Numbers 22
1 And the children of Israel moved forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side of Jordan [by] Jericho.
Abako-Israyeli basuka lapho baya emagcekeni aseMowabi bamisa izihonqo zabo zisekele umfula iJodani ngaphetsheya kweJerikho.
2 And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
UBhalaki indodana kaZiphori wabona konke okwenziwa ngu-Israyeli kuma-Amori,
3 And Moab was greatly afraid of the people, because they [were] many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.
ngakho uMowabi wesaba ngoba abantu bako-Israyeli babebanengi kakhulu. Ngempela uMowabi watshaywa luvalo ngenxa yokwesaba abako-Israyeli.
4 And Moab said to the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all [that are] around us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor [was] king of the Moabites at that time.
AmaMowabi athi ebadaleni bamaMidiyani, “Ixuku leli lizahuquluza konke esilakho, njengenkabi isidla utshani emadlelweni.” Ngakho uBhalaki indodana kaZiphori, owayeyinkosi yamaMowabi ngalesosikhathi,
5 He sent messengers therefore to Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which [is] by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there has a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:
wathumela izithunywa ukuyabiza uBhalamu indodana kaBheyori, owayehlala ePhethori eduzane lomfula iYufrathe elizweni lakibo lomdabuko. UBhalaki wathi, “Kulabantu abanengi kakhulu abavela eGibhithe; bagcwele ilizwe lonke njalo bahlezi eduze kwami.
6 Come now therefore, I pray thee, Curse for me this people; for they [are] too mighty for me: it may be I shall prevail, [that] we may smite them, and [that] I may drive them out of the land: for I know that he whom thou blessest [is] blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.
Woza khathesi uzeletha isithuko phezu kwabo, ngoba balamandla kulami. Mhlawumbe ngalokho ngingabehlula ngibaxotshe elizweni. Ngoba ngiyazi ukuthi labo obabusisayo bayabusiseka, njalo labo obaqalekisayo bayaqalekiswa.”
7 And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak.
Abadala bamaMowabi labamaMidiyani basuka, bathatha imbadalo yokuhlahlula. Bathe befika kuBhalamu, bamtshela lokho okwatshiwo nguBhalaki.
8 And he said to them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak to me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.
“Lalani lapha okwalamuhla,” watsho uBhalamu kubo, “Ngizalilethela impendulo engizayiphiwa nguThixo.” Ngakho amakhosana amaMowabi ahlala laye.
9 And God came to Balaam, and said, What men [are] these with thee?
UNkulunkulu weza kuBhalamu wambuza wathi, “Amadoda la olawo ngobani?”
10 And Balaam said to God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent to me, [saying],
UBhalamu wathi kuNkulunkulu, “UBhalaki indodana kaZiphori inkosi yamaMowabi ungithumele lelizwi elithi:
11 Behold, [there has] a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse them for me: it may be I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.
‘Kulabantu abavele eGibhithe abagcwele elizweni lonke. Woza masinyane uzongiqalekisela lababantu. Mhlawumbe ngingaba lakho ukubalwisa ngibaxotshe lapha.’”
12 And God said to Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they [are] blessed.
Kodwa uNkulunkulu wathi kuBhalamu, “Ungahambi labo. Ungabaqalekisi lababantu, ngoba babusisiwe.”
13 And Balaam rose in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, Depart into your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you.
Ekuseni ngosuku olulandelayo uBhalamu wavuka esithi kumakhosana kaBhalaki, “Buyelani ezweni lenu, ngoba uThixo walile ukuthi ngihambe lani.”
14 And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.
Ngakho amakhosana amaMowabi abuyela kuBhalaki athi, “UBhalamu walile ukubuya lathi.”
15 And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honorable than they.
Ngakho uBhalaki wathumela amanye amakhosana amanengi njalo adumileyo kulawakuqala.
16 And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming to me:
Eza kuBhalamu afika athi: “Nanku okutshiwo nguBhalaki indodana kaZiphori: Akungabi lalutho olungakuvimbela ukuza kimi,
17 For I will promote thee to very great honor, and I will do whatever thou sayest to me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse this people for me.
ngoba ngizakunika umvuzo omuhle njalo ngenze konke okutshoyo. Woza uzongiqalekisela lababantu.”
18 And Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.
Kodwa uBhalamu wabaphendula wathi, “Loba uBhalaki enganginika isigodlo sakhe sigcwele isiliva legolide, angingeke ngenze ulutho olukhulu loba oluncane oluphambene lelizwi likaThixo uNkulunkulu wami.
19 Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say to me more.
Khathesi hlalani lapha okwalobubusuku njengalokhu okwenziwe ngabanye, mina ngizadingisisa ukuthi kuyini okunye uThixo azangitshela khona.”
20 And God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, If the men come to call thee, rise [and] go with them; but yet the word which I shall say to thee, that shalt thou perform.
Ngalobobusuku uNkulunkulu weza kuBhalamu wathi, “Njengoba ethunywe ukuzakubiza, hamba lawo, kodwa wenze lokho kuphela engizakutshela khona.”
21 And Balaam rose in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.
UBhalamu wavuka ekuseni, wagada ubabhemi wakhe wahle wahamba lamakhosana amaMowabi.
22 And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants [were] with him.
Kodwa uNkulunkulu wathukuthela kakhulu ngokuhamba kwakhe, ngakho ingilosi kaThixo yajama phambi kwakhe yamvimbela. UBhalamu wayegade ubabhemi wakhe elezinceku zakhe ezimbili.
23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.
Kwathi ubabhemi ebona ingilosi kaThixo imi endleleni iphethe inkemba esandleni sayo, waphambuka endleleni waqonda iganga. UBhalamu wamtshaya ubabhemi embuyisela endleleni.
24 But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall [being] on this side, and a wall on that side.
Ngakho ingilosi kaThixo yayakuma emkhandlwini phakathi kwezivini ezimbili, kulemiduli inxa zonke.
25 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself against the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again.
Kwathi ubabhemi ebona ingilosi kaThixo, ubabhemi wasondela emdulini, ehluzulela unyawo lukaBhalamu emdulini. Ngalokho wamtshaya njalo ubabhemi.
26 And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where [was] no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.
Ngakho ingilosi kaThixo yaya phambili yema emkhandlwini onciphileyo lapho okwakungelandlela yokuphendukela kwesokudla loba esenxele.
27 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.
Kwathi ubabhemi ebona ingilosi kaThixo, ubabhemi walala phansi, uBhalamu wathukuthela kakhulu wamtshaya ubabhemi ngentonga yakhe.
28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said to Balaam, What have I done to thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?
Ngalokho uThixo wavula umlomo kababhemi, wathi kuBhalamu, “Kanti ngenzeni na kuwe uze ungitshaye okwamahlandla amathathu?”
29 And Balaam said to the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in my hand, for now would I kill thee.
UBhalamu waphendula ubabhemi wathi, “Ungenze isiwula! Ngabe bengilenkemba esandleni sami bengizakubulala khathesi.”
30 And the ass said to Balaam, [Am] not I thy ass, upon which thou hast rid ever since [I was] thine to this day? was I ever wont to do so to thee? And he said, Nay.
Ubabhemi wathi kuBhalamu, “Kanti kangisubabhemi wakho na ovele uhlezi umgada insuku zonke kuze kube namhlanje? Kambe ngiyake ngikwenze lokhu kuwe na?” UBhalamu waphendula wathi, “Hatshi.”
31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.
Ngakho uThixo wavula amehlo kaBhalamu, wabona ingilosi kaThixo imi endleleni iqaphise inkemba. Ngakho wakhothama wawa phansi ngobuso.
32 And the angel of the LORD said to him, Why hast thou smitten thy ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because [thy] way is perverse before me:
Ingilosi kaThixo yambuza yathi, “Kungani utshaye ubabhemi wakho okwamahlandla amathathu na? Ngize lapha ukukuvimbela ngoba indlela yakho iyibutshapha phambi kwami.
33 And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.
Ubabhemi ungibonile waphambuka okwamahlandla amathathu. Alubana kaphambukanga, ngabe khathesi sengikubulele wena, ngayekela ubabhemi.”
34 And Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displeaseth thee, I will return again.
UBhalamu wathi engilosini kaThixo, “Ngonile. Angizange nginanzelele ukuthi umi endleleni ukungivimbela. Nxa kungakuthokozisi khathesi, ngizabuyela emuva.”
35 And the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak to thee, that thou shalt speak: So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
Ingilosi kaThixo yathi kuBhalamu, “Hamba lawo lamadoda, kodwa ukhulume lokho engikutshela khona kuphela.” Ngakho uBhalamu wahamba lamakhosana kaBhalaki.
36 And when Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him to a city of Moab, which [is] in the border of Arnon, which [is] in the utmost limit.
Kwathi uBhalaki esizwa ukuthi uBhalamu uyeza, waphuma ukumhlangabeza edolobheni lamaMowabi emngceleni wase-Arinoni emaphethelweni elizwe lakhe.
37 And Balak said to Balaam, Did I not earnestly send to thee to call thee? why camest thou not to me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honor?
UBhalaki wathi kuBhalamu, “Angikuthumelanga ilizwi lokuphangisa na? Kungani ungezanga kimi? Kambe kangenelisi ukukupha umvuzo na?”
38 And Balaam said to Balak, Lo, I have come to thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.
UBhalamu waphendula wathi, “Yebo, sengifikile kuwe khathesi. Kodwa angiyikukhuluma loba yini engiyifunayo. Ngizakhuluma lokho uNkulunkulu azakubeka emlonyeni wami kuphela.”
39 And Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kirjath-huzoth.
Ngakho uBhalamu wahamba loBhalaki eKhiriyathi-Huzothi.
40 And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that [were] with him.
UBhalaki wenza umhlatshelo wenkomo lezimvu, njalo ezinye wazipha uBhalamu ezinye wazipha amakhosana ayehamba lawo.
41 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and conducted him to the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost [part] of the people.
Ekuseni ngosuku olulandelayo uBhalaki wathatha uBhalamu waya eBhamothi-Bhali, kulapho abona khona izihonqo zabako-Israyeli.
