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.
And they set out and made camp in the plains of Moab, across the Jordan, where Jericho is situated.
2 Azɔ la, Balak, Zipɔr ƒe viŋutsu kpɔ nu si Israelviwo wɔ Amoritɔwo,
Then Balak, the son of Zippor, seeing all that Israel had done to the Amorite,
3 eye vɔvɔ̃ ɖo Moab, elabena ameawo sɔ gbɔ ŋutɔ. Nyateƒe, dzidzi ƒo Moab le Israelviwo ŋu.
and that the Moabites had great fear of him, and that they were not able to bear his assault,
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,
said to those greater by birth of Midian: “So will this people wipe away all those who are dwelling within our borders, in the same way that the ox is accustomed to tear out grass, all the way to the roots.” At that time, he was king of Moab.
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.
Therefore, he sent messengers to Balaam, the son of Beor, a seer who lived above the river of the land of the sons of Ammon, to call him, and to say: “Behold, a people has gone forth from Egypt, which has covered the face of the earth. They are encamped opposite 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.”
Therefore, come and curse this people, for they are stronger than I am. If only, in some way, I might be able to strike them and to drive them from my land. For I know that he whom you bless shall be blessed, and he whom you curse shall be 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.
And the elders of Moab, and those greater by birth of Midian, continued on, holding the price of divination in their hands. And when they had come to Balaam, and had explained to him all 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.
he responded, “Remain for this night, and I will answer with whatever the Lord will say to me.” And while they stayed with Balaam, God came and said to him,
9 Le zã me la, Mawu va Balaam gbɔ, eye wòbiae be, “Ame kawoe nye ame siawo?”
“What do these men want with you?”
10 Balaam ɖo eŋu na Mawu be, “Wotso Balak, Moab fia gbɔ.
He responded, “Balak, the son of Zippor, the king of the Moabites has sent to me,
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.”
saying: ‘Behold, a people, which has gone forth from Egypt, has covered the face of the earth. Come and curse them, so that, in some way, I may be able to fight them and drive them away.’”
12 Mawu gblɔ na Balaam be, “Mègayi ɖaƒo fi de wo o, elabena meyra wo xoxo!”
And God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them, and do not curse the 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.”
And he, rising up in the morning, said to the leaders, “Go into your own land, for the Lord has prohibited me from going with you.”
14 Ale Fia Balak ƒe ame dɔdɔwo trɔ dzo, Balaam medze wo yome o.
Returning, the leaders said to Balak, “Balaam was not willing 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.
Again, he sent many more persons, and these were more noble than those he had sent before.
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,
And when these had come to Balaam, they said: “So says Balak, the son of Zippor. Do not hesitate to come 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 am ready to honor you, and whatever you would want, I shall give to you. Come and curse this people.”
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.
Balaam responded: “Even if Balak were to give to me his own house, filled with silver and gold, I still would not be able to change the word of the Lord my God, neither to say more, nor to say less.
19 Mitsi afi sia dɔ ale be makpɔe ɖa be Yehowa agatsɔ nane akpe ɖe nya si wògblɔ nam zi gbãtɔ la ŋu mahã.”
I beg you to remain for this night also, so that I may know what the Lord will answer me again.”
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.”
Therefore, God came to Balaam in the night, and said to him: “If these men have arrived to call you, then rise up and go with them; yet only in so far as you shall do what I will command you.”
21 Ale le ŋdi la, Balaam lia eƒe tedzi dzi, eye wòdze ameawo yome.
Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddling his donkey, he set out with them.
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.
And God was angry. And an Angel of the Lord stood in the way opposite Balaam, who was sitting on the donkey, and he had two servants 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.
The donkey, discerning that the Angel was standing in the way with a drawn sword, turned herself from the road and went through a field. And when Balaam beat her and intended 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.
the Angel stood in a narrow place between the two walls, with which the vineyards were enclosed.
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, seeing this, drew herself close to the wall and scraped the foot of the rider. So he beat her 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, nevertheless, the Angel passing on to a narrow place, where one would not be able to deviate either to the right or to the left, stood to meet him.
27 Ale tedzi la tsyɔ akɔ anyi ɖe mɔ la dzi. Balaam do dɔmedzoe vevie, eye wòƒo tedzi la kple eƒe atikplɔ.
And when the donkey had seen the Angel standing there, she fell under the feet of the rider, who, being angry, struck her sides more vehemently with a club.
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?”
And the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said: “What have I done to you? Why do strike you me, behold now, for the third time?”
29 Balaam do ɣli ɖe tedzi la ta be, “Elabena èdo lãm! Ɖe yi aɖe anɔ asinye hafi; anye ne mawu wò.”
Balaam responded, “Because you have deserved it, and you have mistreated me. If only I had a sword, so that I might pierce you.”
30 Tedzi la gabiae be, “Ɖe mewɔ nu sia tɔgbi aɖe kpɔ le nye agbenɔnɔ blibo mea?” Balaam ɖo eŋu be, “Ao.”
The donkey said: “Am not I your animal, on which you have always been accustomed to sit, even until this present day? Tell me, when did I ever do the same thing to you.” But he said, “Never.”
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.
Immediately, the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the Angel standing in the way with a drawn sword, and he reverenced him prone on the ground.
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.
And the Angel said to him: “Why did you beat your donkey three times? I have come to be an adversary to you, because your way is perverse and contrary to 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.”
And unless the donkey had turned aside from the way, allowing a place for my opposition, I would have killed you, and she would have lived.”
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.”
Balaam said: “I have sinned, not knowing that you stood against me. And now, if it displeases you for me to continue on, I will return.”
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.
The Angel said, “Go with them, but be careful not to speak anything other than what I shall instruct you.” And so, he went with the leaders.
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.
And when Balak had heard it, he went out to meet him in a town of the Moabites, which is situated at the furthest borders of Arnon.
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: “I sent messengers to call you. Why did you not come to me immediately? Was it because I am not able to pay the cost for your arrival?”
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.”
He answered him: “Behold, here I am. Am I able to speak anything other than what God will put into my mouth?”
39 Balaam kple Balak dze fia la yome yi Kiriat Huzot.
Therefore, they continued on together, and they arrived at a city, which was at the furthest borders of his kingdom.
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.
And after Balak had killed oxen and sheep, he sent the gifts to Balaam, and to the leaders 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.
Then, when morning arrived, he led him to the heights of Baal, and he gazed upon the most distant portions of the population.
