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.
The Israelites moved on and camped on the plains of Moab east of the Jordan, opposite Jericho.
2 Azɔ la, Balak, Zipɔr ƒe viŋutsu kpɔ nu si Israelviwo wɔ Amoritɔwo,
Balak, son of Zippor, had seen all that the Israelites had done to the Amorites.
3 eye vɔvɔ̃ ɖo Moab, elabena ameawo sɔ gbɔ ŋutɔ. Nyateƒe, dzidzi ƒo Moab le Israelviwo ŋu.
The Moabites were terrified of the Israelites because there were so many of them. The Moabites dreaded the arrival of 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,
and told the leaders of Midian, “This horde will eat up everything we have, just like an ox eats up grass in the field!” (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 call Balaam, son of Beor, who lived in Pethor near the Euphrates River in his own country. “Listen, a group of people has arrived here who came from Egypt,” Balak said in his message to Balaam. “There are hordes of them and they present a real threat 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.”
Please come immediately and curse these people for me, because they are stronger than me. Maybe then I'll be able to attack them and drive them out of my country because I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is 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 Moabite and Midianite leaders departed, taking payment for the fortune-telling with them. When they arrived they gave Balaam the message from 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.
“Stay the night and I'll let you know the answer the Lord gives me,” Balaam told them. So the Moabite leaders stayed there with Balaam.
9 Le zã me la, Mawu va Balaam gbɔ, eye wòbiae be, “Ame kawoe nye ame siawo?”
God came to Balaam and asked him, “Who are these men staying with you?”
10 Balaam ɖo eŋu na Mawu be, “Wotso Balak, Moab fia gbɔ.
Balaam told God, “Balak, son of Zippor, the 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.”
‘Listen, a group of people has arrived here who came from Egypt. There are hordes of them. Please come immediately and curse these people for me. Maybe then I'll be able to fight them and drive them out of my country.’”
12 Mawu gblɔ na Balaam be, “Mègayi ɖaƒo fi de wo o, elabena meyra wo xoxo!”
But God told Balaam, “You are not to go back with them. You must not 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.”
In the morning Balaam got up and said to Balak's messengers, “Go back to where you came from because the Lord has refused to allow me to go with you.”
14 Ale Fia Balak ƒe ame dɔdɔwo trɔ dzo, Balaam medze wo yome o.
The Moabite leaders left. They returned to Balak, and told him, “Balaam refused to come back 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 even more leaders who were more prestigious than 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,
When they arrived they told Balaam, “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: ‘Please don't let anything stop you from coming to see 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.’”
because I will pay you a great deal and follow all the advice you give me. Please come and curse these 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 told Balak's officials, “Even if Balak gave me his whole palace full of silver and gold, I couldn't disobey the command of the Lord my God in any way.
19 Mitsi afi sia dɔ ale be makpɔe ɖa be Yehowa agatsɔ nane akpe ɖe nya si wògblɔ nam zi gbãtɔ la ŋu mahã.”
Now you should also stay the night so I can see if the Lord has anything else 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.”
God came to Balaam during the night and told him, “Since these men have come for you, get up and go with them. But only do what I tell you.”
21 Ale le ŋdi la, Balaam lia eƒe tedzi dzi, eye wòdze ameawo yome.
In the morning Balaam got up, put a saddle on his donkey, and left with the Moabite leaders.
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.
God's got angry because Balaam had decided to go. The angel of the Lord came and stood in the road to confront him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and he was accompanied by his two servants.
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 saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road holding a drawn sword, so it turned from the road and went into a field. So Balaam beat it to make it go back to the road.
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 part of the road that passed between two vineyards, with walls on both sides.
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.
The donkey saw the angel of the Lord and tried to get past. It pushed up against the wall and crushed Balaam's foot against it. So he beat it 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.
Then the angel of the Lord went ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to get past, either on the right or the left.
27 Ale tedzi la tsyɔ akɔ anyi ɖe mɔ la dzi. Balaam do dɔmedzoe vevie, eye wòƒo tedzi la kple eƒe atikplɔ.
The donkey saw the angel of the Lord and lay down under Balaam. He got angry and beat it with his walking stick.
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?”
The Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you for you to beat me three times?”
29 Balaam do ɣli ɖe tedzi la ta be, “Elabena èdo lãm! Ɖe yi aɖe anɔ asinye hafi; anye ne mawu wò.”
“You made me look stupid!” Balaam told the donkey. “If I was holding a sword, I'd kill you 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 asked Balaam, “Aren't I the donkey you've ridden all your life right up to today? Have I ever treated you this way before?” “No,” he admitted.
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 gave Balaam the ability to see the angel of the Lord standing in the road holding a drawn sword. Balaam bowed low and fell facedown 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.
The angel of the Lord asked him, “Why did you beat your donkey three times? Listen, I have come to confront you because you're being obstinate.
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 avoided me three times. If it had not avoided me, by now I definitely would have killed you and allowed the donkey to 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 because I did not realize that you were standing in the road to confront me,” Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “So if this isn't what you want, I'll 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.
The angel of the Lord told Balaam, “No, you can go with the men, but only say what I tell you.” So Balaam continued on with Balak's officials.
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 found out that Balaam was on his way, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the border at the Arnon River, the farthest point 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?”
He said to Balaam, “Didn't you think my call for you to come was urgent? Why didn't you come to me straight away? Did you think I couldn't pay you enough?”
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.”
“Look, I'm here with you now, aren't I?” Balaam replied. “But do you think I can just say anything? I can only speak the words that God gives me to say.”
39 Balaam kple Balak dze fia la yome yi Kiriat Huzot.
So Balaam went with Balak and they arrived at 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 shared with meat with Balaam and 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.
The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth-baal. From there he could see the extent of the Israelite camp.
