4. And after he had quickly departed, God met with him. And Balaam, speaking to him, said: "I have set up seven altars, and I have placed a calf and a ram on each."
5. Then the Lord placed the word in his mouth, and he said: "Return to Balak, and you shall say this."
6. Returning, he found Balak standing next to his holocaust, with all the leaders of the Moabites.
7. And taking up his parable, he said: "Balak, king of the Moabites, has led me from Aram, from the mountains of the east. 'Come forth,' he said, 'and curse Jacob. Hurry and condemn Israel.'
8. How shall I curse him, whom God has not cursed? For what reason would I condemn him, whom the Lord does not condemn?
9. I will look upon him from the tops of the stones, and I will consider him from the hills. This people shall dwell alone, and they shall not be counted among the nations.
10. Who can number the dust that is Jacob, and who can know the number of the stock of Israel? May my soul die a just death, and may my end be like theirs."
11. And Balak said to Balaam: "What is this that you are doing? I called for you, in order to curse my enemies, and to the contrary, you bless them."
12. He answered him, "How can I say anything other than what the Lord orders?"
13. Therefore, Balak said: "Come with me to another place, from where you may see a portion of Israel, though you cannot see them all. Curse them from there."
14. And when he had led him to a lofty place, on the top of mount Pisgah, Balaam built seven altars, and placing upon each a calf and a ram,
15. he said to Balak, "Stand here next to your holocaust, while I continue on to meet him."
16. And when the Lord had met him, and had put the word in his mouth, he said, "Return to Balak, and you shall say this to him."