< Numbers 22 >
1 And the sons of Israel journeyed, and encamped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho.
Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesuka, bamisa inkamba emagcekeni akoMowabi, nganeno kweJordani, eJeriko.
2 And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
UBalaki indodana kaZipori wasebona konke uIsrayeli ayekwenze kumaAmori.
3 And Moab was exceedingly afraid of the people, because they were many. And Moab was distressed because of the sons of Israel.
UMowabi wasesesaba kakhulu ubuso babantu, ngoba babebanengi. UMowabi wasetshaywa luvalo ngenxa yabantwana bakoIsrayeli.
4 And Moab said to the elders of Midian, Now will this multitude lick up all that is round about us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.
UMowabi wasesithi ebadaleni beMidiyani: Khathesi lelibandla lizakhotha konke okusihanqileyo, njengenkabi ikhotha utshani bedlelo. Njalo uBalaki indodana kaZipori wayeyinkosi yakoMowabi ngalesosikhathi.
5 And he sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the River, to the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, a people came out from Egypt. Behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide opposite me.
Wasethuma izithunywa kuBalami indodana kaBeyori ePethori eliseduze lomfula welizwe labantwana babantu bakhe, ukumbiza, esithi: Khangela, abantu baphumile eGibhithe. Khangela, basibekele ubuso bomhlaba, futhi sebehlala maqondana lami.
6 Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse for me this people, for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land. For I know that he whom thou bless is blessed, and he whom thou curse is cursed.
Khathesi-ke, ake uze, ngiqalekisela lababantu, ngoba balamandla kulami; mhlawumbe ngingaba lamandla okuthi sibatshaye, lokuthi ngibaxotshe elizweni, ngoba ngiyazi ukuthi lowo ombusisayo ubusisiwe, lalowo omqalekisayo uqalekisiwe.
7 And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand, and they came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak.
Abadala beMowabi labadala beMidiyani basebehamba belembadalo yokuvumisa esandleni sabo; bafika kuBalami, bakhuluma kuye amazwi kaBalaki.
8 And he said to them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as Jehovah shall speak to me. And the rulers of Moab abode with Balaam.
Wasesithi kubo: Lalani lapha lobubusuku, njalo ngizalilethela ilizwi, njengalokhu iNkosi ezakutsho kimi. Iziphathamandla zakoMowabi zasezihlala loBalami.
9 And God came to Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?
UNkulunkulu wasefika kuBalami, wathi: Ngobani lamadoda alawe?
10 And Balaam said to God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying,
UBalami wasesithi kuNkulunkulu: UBalaki, indodana kaZipori, inkosi yakoMowabi, ungithumele esithi:
11 Behold, the people came out of Egypt, it covers the face of the earth. Now, come curse them for me. Perhaps I shall be able to fight against them, and shall drive them out.
Khangela, abantu baphumile eGibhithe basibekele ubuso bomhlaba; woza khathesi, ungiqalekisele bona; mhlawumbe ngingaba lamandla okulwa labo, ngibaxotshe.
12 And God said to Balaam, Thou shall not go with them. Thou shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.
UNkulunkulu wasesithi kuBalami: Ungahambi labo; ungabaqalekisi labobantu, ngoba babusisiwe.
13 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the rulers of Balak, Get into your land, for Jehovah refuses to give me leave to go with you.
UBalami wasevuka ekuseni, wathi kuziphathamandla zikaBalaki: Yanini elizweni lakini, ngoba iNkosi iyala ukungivumela ukuhamba lani.
14 And the rulers of Moab rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, Balaam refuses to come with us.
Ngakho iziphathamandla zakoMowabi zasukuma, zaya kuBalaki, zathi: UBalami uyala ukuhamba lathi.
15 And Balak sent yet again rulers, more, and more honorable than they.
UBalaki wasebuya wathuma njalo iziphathamandla, ezinengi ezidumileyo kulalezo.
16 And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming to me.
Zasezifika kuBalami zathi kuye: Utsho njalo uBalaki indodana kaZipori uthi: Ake ungavinjwa yilutho ukuza kimi.
17 For I will promote thee to very great honor, and whatever thou say to me I will do. Come therefore, I pray thee, curse this people for me.
Ngoba ngizakuhlonipha lokukuhlonipha kakhulu, lakho konke ongitshela khona ngizakwenza. Ngakho ake uze, ngiqalekisela lababantu.
18 And Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of Jehovah my God, to do less or more.
Kodwa uBalami waphendula wathi encekwini zikaBalaki: Uba uBalaki ebezangipha indlu yakhe igcwele isiliva legolide, bengingayikweqa umlayo weNkosi uNkulunkulu wami ukwenza okukhulu kumbe okuncinyane.
19 Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what Jehovah will speak to me more.
Khathesi-ke, ake lihlale lapha lani lobubusuku, ukuze ngazi ukuthi iNkosi izakuthini kimi futhi.
20 And God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, go with them, but only the word which I speak to thee, that shall thou do.
UNkulunkulu wasesiza kuBalami ebusuku wathi kuye: Uba amadoda efika ukukubiza, sukuma uhambe lawo; kodwa kuphela lelolizwi engizalikhuluma kuwe, lona uzalenza.
21 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with the rulers of Moab.
UBalami wasesukuma ekuseni, wabophela isihlalo kubabhemikazi wakhe, wahamba leziphathamandla zakoMowabi.
22 And God's anger was kindled because he went, and the agent of Jehovah placed himself in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
Ulaka lukaNkulunkulu lwavutha ngoba wahamba; ingilosi yeNkosi yayakuma endleleni ukuba yisitha esimelane laye. Njalo wayegade ubabhemikazi wakhe, lenceku zakhe ezimbili zilaye.
23 And the donkey saw the agent of Jehovah standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand, and the donkey turned aside out of the way, and went into the field. And Balaam smote the donkey, to turn her into the way.
Ubabhemi waseyibona ingilosi yeNkosi imi endleleni, lenkemba ehwatshiweyo isesandleni sayo; lobabhemikazi waphambuka endleleni, wangena ensimini. UBalami wasemtshaya ubabhemi ukumphendulela endleleni.
24 Then the agent of Jehovah stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.
Ingilosi yeNkosi yasisima endleleni eminyeneyo yezivini, umduli ngapha lomduli ngapha.
25 And the donkey saw the agent of Jehovah, and she thrust herself to the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall. And he smote her again.
Lapho ubabhemikazi ebona ingilosi yeNkosi wazibandezela emdulini, wabandezela unyawo lukaBalami emdulini; wasemtshaya futhi.
26 And the agent of Jehovah went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.
Ingilosi yeNkosi yasiqhubeka, yema endaweni eminyeneyo, lapho okwakungelandlela yokuphendukela ngakwesokunene kumbe ngakwesokhohlo.
27 And the donkey saw the agent of Jehovah, and she lay down under Balaam. And Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the donkey with his staff.
Lapho ubabhemikazi ebona ingilosi yeNkosi, walala ngaphansi kukaBalami. Ulaka lukaBalami lwaseluvutha, wasemtshaya ubabhemi ngenduku.
28 And Jehovah opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, What have I done to thee, that thou have smitten me these three times?
INkosi yasivula umlomo kababhemikazi, wasesithi kuBalami: Ngenzeni kuwe ukuthi ungitshaye okwalezizikhathi ezintathu?
29 And Balaam said to the donkey, Because thou have mocked me. I would there were a sword in my hand, for now I would have killed thee.
UBalami wasesithi kubabhemikazi: Ngoba ungenze inhlekisa. Kungathi ngabe kulenkemba esandleni sami, ngoba bengizakubulala khathesi.
30 And the donkey said to Balaam, Am not I thy donkey, upon which thou have ridden all thy life long to this day? Was I ever accustomed to do so to thee? And he said, No.
Ubabhemikazi wasesithi kuBalami: Angisuye yini ubabhemi wakho omgade kusukela ngisengowakho kuze kube lamuhla? Ngake ngejwayela ukwenza kanje kuwe yini? Wasesithi: Hatshi.
31 Then Jehovah opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the agent of Jehovah standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand. And he bowed his head, and fell on his face.
INkosi yasivula amehlo kaBalami, wasebona ingilosi yeNkosi imi endleleni, lenkemba yayo ihwatshiwe isesandleni sayo; wakhothama wathi mbo ngobuso bakhe phansi.
32 And the agent of Jehovah said to him, Why have thou smitten thy donkey these three times? Behold, I have come forth as an adversary, because thy way is perverse before me.
Ingilosi yeNkosi yasisithi kuye: Umtshayeleni ubabhemikazi wakho okwalezizikhathi ezintathu? Khangela, mina ngiphumile ukumelana lawe, ngoba indlela yakho iphambukile kimi;
33 And the donkey saw me, and turned aside before me these three times. Unless she had turned aside from me, surely now I would have even slain thee, and saved her alive.
njalo ubabhemikazi wangibona, waphambuka phambi kwami lezizikhathi ezintathu. Ngaphandle kokuthi ephambukile phambi kwami, ngeqiniso khathesi ngabe ngikubulele lawe, ngamgcina yena ephila.
34 And Balaam said to the agent of Jehovah, I have sinned, for I knew not that thou stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get back again.
UBalami wasesithi engilosini yeNkosi: Ngonile, ngoba bengingazi ukuthi umi endleleni ukumelana lami. Ngakho-ke uba kukubi emehlweni akho, ngizabuyela futhi.
35 And the agent of Jehovah said to Balaam, Go with the men, but only the word that I shall speak to thee, that thou shall speak. So Balaam went with the rulers of Balak.
Ingilosi yeNkosi yasisithi kuBalami: Hamba lalawomadoda; kodwa kuphela ilizwi engizalikhuluma kuwe, yilo ozalikhuluma. UBalami wasehamba leziphathamandla zikaBalaki.
36 And when Balak heard that Balaam came, he went out to meet him to the City of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the outmost part of the border.
UBalaki esezwile ukuthi uBalami uyeza, waphuma ukuyamhlangabeza emzini wakoMowabi, osemngceleni weArinoni, osekucineni komngcele.
37 And Balak said to Balaam, Did I not earnestly send to thee to call thee? Why did thou not come to me? Am I not able indeed to promote thee to honor?
UBalaki wasesithi kuBalami: Kangithumanga yini lokuthuma kuwe ukukubiza? Kungani ungafikanga kimi? Isibili kangilamandla okukunika udumo yini?
38 And Balaam said to Balak, Lo, I have come to thee. Have I now any power at all to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak.
UBalami wasesithi kuBalaki: Khangela, ngifikile kuwe. Khathesi ngilamandla isibili okukhuluma loba yini na? Ilizwi uNkulunkulu alifaka emlonyeni wami, yilo engizalikhuluma.
39 And Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.
UBalami wasehamba loBalaki, basebefika eKiriyathi-Huzothi.
40 And Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the rulers that were with him.
UBalaki wasehlaba izinkabi lezimvu, wathumela kuBalami lakuziphathamandla ezazilaye.
41 And it came to pass in the morning, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, and he saw from there the outmost part of the people.
Kwasekusithi ekuseni uBalaki wamthatha uBalami, wamenyusela endaweni eziphakemeyo zikaBhali, ukuthi abone elapho ukucina kwabantu.