וּנְטָלוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּשְׁרוֹ בְּמֵשְׁרַיָּא דְמוֹאָב מֵעִבְרָא לְיַרְדְּנָא דִירֵחוֹ: Bnei Yisroel traveled and camped in the western plains of Moav, across the Yardein from Yereicho.
וַחֲזָא בָּלָק בַּר צִפּוֹר יָת כָּל דִּי עֲבַד יִשְׂרָאֵל לֶאֱמוֹרָאֵי: And Balak the son of Tzipor saw all that Yisroel had done to the Emorite.
וּדְחֵל מוֹאֲבָאָה מִן קֳדָם עַמָּא לַחֲדָא אֲרֵי סַגִּי הוּא וַעֲקַת לְמוֹאֲבָאָה מִן קֳדָם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל: And Moav became terrified of the people [of Israel] because of their great numbers, and so, Moav detested the Bnei Yisroel.
וַאֲמַר מוֹאָב לְסָבֵי מִדְיָן כְּעַן יְשֵׁיצוּן קְהָלָא יָת כָּל סַחֲרָנָנָא כְּמָא דִמְלַחִיךְ תּוֹרָא יָת יְרוֹקָא דְחַקְלָא וּבָלָק בַּר צִפּוֹר מַלְכָּא לְמוֹאָב בְּעִדָּנָא הַהִיא: Moav said to the elders of Midian, “Now this assembly will lick up [consume] everything around us, just as the ox laps up the herbs of the field.” Balak the son of Tzipor was King of Moav at that time.
וּשְׁלַח אִזְגַּדִּין לְוָת בִּלְעָם בַּר בְּעוֹר לִפְתוֹר אֲרָם דְעַל פְּרָת אֲרַע בְּנֵי עַמֵּיהּ לְמִקְרֵי לֵיהּ לְמֵימָר הָא עַמָּא נְפַק מִמִּצְרַיִם הָא חֲפָא יָת עֵין שִׁמְשָׁא דְאַרְעָא וְהוּא שָׁרֵי מִלְּקִבְלִי: He sent emissaries to Bil’am the son of Beor, to Pesor—which is by the river [Peras], the land of his people—to call him, saying: “Behold, a nation came out of Egypt, behold they have covered [obscured the sunshine from] the face of the earth, and is located across from me.
וּכְעַן אִיתָא כְעַן לוֹט לִי יָת עַמָּא הָדֵין אֲרֵי תַקִּיף הוּא מִנִּי מָאִים אֵכּוּל לְאַגָּחָא בֵיהּ קְרָב וַאֲתָרֵכִנֵּיהּ מִן אַרְעָא אֲרֵי יְדַעְנָא יָת דִּי תְבָרַךְ מְבָרָךְ וְדִי תְלוֹט לִיט: And now, please come and curse this nation for me, for it is too mighty for me, perhaps it will enable us to strike at [wage war with] him, and banish them from the land; for I know, that whomever you bless is blessed, and whomever you curse is cursed.”
וַאֲזָלוּ סָבֵי מוֹאָב וְסָבֵי מִדְיָן וְקִסְמַיָּא בִּידֵיהוֹן וַאֲתוֹ לְוָת בִּלְעָם וּמַלִּילוּ עִמֵּיהּ פִּתְגָּמֵי בָלָק: And the elders of Moav and Midian went with magic charms in their hands; they came to Bil’am and conveyed Balak's message to him.
וַאֲמַר לְהוֹן בִּיתוּ הָכָא בְּלֵילְיָא וְאָתֵב יָתְכוֹן פִּתְגָּמָא כְּמָא דִּי מַלֵּיל יְיָ עִמִּי וְאוֹרִיכוּ רַבְרְבֵי מוֹאָב עִם בִּלְעָם: He replied to them: “Spend this night here and then I will give you an answer according to what Adonoy tells me,’’ and the dignitaries of Moav remained with Bil’am.
וַאֲתָא מֵימַר מִן קֳדָם יְיָ לְוָת בִּלְעָם וַאֲמַר מָן גֻּבְרַיָּא הָאִלֵּין דְּעִמָּךְ: God[’s word] appeared to [before] Bil’am and said, “Who are these men with you?”
וַאֲמַר בִּלְעָם קֳדָם יְיָ בָּלָק בַּר צִפּוֹר מַלְכָּא דְמוֹאָב שְׁלַח לְוָתִי: Bil’am replied to God: “Balak son of Tzipor, King of Moav, has sent them to me [saying]:
הָא עַמָּא דִּי נְפַק מִמִּצְרַיִם וַחֲפָא יָת עֵין שִׁמְשָׁא דְאַרְעָא כְּעַן אִיתָא לוֹט לִי יָתֵיהּ מָאִים אֵיכוּל לְאַגָּחָא בֵיהּ קְרָב וַאֲתָרֵכִנֵּיהּ: ‘Behold, the people that came out of Egypt has covered [obscured the sunshine from] the face of the earth; come now, and curse him for me so that I will be able to wage war against him, and banish him’.”
וַאֲמַר יְיָ לְבִלְעָם לָא תֵזִל עִמְּהוֹן לָא תְלוּט יָת עַמָּא אֲרֵי בְרִיךְ הוּא: God said to Bil’am: “Do not go with them! You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.”
וְקָם בִּלְעָם בְּצַפְרָא וַאֲמַר לְרַבְרְבֵי בָלָק אִיזִילוּ לְאַרְעֲכוֹן אֲרֵי לֵית רַעֲוָא קֳדָם יְיָ לְמִשְׁבְּקִי לְמִזַל עִמְּכוֹן: Bil’am arose in the morning and said to Balak's dignitaries: “Go back to your land, for Adonoy refuses [it is not the will of Hashem] to allow me to go with you.”
וְקָמוּ רַבְרְבֵי מוֹאָב וַאֲתוֹ לְוָת בָּלָק וַאֲמָרוּ סָרֵב בִּלְעָם לְמֵתֵי עִמָּנָא: Moav's dignitaries got up, and came to Balak and said: “Bil’am refuses to go with us.”
וְאוֹסִיף עוֹד בָּלָק לְמִשְׁלַח רַבְרְבִין סַגִּיאִין וְיַקִּירִין מֵאִלֵּין: Balak persisted and sent dignitaries in greater number and of higher rank than these.
וַאֲתוֹ לְוָת בִּלְעָם וַאֲמָרוּ לֵיהּ כִּדְנַן אֲמַר בָּלָק בַּר צִפּוֹר לָא כְעַן תִּתְמְנַע מִלְּמֵתֵי לְוָתִי: They came to Bil’am and said to him: “The following is a message from Balak the son Tzipor: ‘Please do not refuse to come to me.
אֲרֵי יְקָרָא אֲיַקְּרִנָּךְ לַחֲדָא וְכֹל דִּי תֵימַר לִי אַעְבֵּד וְאִיתָא כְעַן לוֹט לִי יָת עַמָּא הָדֵין: For I will honor you greatly and whatever you tell me, I will do, if you would just please come and curse this people for me.’”
וְאָתֵב בִּלְעָם וַאֲמַר לְעַבְדֵי בָלָק אִם יִתֶּן לִי בָלָק מְלֵי בֵיתֵיהּ כְּסַף וּדְהָב לֵית לִי רְשׁוּ לְמֶעְבַּר עַל גְּזֵרַת מֵימְרָא דַיְיָ אֱלָהִי לְמֶעְבַּד זְעֶרְתָּא אוֹ רַבְּתָא: Bil’am answered and said to Balak's servants: “Even if Balak would give me silver and gold enough to fill his house, I cannot [have no permission] transgress the word of Adonoy my God, by doing anything small or great.
וּכְעַן אוֹרִיכוּ כְעַן הָכָא אַף אַתּוּן בְּלֵילְיָא וְאִדַּע מָא יוֹסֵף יְיָ לְמַלָּלָא עִמִּי: Now, you also, please remain here overnight, and I will get to know what more will Adonoy tell me.”
וַאֲתָא מֵימַר מִן קֳדָם יְיָ לְבִלְעָם בְּלֵילְיָא וַאֲמַר לֵיהּ אִם לְמִקְרֵי לָךְ אֲתוֹ גֻבְרַיָּא קוּם אִזֵּל עִמְּהוֹן וּבְרַם יָת פִּתְגָּמָא דִּי אֲמַלֵּל עִמָּךְ יָתֵיהּ תַּעְבֵּד: God[’s word] appeared [before] to Bil’am that night and said to him: “If the men have come to call you, arise and go with them; however, whatever I will say to you, you will do.”
וְקָם בִּלְעָם בְּצַפְרָא וְזָרִיז יָת אַתָּנֵיהּ וַאֲזַל עִם רַבְרְבֵי מוֹאָב: Bil’am arose in the morning, saddled [readied] his donkey, and went with the Moavite dignitaries.
וּתְקֵף רָגְזָא דַיְיָ אֲרֵי אָזֵל הוּא וְאִתְעַתַּד מַלְאָכָא דַיְיָ בְּאָרְחָא לְשָׂטָן לֵיהּ וְהוּא רָכִיב עַל אַתָּנֵיהּ וּתְרֵין עוּלֵמוֹהִי עִמֵּיהּ: God showed anger because he went, and an angel of Adonoy placed himself in the way to thwart him, as he was riding on his donkey accompanied by his two attendants.
וַחֲזַת אַתָּנָא יָת מַלְאָכָא דַיְיָ מְעַתַּד בְּאָרְחָא וְחַרְבֵּיהּ שְׁלִיפָא בִּידֵיהּ וּסְטַת אַתָּנָא מִן אוֹרְחָא וַאֲזָלַת בְּחַקְלָא וּמְחָא בִלְעָם יָת אַתָּנָא לְאַסְטָיוּתַהּ לְאָרְחָא: The donkey saw the angel of Adonoy standing in the way with his sword drawn in his hand; the donkey turned aside from the way and went into the field; Bil’am struck the donkey to get it back on the way.
וְקָם מַלְאָכָא דַיְיָ בִּשְׁבִיל כַּרְמַיָּא אַתְרָא דְּגָדֵרָא מִכָּא וְגָדֵרָא מִכָּא: But the angel of Adonoy stood in a narrow path of the vineyards [at a place] with a barrier at either side.
וַחֲזַת אַתָּנָא יָת מַלְאָכָא דַיְיָ וְאִדְחֵקַת לְכָתְלָא וּדְחֵקַת יָת רִגְלָא דְבִלְעָם לְכָתְלָא וְאוֹסִיף לְמִמְחַהּ: When the donkey saw the angel of Adonoy, she was pressed against the wall and pressed Bil’am's foot against the wall; and he struck her even more.
וְאוֹסֵף מַלְאָכָא דַיְיָ לְמֶעְבָּר וְקָם בַּאֲתַר עָק דִּי לֵית אֹרַח לְמִסְטֵי לְיַמִּינָא וְלִשְׂמָאלָא: Adonoy’s angel passed further ahead and stood in a narrow place, where there was no room to turn [either] to the right or to the left.
וַחֲזַת אַתָּנָא יָת מַלְאָכָא דַיְיָ וּרְבָעַת תְּחוֹת בִּלְעָם וּתְקֵף רוּגְזָא דְבִלְעָם וּמְחָא יָת אַתָּנָא בְּחֻטְרָא: When the donkey saw the angel of Adonoy, it crouched beneath Bil’am; Bil’am[’s anger was provoked] became angry and beat the donkey with the stick.
וּפְתַח יְיָ יָת פּוּמָא דְַאַתָּנָא וַאֲמָרַת לְבִלְעָם מֶה עֲבָדִית לָךְ אֲרֵי מְחִיתַנִּי דְּנַן תְּלַת זִמְנִין: Adonoy opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Bil’am: “What have I done to you, that you have hit me these three times?”
וַאֲמַר בִּלְעָם לְאַתָּנָא אֲרֵי חַיִּכְתְּ בִּי אִלּוּפוֹן אִית חַרְבָּא בִּידִי אֲרֵי כְעַן קְטַלְתִּיךְ: Bil’am said to the donkey: “Because you have ridiculed me; would that I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you now.”
וַאֲמָרַת אַתָּנָא לְבִלְעָם הֲלָא אֲנָא אַתָּנָךְ דִּי רְכַבְתְּ עֲלַי מִדְּאִיתָךְ עַד יוֹמָא הָדֵין הֲמֵילַף אַלִּיפְנָא לְמֶעְבַּד לָךְ כְּדֵין וַאֲמַר לָא: The donkey replied to Bil’am: “Am I not the very same donkey that you have been riding on all your life [from the time I became yours] until this very day? Was it ever my habit to do this to you?” And he said: “No.”
וּגְלָא יְיָ יָת עֵינֵי בִלְעָם וַחֲזָא יָת מַלְאָכָא דַיְיָ מְעַתַּד בְּאָרְחָא וְחַרְבֵּיהּ שְׁלִיפָא בִּידֵיהּ וּכְרַע וּסְגִיד לְאַפּוֹהִי: Adonoy then enabled Bil’am to see, and he observed the angel of Adonoy standing in the way with his sword drawn in his hand. He bowed his head and prostrated himself on his face.
וַאֲמַר לֵיהּ מַלְאָכָא דַיְיָ עַל מָא מְחִיתָא יָת אֲתָּנָךְ דְּנַן תְּלַת זִמְנִין הָא אֲנָא נְפָקִית לְמִסְטַן אֲרֵי גְלֵי קֳדָמַי דְּאַתְּ רָעֵי לְמֵזַל בְּאוּרְחָא לְקִבְלִי: The angel of Adonoy said to him: “Why did you hit your donkey these three times? Behold, I came out to obstruct you, because your way is [it is clear to me that you desire to proceed on a path] contrary to me.
וַחֲזַתְנִי אַתָּנָא וּסְטַת מִן קֳדָמַי דְּנַן תְּלַת זִמְנִין אִלּוּפוֹן לָא סְטַת מִן קֳדָמַי אֲרֵי כְעַן אַף יָתָךְ קְטָלִית וְיָתַהּ קַיֵּמִית: And when the donkey saw me, it turned aside these three times; had she not turned aside before me as [she did] now I would surely have killed you and she, I would let live.”
וַאֲמַר בִּלְעָם לְמַלְאָכָא דַיְיָ חָבִית אֲרֵי לָא יְדָעִית דִּי אַתְּ מְעַתַּד לָקֳדָמוּתִי בְּאָרְחָא וּכְעַן אִם בִּישׁ בְּעֵינָיךְ אֵתוֹב לִי: Bil’am said to the angel of Adonoy: “I have sinned because I did not know that you were standing in the way before me; now therefore, if it is wicked in your eyes, I shall return.”
וַאֲמַר מַלְאָכָא דַיְיָ לְבִלְעָם אִזֵּל עִם גֻּבְרַיָּא וּלְחוֹד יָת פִּתְגָּמָא דִי אֲמַלֵּל עִמָּךְ יָתֵיהּ תְּמַלֵּל וַאֲזַל בִּלְעָם עִם רַבְרְבֵי בָלָק: The angel of Adonoy said to Bil’am: “Go with the men, but only the word that I will speak to you shall you speak” Bil’am then continued to go with Balak's dignitaries.
וּשְׁמַע בָּלָק אֲרֵי אֲתָא בִלְעָם וּנְפַק לָקֳדָמוּתֵיהּ לְקַרְתָּא דְמוֹאָב דִּי עַל תְּחוּם אַרְנוֹן דִּי בִּסְטַר תְּחוּמָא: When Balak heard that Bil’am was coming, he went out to meet him, to the city of Moav, which is on the boundary of Arnon—at the very edge of the boundary.
וַאֲמַר בָּלָק לְבִלְעָם הֲלָא מִשְׁלַח שְׁלָחִית לְוָתָךְ לְמִקְרֵי לָךְ לְמָא לָא אָתֵיתָא לְוָתִי הַבְּקוּשְׁטָא הֲוֵיתָא אָמַר לֵית אֲנָא יָכִיל לְיַקְּרוּתָךְ: Balak said to Bil’am: “Did I not send so many [dignitaries] to invite you? Why did you not come to me? Am I really [can you truthfully say that I am] incapable of honoring you?”
וַאֲמַר בִּלְעָם לְבָלָק הָא אָתֵיתִי לְוָתָךְ כְּעַן הֲמֵיכַל יָכִלְנָא לְמַלָּלָא מִדָּעָם פִּתְגָּמָא דִּישַׁוִּי יְיָ בְּפוּמִי יָתֵיהּ אֲמַלֵּל: Bil’am replied to Balak: “Now that I have come to you, have I any power to say anything? Only the word that God puts in my mouth will I speak.”
וַאֲזַל בִּלְעָם עִם בָּלָק וַאֲתוֹ לְקִרְיַת מָחוֹזוֹהִי: Bil’am went with Balak and they came to Kiryas Chutzos [the city of his territory].
וּנְכֵס בָּלָק תּוֹרִין וְעָאן וּשְׁלַח לְבִלְעָם וּלְרַבְרְבַיָּא דִּי עִמֵּיהּ: Balak slaughtered cattle and sheep and he sent some to Bil’am and to the dignitaries that were with him.
וַהֲוָה בְצַפְרָא וּדְבַר בָּלָק יָת בִּלְעָם וְאַסְּקֵיהּ לְרָמַת דַּחַלְתֵּיהּ וְחֲזָא מִתַּמָּן קְצַת מִן עַמָּא: In the morning, Balak took Bil’am and he led him up to Bamos Ba’al [the high place of his idol]; from there he saw part of the people.