Ndari 22
1 Ningĩ andũ a Isiraeli makĩnyiita rũgendo marorete werũ wa Moabi na makĩamba hema ciao hũgũrũrũ-inĩ cia Rũũĩ rwa Jorodani mũrĩmo wa itũũra rĩa Jeriko.
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.
2 Na rĩrĩ, Balaki mũrũ wa Ziporu nĩonete maũndũ marĩa mothe Isiraeli meekĩte Aamori,
Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
3 nao andũ a Moabi magĩĩtigĩra mũno nĩ ũndũ nĩ kwarĩ na andũ aingĩ mũno. Ti-itherũ, andũ a Moabi maiyũrĩtwo nĩ guoya nĩ ũndũ wa andũ a Isiraeli.
Moab was very afraid of the people because they were many, and Moab was in terror of the people of Israel.
4 Andũ a Moabi makĩĩra athuuri a Midiani atĩrĩ, “Mũingĩ ũyũ ũkũrĩa indo ciothe iria itũrigiicĩirie, o ta ũrĩa ndegwa ĩrĩĩaga nyeki ya gĩthaka.” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Balaki mũrũ wa Ziporu, ũrĩa warĩ mũthamaki wa Moabi ihinda rĩu,
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.
5 agĩtũmanĩra Balamu mũrũ wa Beori, ũrĩa warĩ Pethori, hakuhĩ na Rũũĩ rwa Farati, kũu bũrũri wao. Balaki akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ: “Harĩ na andũ mokĩte moimĩte bũrũri wa Misiri; nao maiyũrĩte bũrũri ũyũ wothe, na maikarĩte o hakuhĩ na niĩ.
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.
6 Ndagũthaitha ũka ũnumĩre andũ aya manyiitwo nĩ kĩrumi, nĩ ũndũ marĩ na hinya mũno kũngĩra. Ũngĩmaruma kwahoteka ndĩmahoote na ndĩmarutũrũre moime bũrũri ũyũ. Nĩ ũndũ nĩnjũũĩ atĩ arĩa warathima nĩmarathimagwo, nao arĩa waruma nĩ manyiitagwo nĩ kĩrumi.”
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.”
7 Nao athuuri a Moabi na a Midiani magĩthiĩ makuuĩte irĩhi rĩa kũragũrĩrwo. Maakinya kũrĩ Balamu, makĩmũhe ũhoro ũrĩa Balaki oigĩte.
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.
8 Nake Balamu akĩmeera atĩrĩ, “Raraai gũkũ ũmũthĩ, na nĩngamũcookeria macookio marĩa Jehova ekũhe.” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio anene a Moabi makĩraarania nake.
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.
9 Nake Ngai agĩkora Balamu akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Andũ aya mũrĩ nao nĩ a?”
God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men who came to you?”
10 Balamu agĩcookeria Ngai atĩrĩ, “Balaki mũrũ wa Ziporu, mũthamaki wa Moabi, nĩwe ũrandeheire ndũmĩrĩri ĩno:
Balaam answered God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent them to me. He said,
11 ‘Kũrĩ andũ moimĩte bũrũri wa Misiri makaiyũra bũrũri ũyũ wothe. Ndagũthaitha ũũke ũnumĩre o manyiitwo nĩ kĩrumi, no gũkorwo no hũũrane nao ndĩmaingate moime bũrũri ũyũ!’”
'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.'”
12 No Ngai akĩĩra Balamu atĩrĩ, “Ndũgũthiĩ nao. Ndũkarume andũ acio, tondũ nĩ andũ arathime.”
God replied to Balaam, “You must not go with those men. You must not curse the people of Israel because they have been blessed.”
13 Rũciinĩ rũrũ rũngĩ, Balamu agĩũkĩra, akĩĩra anene acio a Balaki atĩrĩ, “Cookai bũrũri wanyu kĩũmbe, nĩ ũndũ Jehova nĩarega kũnjĩtĩkĩria tũthiĩ na inyuĩ.”
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.”
14 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio anene a Moabi magĩcooka kũrĩ Balaki makĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Balamu nĩarega gũũka na ithuĩ.”
So the leaders of Moab left and went back to Balak. They said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
15 Ningĩ Balaki agĩtũma anene angĩ aingĩ makĩria na maarĩ igweta gũkĩra acio a mbere.
Balak sent again more leaders who were even more honored than the first group.
16 Nao magĩthiĩ kũrĩ Balamu makĩmwĩra atĩrĩ: “Ũũ nĩguo Balaki mũrũ wa Ziporu ekuuga: Ndũgetĩkĩre ũndũ o na ũrĩkũ ũgirie ũũke kũrĩ niĩ,
They came to Balaam and said to him, “Balak son of Zippor says this, 'Please let nothing stop you from coming to me,
17 tondũ nĩngũkũrĩha wega mũno, na njĩke ũrĩa wothe ũngiuga. Ndagũthaitha ũka ũnumĩre andũ aya.”
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.'”
18 No Balamu akĩmacookeria atĩrĩ, “O na Balaki angĩĩhe nyũmba yake ya ũnene ĩiyũrĩtio betha na thahabu-rĩ, ndingĩĩka ũndũ o na ũrĩkũ, mũnene kana mũnini, wagararĩte watho wa Jehova Ngai wakwa.
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.
19 Na rĩrĩ, raraai gũkũ ũmũthĩ, o ta ũrĩa acio angĩ mareekire, na nĩngũtuĩria ũndũ ũrĩa ũngĩ Jehova ekũnjĩĩra.”
Now then, please wait here tonight too, so that I may learn anything further that Yahweh says to me.”
20 Ũtukũ ũcio Ngai nĩakorire Balamu, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Tondũ andũ aya nĩ mokĩte gũgwĩta, thiĩ nao, no wĩke o ũrĩa wiki ngũkwĩra.”
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.”
21 Balamu agĩũkĩra rũciinĩ, agĩtandĩka ndigiri yake, na agĩthiĩ na anene acio a Moabi.
Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the leaders of Moab.
22 No Ngai nĩarakarire mũno athiĩ, na mũraika wa Jehova akĩrũgama njĩra nĩguo amũgirĩrĩrie gũthiĩ. Balamu aahaicĩte ndigiri yake, na ndungata ciake igĩrĩ ciarĩ hamwe nake.
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.
23 Na rĩrĩa ndigiri yoonire mũraika wa Jehova arũngiĩ njĩra, acomorete rũhiũ rwa njora, na arũnyiitĩte na guoko, ĩkĩgarũrũka, ĩgĩtoonya mũgũnda. Nake Balamu akĩmĩhũũra nĩguo ĩcooke njĩra.
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.
24 Nake mũraika wa Jehova akĩrũgama njĩra-inĩ yarĩ njeke gatagatĩ ka mĩgũnda ĩĩrĩ ya mĩthabibũ, na o mũgũnda warĩ mũirige.
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.
25 Rĩrĩa ndigiri yoonire mũraika wa Jehova-rĩ, ĩkĩĩhatĩrĩria rũthingo-inĩ, ĩkĩhinyĩrĩria kũgũrũ kwa Balamu rũthingo-inĩ rũu. Nĩ ũndũ ũcio akĩmĩhũũra rĩngĩ.
The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh again. She went against the wall and pinned Balaam's foot against it. Balaam struck her again.
26 Ningĩ mũraika wa Jehova agĩthiĩ mbere akĩrũgama handũ haarĩ haceke hataarĩ na handũ ha kwĩgarũrĩra, na mwena wa ũrĩo kana wa ũmotho.
The angel of Yahweh went further and stood in another narrow place where there was no way to turn to either side.
27 Rĩrĩa ndigiri yoonire mũraika wa Jehova hau, ĩgĩkoma thĩ Balamu arĩ o igũrũ rĩayo, nake akĩrakara akĩmĩhũũra na rũthanju rwake.
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.
28 Nake Jehova agĩtumũra kanua ka ndigiri, nayo ĩkĩũria Balamu atĩrĩ, “Nĩatĩa ngwĩkĩte tondũ wahũũra maita maya matatũ?”
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?”
29 Balamu akĩmĩcookeria atĩrĩ, “Wee ũnduĩte kĩrimũ! Korwo nyuma na rũhiũ rwa njora guoko-inĩ, ingĩakũraga o ro rĩu.”
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.”
30 Nayo ndigiri ĩkĩũria Balamu atĩrĩ, “Githĩ niĩ ti niĩ ndigiri yaku, ĩrĩa ũtũire ũhaicaga nginya ũmũthĩ? Nĩmenyerete gũgwĩka ta ũũ?” Balamu akiuga atĩrĩ, “Aca.”
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.”
31 Nake Jehova akĩhingũra maitho ma Balamu, nake akĩona mũraika wa Jehova arũngiĩ njĩra-inĩ acomorete rũhiũ rwa njora. Nĩ ũndũ ũcio akĩinamĩrĩra na akĩĩgũithia, agĩturumithia ũthiũ wake thĩ.
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.
32 Mũraika wa Jehova akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Nĩ kĩĩ gĩatũma ũhũũre ndigiri yaku maita macio matatũ? Njũkĩte haha ngũhingĩrĩrie nĩ ũndũ mĩthiĩre yaku nĩ ya ũremi maitho-inĩ makwa.
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.
33 Ndigiri ĩnyonire, yanjeherera maita macio matatũ. Korwo ndĩnanjeherera, hatirĩ nganja nĩingĩgũkũũragĩte, no yo nĩingĩamĩhonokia.”
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.”
34 Balamu akĩĩra mũraika ũcio wa Jehova atĩrĩ, “Nĩnjĩhĩtie. Ndikũũĩ atĩ nĩũkũrũgamĩte njĩra-inĩ ũhingĩrĩirie. Na rĩrĩ, ũngĩkorwo ndũkenete-rĩ, nĩngũhũndũka.”
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.”
35 Mũraika ũcio wa Jehova akĩĩra Balamu atĩrĩ, “Thiĩ na andũ acio, no uuge o ro ũrĩa ngũkwĩra.” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Balamu agĩthiĩ na anene acio a Balaki.
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.
36 Rĩrĩa Balaki aiguire atĩ Balamu nĩarooka, agĩthiĩ kũmũtũnga itũũra-inĩ rĩa Moabi, mũhaka-inĩ wa Arinoni, o kũu mũhaka wa bũrũri wake.
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.
37 Balaki akĩũria Balamu atĩrĩ, “Githĩ ndiagũtũmanĩire ũũke narua? Nĩ kĩĩ kĩagiririe ũũke? Anga ndingĩhota gũkũrĩha?”
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?”
38 Balamu agĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Nĩ wega, nĩndagĩũka. No rĩrĩ, niĩ no njuge o ũrĩa ngwenda? Niĩ ngwaria o ũrĩa Ngai angĩnjĩĩra njarie.”
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.”
39 Hĩndĩ ĩyo Balamu na Balaki magĩthiĩ Kiriathu-Huzothu.
Balaam went with Balak, and they arrived at Kiriath Huzoth.
40 Balaki akĩruta igongona rĩa ngʼombe na ngʼondu, na akĩhe Balamu na anene arĩa maarĩ nake nyama imwe.
Then Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep and gave some meat to Balaam and the leaders who were with him.
41 Kwarooka gũkĩa-rĩ, Balaki akĩoya Balamu makĩambata nginya Bamothu-Baali, na marĩ kũu Balamu akĩona gĩcunjĩ kĩmwe kĩa andũ acio.
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.
