t
thou do what I shall command thee.

22:21. Balaam arose in the morning, and saddling his ass went with them.

22:22. And God was angry. And an angel of the Lord stood in the way
against Balaam, who sat on the ass, and had two servants with him.

22:23. The ass seeing the angel standing in the way, with a drawn sword,
turned herself out of the way, and went into the field. And when Balaam
beat her, and had a mind to bring her again to the way,

22:24. The angel stood in a narrow place between two walls, wherewith
the vineyards were enclosed.

22:25. And the ass seeing him, thrust herself close to the wall, and
bruised the foot of the rider. But he beat her again:

22:26. And nevertheless the angel going on to a narrow place, where
there was no way to turn aside either to the right hand or to the left,
stood to meet him.

22:27. And when the ass saw the angel standing, she fell under the feet
of the rider: who being angry beat her sides more vehemently with a
staff.

22:28. And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said: What have
I done to thee? Why strikest thou me, lo, now this third time?

Opened the mouth, etc... The angel moved the tongue of the ass, to utter
these speeches, to rebuke, by the mouth of a brute beast, the brutal
fury and folly of Balaam.

22:29. Balaam answered: Because thou hast deserved it, and hast served
me ill: I would I had a sword that I might kill thee.

22:30. The ass said: Am not I thy beast, on which thou hast been always
accustomed to ride until this present day? tell me if I ever did the
like thing to thee. But he said: Never.

22:31. Forthwith the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the
angel standing in the way with a drawn sword, and he worshipped him
falling flat on the ground.

22:32. And the angel said to him: Why beatest thou thy ass these three
times? I am come to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse, and
contrary to me:

Perverse... Because thy inclinations are wicked in being willing for the
sake of gain to curse the people of whom I am the guardian.

22:33. And unless the ass had turned out of the way, giving place to me
who stood against thee, I had slain thee, and she should have lived.

22:34. Balaam said: I have sinned, not knowing that thou didst stand
against me: and now if it displease thee that I go, I will return.

22:35. The angel said: Go with these men, and see thou speak no other
thing than what I shall command thee. He