< Numbers 24 >
1 And when Balaam had seen that it was pleasing to the Lord that he should bless Israel, he by no means went out as he had gone before, to seek divination. But directing his face opposite the desert,
Kwathi uBhalamu esebonile ukuthi kuyamthokozisa uThixo ukubusisa u-Israyeli, kasadinganga njalo imilingo njengakuqala, kodwa waphenduka wakhangela enkangala.
2 and lifting up his eyes, he saw Israel dwelling in tents by their tribes. And with the Spirit of God rushing into him,
Kwathi uBhalamu ekhangela wabona u-Israyeli emise izihonqo zakhe ngokwezizwe zakhe, uMoya kaNkulunkulu wehlela phezu kwakhe
3 taking up his parable, he said: “Balaam, the son of Beor, the man whose eye has been obstructed,
wasesitsho isambulelo sakhe: “Isambulelo sikaBhalamu indodana kaBheyori, isambulelo salowo omehlo akhe abonisisa kuhle,
4 the hearer of the sermon of God, he who has gazed upon a vision of the Almighty, he who falls down and so his eyes are opened, has declared:
isambulelo salowo ozwa amazwi kaNkulunkulu, lowo obona umbono ovela kuSomandla, lowo owela phansi ngokuzehlisa, njalo omehlo akhe avulekile:
5 ‘How beautiful are your tabernacles, O Jacob, and your tents, O Israel!
Aze aba mahle amathente akho, Oh Jakhobe, izindawo zakho zokuhlala, Oh Israyeli!
6 They are like forested valleys, like gardens irrigated next to rivers, like tabernacles which the Lord has fixed, like cedars close to waters.
Njengezigodi zisabalele, njengezivande zisekele umfula, sanhlaba ehlanyelwe nguThixo, njengezihlahla zomsedari ezingasemanzini.
7 Water shall flow from his jar, and his offspring shall be amid many waters, because Agag, his king, shall be taken, and his kingdom shall be removed.
Amanzi azageleza emigqonyeni yabo; inhlanyelo yabo ibe semanzini amanengi. Inkosi yabo izakuba nkulu kulo-Agagi; umbuso wabo uzakuba ngophakemeyo.
8 Away from Egypt, God has led him, whose strength is like the rhinoceros. They shall devour the nations that are his enemies, and break their bones, and pierce them with arrows.
UNkulunkulu wabakhupha eGibhithe; balamandla anjengawenyathi. Bayazitshwabadela izizwe eziyizitha njalo bephule amathambo azo abe yizicucu; ngemitshoko yabo babacibe.
9 Lying down, he has slept like a lion, and like a lioness, whom no one would dare to awaken. He who blesses you, shall himself also be blessed. He who curses you, shall be considered cursed.”
Njengesilwane bayaqutha bacathame phansi, njengesilwanekazi, ngubani olesibindi sokubavusa na? Akuthi labo abakubusisayo babusiswe njalo lalabo abakuqalekisayo baqalekiswe!”
10 And Balak, being angry against Balaam, clapped his hands together and said: “I called you to curse my enemies, and, to the contrary, you have blessed them three times.
Ngakho uBhalaki wamthukuthelela kakhulu uBhalamu. Watshaya izandla zakhe wathi, “Ngikubizele ukuthi uzengiqalekisela izitha zami, kodwa wena usubabusise okwamahlandla la amathathu.
11 Return to your place. I had decided, indeed, to honor you greatly, but the Lord has deprived you of the designated honor.”
Wohle usuke nje khathesi ubuyele kini! Ngithe ngizakupha umvuzo omuhle kakhulu, pho-ke uThixo usekuvimbele ukwamukeliswa umvuzo.”
12 Balaam responded to Balak: “Did I not say to your messengers, whom you sent to me:
UBhalamu wamphendula uBhalaki wathi, “Kanti kangizitshelanga yini izithunywa zakho owazithuma kimi ukuthi,
13 Even if Balak would give me his house, filled with silver and gold, I still could not go away from the word of the Lord my God, so as to offer anything, either good or evil, from my own heart; but whatever the Lord will speak, this, too, I shall speak.
‘Loba uBhalaki enganginika isigodlo sakhe sigcwele isiliva legolide, akulalutho lolulodwa ebengizalwenza ngokwentando yami, okuhle kumbe okubi, okuphambene lomlayo kaThixo, kufanele ngitsho lokho kuphela uThixo akutshoyo na’?
14 Yet truly, as I continue on to my own people, I will give you counsel as to what this people shall do to your people in the end times.”
Khathesi sengibuyela ebantwini bakithi, kodwa woza, ngikuxwayise ukuthi kuyini okuzakwenziwa ngabantu laba ebantwini bakho ensukwini ezilandelayo.”
15 Therefore, taking up his parable, he again spoke: “Balaam the son of Beor, the man whose eye has been obstructed,
Ngakho uBhalamu wasesitsho isambulelo sakhe: “Isambulelo sikaBhalamu indodana kaBheyori, isambulelo salowo omehlo akhe abonisisa kuhle,
16 the hearer of the sermon of God, he who knows the doctrine of the Most High, and who sees the visions of the Almighty, who, falling down, has his eyes opened, has declared:
isambulelo salowo olalela ezwe amazwi kaNkulunkulu, ololwazi oluvela koPhezukonke, obona umbono ovela kuSomandla, owela phansi ngokuzehlisa, njalo omehlo akhe avulekile:
17 I shall see him, but not presently. I shall gaze upon him, but not soon. A star shall rise out of Jacob, and a rod shall spring up from Israel. And he shall strike down the commanders of Moab, and he shall devastate all the sons of Seth.
Ngiyambona, kodwa hatshi khathesi; ngiyambona, kodwa kungesikho eduze. Inkanyezi izaphuma ivela kuJakhobe; intonga yobukhosi izaphakama ivela ku-Israyeli. Uzacobodisa amabunzi kaMowabi, inkakhayi zamadodana wonke kaSethi.
18 And he shall possess Idumea; the inheritance of Seir shall fall to their enemies. Yet truly, Israel shall act with strength.
I-Edomi izanqotshwa; uSeyiri, oyisitha sakhe, uzanqotshwa, kodwa u-Israyeli uzakhula abe lamandla.
19 From Jacob will be he who shall be ruler. And he shall perish the remnants of the city.”
Umbusi uzavela kuJakhobe njalo uzabhubhisa abaseleyo balelodolobho.”
20 And when he saw Amalek, taking up his parable, he said: “Amalek, first among the Gentiles, whose very end shall be perdition.”
Ngakho uBhalamu wabona u-Amaleki wasesitsho isambulelo sakhe: “U-Amaleki wayengowokuqala ezizweni, kodwa ekucineni uzakuba lunxiwa.”
21 Likewise, he saw the Kainites, and taking up his parable, he said: “Robust, indeed, is your habitation. But though you will set your nest in a rock,
Ngakho wasebona amaKheni wasesitsho isambulelo sakhe njalo: “Indawo yakho yokuhlala ivikelekile, isidleke sakho sakhelwe edwaleni;
22 and you will be elect among the stock of Kain, how long will you be able to remain? For Assur shall take you captive.”
kanti-ke lina maKheni lizabhujiswa ekuthunjweni kwenu yi-Asiriya.”
23 And taking up his parable once more he said: “Alas! Who will be able to survive, when God will do these things?
Ngakho wasitsho isambulelo sakhe: “Kambe ngubani ongaphila nxa uNkulunkulu esenza lokhu na?
24 They shall arrive in Greek warships from Italy. They shall overcome the Assyrians, and they shall devastate the Hebrews, and yet, at the very end, even they themselves shall perish.”
Imikhumbi izakuza ivela okhunjini lwaseKhithimi; bazayehlula u-Asiriya kanye le-Ebha, kodwa laba bazachithwa babe ngamanxiwa.”
25 And Balaam rose up, and he returned to his place. Likewise, Balak went back, along the way by which he had arrived.
Ngakho uBhalamu wasukuma wasebuyela kibo loBhalaki wahamba ngeyakhe indlela.