< Numbers 24 >
1 When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to blesse Israel, then he went not, as certaine times before, to set diuinations, but set his face toward the wildernesse.
UBalami esebonile ukuthi kuhle emehlweni eNkosi ukubusisa uIsrayeli, kahambanga njengezinye izikhathi ukuyadinga imilingo; kodwa wakhangelisa ubuso bakhe enkangala.
2 And Balaam lift vp his eyes, and looked vpon Israel, which dwelt according to their tribes, and the Spirit of God came vpon him.
Kwathi uBalami ephakamisa amehlo akhe, wabona uIsrayeli ehlezi ngokwezizwe zakhe, loMoya kaNkulunkulu waba phezu kwakhe.
3 And he vttered his parable, and sayd, Balaam the sonne of Beor hath sayde, and the man, whose eyes were shut vp, hath sayd,
Wasephakamisa umfanekiso wakhe wathi: UBalami indodana kaBeyori uthi, lendoda olihlo layo livulekile ithi,
4 He hath sayde, which heard the wordes of God, and sawe the vision of the Almightie, and falling in a traunce had his eyes opened:
uthi ozwayo amazwi kaNkulunkulu, obonayo umbono kaSomandla, esiwa, njalo kwembulwe amehlo.
5 How goodly are thy tentes, O Iaakob, and thine habitations, O Israel!
Mahle kangakanani amathente akho, Jakobe, amakhaya akho, Israyeli!
6 As the valleis, are they stretched forth, as gardes by the riuers side, as the aloe trees, which the Lord hath planted, as the cedars beside the waters.
Njengezigodi zisabalele, njengezivande ngasemfuleni, njengezinhlaba iNkosi ezihlanyeleyo, njengezihlahla zemisedari ngasemanzini!
7 The water droppeth out of his bucket, and his seede shalbe in many waters, and his king shall be hier then Agag, and his kingdome shall bee exalted.
Amanzi azageleza evela embizeni zakhe, lenhlanyelo yakhe izakuba semanzini amanengi, lenkosi yakhe izakuba nkulu kuloAgagi, lombuso wakhe uzaphakama.
8 God brought him out of Egypt: his strength shalbe as an vnicorne: he shall eate the nations his enemies, and bruise their bones, and shoote them through with his arrowes.
UNkulunkulu wamkhupha eGibhithe, ulokunjengamandla enyathi, uzakudla izizwe, izitha zakhe, njalo uzakwephula amathambo azo, njalo azitshoke ngemitshoko yakhe.
9 He coucheth and lieth downe as a yong lion, and as a lion: who shall stirre him vp? blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.
Waqutha, walala phansi njengesilwane, lanjengesilwane esisikazi; ngubani ozamvusa? Okubusisayo abusiswe, lokuqalekisayo aqalekiswe!
10 Then Balak was very angry with Balaam, and smote his handes together: so Balak sayde vnto Balaam, I sent for thee to curse mine enemies, and beholde, thou hast blessed them nowe three times.
Njalo ulaka lukaBalaki lwavuthela uBalami, watshaya izandla zakhe, uBalaki wasesithi kuBalami: Ngikubize ukuze uqalekise izitha zami, kodwa khangela, uzibusisile lokuzibusisa okwalezizikhathi ezintathu.
11 Therefore nowe flee vnto thy place: I thought surely to promote thee vnto honour, but loe, the Lord hath kept thee backe from honour.
Khathesi-ke zibalekele uye endaweni yakho. Bengithe ngizakuhlonipha ngodumo, kodwa khangela, iNkosi ikuvimbile kudumo.
12 Then Balaam answered Balak, Tolde I not also thy messengers, which thou sentest vnto me, saying,
UBalami wasesithi kuBalaki: Kangikhulumanga yini lakuzithunywa obuzithume kimi ngisithi:
13 If Balak would giue me his house ful of siluer and gold, I can not passe the commandement of the Lord, to doe either good or bad of mine owne minde? what the Lord shall commaund, the same will I speake.
Uba uBalaki ebezangipha indlu yakhe igcwele isiliva legolide, bengingayikweqa umlayo weNkosi, ukwenza okuhle kumbe okubi okwenhliziyo yami; lokho iNkosi ekutshoyo yilokho engizakukhuluma?
14 And nowe behold, I goe vnto my people: come, I will aduertise thee what this people shall doe to thy folke in the later dayes.
Khathesi-ke, khangela, ngiya ebantwini bakithi; woza ngikucebise ukuthi lababantu bazakwenzani ebantwini bakini ensukwini zokucina.
15 And he vttered his parable, and sayd, Balaam the sonne of Beor hath sayde, and the man whose eyes were shut vp, hath sayd,
Wasephakamisa umfanekiso wakhe wathi: UBalami indodana kaBeyori uthi, lendoda elamehlo avulekileyo ithi,
16 He hath said that heard the words of God, and hath the knowledge of the most High, and sawe the vision of the Almightie, and falling in a traunce had his eyes opened:
uthi ozwayo amazwi kaNkulunkulu, lowazi ulwazi loPhezukonke, obonayo umbono kaSomandla, esiwa, njalo kuvuleke amehlo.
17 I shall see him, but not nowe: I shall behold him, but not neere: there shall come a starre of Iaakob, and a scepter shall rise of Israel, and shall smite the coastes of Moab, and destroy all the sonnes of Sheth.
Ngizambona, kodwa hatshi khathesi, ngizamkhangela, kodwa kungeseduze; kuzavela inkanyezi kuJakobe, lentonga yobukhosi izavuka koIsrayeli, itshaye amagumbi akoMowabi, njalo ichithe bonke abantwana bakaShethi.
18 And Edom shalbe possessed, and Seir shall be a possession to their enemies: but Israel shall do valiantly.
Njalo uEdoma uzakuba yimfuyo, loSeyiri abe yimfuyo yezitha zakhe, kodwa uIsrayeli uzakwenza ngobuqhawe,
19 He also that shall haue dominion shall bee of Iaakob, and shall destroy the remnant of the citie.
kuzavela-ke koJakobe umbusi, njalo uzabhubhisa oseleyo emzini.
20 And when he looked on Amalek, he vttered his parable, and sayd, Amalek was the first of the nations: but his latter ende shall come to destruction.
Esebone uAmaleki, waphakamisa umfanekiso wakhe wathi: UAmaleki wayengowokuqala wezizwe, kodwa ukucina kwakhe kuyikubhubha okupheleleyo.
21 And he looked on the Kenites, and vttered his parable, and sayde, Strong is thy dwelling place, and put thy nest in the rocke.
Esebone amaKeni, waphakamisa umfanekiso wakhe wathi: Iqinile indlu yakho, isidleke sakho usimise edwaleni.
22 Neuerthelesse, the Kenite shalbe spoyled vntill Asshur cary thee away captiue.
Kanti-ke uKhayini uzachithwa, aze akuthumbe uAshuri.
23 Againe he vttered his parable, and sayd, Alas, who shall liue when God doeth this?
Wasephakamisa umfanekiso wakhe wathi: Maye, ngubani ozaphila nxa uNkulunkulu esenza lokhu?
24 The ships also shall come from the coastes of Chittim, and subdue Asshur, and shall subdue Eber, and he also shall come to destruction.
Imikhumbi izavela ekhunjini lweKitimi, ihluphe uAshuri, ihluphe uEberi; njalo laye uzabhubha okwesikhathi sonke.
25 Then Balaam rose vp, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.
UBalami wasesukuma wahamba wabuyela endaweni yakhe; loBalaki laye wahamba ngendlela yakhe.