Nomery 23
1 Ary hoy Balama tamin’ i Balaka: Manorena alitara fito eto ho ahy, ka manamboara vantotr’ ombilahy fito sy ondrilahy fito.
Then Balaam told Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice.”
2 Dia narahin’ i Balaka izay efa nolazain’ i Balama; ary Balaka sy Balama nanatitra vantotr’ ombilahy sy ondrilahy iray avy teo ambonin’ ny isan’ alitara.
Balak did as Balaam had said, and together they offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
3 Dia hoy Balama tamin’ i Balaka: Mitoera eto anilan’ ny fanatitra doranao, fa izaho kosa handeha; angamba ho avy hihaona amiko Jehovah; ary izay hasehony amiko dia hambarako aminao. Ary lasa nankany amin’ ny tendrombohitra anankiray mangadihady izy.
Balaam said to Balak, “Wait here beside your burnt offering while I go and see if perhaps the Lord will come and meet with me. Whatever he reveals to me, I'll share with you.” Then Balaam left to climb up a rocky crag.
4 Ary Andriamanitra dia nihaona tamin’ i Balama; ary hoy Balama taminy: Ny alitara fito dia efa namboariko, ary efa nanatitra vantotr’ ombilahy sy ondrilahy iray avy teo ambonin’ ny isan’ alitara aho.
God met with him there, and Balaam said. “I have built seven altars and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.”
5 Ary Jehovah nanisy teny teo am-bavan’ i Balama ka nanao hoe: Miverena any amin’ i Balaka, ary izany no holazainao.
The Lord gave Balaam a message to share. He told him, “Go back to Balak and this is what you are to say to him.”
6 Dia niverina tany amin’ i Balaka izy, ary, indreo, teo anilan’ ny fanatitra dorany izy sy ireo andriandahin’ i Moaba rehetra.
So he went back to Balak, who was waiting there beside his burnt offering, along with all the Moabite leaders.
7 Dia nanao oha-teny Balama ka nilaza hoe: Balaka nampaka ahy avy tany Arama, Ny mpanjakan’ i Moaba nampaka ahy avy tany amin’ ny tendrombohitra atsinanana: Avia, ka ozòny ho ahy Jakoba; ary mankanesa atỳ, ka sahatoy ny Isiraely.
This is the declaration that Balaam gave: “Balak brought me from Aram; the king of Moab brought me from the mountains of the east. He said, ‘Come and curse Jacob for me! Come and condemn Israel!’
8 Hataoko ahoana no fanozona izay tsy nozonin’ Andriamanitra? Ary hataoko ahoana no fisahato izay tsy nosahatoin’ i Jehovah?
But how can I curse what God has not cursed? How can I condemn what the Lord has not condemned?
9 Fa eto an-tampon’ ny vatolampy no ahitako azy, ary eto amin’ ny havoana no itazanako azy; indro, firenena mitoka-monina izy, ary tsy hatao ho isan’ ny jentilisa.
For I'm looking down on them from the top of rocky crags; I'm watching them from the hills. I see a people who live on their own, different from the other nations.
10 Iza no mahisa ny vovok’ i Jakoba, na ny isan’ ny ampahefatry ny Isiraely? Aoka ho tahaka ny fahafatesan’ ny olo-marina ny fahafatesako, ary aoka ny hiafarako ho tahaka ny azy!
Who can count Jacob's descendants? They are so many they're like dust! Who can count even a quarter of the Israelites? I would like to die as a good person dies! Let the end of my life be like their end!”
11 Dia hoy Balaka tamin’ i Balama: Ahoana izao nataonao tamiko izao? Hanozona ny fahavaloko no nangalako anao, kanjo nitso-drano dia nitso-drano azy kosa ianao.
Then Balak complained to Balaam, “What on earth have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, and now look! All you have done is bless them!”
12 Dia namaly izy ka nanao hoe: Tsy hotandremako va ny hilaza izay ataon’ i Jehovah eto am-bavako?
But Balaam replied, “Don't you think I should I say precisely what the Lord tells me?”
13 Dia hoy Balaka taminy: Andeha mba hiaraka amiko ho any amin’ ny tany hafa izay hahitanao azy; kanefa ny sisiny ihany no ho hitanao eo, fa tsy ho hitanao avokoa izy rehetra; ka ozòny ho ahy ao izy.
Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place where you can see them. But you'll only see a part of their camp—you won't see all of them. You can curse them for me from there.”
14 Dia nitondra azy tao an-tsaha Zofima izy, tao an-tampon’ i Pisga; ary nanorina alitara fito izy ka nanatitra vantotr’ ombilahy sy ondrilahy iray avy teo ambonin’ ny isan’ alitara.
He took him to the field of Zophim at the top of Mount Pisgah. There he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
15 Dia hoy izy tamin’ i Balaka: Mitoera eto anilan’ ny fanatitra doranao, fa izaho hankerỳ hihaona amin’ i Jehovah.
Balaam told Balak, “Wait here beside your burnt offering while I meet the Lord over there.”
16 Ary Jehovah nihaona tamin’ i Balama, dia nanisy teny teo am-bavany ka nanao hoe: Miverena mankeo amin’ i Balaka ary izany no holazainao.
The Lord met Balaam and gave him a message to share. He told him, “Go back to Balak and this is what you are to say to him.”
17 Ary nony tonga tany aminy izy, dia, indreo, teo anilan’ ny fanatitra dorany izy sy ireo andriandahin’ i Moaba izay teo aminy. Dia hoy Balaka taminy: Ahoana no nolazain’ i Jehovah?
So he went back to Balak, who was waiting there beside his burnt offering, along with all the Moabite leaders. “What did the Lord say?” Balak asked.
18 Dia nanao oha-teny Balama ka nilaza hoe: Mitsangàna, ry Balaka, ka mandrenesa; Atongilano amiko ny sofinao, ry zanak’ i Zipora;
This is the prophecy that Balaam delivered: “Stand up, Balak, and pay attention! Listen to me, son of Zippor!
19 Andriamanitra tsy mba olona ka handainga, na zanak’ olombelona ka hanenina; moa efa nilaza va Izy, ka tsy hefainy? na efa niteny va Izy, ka tsy hotoviny?
God isn't a human being who would lie. He's not a mere mortal who changes his mind. Does he say he's going to do something but doesn't? Does he make promises he doesn't carry out?
20 Indro, ny hitahy no efa azoko; ary efa nitahy Izy, ka tsy mahova izany aho.
Look, I have been ordered to give a blessing. God has blessed, and I can't change that.
21 Tsy mijery faharatsiana eo amin’ i Jakoba Izy. Ary tsy mahita fahoriana eo amin’ ny Isiraely; Jehovah Andriamaniny no nomba azy, Ary hoby fanao amin’ andriana no re eo aminy.
He's not expecting anything bad will happen to Jacob; he doesn't foresee any trouble for Israel. The Lord their God is with them; they celebrate him as their king.
22 Nentin’ Andriamanitra nivoaka avy tany Egypta izy, ary manan-kery toy ny ombimanga,
God led them out of Egypt with great power, as strong as an ox.
23 Fa tsy misy fisikidianana eo amin’ i Jakoba, ary tsy misy fankatovana eo amin’ Isiraely. Fa amin’ ny fotoana no hilazana amin’ i Jakoba sy Isiraely izay efa nataon’ i Jehovah.
No spell can be cast against Jacob; no magic can be used against Israel. People will talk about Jacob and Israel, saying, ‘What amazing things God has done for them!’
24 Indro, firenena mitsangana toy ny liom-bavy sy miarina toy ny liona; tsy handry izy mandra-pihinany toha sy mandra-pisotrony ny ran’ ny voavono.
Look! The Israelites go out hunting like a lioness; they chase like a lion. They don't rest until they eat their prey, and drink the blood of their dead victim.”
25 Dia hoy Balaka tamin’ i Balama: Aza manozona na mitso-drano azy akory
Then Balak said to Balaam, “If you can't give them any curses then at least don't give them any blessings!”
26 Fa namaly kosa Balama ka nanao tamin’ i Balaka hoe; Tsy efa nilaza taminao va aho ka nanao hoe: Izay rehetra holazain’ i Jehovah, izany no hataoko?
But Balaam replied, “Didn't I explain to you that I have to do whatever the Lord tells me?”
27 Dia hoy Balaka tamin’ i Balama: Andeha ho entiko any amin’ izay tany hafa ianao; angamba ho sitrak’ Andriamanitra ny hanozonanao azy any ho ahy.
“Please come with me and I will take you somewhere else,” Balak said. “Maybe God would let you curse them for me from there.”
28 Ary Balama dia nentin’ i Balaka ho ao an-tampon’ i Peora, izay manatrika ny efitra.
Balak took Balaam to the top of Mount Peor, which looks down on the wastelands.
29 Dia hoy Balama tamin’ i Balaka: Manorena alitara fito eto ho ahy, ka manamboara vantotr’ ombilahy fito sy ondrilahy fito.
Balaam told Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice.”
30 Ary Balaka dia nanao araka izay efa nolazain’ i Balama ka nanatitra vantotr’ ombilahy, sy ondrilahy iray avy teo ambonin’ ny isan’ alitara.
Balak what Balaam told him, and he offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
