< Numbers 22 >

1 The people of Israel traveled on until they camped in the plains of Moab near Jericho, on the other side of the Jordan River from the city.
Pea naʻe hiki atu ʻae fānau ʻa ʻIsileli, ʻo nofo ʻi he toafa ʻo Moape ʻi he potu mai ʻo Sioatani[ʻo ofi ]ki Seliko.
2 Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
Pea naʻe ʻilo ʻe Pelaki ko e foha ʻo Sipoa ʻae meʻa kotoa pē kuo fai ʻe ʻIsileli ki he kau ʻAmoli.
3 Moab was very afraid of the people because they were many, and Moab was in terror of the people of Israel.
Pea naʻe manavahē lahi ʻa Moape ki he kakai, koeʻuhi naʻa nau tokolahi: pea naʻe mamahi lahi ʻa Moape koeʻuhi ko e fānau ʻa ʻIsileli.
4 The king of Moab said to the elders of Midian, “This multitude will eat up all that is around us as an ox eats up the grass in a field.” Now Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Moape ki he kau mātuʻa ʻo Mitiane, “Ko eni, ʻe ʻemo hake ʻe he kakai ni ʻaia kotoa pē ʻoku takatakai ʻakitautolu, ʻo hangē ʻoku ʻemo hake ʻe he pulu ʻae mohuku ʻoe ngoue.” Pea ko Pelaki ko e foha ʻo Sipoa ko e tuʻi ia ʻoe kau Moape ʻi he kuonga ko ia.
5 He sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor, at Pethor which is by the Euphrates River, in the land of his nation and his people. He called him and said, “Look, a nation has come here from Egypt. They cover the face of the earth and they are right now next to me.
Ko ia naʻa ne fekau ai kia Pelami ko e foha ʻo Peoli ki Pitoli, ʻaia ʻoku ofi ki he vaitafe ʻoe fonua ʻoe fānau ʻa hono kakai, ke ui ia, ʻo pehē, “Vakai, kuo haʻu ha kakai mei ʻIsipite: vakai, ʻoku nau ʻufiʻufi ʻae funga fonua, pea ʻoku nau nofo ofi kiate au:
6 So please come now and curse this nation for me, because they are too strong for me. Perhaps then I can manage to attack them and drive them out of the land. I know that whomever you bless will be blessed, and whomever you curse will be cursed.”
Pea ko eni, ʻoku ou kole kiate koe, ke ke haʻu ʻo fakamalaʻiaʻi maʻaku ʻae kakai ni, he ʻoku nau mālohi fau kiate au: pea te u vetekina nai, mo teʻia ʻakinautolu, pea te u kapusia ʻakinautolu ʻi he fonua ni: he ʻoku ou pehē, ʻoku monūʻia ia ʻoku ke fakamonūʻiaʻi, pea ʻoku malaʻia ia ʻoku ke fakamalaʻiaʻi.”
7 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian left, taking payment for divination. They came to Balaam and spoke to him Balak's words.
Pea ko e kau mātuʻa ʻo Moape mo e kau mātuʻa ʻo Mitiane naʻa nau ʻave ʻi honau nima ʻae totongi ʻo ʻene tukitala; pea naʻa nau haʻu kia Pelami, ʻo fakahā kiate ia ʻae lea ʻa Pelaki.
8 Balaam said to them, “Stay here tonight. I will bring you what Yahweh says to me.” So the leaders of Moab stayed with Balaam that night.
Pea naʻa ne pehē kiate kinautolu, “Mou nofo ʻi heni ʻi he poōni, pea te u toe ʻomi ʻae lea kiate kimoutolu, ʻo hangē ko e folofola ʻa Sihova kiate au:” pea naʻe nofo mo Pelami ʻae houʻeiki ʻo Moape.
9 God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men who came to you?”
Pea naʻe hāʻele mai ʻae ʻOtua kia Pelami, mo ne pehē, “Ko e hā ʻae kau tangata ni ʻoku ʻiate koe?”
10 Balaam answered God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent them to me. He said,
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Pelami ki he ʻOtua, “Ko Pelaki ko e foha ʻo Sipoa, ko e tuʻi ʻo Moape, kuo ne fekau mai kiate au, ʻo pehē,
11 'Look, the people who have come from Egypt cover the surface of my land. Now come and curse them for me. Perhaps I will manage to fight them and drive them out.'”
‘Vakai kuo haʻu ha kakai mei ʻIsipite, ʻoku nau ʻufiʻufi ʻae funga fonua: ko ia ke ke haʻu ʻo fakamalaʻiaʻi maʻaku ʻakinautolu; pea te u mālohi ʻapē ʻiate kinautolu, pea kapusi atu ʻakinautolu.’”
12 God replied to Balaam, “You must not go with those men. You must not curse the people of Israel because they have been blessed.”
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he ʻOtua kia Pelami, “ʻOua ʻaupito te ke ʻalu mo kinautolu; ʻe ʻikai te ke fakamalaʻiaʻi ʻae kakai: he ʻoku nau monūʻia.”
13 Balaam rose up in the morning and said to Balak's leaders, “Go back to your land because Yahweh refuses to allow me to go with you.”
Pea naʻe tuʻu hake ʻa Pelami ʻi he pongipongi, pea naʻa ne pehē ki he houʻeiki meia Pelaki, “Mou ō ki homou fonua: he kuo taʻofi au ʻe Sihova ke ʻoua naʻa tau ō mo kimoutolu.”
14 So the leaders of Moab left and went back to Balak. They said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
Pea naʻe tuʻu hake ʻae houʻeiki ʻo Moape, ʻonau ō kia Pelaki, ʻo pehē, “ʻOku pehē ʻe Pelami, ʻe ʻikai te ne haʻu mo kimautolu.”
15 Balak sent again more leaders who were even more honored than the first group.
Pea naʻe toe fekau ʻe Pelaki ʻae houʻeiki kehe naʻe ongoongolelei mo tokolahi hake ʻiate kinautolu.
16 They came to Balaam and said to him, “Balak son of Zippor says this, 'Please let nothing stop you from coming to me,
Pea naʻa nau haʻu kia Pelami, ʻo pehē kiate ia, “ʻOku pehē ʻe Pelaki ko e foha ʻo Sipoa, ‘ʻOku ou kole atu kiate koe, ʻoua naʻa toe ʻai ha meʻa ke taʻofi hoʻo haʻu kiate au:
17 because I will pay you extremely well and give you great honor, and I will do whatever you tell me to do. So please come and curse this people for me.'”
He te u hiki hake ko e ke ke ongoongolelei lahi, pea te u fai ʻo hangē ko hoʻo lea mai kiate au: ko ia ke ke haʻu, ʻoku ou kole kiate koe, ʻo fakamalaʻiaʻi maʻaku ʻae kakai ni.’”
18 Balaam answered and said to Balak's men, “Even if Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of Yahweh, my God, and do less or more than what he tells me.
Pea naʻe lea ʻa Pelami ki he kau talafekau ʻa Pelaki, “Kapau ʻe foaki ʻe Pelaki kiate au ʻa hono fale ʻoku pito ʻi he siliva mo e koula, ʻe ʻikai teu faʻa fakakeheʻi ʻae folofola ʻa Sihova ko hoku ʻOtua, ke fai ʻo lahi hake pe siʻi hifo.
19 Now then, please wait here tonight too, so that I may learn anything further that Yahweh says to me.”
Pea ko eni, ʻoku ou kole atu kiate kimoutolu, mou nofo foki ʻi heni ʻi he poōni, koeʻuhi ke u ʻilo pe ko e hā ʻe toe folofola mai ʻe Sihova kiate au.”
20 God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “Since these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them. But only do what I tell you to do.”
Pea naʻe hāʻele mai ʻae ʻOtua ʻi he pō kia Pelami, ʻo ne pehē kiate ia, “Kapau ʻe haʻu ʻae kau tangata ke ui koe, tuʻu hake, ʻo ʻalu mo kinautolu; ka ko e lea te u lea ʻaki kiate koe, ko ia pe te ke fai.”
21 Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the leaders of Moab.
Pea naʻe tuʻu hake ʻa Pelami ʻi he pongipongi, pe naʻa ne ʻai ʻae hekaʻanga ki heʻene ʻasi, pea ʻalu mo e houʻeiki ʻo Moape.
22 But because he went, God's anger was kindled. The angel of Yahweh placed himself in the road as someone hostile to Balaam, who was riding on his donkey. Balaam's two servants were also with him.
Pea naʻe tupu ʻae houhau ʻoe ʻOtua koeʻuhi ko ʻene ʻalu: pea naʻe tuʻu ʻi he hala ʻae ʻāngelo ʻa Sihova ko e tali tau kiate ia. Pea naʻe heka ia ʻi heʻene ʻasi, pea mo ʻene ongo tamaioʻeiki mo ia.
23 The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the road with his drawn sword in his hand. The donkey turned off the road and went into a field. Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back to the road.
Pea naʻe mamata ʻae ʻasi ki he ʻāngelo ʻa Sihova naʻe tuʻu ʻi he hala, pea mo ʻene heletā naʻe ʻi hono nima: pea naʻe afe atu ʻae ʻasi mei he hala, ʻo ʻalu ki he ngoue: pea naʻe taaʻi ʻe Pelami ʻae ʻasi, ke fakafoki ia ki he hala.
24 Then the angel of Yahweh stood in a narrow part of the road between some vineyards, with a wall on his right side and another wall on his left side.
Ka naʻe tuʻu ʻae ʻāngelo ʻa Sihova, ʻi he hala ʻoe ngoue vaine, pea naʻe ai ʻae ʻā maka ʻi he potu toʻomataʻu, mo e potu toʻohema.
25 The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh again. She went against the wall and pinned Balaam's foot against it. Balaam struck her again.
Pea ʻi he mamata ʻae ʻasi ki he ʻāngelo ʻa Sihova, naʻe ʻoho ia ki he ʻā maka, pea naʻe mamulu ʻae vaʻe ʻo Pelami ʻi he ʻā maka: pea naʻa ne toe taaʻi ia.
26 The angel of Yahweh went further and stood in another narrow place where there was no way to turn to either side.
Pea naʻe ʻalu ʻae ʻāngelo ʻa Sihova, pea naʻe tuʻu ia ʻi he potu ʻapiʻapi, pea naʻe ʻikai ʻi ai ha hala ke afe ki he nima toʻomataʻu ki he toʻohema.
27 The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh, and she lay down under Balaam. Balaam's anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff.
Pea ʻi he mamata ʻae ʻasi ki he ʻāngelo ʻa Sihova, naʻe tō ia ki lalo mo Pelami: pea naʻe tupu ai ʻae ʻita ʻa Pelami, ʻo ne taaʻi ʻae ʻasi ʻaki ʻae tokotoko.
28 Then Yahweh opened the donkey's mouth so she could talk. She said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that induced you to strike me these three times?”
Pea naʻe toʻo ʻe Sihova ʻae ngutu ʻoe ʻasi, pea ne pehē ʻe ia kia Pelami, “Ko e hā kuo u fai kiate koe, kuo ke taaʻi ai au ʻo liunga tolu?”
29 Balaam replied to the donkey, “It was because you acted so stupidly with me. I wish there were a sword in my hand. If there were, by now I would have killed you.”
Pea pehē ʻe Pelami ki he ʻasi, “Koeʻuhi kuo ke manukiʻi au: ʻamusiaange ʻeau kuo ʻi hoku nima ha heletā, he ka ne ai te u tāmateʻi koe.”
30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am not I your donkey on which you have ridden all your life long to this present day? Have I ever been in the habit of doing such things to you before?” Balaam said, “No.”
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he ʻasi kia Pelami, “ʻIkai ko hoʻo ʻasi au kuo ke heka ki ai talu hoʻo maʻu au ʻo aʻu ki he ʻaho ni? He kuo u faʻa fai pehē ni kiate koe?” Pea ne pehē ʻe ia, “Naʻe ʻikai.”
31 Then Yahweh opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the road with his drawn sword in his hand. Balaam lowered his head and lay facedown.
Pea naʻe toki fakaʻā ʻe Sihova ʻae mata ʻo Pelami, pea naʻe mamata ia ki he ʻāngelo ʻa Sihova ʻoku tuʻu ʻi he hala, mo ʻene heletā kuo toʻo ʻi hono nima: pea naʻe punou ʻe ia hono ʻulu, pea foʻohifo ki hono mata.
32 The angel of Yahweh said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Look, I have come as someone hostile to you because your actions before me have been wicked.
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he ʻāngelo kiate ia, “Ko e hā kuo ke taaʻi ai ʻa hoʻo ʻasi ni ʻo liunga tolu? Vakai ne u ʻalu atu ʻo taʻofi koe, koeʻuhi ʻoku kovi ho hala ʻi hoku ʻao:
33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away from me, I would certainly have killed you and spared her life.”
Pea naʻe mamata ʻae ʻasi kiate au, pea ne afe meiate au ʻo liunga tolu: ka ne ʻikai afe ia meiate au ko e moʻoni kuo u tāmateʻi foki koe, kae tuku ia ke moʻui.”
34 Balaam said to the angel of Yahweh, “I have sinned. I did not know that you stood against me in the road. So now, if it is displeasing to you, I will turn back.”
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Pelami ki he ʻāngelo ʻa Sihova, “Kuo u angahala au; he naʻe ʻikai te u ʻilo naʻa ke tuʻu kiate au ʻi he hala: pea ko eni, kapau ʻoku kovi kiate koe, te u toe foki au.”
35 But the angel of Yahweh said to Balaam, “Go on ahead with the men. But you must only speak the words that I tell you.” So Balaam went with the leaders of Balak.
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he ʻāngelo ʻa Sihova kia Pelami, “ʻAlu mo e kau tangata: ka ko e lea pe te u lea ʻaki kiate koe, ko ia pe te ke lea ʻaki.” Pea naʻe ʻalu ʻa Pelami mo e houʻeiki meia Pelaki.
36 When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him at a city in Moab at the Arnon, which is on the border.
Pea naʻe fanongo ʻa Pelaki kuo haʻu ʻa Pelami, pea naʻe ʻalu atu ia ʻo fakafetaulaki mo ia ki ha kolo ʻi Moape, ʻaia ʻoku ʻi he matafonua ʻo ʻAlanoni, ʻi hono ngataʻanga mamaʻo atu.
37 Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send men to you to summon you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?”
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Pelaki kia Pelami, “ʻIkai naʻaku fekau mālohi kiate koe ʻo ui koe? Ka ko e hā naʻe ʻikai te ke haʻu ai kiate au? ʻIkai ʻoku ou mafai ke u hiki hake koe ke ke ongoongolelei?”
38 Then Balaam replied to Balak, “See, I have come to you. Do I now have any power to say anything? I can only say the words that God puts into my mouth.”
Pea pehē ʻe Pelami kia Pelaki, “Vakai, kuo u haʻu kiate koe: pea ʻoku ai ha mālohi siʻi ʻiate au ke u lea ki ha meʻa? Ka ko e folofola ʻe tuku mai ʻe he ʻOtua ki hoku ngutu, ko ia pe te u lea ʻaki.”
39 Balaam went with Balak, and they arrived at Kiriath Huzoth.
Pea naʻe ʻalu ʻa Pelami mo Pelaki, pea naʻa na hoko ki Kesa-Husoti.
40 Then Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep and gave some meat to Balaam and the leaders who were with him.
Pea naʻe feilaulau ʻaki ʻe Pelaki ʻae fanga pulu mo e sipi, ʻo ne tali kia Pelami, mo e houʻeiki naʻe ʻiate ia.
41 In the morning, Balak took Balaam up to the high place of Baal. From there Balaam could see only a part of the Israelites in their camp.
Pea naʻe hoko ʻo pehē, ʻi he pongipongi hake, naʻe ʻave ʻe Pelaki ʻa Pelami, ʻo ʻomi ia ki he ngaahi potu māʻolunga ʻo Peali, koeʻuhi ke ne mamata mei ai ki he ngataʻanga ʻoe kakai ʻi tuaʻā.

< Numbers 22 >