Numbers 24
1 Balaam now realized that Yahweh wanted to bless the Israeli people, [not curse them]. So he did not use magic/divination [like a shaman would do] to find out what Yahweh wanted, as he often did. Instead, he turned toward the desert.
Balaam dze sii azɔ be edze Yehowa ŋu be yeayra Israel, eya ta megayi ɖaka nu abe ale si wòwɔna tsã la ene o, ke boŋ edze ŋgɔ gbegbe la.
2 He saw the Israeli people camped there [in their tents], with each tribe gathered in its own group. Then the Spirit of God took control of him,
Esi Balaam kpɔ eŋgɔ la, ekpɔ Israelviwo woƒu asaɖa anyi ɖe woƒe to vovovoawo me. Tete Mawu ƒe Gbɔgbɔ ɖiɖi ɖe edzi,
3 and enabled him to give this prophetic message to Balak: “I, Balaam, the son of Beor, am giving this prophecy; I am speaking as a man who sees [what will happen in the future] clearly speaks.
eye wògblɔ nya ɖi be, “Balaam, Beor ƒe viŋutsu gblɔ be: ame si kpɔa nu nyuie la ƒe nyagblɔɖi,
4 I hear this message from God; I see a vision from him who is all-powerful. My eyes are open as I prostrate myself in front of him.
ame si sea Mawu ƒe nya la ƒe nyagblɔɖi, ame si xɔa ɖeɖefia tso Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la gbɔ, ame si tsyɔa mo anyi, eye eƒe ŋku nɔa te la ƒe nyawo.
5 You descendants of Jacob, your tents are very beautiful; they are truly lovely!
“O! Yakob, wò agbadɔwo dzeani loo! O! Israel, wò nɔƒewo nyo!
6 Your tents are spread out [in front of me like groves of palm trees in] valleys, like gardens alongside a river. They are like strong aloe trees/plants that Yahweh has planted, like [strong] cedar trees [that grow] along the rivers.
“Wokeke abe balimewo ene. Wole abe amabɔ siwo le tɔsisi to ene. Wole abe aloe si Yehowa do ene. Wole abe sedati le tɔwo to ene.
7 Your water buckets will always be full; the seeds [that you plant] will always have plenty of water [to make them grow]. The Israelis’ king will be greater than [King] Agag; the kingdom that he rules will be honored.
Tsi asi tso woƒe tɔkpowo me. Tsi anɔ woƒe kuwo me fũu. “Woƒe fia axɔ ŋkɔ wu Agag. Woado woƒe fiaɖuƒe ɖe dzi.
8 God brought the Israelis out of Egypt, [leading them along] with his great power [MTY] like a wild ox has. He devastates all the nations that oppose him; he breaks all those people’s bones into pieces, and shoots them with his arrows.
“Mawu kplɔ wo do goe tso Egipte. Woƒe ŋusẽ le abe to ƒe ŋusẽ ene. Wovuvu dukɔ siwo tso ɖe wo ŋu, eye woŋe woƒe ƒuwo wuliwuli heŋɔ wo kple woƒe aŋutrɔwo.
9 The Israelis are like lions that crouch and lie down, [ready to pounce on their prey] [SIM]. They are like lionesses [that are resting, but ready to attack]; no one [RHQ] would dare to arouse them! [God] will bless everyone who blesses you Israelis, and he will curse everyone who curses you.”
Wole adeklo dzi abe dzata ene, eye abe dzatanɔ ene la, ame ka ate ŋu anyɔ wo? “Woayra ame siwo yraa wò. Eye woaƒo fi ade ame siwo ƒoa fi dea wò!”
10 Then King Balak was extremely angry with Balaam. He showed with his hands that he was very angry, and he [shouted at Balaam], “I summoned you here to curse my enemies! Instead, you have (blessed/asked God to bless) them three times!
Fia Balak do dɔmedzoe vevie azɔ ɖe Balaam ŋu. Eƒo asikpe hedo ɣli be, “Meyɔ wò be nàƒo fi ade nye futɔwo, ke nèyra wo boŋ zi etɔ̃.
11 So now, get out of here! Go back home! I said that I would pay you a lot of money [if you cursed them], but Yahweh has prevented you from getting any pay!”
Dzo le afi sia! Trɔ yi mia de! Medi be made bubu gã aɖe ŋuwò, ke Yehowa te wò ɖe megbe tso bubu gã sia gbɔ!”
12 Balaam said to Balak, “[Do you not remember what] [RHQ] I told the messengers that you sent to me? I said,
Balaam ɖo eŋu na Balak be, “Ɖe nyemegblɔe na wò ame dɔdɔwo
13 ‘Even if Balak would give me a palace filled with silver and gold, I would not disobey Yahweh. I cannot do anything bad or anything that is good [that he does not approve of].’ And I told you that I could say only what Yahweh says to me.
be ne Balak tsɔ klosalo kple sika de fiasã aɖe me wòyɔ kpikpikpi nam hã la, nyemate ŋu agblẽ Yehowa ƒe nyawo ɖi agblɔ nye ŋutɔ nye nyawo oa? Megblɔ be nya si Yehowa agblɔ la ko magblɔ!
14 So yes, I will return to my people, but first, allow me to tell you what will happen to you Moab people in the future.”
“Ɛ̃, matrɔ azɔ ayi nye ŋutɔ nye amewo dome. Ke gbã la, na magblɔ nu si Israelviwo awɔ wò amewo la na wò!”
15 So Balaam said this [to Balak]: “I, Balaam, son of Beor, am again giving a prophecy, speaking as a man who sees [what will happen in the future] clearly speaks.
Ale wògblɔ nyagblɔɖi siawo nɛ: “Balaam, Beor ƒe viŋutsue nye ame si ƒe ŋkuwo woʋu!
16 I hear a message from God; I know things that God, who lives in heaven, has [revealed to me]. I see a vision from him who is all-powerful. My eyes are open as I prostrate myself in front of him.
Esea Mawu ƒe nyawo, nunya tso Dziƒoʋĩtɔ la gbɔ le esi. Ekpɔa nu si Mawu Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la ɖena fianɛ. Etsyɔ mo anyi, eye eƒe ŋkuwo ʋu.
17 The things that I see [in the vision] are not [going to happen] now; I see things [that God will cause to happen] in the future. A man who is [a descendant of] Jacob will appear like a star [MET]; a king who holds a scepter will be one of the Israeli people. He will crush the heads of you people of Moab; he will wipe out the descendants of Seth.
“Mekpɔe le Israel ŋgɔ be, le ŋgɔgbe ʋĩi la, ɣletivi aɖe adzɔ tso Yakob me! Dziɖula sia tso Israel. Aɖu Moabtɔwo dzi; atsrɔ̃ Set ƒe viwo.
18 The Israelis will occupy Edom, and they will conquer their enemies [who live near] Seir [Mountain]. The Israeli people will be victorious/strong.
Israel axɔ Edom kple Seir siaa; woaɖu woƒe futɔwo dzi. Ke Israel akpɔ ŋusẽ
19 A ruler who is a descendant of Jacob will come; he will get rid of the people who still live in the city [where Balaam first met Balak].”
dziɖula atso Yakob, eye wòagbã du geɖewo.”
20 Then Balaam looked out over where the Amalek people-group [lived], and he prophesied this: “The Amalek people-group were the greatest nation, but they will be wiped out.”
Balaam kpɔ Amalektɔwo ƒe aƒewo dzi ɖa, eye wògblɔ nya ɖi be, “Amalek nye gbãtɔ le dukɔwo dome tsã Ke tsɔtsrɔ̃ koe le ŋgɔ nɛ fifia!”
21 Then he looked out over the area where the Ken people-group [lived], and he prophesied this: “You [think that] the place where you live is secure/safe like a nest that is made in the cliffs [MET],
Ekpɔ Kenitɔwo dzi ɖa hegblɔ be, “Ɛ̃, èle teƒe sesẽ aɖe, èwɔ wò atɔwo ɖe agakpewo me,
22 but you will be wiped out when the army of Assyria conquers you.”
ke woatsrɔ̃ mi, Kenitɔwo. Asiria fia ƒe aʋakɔ sesẽ la aɖe aboyo mi tso anyigba sia dzi!”
23 Balaam ended his prophecies by saying, “Also, (who can (survive/escape) when God does all these things?/no one will be able to (survive/escape) when God does all these things!) [RHQ]
Ewu eƒe nyagblɔɖi la nu be, “Aléle! Ame ka ate ŋu anɔ agbe ne Mawu wɔ nu sia?
24 Ships will come from Cyprus [Island], and [the men in those ships] will defeat [the armies of] Assyria and Eber. But God will get rid of those men, too.”
Tɔdziʋuwo atso Kipro ƒuta woaɖu Eber kple Asiria dzi, ke woaɖu woawo hã dzi.”
25 Then Balaam and Balak returned to their homes.
Ale Balaam kple Balak klã mɔ, eye wo dometɔ ɖe sia ɖe trɔ yi wo de.
