Numbers · Chapter 24

[ edit] And whanne Balaam hadde ſeen þat he ſhulde pleſe to þe Lord for to bleſſe to Yrael, he wente not as he wente bifore, for to ſeche dyuininge, but dreſſynge his chere aȝens þe deſeert, and arerynge þe eyen, ſawȝ Irael in þe tentis dwellynge bi her lynagis.

And þe Spirit of God fallynge into hym, takun to a parable, ſeiþ, Balaam, þe ſone of Beor, ſeide, a man whos eye is ſtoppid ſeide, þe herer of þe wordes of God ſeide, þe which þe ſiȝt of þe almyȝti God haþ inwardli lokid, þe which falliþ, and ſo ben openyd his eyen, How feyr þi tabernaclis, Jacob, and þi tentis, Yrael! as wodi valeys, and as watri gardeyns biſide þe flodis, as þe tabernacles þat þe Lord piȝte, as cedres biſide watres; and watris ſhal flowe of his boket, and þe ſeed of hym ſhal be into many watris. Þe kyng of hym for Agag ſhal be take a wey, and þe kyngdom of hym ſhal be doon a wey.

God haþ ladde hym out of Egipte, whos ſtrengþe is lijk to an vnycorn; gentilis ſhulen deuowre þe enemyes of hym, and þe boonus of hem þei ſhulen breek, and þrille wiþ arwis. Liggynge he ſhal ſleep as a lioun, and as a liones, þat no man ſhal be hardi to rere. Who bleſſiþ to þee, he ſhal be bleſſid; and who curſiþ, into curſynge ſhal he be rettyd. And Balac wrooþ aȝen Balaam, wiþ wrongun hoondis ſeiþ, To curſe to my enemyes I haue clepid þee, to whom aȝenward þe þridde tyme þow haſt bliſſid. Turn aȝen to þi place; Y ordeynede forſoþe hugeli to honoure þee, but þe Lord haþ priuyde þee þi worſhip ſet down.

Balaam anſwerde to Balac, Wheþer ſeide Y not to þi meſſangers, þat þow ſendiſt to me, If Balac ȝyue to me his hous ful of ſiluer and gold, Y may not ouerpaſſe þe word of þe Lord my God, þat oþer of good or of yuel I ſpeke of myn herte, but what þing ſeiþ þe Lord, þat I ſhal ſpeke? Neþeles goynge to my puple, I ſhal ȝyue to þee counſel, what þi puple to þis puple ſhal doo þe laſt tyme.

Þanne þe parable taken, eft ſeiþ, Balaam, þe ſone of Beor, ſeide, a man whos ſtoppid is þe eye, ſeide, þe herer of þe wordis of God ſeide, þat knewe þe lore of alþir heiȝeſt, and þe ſeynge of þe Almyȝti ſeeiþ, þat fallynge haþ þe eyen openyd, I ſhal ſe hym, but not now; I ſhal inwardly loke hym, but not nyȝ; a ſterre ſhal ſprynge of Jacob, and a ȝeerde ſhal ryſe of Yrael; and he ſhal ſmyte þe dukis of Moab, and he ſhal waſt alle þe ſones of Seþ; and Ydume ſhal be þe poſſeſſioun of hym, þe herytage of Seir ſhal falle to his enemyes; Yrael forſoþe ſtrongly ſhal doo, of Jacob ſhal be þat lordſhip, and leeſe þe relykes of þe cytee.

And whanne he hadde ſeen Amalech, takynge to a parable, ſeiþ, Þe bigynnynge of gentiles Amalech, whos eendis ſhulen be loſt. He ſeeȝ forſoþe Cyneum, and taken to a parable, ſeiþ, Stronge forſoþe is þi dwellynge place, but if yn a ſtoon þow puttiſt þi neſt, and were choſen of þe lynage of Synne, how longe mowe þow dwelle? Aſſur forſoþe ſhal take þee. And taken to a parable, eft ſpak, Alas! who to lyuynge, whanne þe Lord ſhal doo þes þingis? Þei ſhulen come in greet ſhippis fro Ytalie, and þei ſhulen ouercome Aſſiries, and þei ſhulen waaſt þe Ebrewis, and at þe laſt þei alſo ſhulen periſhe. And Balaam roos, and is turned aȝen into his place; Balac forſoþe þe weye þat he cam, turnyde aȝen.