< Numbers 22 >

1 The Israelites moved on and camped on the plains of Moab east of the Jordan, opposite Jericho.
Awo abaana ba Isirayiri ne basitula, ne batambula ne basiisira mu lusenyi lwa Mowaabu ku mugga Yoludaani okwolekera Yeriko.
2 Balak, son of Zippor, had seen all that the Israelites had done to the Amorites.
Balaki mutabani wa Zipoli n’alaba byonna Isirayiri bye yali akoze Abamoli.
3 The Moabites were terrified of the Israelites because there were so many of them. The Moabites dreaded the arrival of the Israelites
Mowaabu n’atya nnyo kubanga abantu abo baali bangi nnyo. Mowaabu okutya abaana ba Isirayiri ne kumusukkirira.
4 and told the leaders of Midian, “This horde will eat up everything we have, just like an ox eats up grass in the field!” (Balak son of Zippor, was king of Moab at that time.)
Awo Mowaabu n’agamba abakulembeze ba Midiyaani nti, “Ogubiina gw’abantu bano bajja kulya byonna bye tuli nabyo ebitwetoolodde ng’ente bw’erya n’esaanyaawo omuddo ogw’oku ttale.” Balaki mutabani wa Zipoli, eyali kabaka wa Mowaabu mu biseera ebyo,
5 He sent messengers to call Balaam, son of Beor, who lived in Pethor near the Euphrates River in his own country. “Listen, a group of people has arrived here who came from Egypt,” Balak said in his message to Balaam. “There are hordes of them and they present a real threat to me.
n’atuma ababaka eri Balamu mutabani wa Byoli, eyali mu Pesoli, ekiriraanye Omugga, mu nsi y’ewaabwe, okumuyita ng’amugamba nti, “Abantu bali wano, baavudde mu Misiri, basaanikidde ensi yonna we batudde; basiisidde wano okunninaana.
6 Please come immediately and curse these people for me, because they are stronger than me. Maybe then I'll be able to attack them and drive them out of my country because I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”
Kale nno, nkusaba ojje onkolimirire abantu bano, kubanga bampitiridde amaanyi. Oboolyawo lwe ndisobola okubawangula ne mbagoba mu nsi yange. Kubanga mmanyi nga gw’okolimira akolimirwa, ne gw’osabira omukisa aweebwa omukisa.”
7 The Moabite and Midianite leaders departed, taking payment for the fortune-telling with them. When they arrived they gave Balaam the message from Balak.
Awo ababaka abaatumibwa, abaali abakulembeze ba Mowaabu n’abakulembeze ba Midiyaani, ne basitula nga batutte n’ensimbi ez’okumusasula. Bwe baatuuka eri Balamu ne bamutegeeza obubaka Balaki bwe yabatuma.
8 “Stay the night and I'll let you know the answer the Lord gives me,” Balaam told them. So the Moabite leaders stayed there with Balaam.
Balamu n’abagamba nti, “Musule wano leero, nange nnaabatuusaako ekigambo Mukama ky’anaaba aŋŋambye.” Bwe batyo abakungu abaava mu Mowaabu ne basula ewa Balamu.
9 God came to Balaam and asked him, “Who are these men staying with you?”
Katonda n’ajja eri Balamu n’amubuuza nti, “Bantu ki bano abali naawe?”
10 Balaam told God, “Balak, son of Zippor, the king of Moab, sent me this message:
Balamu n’addamu Katonda nti, “Balaki mutabani wa Zipoli, Kabaka wa Mowaabu ye yampeereza obubaka buno ng’agamba nti,
11 ‘Listen, a group of people has arrived here who came from Egypt. There are hordes of them. Please come immediately and curse these people for me. Maybe then I'll be able to fight them and drive them out of my country.’”
‘Abantu abavudde mu Misiri basaanikidde ensi we batudde. Kale nno jjangu obankolimirire. Oboolyawo ekyo kiyinza okunsobozesa okubalwanyisa ne mbagoba mu nsi yange.’”
12 But God told Balaam, “You are not to go back with them. You must not curse this people, for they are blessed.”
Naye Katonda n’agamba Balamu nti, “Togenda na bantu abo. Abantu bali tekikugwanidde kubakolimira, kubanga baaweebwa omukisa.”
13 In the morning Balaam got up and said to Balak's messengers, “Go back to where you came from because the Lord has refused to allow me to go with you.”
Enkeera mu makya Balamu n’azuukuka, n’agamba abakungu abaatumibwa Balaki nti, “Muddeeyo mu nsi yammwe, kubanga Mukama Katonda aŋŋaanye okugenda nammwe.”
14 The Moabite leaders left. They returned to Balak, and told him, “Balaam refused to come back with us.”
Abakungu aba Mowaabu ne bakomawo eri Balaki ne bamugamba nti, “Balamu yagaanye okujja naffe.”
15 Then Balak sent even more leaders who were more prestigious than before.
Balaki ne yeeyongera okutuma abakungu abalala, nga baabitiibwa binene era nga bangi okusingako ku bali abaasooka.
16 When they arrived they told Balaam, “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: ‘Please don't let anything stop you from coming to see me,
Ne bajja eri Balamu ne bamugamba nti, “Bw’ati bw’ayogera Balaki mutabani wa Zipoli nti, ‘Nkwegayiridde, tokkiriza kintu kyonna kukuziyiza kujja gye ndi;
17 because I will pay you a great deal and follow all the advice you give me. Please come and curse these people for me!’”
kubanga nzija kutumbula nnyo ekitiibwa kyo, era ŋŋenda kukukolera kyonna ky’ononsaba. Jjangu onkoliimiririre abantu bano.’”
18 But Balaam told Balak's officials, “Even if Balak gave me his whole palace full of silver and gold, I couldn't disobey the command of the Lord my God in any way.
Naye Balamu n’addamu abo Balaki be yatuma nti, “Balaki ne bw’alimpa enju ye ng’ejjudde ffeeza ne zaabu sigenda kukola kinene oba kitono nga kisukka ku kiragiro kya Mukama Katonda wange.
19 Now you should also stay the night so I can see if the Lord has anything else to tell me.”
Kale nno musule wano olwa leero, nga bannammwe bwe baakola, nange mpulire Mukama Katonda ky’anaayongera okuŋŋamba.”
20 God came to Balaam during the night and told him, “Since these men have come for you, get up and go with them. But only do what I tell you.”
Mu kiro ekyo Katonda n’ajja eri Balamu n’amugamba nti, “Obanga abantu abo bakuddukidde, genda nabo, naye okole ekyo kyokka kye nnaakulagira okukola.”
21 In the morning Balaam got up, put a saddle on his donkey, and left with the Moabite leaders.
Balamu n’agolokoka mu makya, n’ateeka amatandiiko ku ndogoyi ye, n’agenda n’abakungu ba Mowaabu.
22 God's got angry because Balaam had decided to go. The angel of the Lord came and stood in the road to confront him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and he was accompanied by his two servants.
Naye Katonda n’asunguwala nnyo kubanga Balamu yagenda, malayika wa Mukama Katonda n’ayimirira mu kkubo okumuziyiza. Balamu yali yeebagadde endogoyi ye, abaweereza be babiri nabo baali naye.
23 The donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road holding a drawn sword, so it turned from the road and went into a field. So Balaam beat it to make it go back to the road.
Endogoyi n’eraba malayika wa Mukama Katonda ng’ayimiridde mu kkubo, n’ekitala ekisowoddwa nga kiri mu mukono gwe; endogoyi n’ekyama n’eva mu kkubo n’eraga mu nnimiro. Balamu n’agikuba agizze mu kkubo.
24 Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow part of the road that passed between two vineyards, with walls on both sides.
Malayika wa Mukama Katonda n’ayimirira mu kakubo akafunda akayita wakati w’ennimiro z’emizabbibu nga ziriko ekisenge ku buli luuyi.
25 The donkey saw the angel of the Lord and tried to get past. It pushed up against the wall and crushed Balaam's foot against it. So he beat it again.
Endogoyi bwe yalaba malayika wa Mukama Katonda ne yeenyigiriza ku kisenge, n’ebetenterako ekigere kya Balamu. N’ayongera okugikuba.
26 Then the angel of the Lord went ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to get past, either on the right or the left.
Malayika wa Mukama Katonda ne yeeyongerayo mu maaso, n’ayimirira mu kakubo akafunda ennyo, awataali kabanga ka kwekyusizaamu kulaga ku mukono ogwa ddyo wadde ku gwa kkono.
27 The donkey saw the angel of the Lord and lay down under Balaam. He got angry and beat it with his walking stick.
Endogoyi bwe yalaba malayika wa Mukama Katonda n’egalamira wansi, nga Balamu ye agituddeko; obusungu bwa Balamu ne bubuubuuka, n’akuba endogoyi n’omuggo gwe.
28 The Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you for you to beat me three times?”
Awo Mukama Katonda n’ayasamya akamwa k’endogoyi, n’egamba Balamu nti, “Nkukoze ki okunkuba emirundi gino gyonsatule?”
29 “You made me look stupid!” Balaam told the donkey. “If I was holding a sword, I'd kill you now!”
Balamu n’agamba endogoyi nti, “Kubanga onfudde atategeera! Singa mbadde n’ekitala mu mukono gwange nandikuttiddewo kaakano.”
30 But the donkey asked Balaam, “Aren't I the donkey you've ridden all your life right up to today? Have I ever treated you this way before?” “No,” he admitted.
Endogoyi n’egamba Balamu nti, “Siri ndogoyi yo gye weebagadde ebbanga lyonna n’okutuusa ku lunaku lwa leero? Ebadde mpisa yange okukukola bwe nti?” Balamu n’addamu nti, “Nedda.”
31 Then the Lord gave Balaam the ability to see the angel of the Lord standing in the road holding a drawn sword. Balaam bowed low and fell facedown on the ground.
Awo Mukama Katonda n’alyoka azibula amaaso ga Balamu, n’alaba malayika wa Mukama ng’ayimiridde wakati mu kkubo n’ekitala ekisowoddwa nga kiri mu mukono gwe. N’awunzika omutwe gwe, ne yeevuunika wansi n’avuunama.
32 The angel of the Lord asked him, “Why did you beat your donkey three times? Listen, I have come to confront you because you're being obstinate.
Malayika wa Mukama Katonda n’amugamba nti, “Lwaki endogoyi ogikubye emirundi egyo gyonsatule? Laba, nzize okukuziyiza kubanga ekkubo ly’okutte terinsanyusa.
33 The donkey saw me and avoided me three times. If it had not avoided me, by now I definitely would have killed you and allowed the donkey to live.”
Endogoyi yandabye n’enneebalama emirundi egyo esatu. Singa teyanneebalamye, nandibadde ggwe nkusse, naye yo nga ngirese.”
34 “I have sinned because I did not realize that you were standing in the road to confront me,” Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “So if this isn't what you want, I'll go back home.”
Balamu n’agamba malayika wa Mukama Katonda nti, “Nnyonoonye. Saategedde nti ggwe oyimiridde mu kkubo okunziyiza. Kale nno nga kye nkoze bwe kitakusanyusizza, ka nzireyo eka.”
35 The angel of the Lord told Balaam, “No, you can go with the men, but only say what I tell you.” So Balaam continued on with Balak's officials.
Malayika wa Mukama Katonda n’agamba Balamu nti, “Genda n’abasajja abo, naye ebigambo bye nnaakulagira bye byokka by’oba oyogera.” Bw’atyo Balamu n’agenda n’abakungu ba Balaki.
36 When Balak found out that Balaam was on his way, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the border at the Arnon River, the farthest point of his territory.
Balaki bwe yawulira nga Balamu ajja, n’afuluma okugenda okumusisinkana mu kibuga kya Mowaabu ekiri ku nsalo ya Alumoni, ku nkomerero y’amatwale ge.
37 He said to Balaam, “Didn't you think my call for you to come was urgent? Why didn't you come to me straight away? Did you think I couldn't pay you enough?”
Balaki n’agamba Balamu nti, “Saakutumira nga nkuyita ojje ku bwange? Lwaki tewajja gye ndi? Olowooza siyinza kukuwa bitiibwa bingi?”
38 “Look, I'm here with you now, aren't I?” Balaam replied. “But do you think I can just say anything? I can only speak the words that God gives me to say.”
Balamu n’addamu nti, “Nzuuno kaakano nzize gy’oli! Naye olowooza nnina obuyinza okwogera kyonna kye njagala? Nteekwa okwogera ebyo byokka Katonda by’anassa mu kamwa kange.”
39 So Balaam went with Balak and they arrived at Kiriath-huzoth.
Bw’atyo Balamu n’agenda ne Balaki ne bajja e Kiriasikuzosi.
40 Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and he shared with meat with Balaam and the leaders who were with him.
Balaki n’awaayo ekiweebwayo eky’ente n’endiga, n’aweerezaako ne ku Balamu n’abakungu abaali naye.
41 The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth-baal. From there he could see the extent of the Israelite camp.
Enkeera Balaki n’atwala Balamu n’amulinnyisa ku bifo bya Bamosi Baali, n’asinziira awo okulengera ku kitundu eky’abantu ba Isirayiri abaali okumpi.

< Numbers 22 >