Numeri 22
1 Aisraeli anayenda kupita ku zigwa za Mowabu nakamanga misasa yawo tsidya lina la Yorodani moyangʼanana ndi Yeriko.
And they set out and made camp in the plains of Moab, across the Jordan, where Jericho is situated.
2 Tsono Balaki mwana wa Zipori anaona zonse zimene Aisraeli anachitira Aamori,
Then Balak, the son of Zippor, seeing all that Israel had done to the Amorite,
3 ndipo Amowabu anaopa anthuwo chifukwa analipo ambiri. Amowabuwo anachita mantha kwambiri mpaka ananjenjemera chifukwa cha Aisraeli.
and that the Moabites had great fear of him, and that they were not able to bear his assault,
4 Iwo anati kwa akuluakulu a ku Midiyani, “Gulu ili lidzabudula zonse zimene zatizungulira monga momwe ngʼombe yothena imathera udzu wa ku tchire.” Tsono Balaki mwana wa Zipori, yemwe anali mfumu ya Mowabu pa nthawi imeneyo,
said to those greater by birth of Midian: “So will this people wipe away all those who are dwelling within our borders, in the same way that the ox is accustomed to tear out grass, all the way to the roots.” At that time, he was king of Moab.
5 anatumiza amithenga kwa Balaamu mwana wa Beori, yemwe anali ku Petori, pafupi ndi mtsinje, mʼdziko la kwawo kuti akamuyitane. Balaki anati: “Taonani, anthu ochokera ku Igupto abwera, adzaza dziko lonse ndipo akufuna kuchita nane nkhondo.
Therefore, he sent messengers to Balaam, the son of Beor, a seer who lived above the river of the land of the sons of Ammon, to call him, and to say: “Behold, a people has gone forth from Egypt, which has covered the face of the earth. They are encamped opposite me.
6 Tsopano bwera, utemberere anthu amenewa chifukwa ndi amphamvu kwambiri kuposa ine. Mwina ndingadzawagonjetse ndi kuwatulutsira kunja kwa dzikoli chifukwa ndikudziwa kuti amene umawadalitsa amadalitsika, ndipo amene umawatemberera amatembereredwa.”
Therefore, come and curse this people, for they are stronger than I am. If only, in some way, I might be able to strike them and to drive them from my land. For I know that he whom you bless shall be blessed, and he whom you curse shall be cursed.”
7 Akuluakulu a Mowabu ndi akuluakulu a Midiyani ananyamuka atatenga ndalama zokalipirira mawula. Atafika kwa Balaamu, anamuwuza zomwe Balaki ananena.
And the elders of Moab, and those greater by birth of Midian, continued on, holding the price of divination in their hands. And when they had come to Balaam, and had explained to him all the words of Balak,
8 Balaamu anawawuza kuti, “Mugone konkuno usiku uno, ndipo ndikuyankhani zomwe Yehova andiwuze.” Choncho akuluakulu a Amowabu anagona kwa Balaamu.
he responded, “Remain for this night, and I will answer with whatever the Lord will say to me.” And while they stayed with Balaam, God came and said to him,
9 Mulungu anabwera kwa Balaamu namufunsa kuti, “Kodi anthu ali ndi iwewa ndani?”
“What do these men want with you?”
10 Balaamu anayankha Mulungu kuti, “Balaki mwana wa Zipori, mfumu ya Mowabu, ananditumizira uthenga uwu:
He responded, “Balak, the son of Zippor, the king of the Moabites has sent to me,
11 ‘Taonani, anthu amene achokera ku dziko la Igupto adzaza dziko lonse. Tsopano bwera udzawatemberere mʼmalo mwanga. Mwina ndidzatha kumenyana nawo ndi kuwatulutsa.’”
saying: ‘Behold, a people, which has gone forth from Egypt, has covered the face of the earth. Come and curse them, so that, in some way, I may be able to fight them and drive them away.’”
12 Koma Mulungu anawuza Balaamu kuti, “Usapite nawo. Usawatemberere anthu amenewo chifukwa ndi odalitsika.”
And God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them, and do not curse the people, for they are blessed.”
13 Mmawa mwake Balaamu anadzuka ndi kuwuza akuluakulu a Balaki aja kuti, “Bwererani ku dziko la kwanu chifukwa Yehova sanandilole kuti ndipite nanu.”
And he, rising up in the morning, said to the leaders, “Go into your own land, for the Lord has prohibited me from going with you.”
14 Kotero akuluakulu a Mowabu anabwerera kwa Balaki ndi kukanena kuti, “Balaamu wakana kubwera nafe.”
Returning, the leaders said to Balak, “Balaam was not willing to come with us.”
15 Kenaka Balaki anatumanso akuluakulu ena ambiri ndi olemekezeka kwambiri kuposa oyamba aja ndipo
Again, he sent many more persons, and these were more noble than those he had sent before.
16 anafika kwa Balaamu nati; “Zomwe Balaki mwana wa Zipori akunena ndi izi: ‘Usalole kuti china chilichonse chikulepheretse kubwera kwa ine,
And when these had come to Balaam, they said: “So says Balak, the son of Zippor. Do not hesitate to come to me.
17 chifukwa ndidzakulipira bwino kwambiri ndipo ndidzakuchitira chilichonse chimene unganene. Bwera ndipo uwatemberere anthu amenewa mʼmalo mwanga.’”
For I am ready to honor you, and whatever you would want, I shall give to you. Come and curse this people.”
18 Koma Balaamu anayankha atumiki a Balaki kuti, “Ngakhale Balaki atandipatsa nyumba yaufumu yodzaza ndi siliva ndi golide sindingachite chilichonse chachikulu kapena chachingʼono kuposa kuchita lamulo la Yehova Mulungu wanga.
Balaam responded: “Even if Balak were to give to me his own house, filled with silver and gold, I still would not be able to change the word of the Lord my God, neither to say more, nor to say less.
19 Tsopano mukhale kuno usiku uno monga ena anachitira, ndidzaona chimene Yehova adzandiwuza.”
I beg you to remain for this night also, so that I may know what the Lord will answer me again.”
20 Usiku umenewo Mulungu anabwera kwa Balaamu ndipo anati, “Popeza anthu awa abwera kudzakuyitana, nyamuka, pita nawo koma ukachite zokhazo zimene ndikuwuze.”
Therefore, God came to Balaam in the night, and said to him: “If these men have arrived to call you, then rise up and go with them; yet only in so far as you shall do what I will command you.”
21 Balaamu anadzuka mmawa, namanga bulu wake wamkazi ndipo anapita ndi akuluakulu a Mowabu.
Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddling his donkey, he set out with them.
22 Koma Mulungu anakwiya kwambiri pamene ankapita ndipo mngelo wa Yehova anayima pa njira kutsutsana naye. Balaamu anakwera bulu wake wamkazi ndipo antchito ake awiri anali naye.
And God was angry. And an Angel of the Lord stood in the way opposite Balaam, who was sitting on the donkey, and he had two servants with him.
23 Pamene buluyo anaona mngelo wa Yehova atayima pa njira ndi lupanga mʼmanja mwake, anapatukira kumbali kwa msewu napita kutchire. Balaamu anamumenya kuti abwerere mu msewu.
The donkey, discerning that the Angel was standing in the way with a drawn sword, turned herself from the road and went through a field. And when Balaam beat her and intended to return her to the path,
24 Kenaka mngelo wa Yehova anayima mʼkanjira kakangʼono pakati pa minda iwiri ya mpesa yokhala ndi makoma mbali zonse
the Angel stood in a narrow place between the two walls, with which the vineyards were enclosed.
25 Bulu uja ataona mngelo wa Yehova anadzipanikiza ku khoma, kukhukhuza phazi la Balaamu kukhomako. Ndipo pomwepo Balaamu anamenya buluyo kachiwiri.
And the donkey, seeing this, drew herself close to the wall and scraped the foot of the rider. So he beat her again.
26 Kenaka mngelo wa Yehova anapita patsogolo ndi kuyima pamalo opanikizika pomwe panalibe poti nʼkutembenukira ku dzanja lamanja kapena lamanzere.
And, nevertheless, the Angel passing on to a narrow place, where one would not be able to deviate either to the right or to the left, stood to meet him.
27 Buluyo ataonanso mngelo wa Yehova uja, anagona pansi Balaamu ali pa msana, ndipo iye anakwiya ndi kumumenya ndi ndodo yake.
And when the donkey had seen the Angel standing there, she fell under the feet of the rider, who, being angry, struck her sides more vehemently with a club.
28 Pamenepo Yehova anayankhulitsa bulu uja, ndipo buluyo anati kwa Balaamu, “Ndakuchitirani chiyani kuti mundimenye katatuka?”
And the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said: “What have I done to you? Why do strike you me, behold now, for the third time?”
29 Balaamu anati kwa buluyo, “Wandipusitsa, ndikanakhala ndi lupanga mʼmanja mwanga, ndikanakupha pomwe pano.”
Balaam responded, “Because you have deserved it, and you have mistreated me. If only I had a sword, so that I might pierce you.”
30 Buluyo anati kwa Balaamu, “Kodi sindine bulu wanu, amene mumakwera nthawi zonse kufikira lero? Kodi ndinakuchitiranipo zoterezi?” Iye anati “Ayi.”
The donkey said: “Am not I your animal, on which you have always been accustomed to sit, even until this present day? Tell me, when did I ever do the same thing to you.” But he said, “Never.”
31 Pomwepo Yehova anatsekula maso Balaamu ndipo anaona mngelo wa Yehovayo ali chiyimire pa njira ndi lupanga losolola. Tsono iye anawerama nalambira pamaso pake.
Immediately, the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the Angel standing in the way with a drawn sword, and he reverenced him prone on the ground.
32 Mngelo wa Yehova anamufunsa kuti, “Chifukwa chiyani wamenya bulu wako katatu? Taona, Ine ndabwera kudzakutsutsa chifukwa ulendo wakowu ndi woyipa pamaso panga.
And the Angel said to him: “Why did you beat your donkey three times? I have come to be an adversary to you, because your way is perverse and contrary to me.
33 Buluyu anandiona ndi kupatuka katatu aka. Akanakhala kuti sanapatuke, ndikanakupha tsopano, koma buluyu nʼkanamusiya ndi moyo.”
And unless the donkey had turned aside from the way, allowing a place for my opposition, I would have killed you, and she would have lived.”
34 Balaamu anati kwa mngelo wa Yehova uja, “Ndachimwa. Sindinadziwe kuti munayima pa njira kunditsutsa. Tsopano ngati Inu simunakondwe, ineyo ndibwerera.”
Balaam said: “I have sinned, not knowing that you stood against me. And now, if it displeases you for me to continue on, I will return.”
35 Mngelo wa Yehova anati kwa Balaamu, “Pita ndi anthuwa koma ukayankhule zokhazo zimene ndikakuwuze.” Choncho Balaamu anapita ndi akuluakulu a Balaki.
The Angel said, “Go with them, but be careful not to speak anything other than what I shall instruct you.” And so, he went with the leaders.
36 Balaki atamva kuti Balaamu akubwera, anapita kukakumana naye ku mzinda wa Mowabu umene unali mʼmalire a Arinoni, mʼmphepete mwa dziko lake.
And when Balak had heard it, he went out to meet him in a town of the Moabites, which is situated at the furthest borders of Arnon.
37 Balaki anati kwa Balaamu, “Kodi sindinakutumizire uthenga woti ubwere msanga? Chifukwa chiyani sunabwere kwa ine? Kodi sindingathe kukulipira mokwanira?”
And he said to Balaam: “I sent messengers to call you. Why did you not come to me immediately? Was it because I am not able to pay the cost for your arrival?”
38 Balaamu anayankha Balaki kuti, “Taonani, ndabwera kwa inu lero, kodi ine ndili ndi mphamvu zoti nʼkuyankhula chilichonse? Inetu ndiyenera kuyankhula zokhazo zimene Mulungu wandiwuza.”
He answered him: “Behold, here I am. Am I able to speak anything other than what God will put into my mouth?”
39 Pamenepo Balaamu anapita pamodzi ndi Balaki ku Kiriati-Huzoti.
Therefore, they continued on together, and they arrived at a city, which was at the furthest borders of his kingdom.
40 Balaki anapereka nsembe ngʼombe ndi nkhosa, ndipo anapereka zina kwa Balaamu ndi kwa akuluakulu omwe anali naye.
And after Balak had killed oxen and sheep, he sent the gifts to Balaam, and to the leaders who were with him.
41 Mmawa mwake Balaki anatenga Balaamu napita limodzi ku Bamoti Baala, ndipo kumeneko anakaonako gulu lina la Aisraeliwo.
Then, when morning arrived, he led him to the heights of Baal, and he gazed upon the most distant portions of the population.
