּוּBlessed isבָרוּךְeveryone who blesses you,מְבָרֲכֶיךָandוְcursed isאָרוּרeveryone who curses you.”אֹרְרֶיךָ
And Balak’sבָּלָקangerאַףburnedוַיִּחַרagainstאֶלBalaam,בִּלְעָםand he struckוַיִּסְפֹּקhis hands together;אֶת כַּפָּיוand Balakוַ בָּלָקsaidיֹּאמֶרtoאֶלBalaam,בִּלְעָם“To curseלָקֹבmy enemiesאֹיְבַיI called you,קְרָאתִיךָandוְlook,הִנֵּהyou have done nothing butבָרֵךְbless themבֵּרַכְתָּtheseזֶהthreeשָׁלֹשׁtimes!פְּעָמִים
So nowוְעַתָּהfleeבְּרַחtoלְךָ אֶלyour place.מְקוֹמֶךָI said,אָמַרְתִּי‘I will greatlyכַּבֵּדhonor you’;אֲכַבֶּדְךָbutוְlook,הִנֵּהYHWHיְהוָהhas held you backמְנָעֲךָfrom honor.”מִכָּבוֹד
And Balaamוַ בִּלְעָםsaidיֹּאמֶרtoאֶלBalak,בָּלָק“Did I notהֲלֹאalsoגַּםtellדִּבַּרְתִּיyour messengersאֶל מַלְאָכֶיךָwhomאֲשֶׁרyou sentשָׁלַחְתָּto me,אֵלַיsaying,לֵאמֹר
‘IfאִםBalakבָלָקwere to giveיִתֶּןmeלִיhis houseבֵיתוֹfullמְלֹאof silverכֶּסֶףand gold,וְזָהָבI could notלֹא אוּכַלgo beyondלַעֲבֹרthe commandאֶת פִּיof YHWH,יְהוָהto doלַעֲשׂוֹתgoodטוֹבָהorאוֹbadרָעָהof my own heart;מִלִּבִּיwhatאֲשֶׁרYHWHיְהוָהspeaks,יְדַבֵּרthatאֹתוֹI will speak’?אֲדַבֵּר
And now,וְעַתָּהlook,הִנְנִיI am goingהוֹלֵךְto my people;לְעַמִּיcome,לְכָהI will advise youאִיעָצְךָwhatאֲשֶׁרthisהַזֶּהpeopleהָעָםwill doיַעֲשֶׂהto your peopleלְעַמְּךָin the daysבְּאַחֲרִיתto come.”הַיָּמִים
And he took upוַיִּשָּׂאhis poemמְשָׁלוֹand said,וַיֹּאמַר“The oracleנְאֻםof Balaamבִּלְעָםsonבְּנוֹof Beor,בְעֹרandוּthe oracleנְאֻםof the manהַגֶּבֶרwhose eyeהָעָיִןis opened,שְׁתֻם
the oracleנְאֻםof him who hearsשֹׁמֵעַthe wordsאִמְרֵיof El,אֵלandוְknowsיֹדֵעַthe knowledgeדַּעַתof Elyon,עֶלְיוֹןwho seesיֶחֱזֶהthe visionמַחֲזֵהof Shaddai,שַׁדַּיfallen downנֹפֵלandוּwith eyesעֵינָיִםuncovered:גְלוּי
I see him,אֶרְאֶנּוּbutוְnotלֹאnow;עַתָּהI gaze on him,אֲשׁוּרֶנּוּbutוְnotלֹאnear.קָרוֹבA starכּוֹכָבshall march forthדָּרַךְfrom Jacob,מִיַּעֲקֹבandוְa scepterשֵׁבֶטshall riseקָםfrom Israel,מִיִּשְׂרָאֵלand shall shatterוּמָחַץthe templesפַּאֲתֵיof Moabמוֹאָבandוְtear downקַרְקַרallכָּלthe sonsבְּנֵיof Sheth.שֵׁת
And Edomוְ אֱדוֹםshall beהָיָהa possession,יְרֵשָׁהandוְSeir,שֵׂעִירhis enemies,אֹיְבָיוshall beהָיָהa possession,יְרֵשָׁהwhileוְIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלdoesעֹשֶׂהvaliantly.חָיִל
And one from Jacobמִיַּעֲקֹבshall ruleוְיֵרְדְּand destroyוְהֶאֱבִידthe survivorשָׂרִידfrom the city.”מֵעִיר
And he sawוַיַּרְאAmalekאֶת עֲמָלֵקand took upוַיִּשָּׂאhis poemמְשָׁלוֹand said,וַיֹּאמַר“Amalekעֲמָלֵקwas the firstרֵאשִׁיתof the nations,גּוֹיִםbutוְhis endאַחֲרִיתוֹshall be toעֲדֵיdestruction.”אֹבֵד
And he sawוַיַּרְאthe Kenitesאֶת הַקֵּינִיand took upוַיִּשָּׂאhis poemמְשָׁלוֹand said,וַיֹּאמַר“Enduringאֵיתָןis your dwelling place,מוֹשָׁבֶךָandוְyour nestקִנֶּךָis setשִׂיםin the crag;בַּסֶּלַע
nevertheless,כִּי אִםCainקָיִןshall beיִהְיֶהfor burning.לְבָעֵרHow longעַד מָהuntil Asshurאַשּׁוּרtakes you captive?”תִּשְׁבֶּךָּ
And he took upוַיִּשָּׂאhis poemמְשָׁלוֹand said,וַיֹּאמַר“Alas,אוֹיwhoמִיshall liveיִחְיֶהwhenמִElאֵלdoes this?שֻּׂמוֹ
And shipsוְצִיםshall come from the handמִיַּדof Kittim,כִּתִּיםand they shall afflictוְעִנּוּAsshurאַשּׁוּרand shall afflictוְעִנּוּEber;עֵבֶרandוְheהוּאalsoגַםshall come toעֲדֵיdestruction.”אֹבֵד
Then Balaamוַ בִּלְעָםroseיָּקָםand wentוַיֵּלֶךְand returnedוַיָּשָׁבto his place;לִמְקֹמוֹandוְBalakבָּלָקalsoגַםwentהָלַךְhis way.לְדַרְכּוֹ