Biblia Platense (Straubinger) · Catholic Public Domain Version
Números 22
1Partieron los hijos de Israel y acamparon en las llanuras de Moab, al otro lado del Jordán, frente a Jericó. And they set out and made camp in the plains of Moab, across the Jordan, where Jericho is situated.2Balac, hijo de Sefor, supo todo lo que Israel había hecho a los amorreos, Then Balak, the son of Zippor, seeing all that Israel had done to the Amorite,3y se atemorizó Moab grandemente frente al pueblo tan numeroso y perdió el ánimo ante los hijos de Israel. and that the Moabites had great fear of him, and that they were not able to bear his assault,4Por lo cual dijo Moab a los ancianos de Madián: “Ahora esta multitud devorará todos nuestros contornos a la manera del buey que devora la hierba del campo.” Balac, hijo de Sefor, era a la sazón rey de Moab. said to those greater by birth of Midian: “So will this people wipe away all those who are dwelling within our borders, in the same way that the ox is accustomed to tear out grass, all the way to the roots.” At that time, he was king of Moab.5Envió, pues, mensajeros a Balaam, hijo de Beor, a Petor, que está junto al Río en la tierra de los hijos de su pueblo, para llamarle, diciendo: “He aquí un pueblo que ha salido de Egipto y que cubre la faz de la tierra; está acampado frente a mí. Therefore, he sent messengers to Balaam, the son of Beor, a seer who lived above the river of the land of the sons of Ammon, to call him, and to say: “Behold, a people has gone forth from Egypt, which has covered the face of the earth. They are encamped opposite me.6Ven, te ruego, y maldíceme a este pueblo, porque es demasiado fuerte para mí; quizás así logre yo derrotarlo y arrojarlo del país: porque sé que es bendito aquel a quien tú bendijeres, y maldito aquel a quien tú maldijeres.” Therefore, come and curse this people, for they are stronger than I am. If only, in some way, I might be able to strike them and to drive them from my land. For I know that he whom you bless shall be blessed, and he whom you curse shall be cursed.”7Fueron los ancianos de Moab y los ancianos de Madián, llevando en sus manos el estipendio de mago, y llegados a Balaam, le refirieron las palabras de Balac. And the elders of Moab, and those greater by birth of Midian, continued on, holding the price of divination in their hands. And when they had come to Balaam, and had explained to him all the words of Balak,8Él les contestó: “Pasad la noche aquí, y os responderé según me diga Yahvé.” Se quedaron, pues, los príncipes de Moab con Balaam. he responded, “Remain for this night, and I will answer with whatever the Lord will say to me.” And while they stayed with Balaam, God came and said to him,9Y vino Dios a Balaam y le dijo: “¿Quiénes son estos hombres que están contigo?” “What do these men want with you?”10Balaam respondió a Dios: “Balac, hijo de Sefor, rey de Moab, ha enviado a decirme: He responded, “Balak, the son of Zippor, the king of the Moabites has sent to me,11He aquí un pueblo que ha salido de Egipto y que cubre la faz de la tierra. Ven, por lo tanto, y maldícemelo; quizás así podré combatirlo y rechazarlo.” saying: ‘Behold, a people, which has gone forth from Egypt, has covered the face of the earth. Come and curse them, so that, in some way, I may be able to fight them and drive them away.’ ”12Y dijo Dios a Balaam: “No vayas con ellos, ni maldigas a ese pueblo, porque es bendito.” And God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them, and do not curse the people, for they are blessed.”13Se levantó, pues, Balaam por la mañana, y dijo a los príncipes de Balac: “Volveos a vuestra tierra, porque Yahvé no quiere dejarme ir con vosotros”. And he, rising up in the morning, said to the leaders, “Go into your own land, for the Lord has prohibited me from going with you.”14Y se levantaron los príncipes de Moab, y regresados a Balac le dijeron: “Balaam no quiere venir con nosotros.” Returning, the leaders said to Balak, “Balaam was not willing to come with us.”15Entonces Balac envió de nuevo otros príncipes a Balaam, en mayor número y más distinguidos que los anteriores; Again, he sent many more persons, and these were more noble than those he had sent before.16los cuales llegados a Balaam le dijeron: “Así dice Balac, hijo de Sefor: Te ruego no dejes apartarte de venir a mí; And when these had come to Balaam, they said: “So says Balak, the son of Zippor. Do not hesitate to come to me.17que yo te colmaré de honores, y haré todo lo que me digas, con tal que vengas y me maldigas a esta gente.” For I am ready to honor you, and whatever you would want, I shall give to you. Come and curse this people.”18Mas Balaam respondió y dijo a los siervos de Balac: “Aunque Balac me diese tanta plata y oro como cabe en su casa no puedo desoír la palabra de Yahvé, mi Dios, haciendo (algo contrario), sea cosa chica, sea grande. Balaam responded: “Even if Balak were to give to me his own house, filled with silver and gold, I still would not be able to change the word of the Lord my God, neither to say more, nor to say less.19Quedaos pues aquí esta noche, vosotros también, para que yo sepa qué más me diga Yahvé.” I beg you to remain for this night also, so that I may know what the Lord will answer me again.”20Y vino Dios de noche a Balaam y le dijo: “Si estos hombres han venido a llamarte, levántate y vete con ellos, pero harás solamente lo que Yo te dijere.” Therefore, God came to Balaam in the night, and said to him: “If these men have arrived to call you, then rise up and go with them; yet only in so far as you shall do what I will command you.”21Y se levantó Balaam a la mañana, aparejó su asna, y marchó con los príncipes de Moab. Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddling his donkey, he set out with them.22Sin embargo se encendió la ira de Dios al emprender Balaam viaje, y el Ángel de Yahvé se puso en el camino para cerrarle el paso. Iba Balaam montado sobre su asna, y le acompañaban dos de sus siervos. And God was angry. And an Angel of the Lord stood in the way opposite Balaam, who was sitting on the donkey, and he had two servants with him.23Cuando la burra vio al Ángel de Yahvé parado en el camino, con su espada desenvainada en la mano, se desvió del camino, andando por el campo; y Balaam le dio golpes para volverla al camino. The donkey, discerning that the Angel was standing in the way with a drawn sword, turned herself from the road and went through a field. And when Balaam beat her and intended to return her to the path,24Entonces el Ángel de Yahvé se apostó en una hondonada entre las viñas, con un muro de un lado y un muro del otro. the Angel stood in a narrow place between the two walls, with which the vineyards were enclosed.25Al ver la burra al Ángel de Yahvé se arrimó al muro y apretó el pie de Balaam contra la pared, el cual volvió a pegarla. And the donkey, seeing this, drew herself close to the wall and scraped the foot of the rider. So he beat her again.26Una vez más se adelantó el Ángel de Yahvé y se puso en un sitio estrecho donde no había espacio para desviarse ni a la derecha ni a la izquierda. And, nevertheless, the Angel passing on to a narrow place, where one would not be able to deviate either to the right or to the left, stood to meet him.27Entonces al ver la burra al Ángel de Yahvé, se echó en tierra debajo de Balaam, el cual enfurecido la pegó con el bastón. And when the donkey had seen the Angel standing there, she fell under the feet of the rider, who, being angry, struck her sides more vehemently with a club.28Mas Dios abrió la boca de la burra, la cual dijo a Balaam: “¿Qué te he hecho para que me pegues ya por tercera vez?” And the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said: “What have I done to you? Why do strike you me, behold now, for the third time?”29Balaam respondió a la burra: “Porque haces burla de mí. ¡Ojalá tuviera yo una espada, que ahora mismo te mataría!” Balaam responded, “Because you have deserved it, and you have mistreated me. If only I had a sword, so that I might pierce you.”30Replicó la burra a Balaam: “¿No soy yo tu asna, en que has cabalgado siempre desde que yo soy tuya hasta hoy? ¿Por ventura he hecho yo contigo jamás cosa semejante?” Y él respondió: “No”. The donkey said: “Am not I your animal, on which you have always been accustomed to sit, even until this present day? Tell me, when did I ever do the same thing to you.” But he said, “Never.”31Entonces Yahvé abrió los ojos de Balaam, de modo que vio al Ángel de Yahvé parado en el camino con la espada desenvainada en la mano; e inclinándose se prosternó sobre su rostro. Immediately, the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the Angel standing in the way with a drawn sword, and he reverenced him prone on the ground.32Y le dijo el Ángel de Yahvé: “¿Por qué has pegado a tu asna estas tres veces? He aquí que yo he salido para cerrarte el camino, pues tu viaje es perverso delante de mí. And the Angel said to him: “Why did you beat your donkey three times? I have come to be an adversary to you, because your way is perverse and contrary to me.33Me vio la burra y se desvió delante de mí estas tres veces. Si no se hubiera desviado de mi presencia, te habría matado a ti, y a ella la abría dejado con vida.” And unless the donkey had turned aside from the way, allowing a place for my opposition, I would have killed you, and she would have lived.”34Dijo entonces Balaam al Ángel de Yahvé: “He pecado; porque no sabía que tú te habías apostado contra mí en el camino. Si la cosa te parece mal, ahora mismo me volveré.” Balaam said: “I have sinned, not knowing that you stood against me. And now, if it displeases you for me to continue on, I will return.”35El Ángel de Yahvé respondió a Balaam: “Ve con estos hombres; pero habla solamente lo que yo te dijere.” Se fue, pues, Balaam con los príncipes de Balac. The Angel said, “Go with them, but be careful not to speak anything other than what I shall instruct you.” And so, he went with the leaders.36Cuando Balac supo que venía Balaam, le salió al encuentro hasta Ir-Moab, situada en el límite del Arnón, en el extremo de la frontera. And when Balak had heard it, he went out to meet him in a town of the Moabites, which is situated at the furthest borders of Arnon.37Y dijo Balac a Balaam: “¿Acaso no he enviado a llamarte? ¿Por qué no viniste a mí? ¿Crees tal vez que yo no soy capaz de recompensarte?” And he said to Balaam: “I sent messengers to call you. Why did you not come to me immediately? Was it because I am not able to pay the cost for your arrival?”38Respondió Balaam a Balac: “Heme aquí, he venido a ti; pero ¿podré yo acaso decir algo? No te diré otra palabra sino la que Dios pusiere en mi boca.” He answered him: “Behold, here I am. Am I able to speak anything other than what God will put into my mouth?”39Y se marchó Balaam con Balac, y llegaron a Kiryat-Husot. Therefore, they continued on together, and they arrived at a city, which was at the furthest borders of his kingdom.40Y sacrificó Balac bueyes y ovejas para hacer presentes a Balaam y a los príncipes que le acompañaban. And after Balak had killed oxen and sheep, he sent the gifts to Balaam, and to the leaders who were with him.41Al día siguiente tomó Balac a Balaam y le hizo subir a Bamot-Baal, desde donde podía divisar la parte extrema del pueblo. Then, when morning arrived, he led him to the heights of Baal, and he gazed upon the most distant portions of the population.