על חיי משה, ספר א נ״בOn the Life of Moses, Book I 52
א׳
1[285] Highly indignant at finding the soothsayer’s powers thus unexpectedly hostile, Balak said: “Sirrah, do not either curse or bless, for the silence which avoids danger is better than words which displease.” And, having said this, as though in the inconstancy of his judgement he had forgotten what he said, he led the seer away to another place from which he shewed him a part of the Hebrew host and begged him to curse them.
ב׳
2[286] Here the seer proved himself to be even worse than the king; for, though he had met the charges brought against him solely by the true plea that nothing which he said was his own but the divinely inspired version of the promptings of another, and therefore ought to have ceased to follow, and departed home, instead, he pressed forward even more readily than his conductor, partly because he was dominated by the worst of vices, conceit, partly because in his heart he longed to curse, even if he were prevented from doing so with his voice.
ג׳
3[287] And, having arrived at a mountain higher than those where he had stood before, and of great extent, he bade them perform the same sacrifice after again erecting seven altars, and bringing fourteen victims, two for each altar, a ram and a calf. But he himself did not go again, as was to be expected, to seek for omens from birds or voices, for he had conceived a great contempt for his own art, feeling that, as a picture fades in the course of years, its gift of happy conjecture had lost all its brilliance. Besides, he at last realized that the purpose of the king who had hired him was not in harmony with the will of God.
ד׳
4[288] So, setting his face to the wilderness, he looked upon the Hebrews encamped in their tribes, and, astounded at their number and order, which resembled a city rather than a camp, he was filled with the spirit, and spoke as follows:
ה׳
5[289] “Thus saith the man who truly sees, who in slumber saw the clear vision of God with the unsleeping eyes of the soul. How goodly are thy dwellings, thou host of the Hebrews! Thy tents are as shady dells, as a garden by the riverside, as a cedar beside the waters.
ו׳
6[290] There shall come forth from you one day a man and he shall rule over many nations, and his kingdom spreading every day shall be exalted on high. This people, throughout its journey from Egypt, has had God as its guide, Who leads the multitude in a single column.
ז׳
7[291] Therefore, it shall eat up many nations of its enemies, and take all the fatness of them right up to the marrow, and destroy its foes with its far-reaching bolts. It shall lie down and rest as a lion, or a lion’s cub, full of scorn, fearing none but putting fear in all others. Woe to him who stirs up and rouses it. Worthy of benediction are those who bless thee, worthy of cursing those who curse thee.”