So Jacob lifted his feet and came into the land of the sons of the East.

And he took up his parable and said: Balak the king of Moab has brought me from Aram, from the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse Jacob for me; and come, denounce Israel!

Who raised up the righteous one from the east, called him to His foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? Who gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow?

I also will do this to you: I will even appoint terror over you, wasting disease and fever which shall consume the eyes and cause pining away of soul. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.

A nation whom you have not known shall eat the fruit of your land and your produce, and you shall be only oppressed and crushed continually.

And they shall eat the fruit of your livestock and the fruit of your land, until you are destroyed; they shall not leave you grain or new wine or oil, or the offspring of your cattle or the increase of your flocks, until they have destroyed you.

So it was that when Israel had sown, the Midianites would come up; also Amalekites and the sons of the East would come up against them.

For they would come up with their livestock and their tents, coming in as numerous as the abundance of locusts; both they and their camels were without number; and they would enter the land to destroy it.

Your land is a desolation; your cities burned with fire. Strangers devour your land before you; and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.

But the noble devises noble things; and by noble things he shall stand.

Rise up, you women who are at ease; hear my voice, you careless daughters; listen to my speech.

They shall not build, and another live in them; they shall not plant, and another eat. For as the days of a tree are the days of My people, and My elect shall grow old enjoying the work of their hands.