Numbers 23
1 Then Balaam told Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice.”
UBhalamu wathi, “Ngakhela ama-alithare ayisikhombisa lapha, ube usungilungisela inkunzi eziyisikhombisa kanye lenqama eziyisikhombisa.”
2 Balak did as Balaam had said, and together they offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
UBhalaki wenza njengokutshiwo nguBhalamu, kwathi bobabili babo banikela ngenkunzi langenqama eyodwa e-alithareni linye ngalinye.
3 Balaam said to Balak, “Wait here beside your burnt offering while I go and see if perhaps the Lord will come and meet with me. Whatever he reveals to me, I'll share with you.” Then Balaam left to climb up a rocky crag.
Ngakho uBhalamu wasesithi kuBhalaki, “Hlala lapha eceleni lomnikelo wakho mina ngisaya eceleni. Mhlawumbe uThixo uzabuya azohlangana lami. Lokho azakuveza kimi ngizakutshela.” Wasesuka waya endaweni ephakemeyo eligceke.
4 God met with him there, and Balaam said. “I have built seven altars and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.”
UNkulunkulu wahlangana laye, njalo uBhalamu wathi, “Sengakhe ama-alithare ayisikhombisa njalo e-alithareni linye ngalinye nginikele ngenkunzi langenqama eyodwa.”
5 The Lord gave Balaam a message to share. He told him, “Go back to Balak and this is what you are to say to him.”
Ngakho uThixo watshela uBhalamu wathi, “Buyela kuBhalaki uyemupha umbiko lo.”
6 So he went back to Balak, who was waiting there beside his burnt offering, along with all the Moabite leaders.
Ngakho wabuyela kuBhalaki wamfica emi eceleni komnikelo wakhe, kanye lawo wonke amakhosana amaMowabi.
7 This is the declaration that Balaam gave: “Balak brought me from Aram; the king of Moab brought me from the mountains of the east. He said, ‘Come and curse Jacob for me! Come and condemn Israel!’
Ngakho uBhalamu wasesitsho umbiko wakhe: “UBhalaki ungilethe ngivela e-Aramu, inkosi yamaMowabi evela ezintabeni zasempumalanga. ‘Woza,’ watsho njalo, ‘ngiqalekisela uJakhobe; woza, mchothoze u-Israyeli.’
8 But how can I curse what God has not cursed? How can I condemn what the Lord has not condemned?
Ngingabaqalekisa njani labo abangaqalekiswanga nguNkulunkulu? Ngingachothoza njani labo abangazange bachothozwe nguThixo?
9 For I'm looking down on them from the top of rocky crags; I'm watching them from the hills. I see a people who live on their own, different from the other nations.
Eziqongweni zamatshe ngiyababona, khonale phezulu bayangikhanyela. Ngibona abantu abahlezi ngokwehluka, njalo kabaziboni bengabalezizizwe.
10 Who can count Jacob's descendants? They are so many they're like dust! Who can count even a quarter of the Israelites? I would like to die as a good person dies! Let the end of my life be like their end!”
Ngubani ongabala uthuli lukaJakhobe loba ingxenye yesine yabako-Israyeli na? Yekela ngife ukufa kwabalungileyo, njalo sengathi isiphetho sami singafana lesabo!”
11 Then Balak complained to Balaam, “What on earth have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, and now look! All you have done is bless them!”
UBhalaki wathi kuBhalamu, “Kuyini osungenzele khona na? Ngize lawe ukuze uqalekise izitha zami, kodwa akulalutho olwenzileyo ngaphandle kokuzibusisa!”
12 But Balaam replied, “Don't you think I should I say precisely what the Lord tells me?”
UBhalamu, waphendula wathi, “Ngingakukhulumi na engikutshelwe nguThixo?”
13 Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place where you can see them. But you'll only see a part of their camp—you won't see all of them. You can curse them for me from there.”
Ngakho uBhalaki wathi kuBhalamu, “Woza asiye kwenye indawo lapha ozababona khona; uzabona ingxenye kuphela kungeyisibo bonke. Khonapho-ke ungiqalekisele bona.”
14 He took him to the field of Zophim at the top of Mount Pisgah. There he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
Wasesuka laye waya emangweni waseZofimu phezu kwentaba iPhisiga, kulapho akha khona ama-alithare ayisikhombisa wanikela ngenkunzi langenqama e-alithareni linye ngalinye.
15 Balaam told Balak, “Wait here beside your burnt offering while I meet the Lord over there.”
UBhalamu wathi kuBhalaki, “Hlala lapha eceleni komnikelo wakho mina ngisayahlangana laye ngale.”
16 The Lord met Balaam and gave him a message to share. He told him, “Go back to Balak and this is what you are to say to him.”
UThixo wahlangana loBhalamu wamtshela wathi, “Buyela kuBhalaki uyemnika umbiko lo.”
17 So he went back to Balak, who was waiting there beside his burnt offering, along with all the Moabite leaders. “What did the Lord say?” Balak asked.
Wasebuyela kuBhalaki wamfica emi eceleni komnikelo wakhe, kanye lamakhosana amaMowabi. UBhalaki wambuza wathi, “Utheni uThixo?”
18 This is the prophecy that Balaam delivered: “Stand up, Balak, and pay attention! Listen to me, son of Zippor!
Wasesitsho umbiko wakhe: “Vuka, Bhalaki, njalo ulalele; zwana mina, ndodana kaZiphori.
19 God isn't a human being who would lie. He's not a mere mortal who changes his mind. Does he say he's going to do something but doesn't? Does he make promises he doesn't carry out?
UNkulunkulu kasumuntu, ukuthi angaqamba amanga, loba indodana yomuntu, yona eguquguqula ingqondo yayo. Kambe ukhuluma angenzi na? Uyathembisa angagcwalisi isithembiso na?
20 Look, I have been ordered to give a blessing. God has blessed, and I can't change that.
Ngamukele umlayo wokubusisa; usebusisile, njalo ngingeke ngikuguqule lokho.
21 He's not expecting anything bad will happen to Jacob; he doesn't foresee any trouble for Israel. The Lord their God is with them; they celebrate him as their king.
Akulamabhadi ehlela kuJakhobe, akulasizi olubonakala ku-Israyeli. UThixo uNkulunkulu wabo ukanye labo; umkhosi weNkosi uphakathi kwabo.
22 God led them out of Egypt with great power, as strong as an ox.
UNkulunkulu wabakhipha eGibhithe; balamandla enyathi.
23 No spell can be cast against Jacob; no magic can be used against Israel. People will talk about Jacob and Israel, saying, ‘What amazing things God has done for them!’
Akulamilingo engalinga uJakhobe, akulamasalamusi angamelana lo-Israyeli. Khathesi sekuzathiwa ngoJakhobe kanye lo-lsrayeli, ‘Khangela okwenziwe nguNkulunkulu!’
24 Look! The Israelites go out hunting like a lioness; they chase like a lion. They don't rest until they eat their prey, and drink the blood of their dead victim.”
Abantu bayavuka njengesilwanekazi; badlwanguluka njengesilwane sona esingaphumuliyo size sitshwabadele inyamazana yaso njalo sinathe igazi layo.”
25 Then Balak said to Balaam, “If you can't give them any curses then at least don't give them any blessings!”
Ngakho uBhalaki wasesithi kuBhalamu, “Ungabaqalekisi, njalo ungababusisi!”
26 But Balaam replied, “Didn't I explain to you that I have to do whatever the Lord tells me?”
UBhalamu waphendula wathi, “Angikutshelanga na ukuthi ngenza engikutshelwe nguThixo?”
27 “Please come with me and I will take you somewhere else,” Balak said. “Maybe God would let you curse them for me from there.”
Ngakho uBhalaki wathi kuBhalamu, “Woza, kahle ngikuse kwenye indawo. Mhlawumbe kuzamthokozisa uNkulunkulu akuvumele ukuthi ungiqalekisele bona ukhonale.”
28 Balak took Balaam to the top of Mount Peor, which looks down on the wastelands.
Ngakho uBhalaki wahamba loBhalamu baya phezu kwePheyori ekhangele enkangala.
29 Balaam told Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice.”
UBhalamu wathi, “Ngakhela ama-alithare ayisikhombisa khonapha, ungilungisele inkunzi eziyisikhombisa lenqama eziyisikhombisa.”
30 Balak what Balaam told him, and he offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
UBhalaki wenza lokho ayekutshelwe nguBhalamu, wanikela inkunzi eyodwa lenqama e-alithareni linye ngalinye.
