< Numbers 22 >

1 Then the Israelis traveled west to the area of Moab that was in the valley of the Jordan [River], across the river from Jericho [city].
Ary ny Zanak’ Isiraely nifindra nitoby tao Arbota-moaba, tany an-dafin’ i Jordana tandrifin’ i Jeriko.
2 But King Balak, the son of Zippor, who ruled Moab, found out what the Israelis had done to the Amor people-group.
Ary Balaka, zanak’ i Zipora, nahita izay rehetra efa nataon’ ny Isiraely tamin’ ny Amorita.
3 [When he saw that] the Israelis were very numerous, he and his people became terrified.
Dia raiki-tahotra indrindra ny Moabita noho ny hamaroan’ ny olona; ary nangorohoro ny Moabita noho ny Zanak’ Isiraely.
4 So the king of Moab [went to] the leaders of the Midian people-group and said to them, “This huge group [of Israelis] will (wipe out/destroy) everything around them, like an ox devours grass!” Balak was the king of Moab.
Dia hoy izy tamin’ ny loholon’ ny Midianita: Ankehitriny dia hiraoka izay rehetra manodidina antsika ireto vahoaka be ireto tahaka ny firaokan’ ny omby ny zava-maitso any an-tsaha. Ary Balaka, zanak’ i Zipora, no mpanjakan’ i Moaba tamin’ izany andro izany.
5 He sent messengers to [a prophet named] Balaam, who was living in his own area, in Pethor [town], near the [Euphrates] River. He sent this message to request that Balaam would come [to help him]: “A huge group of people has arrived here from Egypt. [It looks like] they are covering the entire land! And they have begun to live close to us.
Dia naniraka olona izy ho any amin’ i Balama, zanak’ i Beora, any Petora, izay eo amoron’ ny Ony, dia eo amin’ ny tanin’ ny fireneny, mba hampaka azy, ka nanao hoe: Indro, misy firenena nivoaka avy tany Egypta; ary indro, mandrakotra ny tany rehetra izy ka mitoby tandrifiko;
6 Because they are very powerful/numerous, [we are afraid of them. So] please come and curse them for me. Then my army may be able to defeat them and expel them from the land [where they are now living]. I know that good things will happen to the people whom you bless, and disasters will happen to the people whom you curse.”
koa ankehitriny mba mankanesa atỳ, ka ozòny ho ahy ity firenena ity, fa mahery noho izaho izy; angamba hahazo mamely azy isika, ka handroaka azy hiala amin’ ny tany aho; satria fantatro fa izay tsofinao rano dia voatahy, ary izay ozoninao dia voaozona.
7 [Balak’s messengers, who were] leaders of both the Moab and Midian people-groups, took money with them to pay Balaam in order that he would [come and] curse the Israelis. They went to Balaam and told him what Balak had said.
Dia nandeha ny loholon’ ny Moabita sy ny loholon’ ny Midianita nitondra ny saran’ ny fankatovana teny an-tànany; dia nankany amin’ i Balama izy ka nilaza taminy izay tenin’ i Balaka.
8 Balaam said, “Stay here tonight. [Tomorrow morning] I will tell you whatever Yahweh tells me that I should say to you.” So the leaders from Moab stayed there that night.
Ary hoy Balama taminy: Mandria atỳ anio alina, dia hamaly ny teninareo aho, araka izay holazain’ i Jehovah amiko. Dia nitoetra tao amin’ i Balama ireo andriandahin’ i Moaba.
9 During the night, God appeared to Balaam and asked him, “(Who are/Tell me about) these men who are staying with you.”
Ary Andriamanitra nankao amin’ i Balama ka nanao hoe: Iza moa ireo lehilahy ato aminao ireo?
10 Balaam replied, “Balak, the king of Moab, sent these men to tell me this:
Dia hoy Balama tamin’ Andriamanitra: Balaka, zanak’ i Zipora, mpanjakan’ i Moaba, no efa naniraka tamiko hoe:
11 ‘A huge group of people has come from Egypt, and they have spread all over this area. Please come immediately to curse them. Then I may be able to defeat them and expel them [from this area].’”
Indro ny firenena izay nivoaka avy tany Egypta mandrakotra ny tany rehetra; koa mankanesa atỳ ankehitriny, ka ozòny ho ahy izy; angamba haharesy azy aho ka haharoaka azy.
12 God replied to Balaam, “Do not go with them! I have blessed those people, so you must not curse them!”
Ary hoy Andriamanitra tamin’ i Balama: Aza mandeha miaraka aminy, na manozona izany firenena izany, fa voatahy izy.
13 The next morning, Balaam got up and told Balak’s men, “Go back home. [But go by yourselves, because] Yahweh is not allowing me to go with you.”
Dia nifoha maraina koa Balama, ka nanao tamin’ ireo andriandahin’ i Balaka hoe: Andeha mody any amin’ ny taninareo; fa tsy avelan’ i Jehovah handeha hiaraka aminareo aho.
14 So the men from Moab returned to King Balak and they reported to him, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
Ary niainga ireo andriandahin’ i Moaba, dia tonga tany amin i Balaka ka nanao hoe: Tsy nety nandeha niaraka taminay Balama.
15 But Balak sent another [group of] leaders to Balaam. It was a group that was larger and they were more important [than the men in the first group].
Ary Balaka naniraka andriandahy maro sady malaza noho ny teo indray.
16 They went to Balaam and told him this: “This is what King Balak says: ‘Please do not allow anything to hinder you from coming here.
Dia tonga tao amin’ i Balama ireny ka nanao taminy hoe: Izao no lazain’ i Balaka, zanak’ i Zipora: Aoka mba tsy ho azon-tsampona ny hankanesanao atỳ amiko;
17 I will pay you (a lot of money/very well) [if you come], and I will do anything that you ask me to do. Just come and curse these [Israeli] people for me!’”
fa hanome anao voninahitra lehibe indrindra aho, ary izay rehetra holazainao amiko dia hataoko avokoa; koa masìna ianao, mankanesa atỳ, ozòny ho ahy ity firenena ity.
18 But Balaam answered them, “Even if Balak would give me a palace filled with silver and gold, I would not do anything to disobey Yahweh, (my God/the God whom I [worship]).
Fa namaly Balama ka nanao tamin’ ny mpanompon’ i Balaka hoe: Na dia homen’ i Balaka volafotsy sy volemana eran’ ny tranony aza aho, dia tsy mahazo manoatra ny tenin’ i Jehovah Andriamanitro aho, na handatsaka, na hampihoatra.
19 But stay here one more night, like the other messengers did, and I will find out if Yahweh has anything more to say to me.”
Nefa, na dia izany aza, mitoera atỳ ihany koa ianareo anio alina, mba ho fantatro izay mbola holazain’ i Jehovah amiko koa.
20 That night God appeared to Balaam again and said to him, “These men have come to request that you go back with them, so you may go with them, but do only what I tell you [to do]!”
Ary nony alina dia nankao amin’ i Balama Andriamanitra ka nanao taminy hoe: Raha haka anao no nahatongavan’ ireo olona ireo, dia miaingà ka mandehana ihany miaraka aminy; kanefa ny teny izay holazaiko aminao ihany no hataonao.
21 So the next morning, Balaam put a saddle on his donkey and he departed [with two of his servants] along with the men from Moab.
Dia nifoha maraina koa Balama ka nanisy lasely ny borikiny, dia nandeha niaraka tamin’ ireo andriandahin’ i Moaba.
22 [Even though God had given Balaam permission to go, he was still angry]. So he sent one of his angels to Balaam. This angel stood in the road to block Balaam’s path. As Balaam and the two servants were riding on their donkeys,
Ary nirehitra taminy ny fahatezeran’ Andriamanitra, satria nandeha izy; ka dia nijanona teo an-dalana Ilay Anjelin’ i Jehovah ho mpisakana azy. Ary Balama nitaingina ny borikiny, ary ny zatovony roa lahy nanaraka azy.
23 Balaam’s donkey saw the angel. The angel was standing in the road and was holding a sword in his hand, [but Balaam did not see him]. Balaam’s donkey turned off the road into a field. So Balaam struck the donkey and forced it to go back onto the road.
Dia hitan’ ny boriky nijanona teo an-dalana Ilay Anjelin’ i Jehovah sady nitana ny sabany voatsoaka teny an-tànany; dia nivily lalana ny boriky ka nankany amin’ ny saha; dia nikapoka ny boriky Balama mba hampiverina azy ho amin’ ny lalana.
24 Then the angel stood in a place where the road was very narrow, between two vineyards, with walls on each side of the road.
Ary Ilay Anjelin’ i Jehovah nijanona teo an-kandemponana tanelanelan’ ny tanim-boaloboka, izay nisy fefy teo an-daniny roa.
25 When the donkey saw the angel standing there, it walked very close to the wall [to try to get past the angel]. As a result, it bashed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So Balaam struck the donkey again.
Ary ny boriky nahita Ilay Anjelin’ i Jehovah, dia niampify teo amin’ ny fefy ka nanery ny tongotr’ i Balama tamin’ ny fefy; dia nikapoka azy indray izy.
26 Then the angel went further along the road and stood at a place that was extremely narrow, with the result that the donkey could not get past at all.
Ary mbola nandroso Ilay Anjelin’ i Jehovah ka nijanona teo amin’ ny fitoerana èty, izay tsy nisy lalana hiviliana, na ho amin’ ny ankavanana, na ho amin’ ny ankavia.
27 This time, when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down [on the ground] with Balaam sitting on top of it. Balaam became extremely angry, and he struck the donkey again with his walking stick.
Ary ny boriky nahita ilay Anjelin’ i Jehovah, dia nandry teo ambanin’ i Balama; ary nirehitra ny fahatezeran’ i Balama ka nikapoka ny boriky tamin’ ny tehina izy.
28 Then Yahweh enabled the donkey to speak! It said to Balaam, “What bad thing have I done to you that caused you to strike me three times?”
Dia nosokafan’ i Jehovah ny vavan’ ny boriky, ka hoy ny boriky tamin’ i Balama: Inona no nataoko taminao no dia nokapohinao intelo aho izao?
29 Balaam shouted, “I struck you because you have caused me to appear to be foolish! If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!”
Dia hoy Balama tamin’ ny boriky: Satria namazivazy ahy ianao; enga anie ka misy sabatra etỳ an-tanako, dia matiko mihitsy ianao ankehitriny.
30 But the donkey answered, “I am your own donkey [RHQ], the one that you have always ridden! Have I ever done anything like this previously?” Balaam said, “No.”
Ary hoy ny boriky tamin’ i Balama: Tsy borikinao va aho, izay nitaingenanao hatrizay nanananao ahy ka mandraka androany? Moa efa fanaoko va ny manao toy izao aminao? Dia hoy izy: Tsia.
31 Then Yahweh enabled Balaam to see the angel standing on the road, holding a sword in his hand. Balaam [realized that it was an angel and] prostrated himself on the ground in front of the angel.
Dia nampahiratin’ i Jehovah ny mason’ i Balama hahita Ilay Anjelin’ i Jehovah mijanona eo an-dalana sady mitana ny sabany voatsoaka eny an-tànany; dia niondrika izy ka niankohoka.
32 The angel asked him, ‘(Why did you strike your donkey three times?/ You should certainly not have struck the donkey three times! [RHQ] I have come to block your path because what you are planning to do is wrong.
Ary hoy Ilay Anjelin’ i Jehovah taminy: Nahoana no nikapoka ny borikinao intelo ianao izao? indro, Izaho no nivoaka ho mpisakana anao, satria mivarina amin-doza eto anatrehako ny lalanao.
33 Three times your donkey saw me and turned away from me. If it had not done that, I would certainly have killed you already, but I would have allowed the donkey to live.”
Koa nahita Ahy ny boriky ka nivily Ahy intelo izao; raha tsy nivily Ahy izy, dia ianao no nataoko maty mihitsy toy izay, fa izy kosa no novelomiko.
34 Then Balaam said to the angel, “I have sinned. But I did not realize that you were standing there, trying to block my path. So if you do not want me to continue going, I will return home.”
Dia hoy Balama tamin’ Ilay Anjelin’ i Jehovah: Efa nanota aho; fa tsy fantatro fa Hianao no nijanona nisakana ahy teo an-dalana; koa ankehitriny, raha tsy sitrakao izany, dia hiverina aho.
35 But the angel replied, “I will allow you to go with these men, but you must say only what I tell you to say!” So Balaam went on with the leaders whom Balak [had sent].
Fa hoy Ilay Anjelin’ i Jehovah tamin’ i Balama: Mandehana ihany miaraka amin’ ireo lehilahy ireo, kanefa ny teny izay holazaiko aminao ihany no holazainao. Dia nandeha Balama niaraka tamin’ ireo andriandahin’ i Balaka.
36 When King Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went to meet him at a Moab town alongside the Arnon [River] that was at the border of his own land.
Ary nony ren’ i Balaka fa tonga Balama, dia nivoaka izy mba hitsena azy teo amin’ ny Tanànan’ i Moaba, teo amin’ ny fari-tanin’ i Arnona, izay eo amin’ ny sisin’ ny fari-tany.
37 [When he arrived where] Balaam was, he said to him, “I sent you [RHQ] a message saying that you should come immediately [RHQ]! Why did you not come immediately? [Did you think that] I was not able to pay you a lot of money for coming?”
Ary hoy Balaka tamin’ i Balama: Tsy naniraka dia naniraka tany aminao va aho nampaka anao; ? Ka nahoana no tsy nankaty amiko ianao? tsy haiko tokoa va ny hanome voninahitra anao?
38 Balaam replied, “I have come here now, but I am not able to say anything [that I want to]. I will say only the words that God tells me to say [MTY].”
Dia hoy Balama tamin’ i Balaka: Inty aho tonga eto aminao ankehitriny; kanefa mahazo milaza teny akory va aho? ny teny izay hataon’ Andriamanitra ao am-bavako, dia izany no holazaiko.
39 Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath-Huzoth [town].
Dia nandeha Balama niaraka tamin’ i Balaka, ka nankany Kinata-hozota izy roa lahy.
40 There Balak killed some cattle and sheep as sacrifices, and offered [parts of the meat] to Balaam and the leaders who were with him.
Ary Balaka namono omby sy ondry aman’ osy hatao fanatitra ka nampanatitra ho an’ i Balama sy ny andriandahy izay teo aminy.
41 [They slept there], and the next morning Balak took Balaam part way up [the mountain] to Bamoth-Baal [village]. From there, they could see some of the Israeli people who were down below.
Ary nony maraina Balama dia nalain’ i Balaka ka nentiny niakatra ho ao Bamota-bala, ka dia tazany tao ny olona hatramin’ ny sisin’ ny tobiny.

< Numbers 22 >