9. And Elohim came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?
10. And Balaam said unto HaElohim, Balak ben Tzippor, Melech Moav, hath sent unto me, saying,
11. Hinei, there is a people come out of Mitzrayim, which covereth the face of ha'aretz; come now, curse for me them; perhaps I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.
12. And Elohim said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people; for baruch hu (it [the people] is blessed).
13. And Balaam rose up in the boker, and said unto the sarim of Balak, Go back to your land; for Hashem refuseth to give me permission to go with you.
14. And the sarim of Moav rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.
15. And Balak sent yet again sarim, more, and more distinguished than they.
16. And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak ben Tzippor, Let nothing, please, hinder thee from coming unto me;
17. For I will exceedingly reward thee, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me; come, therefore, please, curse for me this people.
18. And Balaam answered and said unto the avadei Balak, If Balak would give me his palace full of kesef and zahav, I cannot go beyond the Devar Hashem Elohai, to do ketanah or gedolah.
19. Now, therefore, please, tarry ye also here this night, that I may have da'as of what more Hashem will say unto me.
20. And it was lailah when Elohim came unto Balaam, and said unto him, Since the men come to summon thee, rise up and go with them; but only the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.
21. And Balaam rose up in the boker, and saddled his donkey, and went with the sarim (princes) of Moav.
22. But the Af Elohim (G-d's anger) was kindled as he was going; and the Malach Hashem stood in the derech (road) l'satan (for an adversary, opposer) against him. Now he was riding upon his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
23. And the donkey saw the Malach Hashem standing in the derech, and his cherev drawn in his hand; and the donkey turned off the derech, and went into the sadeh; and Balaam beat the donkey, to turn her back onto the derech.
24. But the Malach Hashem stood in the closed-in path among the kramim (vineyards), a wall being on this side, a wall on that side.
25. And when the donkey saw the Malach Hashem, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's regel against the wall; and he beat her again.
26. And the Malach Hashem went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no derech to turn either to the right or to the left.
27. And when the donkey saw the Malach Hashem, she lay down under Balaam; and af Balaam was kindled, and he beat the donkey with his staff.
28. And Hashem opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast beaten me these shalosh regalim (three times)?
29. And Balaam answered the donkey, Because thou hast mocked me; If only there were a cherev in mine hand, would I have killed thee.