1. And when Balaam saw that it was tov in the eyes of Hashem to bless Yisroel, he went not, as at other times, to use nechashim (sorceries, divination, looking for omens) but he set his face toward hamidbar.
2. And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Yisroel encamped according to their Shevatim; and the Ruach Elohim came upon him.
3. And he took up his mashal, and said, Balaam ben Beor hath said, the man whose eyes are open hath said,
4. He hath said which heard the words of El, which saw the machazeh Shaddai (vision of Shaddai), which falling prostrate, but having his eyes open:
5. Mah tovu ohalecha (How goodly, beautiful, are thy tents), O Ya'akov, and mishkenotecha (thy dwellings, tabernacles), O Yisroel!
6. As the valleys are they [the tents of Yisroel] spread forth, as ganot (gardens) by the riverside, like aloes which Hashem hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the mayim.
7. He shall pour the [rainfall] mayim out of his buckets, and his zera shall have mayim rabbim, and his Melech shall be more exalted than Agag, and Malchuso (His Kingdom) shall be upraised.
8. El brought him forth out of Mitzrayim. He hath the strength of a wild bull. He shall devour the Goyim his enemies and break their atzmot, and pierce them through with his khitzim.
9. He crouched, he lay down as an ari, and as the lioness; who shall stir him up? Mevarakhecha is he that makes a barucha on thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.
10. And af Balak (anger of Balak) was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said unto Balaam, I summoned thee to curse mine enemies, and, hinei, thou hast altogether blessed them these shalosh p'amim.
11. Therefore now flee thou to thy mekom; I thought to kibed (honor, reward) thee honorably; but, hinei, Hashem hath kept thee back from kavod (honor, reward).
12. And Balaam said unto Balak, Spoke I not also to thy malachim which thou didst send unto me, saying,
13. If Balak would give me his bais full of kesef and zahav, I cannot go beyond the commandment of Hashem, to do either tovah or ra'ah of mine own lev; but what Hashem saith, that will I say!
14. And now, hinei, I go back unto my people; come therefore, and I will warn thee what HaAm HaZeh shall do to thy people in the Acharit HaYamim.
15. And he took up his mashal, and said, Balaam ben Beor hath said, the man whose eyes are open hath said,
16. He hath said, which heard the words of El, and knew the Da'as Elyon, which saw the Machazeh Shaddai, falling prostrate, but having his eyes open:
17. I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not karov (near); there shall come a Kokhav (Star, i.e. Moshiach, see Targums) out of Ya'akov, and a Shevet (Sceptre) shall rise out of Yisroel, and shall strike through the temples (i.e., sides of the head) of Moav, and destroy all the Bnei Shet.
18. And Edom shall be a possession; Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; but Yisroel shall do valiantly.