Amanani 22
1 Abako-Israyeli basuka lapho baya emagcekeni aseMowabi bamisa izihonqo zabo zisekele umfula iJodani ngaphetsheya kweJerikho.
And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.
2 UBhalaki indodana kaZiphori wabona konke okwenziwa ngu-Israyeli kuma-Amori,
And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
3 ngakho uMowabi wesaba ngoba abantu bako-Israyeli babebanengi kakhulu. Ngempela uMowabi watshaywa luvalo ngenxa yokwesaba abako-Israyeli.
And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.
4 AmaMowabi athi ebadaleni bamaMidiyani, “Ixuku leli lizahuquluza konke esilakho, njengenkabi isidla utshani emadlelweni.” Ngakho uBhalaki indodana kaZiphori, owayeyinkosi yamaMowabi ngalesosikhathi,
And Moab said to the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.
5 wathumela izithunywa ukuyabiza uBhalamu indodana kaBheyori, owayehlala ePhethori eduzane lomfula iYufrathe elizweni lakibo lomdabuko. UBhalaki wathi, “Kulabantu abanengi kakhulu abavela eGibhithe; bagcwele ilizwe lonke njalo bahlezi eduze kwami.
He sent messengers therefore to Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:
6 Woza khathesi uzeletha isithuko phezu kwabo, ngoba balamandla kulami. Mhlawumbe ngalokho ngingabehlula ngibaxotshe elizweni. Ngoba ngiyazi ukuthi labo obabusisayo bayabusiseka, njalo labo obaqalekisayo bayaqalekiswa.”
Come now therefore, I pray you, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.
7 Abadala bamaMowabi labamaMidiyani basuka, bathatha imbadalo yokuhlahlula. Bathe befika kuBhalamu, bamtshela lokho okwatshiwo nguBhalaki.
And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak.
8 “Lalani lapha okwalamuhla,” watsho uBhalamu kubo, “Ngizalilethela impendulo engizayiphiwa nguThixo.” Ngakho amakhosana amaMowabi ahlala laye.
And he said to them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak to me: and the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.
9 UNkulunkulu weza kuBhalamu wambuza wathi, “Amadoda la olawo ngobani?”
And God came to Balaam, and said, What men are these with you?
10 UBhalamu wathi kuNkulunkulu, “UBhalaki indodana kaZiphori inkosi yamaMowabi ungithumele lelizwi elithi:
And Balaam said to God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying,
11 ‘Kulabantu abavele eGibhithe abagcwele elizweni lonke. Woza masinyane uzongiqalekisela lababantu. Mhlawumbe ngingaba lakho ukubalwisa ngibaxotshe lapha.’”
Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covers the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.
12 Kodwa uNkulunkulu wathi kuBhalamu, “Ungahambi labo. Ungabaqalekisi lababantu, ngoba babusisiwe.”
And God said to Balaam, You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people: for they are blessed.
13 Ekuseni ngosuku olulandelayo uBhalamu wavuka esithi kumakhosana kaBhalaki, “Buyelani ezweni lenu, ngoba uThixo walile ukuthi ngihambe lani.”
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the LORD refuses to give me leave to go with you.
14 Ngakho amakhosana amaMowabi abuyela kuBhalaki athi, “UBhalamu walile ukubuya lathi.”
And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, Balaam refuses to come with us.
15 Ngakho uBhalaki wathumela amanye amakhosana amanengi njalo adumileyo kulawakuqala.
And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honorable than they.
16 Eza kuBhalamu afika athi: “Nanku okutshiwo nguBhalaki indodana kaZiphori: Akungabi lalutho olungakuvimbela ukuza kimi,
And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray you, hinder you from coming to me:
17 ngoba ngizakunika umvuzo omuhle njalo ngenze konke okutshoyo. Woza uzongiqalekisela lababantu.”
For I will promote you to very great honor, and I will do whatever you say to me: come therefore, I pray you, curse me this people.
18 Kodwa uBhalamu wabaphendula wathi, “Loba uBhalaki enganginika isigodlo sakhe sigcwele isiliva legolide, angingeke ngenze ulutho olukhulu loba oluncane oluphambene lelizwi likaThixo uNkulunkulu wami.
And Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.
19 Khathesi hlalani lapha okwalobubusuku njengalokhu okwenziwe ngabanye, mina ngizadingisisa ukuthi kuyini okunye uThixo azangitshela khona.”
Now therefore, I pray you, tarry you also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say to me more.
20 Ngalobobusuku uNkulunkulu weza kuBhalamu wathi, “Njengoba ethunywe ukuzakubiza, hamba lawo, kodwa wenze lokho kuphela engizakutshela khona.”
And God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, If the men come to call you, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say to you, that shall you do.
21 UBhalamu wavuka ekuseni, wagada ubabhemi wakhe wahle wahamba lamakhosana amaMowabi.
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.
22 Kodwa uNkulunkulu wathukuthela kakhulu ngokuhamba kwakhe, ngakho ingilosi kaThixo yajama phambi kwakhe yamvimbela. UBhalamu wayegade ubabhemi wakhe elezinceku zakhe ezimbili.
And God’s anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his ass, and his two servants were with him.
23 Kwathi ubabhemi ebona ingilosi kaThixo imi endleleni iphethe inkemba esandleni sayo, waphambuka endleleni waqonda iganga. UBhalamu wamtshaya ubabhemi embuyisela endleleni.
And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.
24 Ngakho ingilosi kaThixo yayakuma emkhandlwini phakathi kwezivini ezimbili, kulemiduli inxa zonke.
But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.
25 Kwathi ubabhemi ebona ingilosi kaThixo, ubabhemi wasondela emdulini, ehluzulela unyawo lukaBhalamu emdulini. Ngalokho wamtshaya njalo ubabhemi.
And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself to the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall: and he smote her again.
26 Ngakho ingilosi kaThixo yaya phambili yema emkhandlwini onciphileyo lapho okwakungelandlela yokuphendukela kwesokudla loba esenxele.
And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.
27 Kwathi ubabhemi ebona ingilosi kaThixo, ubabhemi walala phansi, uBhalamu wathukuthela kakhulu wamtshaya ubabhemi ngentonga yakhe.
And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.
28 Ngalokho uThixo wavula umlomo kababhemi, wathi kuBhalamu, “Kanti ngenzeni na kuwe uze ungitshaye okwamahlandla amathathu?”
And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said to Balaam, What have I done to you, that you have smitten me these three times?
29 UBhalamu waphendula ubabhemi wathi, “Ungenze isiwula! Ngabe bengilenkemba esandleni sami bengizakubulala khathesi.”
And Balaam said to the ass, Because you have mocked me: I would there were a sword in my hand, for now would I kill you.
30 Ubabhemi wathi kuBhalamu, “Kanti kangisubabhemi wakho na ovele uhlezi umgada insuku zonke kuze kube namhlanje? Kambe ngiyake ngikwenze lokhu kuwe na?” UBhalamu waphendula wathi, “Hatshi.”
And the ass said to Balaam, Am not I your ass, on which you have ridden ever since I was your to this day? was I ever wont to do so to you? And he said, No.
31 Ngakho uThixo wavula amehlo kaBhalamu, wabona ingilosi kaThixo imi endleleni iqaphise inkemba. Ngakho wakhothama wawa phansi ngobuso.
Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.
32 Ingilosi kaThixo yambuza yathi, “Kungani utshaye ubabhemi wakho okwamahlandla amathathu na? Ngize lapha ukukuvimbela ngoba indlela yakho iyibutshapha phambi kwami.
And the angel of the LORD said to him, Why have you smitten your ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand you, because your way is perverse before me:
33 Ubabhemi ungibonile waphambuka okwamahlandla amathathu. Alubana kaphambukanga, ngabe khathesi sengikubulele wena, ngayekela ubabhemi.”
And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain you, and saved her alive.
34 UBhalamu wathi engilosini kaThixo, “Ngonile. Angizange nginanzelele ukuthi umi endleleni ukungivimbela. Nxa kungakuthokozisi khathesi, ngizabuyela emuva.”
And Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that you stood in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease you, I will get me back again.
35 Ingilosi kaThixo yathi kuBhalamu, “Hamba lawo lamadoda, kodwa ukhulume lokho engikutshela khona kuphela.” Ngakho uBhalamu wahamba lamakhosana kaBhalaki.
And the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak to you, that you shall speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
36 Kwathi uBhalaki esizwa ukuthi uBhalamu uyeza, waphuma ukumhlangabeza edolobheni lamaMowabi emngceleni wase-Arinoni emaphethelweni elizwe lakhe.
And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him to a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.
37 UBhalaki wathi kuBhalamu, “Angikuthumelanga ilizwi lokuphangisa na? Kungani ungezanga kimi? Kambe kangenelisi ukukupha umvuzo na?”
And Balak said to Balaam, Did I not earnestly send to you to call you? why came you not to me? am I not able indeed to promote you to honor?
38 UBhalamu waphendula wathi, “Yebo, sengifikile kuwe khathesi. Kodwa angiyikukhuluma loba yini engiyifunayo. Ngizakhuluma lokho uNkulunkulu azakubeka emlonyeni wami kuphela.”
And Balaam said to Balak, See, I am come to you: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak.
39 Ngakho uBhalamu wahamba loBhalaki eKhiriyathi-Huzothi.
And Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kirjathhuzoth.
40 UBhalaki wenza umhlatshelo wenkomo lezimvu, njalo ezinye wazipha uBhalamu ezinye wazipha amakhosana ayehamba lawo.
And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.
41 Ekuseni ngosuku olulandelayo uBhalaki wathatha uBhalamu waya eBhamothi-Bhali, kulapho abona khona izihonqo zabako-Israyeli.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that there he might see the utmost part of the people.
