Mose 4 22
1 Israelviwo zɔ mɔ azɔ yi Moab tagba, eye woƒu asaɖa anyi ɖe Yɔdan tɔsisi la ƒe ɣedzeƒe lɔƒo le Yeriko kasa.
Then the Israelites traveled on and camped in the plains of Moab near the Jordan, across from Jericho.
2 Azɔ la, Balak, Zipɔr ƒe viŋutsu kpɔ nu si Israelviwo wɔ Amoritɔwo,
Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites,
3 eye vɔvɔ̃ ɖo Moab, elabena ameawo sɔ gbɔ ŋutɔ. Nyateƒe, dzidzi ƒo Moab le Israelviwo ŋu.
and Moab was terrified of the people because they were numerous. Indeed, Moab dreaded the Israelites.
4 Wowɔ takpekpe kple Midiantɔwo ƒe kplɔlawo enumake. Wogblɔ be, “Ameha gã sia aɖu mí abe ale si nyitsu ɖua gbe ene.” Ale Balak, Zipɔr ƒe vi, ame si nye Moab fia ɣe ma ɣi la,
So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde will devour everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” Since Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time,
5 ɖo amewo ɖa be woayɔ Balaam, Beor ƒe viŋutsu, ame si nɔ Petor, afi si te ɖe tɔsisi la ŋu vɛ. Balak gblɔ be, “Dukɔ aɖe tso Egipte; wotsyɔ anyigba ŋkume, eye wole teƒe aɖe si te ɖe ŋunye.
he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates in the land of his people. “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt,” said Balak. “They cover the face of the land and have settled next to me.
6 Azɔ la, va nàƒo fi ade ame siawo, elabena wosẽ akpa na mí. Ekema, ɖewohĩ, mate ŋu aɖu wo dzi, eye manya wo dzoe le anyigba la dzi. Elabena menya be ame siwo nèyrana la kpɔa yayra, eye ame siwo nèƒoa fi dena la kpɔa fiƒode.”
So please come now and put a curse on this people, because they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land; for I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed.”
7 Ame siwo wòdɔ ɖo ɖe Balaam gbɔ la woe nye, Moabtɔwo kple Midiantɔwo ƒe ametsitsiwo. Wotsɔ ga ɖe asi yi na Balaam, eye woɖe nu si Balak di be wòawɔ na ye la me nɛ nyuie.
The elders of Moab and Midian departed with the fees for divination in hand. They came to Balaam and relayed to him the words of Balak.
8 Balaam gblɔ na wo be, “Mitsi afi sia dɔ. Etsɔ ŋdi la, magblɔ nu sia nu si Yehowa agblɔ nam be magblɔ la na mi.” Ale wotsi afi ma dɔ.
“Spend the night here,” Balaam replied, “and I will give you the answer that the LORD speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.
9 Le zã me la, Mawu va Balaam gbɔ, eye wòbiae be, “Ame kawoe nye ame siawo?”
Then God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”
10 Balaam ɖo eŋu na Mawu be, “Wotso Balak, Moab fia gbɔ.
And Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message:
11 Fia la gblɔ be, ameha gã aɖe tso Egipte va ɖo yeƒe anyigba ƒe liƒo dzi, eye wòdi be mayi enumake aɖaƒo fi ade wo na ye, ale be yeate ŋu awɔ aʋa kpli wo, aɖu wo dzi.”
‘Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps I may be able to fight against them and drive them away.’”
12 Mawu gblɔ na Balaam be, “Mègayi ɖaƒo fi de wo o, elabena meyra wo xoxo!”
But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You are not to curse this people, for they are blessed.”
13 Esi ŋu ke la, Balaam gblɔ na Balak ƒe ameawo be, “Mitrɔ dzo! Yehowa meɖe mɔ nam be mawɔ nu si miaƒe fia di be mawɔ o.”
So Balaam got up the next morning and said to Balak’s princes, “Go back to your homeland, because the LORD has refused to let me go with you.”
14 Ale Fia Balak ƒe ame dɔdɔwo trɔ dzo, Balaam medze wo yome o.
And the princes of Moab arose, returned to Balak, and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
15 Esi woka nya la ta na Balak la, egadɔ amewo ɖe Balaam. Eƒe ame dɔdɔwo sɔ gbɔ azɔ, eye wonye ame ŋkutawo wu ame dɔdɔ gbãtɔwo.
Then Balak sent other princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first messengers.
16 Woyi Balaam gbɔ, eye wogblɔ nɛ be, “Esiae nye nya si Balak, Zipɔr ƒe viŋutsu gblɔ, ‘Mègana naneke naxe mɔ na wò be màva gbɔnye o,
They came to Balaam and said, “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me,
17 elabena maxe fe na wò nyuie, eye mawɔ nu sia nu si nàgblɔ nam be mawɔ. Va, nàƒo fi ade ame siawo nam.’”
for I will honor you richly and do whatever you say. So please come and put a curse on this people for me!’”
18 Ke Balaam ɖo eŋu be, “Ne Balak tsɔ fiasã si klosalo kple sika yɔ gɔ̃ hã anam la, nyemate ŋu awɔ naneke si atsi tsitre ɖe Yehowa, nye Mawu ƒe gbeɖeɖe ŋu o.
But Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything small or great to go beyond the command of the LORD my God.
19 Mitsi afi sia dɔ ale be makpɔe ɖa be Yehowa agatsɔ nane akpe ɖe nya si wògblɔ nam zi gbãtɔ la ŋu mahã.”
So now, please stay here overnight as the others did, that I may find out what else the LORD has to tell me.”
20 Le zã me la, Mawu gblɔ na Balaam be, “Fɔ, nàyi kple ame siawo, ke kpɔ nyuie be, nàgblɔ nu si magblɔ na wò be nàgblɔ la ko.”
That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them, but you must only do what I tell you.”
21 Ale le ŋdi la, Balaam lia eƒe tedzi dzi, eye wòdze ameawo yome.
So in the morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.
22 Ke Mawu do dɔmedzoe ŋutɔ esi Balaam yina, eye Yehowa ƒe dɔla tsi tsitre ɖe mɔa dzi be yeatsi tsitre ɖe eŋu. Ke Balaam nɔ eƒe tedzi dzi, eye eƒe subɔla eve nɔ eŋu.
Then God’s anger was kindled because Balaam was going along, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
23 Esi tedzi la kpɔ Yehowa ƒe dɔla wòtsi tsitre ɖe mɔa dzi, eye yi le esi la, edzo le mɔa dzi yi gbe me. Balaam ƒoe be wòatrɔ ayi mɔ la dzi.
When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the path and went into a field. So Balaam beat her to return her to the path.
24 Azɔ la, mawudɔla la tsi tsitre ɖe afi si mɔ la to waingble eve ƒe glikpɔwo dome le.
Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow passage between two vineyards, with walls on either side.
25 Esi tedzi la kpɔe wònɔ tsitre ɖe afi ma la, edze nɛ to glikpɔ ɖeka ŋu tututu, eye wòna Balaam ƒe afɔwo lili ɖe glikpɔ la ŋu. Ale Balaam gaƒoe.
And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD and pressed herself against the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat her once again.
26 Mawudɔla la gayi ɖatsi tsitre ɖe teƒe aɖe, afi si mɔa xaxa le ale gbegbe be tedzi la magate ŋu ato exa kura o.
And the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn to the right or left.
27 Ale tedzi la tsyɔ akɔ anyi ɖe mɔ la dzi. Balaam do dɔmedzoe vevie, eye wòƒo tedzi la kple eƒe atikplɔ.
When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he became furious and beat her with his staff.
28 Tete Yehowa na be tedzi la nate ŋu aƒo nu. Tedzi la bia Balaam be, “Nu ka mewɔ si na be nàƒom zi etɔ̃?”
Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?”
29 Balaam do ɣli ɖe tedzi la ta be, “Elabena èdo lãm! Ɖe yi aɖe anɔ asinye hafi; anye ne mawu wò.”
Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now!”
30 Tedzi la gabiae be, “Ɖe mewɔ nu sia tɔgbi aɖe kpɔ le nye agbenɔnɔ blibo mea?” Balaam ɖo eŋu be, “Ao.”
But the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not the donkey you have ridden all your life until today? Have I ever treated you this way before?” “No,” he replied.
31 Tete Yehowa ʋu Balaam ƒe ŋkuwo. Ekpɔ mawudɔla la wòtsi tsitre ɖe mɔa dzi, eye wòlé yi ɖe asi. Enumake Balaam mlɔ anyigba le mawudɔla la ŋkume.
Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. And Balaam bowed low and fell facedown.
32 Mawudɔla la bia Balaam be, “Nu ka ta nèƒo wò tedzi la zi etɔ̃? Meva be mana màgawɔ nu si nèdi be yeawɔ o, elabena èɖo ta tsɔtsrɔ̃ me.
The angel of the LORD asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you, because your way is perverse before me.
33 Wò tedzi la kpɔm zi etɔ̃, eye wòte ɖa le gbɔnye zi etɔ̃. Ne menye ɖe wòdze nam o la, anye ne mewu wò xoxo, ke mana eya natsi agbe.”
The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, then by now I would surely have killed you and let her live.”
34 Balaam ʋu eme na mawudɔla la be, “Mewɔ nu vɔ̃. Nyemenya be ènɔ afi ma o. Ne mèdi be magayi nye mɔzɔzɔ la dzi o la, matrɔ ayi aƒe.”
“I have sinned,” Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “for I did not realize that you were standing in the road to confront me. And now, if this is displeasing in your sight, I will go back home.”
35 Mawudɔla la gblɔ nɛ be, “Yi kple ameawo, gake nàgblɔ nu si meɖo na wò be nàgblɔ la ko.” Ale Balaam yi kple Balak ƒe ameawo.
But the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you are to speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
36 Esi Fia Balak se be Balaam gbɔna la, edzo le eƒe fiadu la me, eye wòyi be yeakpee le Arnon tɔsisi la gbɔ le eƒe anyigba ƒe liƒo dzi.
When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite city on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory.
37 Balak bia Balaam be, “Nu ka ta nètsi anyi wòdidi alea hafi nèva ɖo? Medo ŋugbe na wò be made bubu gã ŋuwò. Ɖe mèxɔe se oa?”
And he said to Balaam, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why did you not come to me? Am I really not able to richly reward you?”
38 Balaam ɖo eŋu na Balak be, “Meva, gake ŋusẽ mele asinye be magblɔ nya aɖeke o, negbe esi Mawu ɖo nam be magblɔ la ko, eye eya koe nye nya si magblɔ.”
“See, I have come to you,” Balaam replied, “but can I say just anything? I must speak only the word that God puts in my mouth.”
39 Balaam kple Balak dze fia la yome yi Kiriat Huzot.
So Balaam accompanied Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.
40 Fia Balak tsɔ nyitsuwo kple alẽwo sa vɔe le afi ma, eye wòtsɔ lãwo na ame dɔdɔwo kple Balaam hena woawo hã ƒe vɔsawo.
Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and he gave portions to Balaam and the princes who were with him.
41 Esi ŋu ke ŋdi la, Fia Balak kplɔ Balaam yi Bamɔt Baal to la dzi, afi si Balaam ate ŋu akpɔ Israelviwo wogbagba ɖe anyigba la me le eŋkume le.
The next morning, Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal. From there he could see the outskirts of the camp of the people.
