< 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.
Na rĩrĩ, rĩrĩa Balamu onire atĩ Jehova nĩakenaga nĩ kũrathima Isiraeli-rĩ, ndaacookire kũrũmĩrĩra ũragũri ta ũrĩa ekaga mahinda macio mangĩ, no ehũgũrire akĩrora werũ-inĩ.
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,
Rĩrĩa Balamu eroreire akĩona ũrĩa Isiraeli maambĩte hema kũringana na mĩhĩrĩga yao-rĩ, akĩiyũrwo nĩ Roho wa Ngai,
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.
nake akĩaria ndũmĩrĩri yake, akiuga atĩrĩ: “Ĩno nĩyo ndũmĩrĩri ya Balamu mũrũ wa Beori, ndũmĩrĩri ya mũndũ ũrĩa riitho rĩake rĩonaga wega,
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.
ndũmĩrĩri ya mũndũ ũrĩa ũiguaga ciugo cia Ngai, ũrĩa wonaga kĩoneki kuuma kũrĩ Mwene-Hinya-Wothe, ũrĩa ũgũũaga agakoma thĩ, namo maitho make makahingũka:
5 You descendants of Jacob, your tents are very beautiful; they are truly lovely!
“Kaĩ hema ciaku, wee Jakubu, nĩ thaka-ĩ, o na ciikaro ciaku igagĩthakara, wee Isiraeli-ĩ!
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.
“Igĩtambũrũkĩte o ta cianda, ikahaana ta mĩgũnda ĩrĩ hũgũrũrũ cia rũũĩ-inĩ, itariĩ ta mĩtĩ ya thubiri ĩhaandĩtwo nĩ Jehova, o na ta mĩtarakwa ĩrĩ hakuhĩ na maaĩ.
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.
Maaĩ makaiyũra ndoo ciao nginya maitĩke; o nayo mbegũ yao ĩgakorwo na maaĩ maingĩ. “Mũthamaki wao akaaneneha gũkĩra Agagi; ũthamaki wao nĩũgaatũgĩrio.
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.
“Ngai aamarutire bũrũri wa Misiri; marĩ na hinya ta wa ndegwa ya gĩthaka. Matambuuraga ndũrĩrĩ iria imathũire, na makoinanga mahĩndĩ ma cio tũcunjĩ; macitheecaga na mĩguĩ yao.
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.”
O ta mũrũũthi, methunaga magĩkoma, o ta mũrũũthi wa mũgoma, nũũ ũngĩgeria kũmaarahũra? “Arĩa makũrathimaga marorathimwo, nao arĩa makũrumaga maronyiitwo nĩ kĩrumi!”
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!
Nake Balaki agĩcinwo nĩ marakara nĩ ũndũ wa Balamu. Akĩhũũra hĩ ciake, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ndagwĩtire ũnumĩre thũ ciakwa, no wee ũcirathimĩte maita macio matatũ.
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!”
Na rĩrĩ, ũkĩra o rĩu ũinũke! Ndoigĩte nĩngũkũrĩha wega mũno, no Jehova nĩagirĩtie ũrĩhwo.”
12 Balaam said to Balak, “[Do you not remember what] [RHQ] I told the messengers that you sent to me? I said,
Balamu agĩcookeria Balaki atĩrĩ, “Githĩ ndierire andũ arĩa wandũmĩire atĩrĩ,
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.
‘O na Balaki angĩĩhe nyũmba yake ya ũthamaki ĩiyũrĩtio betha na thahabu, ndingĩhota gwĩka ũndũ wakwa mwene, mwega kana mũũru, njagarare watho wa Jehova; no nginya njuge ũrĩa Jehova oigĩte’?
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.”
Na rĩrĩ, niĩ nĩngũcooka o kũrĩ andũ aitũ, no ũka, ngũmenyithie ũrĩa andũ aya mageeka andũ aku matukũ marĩa magooka.”
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.
Ningĩ akĩaria ndũmĩrĩri yake, akiuga atĩrĩ: “Ĩno nĩyo ndũmĩrĩri ya Balamu mũrũ wa Beori, ndũmĩrĩri ya mũndũ ũrĩa riitho rĩake rĩonaga wega,
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.
ndũmĩrĩri ya mũndũ ũrĩa ũiguaga ciugo cia Ngai, ũrĩa ũrĩ na ũmenyo uumĩte kũrĩ Ũrĩa-ũrĩ-Igũrũ-Mũno, ũrĩa wonaga kĩoneki kuuma kũrĩ Mwene-Hinya-Wothe, ũrĩa ũgũũaga agakoma thĩ, namo maitho make makahingũka, ekuuga ũũ:
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.
“Nĩndĩramuona, no ti rĩu; nĩndĩmũcũthĩrĩirie, no ndarĩ hakuhĩ. Njata nĩĩkoima kũrĩ Jakubu; njũgũma ya ũnene yume kũrĩ Isiraeli. Nĩakahehenja mothiũ ma Moabi, na ahehenje, mahĩndĩ ma mĩtwe ya ariũ othe a Shethu.
18 The Israelis will occupy Edom, and they will conquer their enemies [who live near] Seir [Mountain]. The Israeli people will be victorious/strong.
Edomu nĩgũkahootwo; Seiru, thũ yake, nĩakahootwo, no Isiraeli agakĩrĩrĩria kũgĩa na hinya.
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].”
Mwathani mũnene akoima kũrĩ Jakubu na aanange andũ arĩa magaakorwo matigaire a itũũra inene.”
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.”
Ningĩ Balamu akĩona Amaleki, na akĩaria ndũmĩrĩri yake, akiuga atĩrĩ: “Amaleki nĩwe warĩ wa mbere harĩ ndũrĩrĩ, no marigĩrĩrio-inĩ nĩakanangwo.”
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],
Ningĩ akĩona Akeni, na akĩaria ndũmĩrĩri yake, akiuga atĩrĩ: “Gĩikaro gĩaku nĩ kĩgitĩre, gĩtara gĩaku gĩakĩtwo thĩinĩ wa rwaro rwa ihiga;
22 but you will be wiped out when the army of Assyria conquers you.”
no rĩrĩ, inyuĩ andũ a Akeni nĩmũkanangwo hĩndĩ ĩrĩa Ashuri makaamũtaha.”
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]
Ningĩ akĩaria ndũmĩrĩri yake, akiuga atĩrĩ: “Hĩ! Nũũ ũngĩtũũra muoyo rĩrĩa Ngai areka ũguo?
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.”
Meeri nĩigooka ciumĩte hũgũrũrũ-inĩ cia Kitimu; nĩigatooria Ashuri o na Eberi, no rĩrĩ, o nacio nĩikaanangwo.”
25 Then Balaam and Balak returned to their homes.
Nake Balamu agĩgĩũkĩra, akĩinũka gwake mũciĩ, nake Balaki agĩthiĩ na njĩra ciake.

< Numbers 24 >