Okubala 22
1 Awo abaana ba Isirayiri ne basitula, ne batambula ne basiisira mu lusenyi lwa Mowaabu ku mugga Yoludaani okwolekera Yeriko.
Then the Israelis traveled west to the area of Moab that was in the valley of the Jordan [River], across the river from Jericho [city].
2 Balaki mutabani wa Zipoli n’alaba byonna Isirayiri bye yali akoze Abamoli.
But King Balak, the son of Zippor, who ruled Moab, found out what the Israelis had done to the Amor people-group.
3 Mowaabu n’atya nnyo kubanga abantu abo baali bangi nnyo. Mowaabu okutya abaana ba Isirayiri ne kumusukkirira.
[When he saw that] the Israelis were very numerous, he and his people became terrified.
4 Awo Mowaabu n’agamba abakulembeze ba Midiyaani nti, “Ogubiina gw’abantu bano bajja kulya byonna bye tuli nabyo ebitwetoolodde ng’ente bw’erya n’esaanyaawo omuddo ogw’oku ttale.” Balaki mutabani wa Zipoli, eyali kabaka wa Mowaabu mu biseera ebyo,
So the king of Moab [went to] the leaders of the Midian people-group and said to them, “This huge group [of Israelis] will (wipe out/destroy) everything around them, like an ox devours grass!” Balak was the king of Moab.
5 n’atuma ababaka eri Balamu mutabani wa Byoli, eyali mu Pesoli, ekiriraanye Omugga, mu nsi y’ewaabwe, okumuyita ng’amugamba nti, “Abantu bali wano, baavudde mu Misiri, basaanikidde ensi yonna we batudde; basiisidde wano okunninaana.
He sent messengers to [a prophet named] Balaam, who was living in his own area, in Pethor [town], near the [Euphrates] River. He sent this message to request that Balaam would come [to help him]: “A huge group of people has arrived here from Egypt. [It looks like] they are covering the entire land! And they have begun to live close to us.
6 Kale nno, nkusaba ojje onkolimirire abantu bano, kubanga bampitiridde amaanyi. Oboolyawo lwe ndisobola okubawangula ne mbagoba mu nsi yange. Kubanga mmanyi nga gw’okolimira akolimirwa, ne gw’osabira omukisa aweebwa omukisa.”
Because they are very powerful/numerous, [we are afraid of them. So] please come and curse them for me. Then my army may be able to defeat them and expel them from the land [where they are now living]. I know that good things will happen to the people whom you bless, and disasters will happen to the people whom you curse.”
7 Awo ababaka abaatumibwa, abaali abakulembeze ba Mowaabu n’abakulembeze ba Midiyaani, ne basitula nga batutte n’ensimbi ez’okumusasula. Bwe baatuuka eri Balamu ne bamutegeeza obubaka Balaki bwe yabatuma.
[Balak’s messengers, who were] leaders of both the Moab and Midian people-groups, took money with them to pay Balaam in order that he would [come and] curse the Israelis. They went to Balaam and told him what Balak had said.
8 Balamu n’abagamba nti, “Musule wano leero, nange nnaabatuusaako ekigambo Mukama ky’anaaba aŋŋambye.” Bwe batyo abakungu abaava mu Mowaabu ne basula ewa Balamu.
Balaam said, “Stay here tonight. [Tomorrow morning] I will tell you whatever Yahweh tells me that I should say to you.” So the leaders from Moab stayed there that night.
9 Katonda n’ajja eri Balamu n’amubuuza nti, “Bantu ki bano abali naawe?”
During the night, God appeared to Balaam and asked him, “(Who are/Tell me about) these men who are staying with you.”
10 Balamu n’addamu Katonda nti, “Balaki mutabani wa Zipoli, Kabaka wa Mowaabu ye yampeereza obubaka buno ng’agamba nti,
Balaam replied, “Balak, the king of Moab, sent these men to tell me this:
11 ‘Abantu abavudde mu Misiri basaanikidde ensi we batudde. Kale nno jjangu obankolimirire. Oboolyawo ekyo kiyinza okunsobozesa okubalwanyisa ne mbagoba mu nsi yange.’”
‘A huge group of people has come from Egypt, and they have spread all over this area. Please come immediately to curse them. Then I may be able to defeat them and expel them [from this area].’”
12 Naye Katonda n’agamba Balamu nti, “Togenda na bantu abo. Abantu bali tekikugwanidde kubakolimira, kubanga baaweebwa omukisa.”
God replied to Balaam, “Do not go with them! I have blessed those people, so you must not curse them!”
13 Enkeera mu makya Balamu n’azuukuka, n’agamba abakungu abaatumibwa Balaki nti, “Muddeeyo mu nsi yammwe, kubanga Mukama Katonda aŋŋaanye okugenda nammwe.”
The next morning, Balaam got up and told Balak’s men, “Go back home. [But go by yourselves, because] Yahweh is not allowing me to go with you.”
14 Abakungu aba Mowaabu ne bakomawo eri Balaki ne bamugamba nti, “Balamu yagaanye okujja naffe.”
So the men from Moab returned to King Balak and they reported to him, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
15 Balaki ne yeeyongera okutuma abakungu abalala, nga baabitiibwa binene era nga bangi okusingako ku bali abaasooka.
But Balak sent another [group of] leaders to Balaam. It was a group that was larger and they were more important [than the men in the first group].
16 Ne bajja eri Balamu ne bamugamba nti, “Bw’ati bw’ayogera Balaki mutabani wa Zipoli nti, ‘Nkwegayiridde, tokkiriza kintu kyonna kukuziyiza kujja gye ndi;
They went to Balaam and told him this: “This is what King Balak says: ‘Please do not allow anything to hinder you from coming here.
17 kubanga nzija kutumbula nnyo ekitiibwa kyo, era ŋŋenda kukukolera kyonna ky’ononsaba. Jjangu onkoliimiririre abantu bano.’”
I will pay you (a lot of money/very well) [if you come], and I will do anything that you ask me to do. Just come and curse these [Israeli] people for me!’”
18 Naye Balamu n’addamu abo Balaki be yatuma nti, “Balaki ne bw’alimpa enju ye ng’ejjudde ffeeza ne zaabu sigenda kukola kinene oba kitono nga kisukka ku kiragiro kya Mukama Katonda wange.
But Balaam answered them, “Even if Balak would give me a palace filled with silver and gold, I would not do anything to disobey Yahweh, (my God/the God whom I [worship]).
19 Kale nno musule wano olwa leero, nga bannammwe bwe baakola, nange mpulire Mukama Katonda ky’anaayongera okuŋŋamba.”
But stay here one more night, like the other messengers did, and I will find out if Yahweh has anything more to say to me.”
20 Mu kiro ekyo Katonda n’ajja eri Balamu n’amugamba nti, “Obanga abantu abo bakuddukidde, genda nabo, naye okole ekyo kyokka kye nnaakulagira okukola.”
That night God appeared to Balaam again and said to him, “These men have come to request that you go back with them, so you may go with them, but do only what I tell you [to do]!”
21 Balamu n’agolokoka mu makya, n’ateeka amatandiiko ku ndogoyi ye, n’agenda n’abakungu ba Mowaabu.
So the next morning, Balaam put a saddle on his donkey and he departed [with two of his servants] along with the men from Moab.
22 Naye Katonda n’asunguwala nnyo kubanga Balamu yagenda, malayika wa Mukama Katonda n’ayimirira mu kkubo okumuziyiza. Balamu yali yeebagadde endogoyi ye, abaweereza be babiri nabo baali naye.
[Even though God had given Balaam permission to go, he was still angry]. So he sent one of his angels to Balaam. This angel stood in the road to block Balaam’s path. As Balaam and the two servants were riding on their donkeys,
23 Endogoyi n’eraba malayika wa Mukama Katonda ng’ayimiridde mu kkubo, n’ekitala ekisowoddwa nga kiri mu mukono gwe; endogoyi n’ekyama n’eva mu kkubo n’eraga mu nnimiro. Balamu n’agikuba agizze mu kkubo.
Balaam’s donkey saw the angel. The angel was standing in the road and was holding a sword in his hand, [but Balaam did not see him]. Balaam’s donkey turned off the road into a field. So Balaam struck the donkey and forced it to go back onto the road.
24 Malayika wa Mukama Katonda n’ayimirira mu kakubo akafunda akayita wakati w’ennimiro z’emizabbibu nga ziriko ekisenge ku buli luuyi.
Then the angel stood in a place where the road was very narrow, between two vineyards, with walls on each side of the road.
25 Endogoyi bwe yalaba malayika wa Mukama Katonda ne yeenyigiriza ku kisenge, n’ebetenterako ekigere kya Balamu. N’ayongera okugikuba.
When the donkey saw the angel standing there, it walked very close to the wall [to try to get past the angel]. As a result, it bashed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So Balaam struck the donkey again.
26 Malayika wa Mukama Katonda ne yeeyongerayo mu maaso, n’ayimirira mu kakubo akafunda ennyo, awataali kabanga ka kwekyusizaamu kulaga ku mukono ogwa ddyo wadde ku gwa kkono.
Then the angel went further along the road and stood at a place that was extremely narrow, with the result that the donkey could not get past at all.
27 Endogoyi bwe yalaba malayika wa Mukama Katonda n’egalamira wansi, nga Balamu ye agituddeko; obusungu bwa Balamu ne bubuubuuka, n’akuba endogoyi n’omuggo gwe.
This time, when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down [on the ground] with Balaam sitting on top of it. Balaam became extremely angry, and he struck the donkey again with his walking stick.
28 Awo Mukama Katonda n’ayasamya akamwa k’endogoyi, n’egamba Balamu nti, “Nkukoze ki okunkuba emirundi gino gyonsatule?”
Then Yahweh enabled the donkey to speak! It said to Balaam, “What bad thing have I done to you that caused you to strike me three times?”
29 Balamu n’agamba endogoyi nti, “Kubanga onfudde atategeera! Singa mbadde n’ekitala mu mukono gwange nandikuttiddewo kaakano.”
Balaam shouted, “I struck you because you have caused me to appear to be foolish! If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!”
30 Endogoyi n’egamba Balamu nti, “Siri ndogoyi yo gye weebagadde ebbanga lyonna n’okutuusa ku lunaku lwa leero? Ebadde mpisa yange okukukola bwe nti?” Balamu n’addamu nti, “Nedda.”
But the donkey answered, “I am your own donkey [RHQ], the one that you have always ridden! Have I ever done anything like this previously?” Balaam said, “No.”
31 Awo Mukama Katonda n’alyoka azibula amaaso ga Balamu, n’alaba malayika wa Mukama ng’ayimiridde wakati mu kkubo n’ekitala ekisowoddwa nga kiri mu mukono gwe. N’awunzika omutwe gwe, ne yeevuunika wansi n’avuunama.
Then Yahweh enabled Balaam to see the angel standing on the road, holding a sword in his hand. Balaam [realized that it was an angel and] prostrated himself on the ground in front of the angel.
32 Malayika wa Mukama Katonda n’amugamba nti, “Lwaki endogoyi ogikubye emirundi egyo gyonsatule? Laba, nzize okukuziyiza kubanga ekkubo ly’okutte terinsanyusa.
The angel asked him, ‘(Why did you strike your donkey three times?/ You should certainly not have struck the donkey three times! [RHQ] I have come to block your path because what you are planning to do is wrong.
33 Endogoyi yandabye n’enneebalama emirundi egyo esatu. Singa teyanneebalamye, nandibadde ggwe nkusse, naye yo nga ngirese.”
Three times your donkey saw me and turned away from me. If it had not done that, I would certainly have killed you already, but I would have allowed the donkey to live.”
34 Balamu n’agamba malayika wa Mukama Katonda nti, “Nnyonoonye. Saategedde nti ggwe oyimiridde mu kkubo okunziyiza. Kale nno nga kye nkoze bwe kitakusanyusizza, ka nzireyo eka.”
Then Balaam said to the angel, “I have sinned. But I did not realize that you were standing there, trying to block my path. So if you do not want me to continue going, I will return home.”
35 Malayika wa Mukama Katonda n’agamba Balamu nti, “Genda n’abasajja abo, naye ebigambo bye nnaakulagira bye byokka by’oba oyogera.” Bw’atyo Balamu n’agenda n’abakungu ba Balaki.
But the angel replied, “I will allow you to go with these men, but you must say only what I tell you to say!” So Balaam went on with the leaders whom Balak [had sent].
36 Balaki bwe yawulira nga Balamu ajja, n’afuluma okugenda okumusisinkana mu kibuga kya Mowaabu ekiri ku nsalo ya Alumoni, ku nkomerero y’amatwale ge.
When King Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went to meet him at a Moab town alongside the Arnon [River] that was at the border of his own land.
37 Balaki n’agamba Balamu nti, “Saakutumira nga nkuyita ojje ku bwange? Lwaki tewajja gye ndi? Olowooza siyinza kukuwa bitiibwa bingi?”
[When he arrived where] Balaam was, he said to him, “I sent you [RHQ] a message saying that you should come immediately [RHQ]! Why did you not come immediately? [Did you think that] I was not able to pay you a lot of money for coming?”
38 Balamu n’addamu nti, “Nzuuno kaakano nzize gy’oli! Naye olowooza nnina obuyinza okwogera kyonna kye njagala? Nteekwa okwogera ebyo byokka Katonda by’anassa mu kamwa kange.”
Balaam replied, “I have come here now, but I am not able to say anything [that I want to]. I will say only the words that God tells me to say [MTY].”
39 Bw’atyo Balamu n’agenda ne Balaki ne bajja e Kiriasikuzosi.
Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath-Huzoth [town].
40 Balaki n’awaayo ekiweebwayo eky’ente n’endiga, n’aweerezaako ne ku Balamu n’abakungu abaali naye.
There Balak killed some cattle and sheep as sacrifices, and offered [parts of the meat] to Balaam and the leaders who were with him.
41 Enkeera Balaki n’atwala Balamu n’amulinnyisa ku bifo bya Bamosi Baali, n’asinziira awo okulengera ku kitundu eky’abantu ba Isirayiri abaali okumpi.
[They slept there], and the next morning Balak took Balaam part way up [the mountain] to Bamoth-Baal [village]. From there, they could see some of the Israeli people who were down below.
