Amanani 22
1 Abako-Israyeli basuka lapho baya emagcekeni aseMowabi bamisa izihonqo zabo zisekele umfula iJodani ngaphetsheya kweJerikho.
Then did the sons of Israel break up, —and encamp in the waste plains of Moab, on the other side of the Jordan by Jericho.
2 UBhalaki indodana kaZiphori wabona konke okwenziwa ngu-Israyeli kuma-Amori,
And Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done unto the Amorites;
3 ngakho uMowabi wesaba ngoba abantu bako-Israyeli babebanengi kakhulu. Ngempela uMowabi watshaywa luvalo ngenxa yokwesaba abako-Israyeli.
and Moab shrank with great fear from the presence of the people because, many, they were, —and Moab was alarmed at the presence of the sons of Israel.
4 AmaMowabi athi ebadaleni bamaMidiyani, “Ixuku leli lizahuquluza konke esilakho, njengenkabi isidla utshani emadlelweni.” Ngakho uBhalaki indodana kaZiphori, owayeyinkosi yamaMowabi ngalesosikhathi,
So Moab said unto the elders of Midian—Now, shall the gathered host lick up all that are round about us, as the ox doth lick up the verdure of the field. But, Balak son of Zippor, was king unto Moab 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.
So he sent messengers unto Balaam son of Beor, to Pethor which was by the river of the land of the sons of his people to call him, —saying Lo! a people, hath come forth out of Egypt Lo! he hath covered the eye of the land, Yea he, is tarrying 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.”
Now, therefore, do come, I pray thee curse me this people. For stronger, he is than I, If peradventure I prevail, we shall smite him, That I may drive him out of the land, —For I know that, he whom thou dost bless, is to be blessed, And, he whom thou dost curse, is to be 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 went their way, with the rewards of divination in their hand, —so they came in unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.
8 “Lalani lapha okwalamuhla,” watsho uBhalamu kubo, “Ngizalilethela impendulo engizayiphiwa nguThixo.” Ngakho amakhosana amaMowabi ahlala laye.
And he said unto them—Tarry ye here for the night, and I will bring you back word, as Yahweh shall speak unto me. So the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.
9 UNkulunkulu weza kuBhalamu wambuza wathi, “Amadoda la olawo ngobani?”
And God came in unto Balaam, —and said, Who are these men with thee?
10 UBhalamu wathi kuNkulunkulu, “UBhalaki indodana kaZiphori inkosi yamaMowabi ungithumele lelizwi elithi:
Then said Balaam unto God, —Balak, son of Zippor king of Moab, hath sent unto me:
11 ‘Kulabantu abavele eGibhithe abagcwele elizweni lonke. Woza masinyane uzongiqalekisela lababantu. Mhlawumbe ngingaba lakho ukubalwisa ngibaxotshe lapha.’”
Lo! the people that hath come forth out of Egypt—he covereth the eye of the land. Now, do come, do revile me him, Peradventure I shall prevail in making war with him, And shall drive him out.
12 Kodwa uNkulunkulu wathi kuBhalamu, “Ungahambi labo. Ungabaqalekisi lababantu, ngoba babusisiwe.”
And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them, —Thou shalt not curse the people, For blessed, he is.
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 unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your own land, —For Yahweh hath refused to let me go with you.
14 Ngakho amakhosana amaMowabi abuyela kuBhalaki athi, “UBhalamu walile ukubuya lathi.”
So the princes of Moab arose, and came in unto Balak, —and said, Balaam refused to come with us.
15 Ngakho uBhalaki wathumela amanye amakhosana amanengi njalo adumileyo kulawakuqala.
Then added Balak again, —to send princes, more and weightier than these.
16 Eza kuBhalamu afika athi: “Nanku okutshiwo nguBhalaki indodana kaZiphori: Akungabi lalutho olungakuvimbela ukuza kimi,
And they came in unto Balaam, —and said unto him—Thus, said Balak son of Zippor, Do not be withheld, I pray thee from coming unto me:
17 ngoba ngizakunika umvuzo omuhle njalo ngenze konke okutshoyo. Woza uzongiqalekisela lababantu.”
For I will honour, thee, exceedingly, and all that thou shalt say unto me, will I do. Do come therefore I pray thee oh revile 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 responded and said unto the servants of Balak, Though Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the bidding of Yahweh 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 abide here, I pray you even ye, —for the night, —that I may get to know what further Yahweh may be speaking with me.
20 Ngalobobusuku uNkulunkulu weza kuBhalamu wathi, “Njengoba ethunywe ukuzakubiza, hamba lawo, kodwa wenze lokho kuphela engizakutshela khona.”
And God came in unto Balaam, by night, and said unto him—If, to call thee, the men have come in, arise go with them, —But only, the thing that I shall speak unto thee, that, shalt thou do.
21 UBhalamu wavuka ekuseni, wagada ubabhemi wakhe wahle wahamba lamakhosana amaMowabi.
So Balaam arose 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.
Then kindled the anger of God, because he was going, and the messenger of Yahweh stationed himself in the way, to withstand him, —as he was riding upon his ass, his two young men being 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 messenger of Yahweh stationed in the road with his drawn sword in his hand, so the ass turned aside out of the road and went into the field, —and Balaam smote the ass, to make her turn back into the road.
24 Ngakho ingilosi kaThixo yayakuma emkhandlwini phakathi kwezivini ezimbili, kulemiduli inxa zonke.
But the messenger of Yahweh took his stand, in a hollow pass of the vineyards, —with a fence on this side, and a fence 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 messenger of Yahweh, she squeezed herself against the wall, and squeezed the foot of Balaam against the wall, —and again he smote her.
26 Ngakho ingilosi kaThixo yaya phambili yema emkhandlwini onciphileyo lapho okwakungelandlela yokuphendukela kwesokudla loba esenxele.
And the messenger of Yahweh went on further, and took his stand in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn 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 messenger of Yahweh, she sank down under Balaam, —then was Balaam’s anger kindled, and he smote the ass with the staff.
28 Ngalokho uThixo wavula umlomo kababhemi, wathi kuBhalamu, “Kanti ngenzeni na kuwe uze ungitshaye okwamahlandla amathathu?”
And Yahweh opened the mouth of the ass, —and she said unto Balaam—What have I done to thee, that thou hast smitten me, these three times?
29 UBhalamu waphendula ubabhemi wathi, “Ungenze isiwula! Ngabe bengilenkemba esandleni sami bengizakubulala khathesi.”
And Balaam said unto the ass, Surely thou hast been making sport of me, —Would there had been a sword in my hand, for, now, would I have slain thee.
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.”
Then said the ass unto Balaam—Am not I thine own ass on which thou hast ridden all thy life, until this day? Have I, been wont, to do unto thee, thus? And he said, Nay!
31 Ngakho uThixo wavula amehlo kaBhalamu, wabona ingilosi kaThixo imi endleleni iqaphise inkemba. Ngakho wakhothama wawa phansi ngobuso.
Then did Yahweh unveil the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the messenger of Yahweh stationed in the road, with his sword drawn in his hand, —so he bent his head and bowed down before him.
32 Ingilosi kaThixo yambuza yathi, “Kungani utshaye ubabhemi wakho okwamahlandla amathathu na? Ngize lapha ukukuvimbela ngoba indlela yakho iyibutshapha phambi kwami.
And the messenger of Yahweh said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass, these three times? Lo! I, myself, am come forth to withstand thee, because headlong was thy way before me.
33 Ubabhemi ungibonile waphambuka okwamahlandla amathathu. Alubana kaphambukanga, ngabe khathesi sengikubulele wena, ngayekela ubabhemi.”
And the ass hath seen me, and hath turned aside at my presence these three times: Unless she had turned aside from my presence, yea now even thee, had I slain, but, her, had I suffered to live.
34 UBhalamu wathi engilosini kaThixo, “Ngonile. Angizange nginanzelele ukuthi umi endleleni ukungivimbela. Nxa kungakuthokozisi khathesi, ngizabuyela emuva.”
Then said Balaam unto the messenger of Yahweh—I have sinned, for I knew not, that, thou, wast stationed to meet me in the road, —Now, therefore, if it be displeasing in thine eyes, I must 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 messenger of Yahweh said unto Balaam—Go with the men: Only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that, shalt thou speak. So Balaam went his way with the princes of Balak.
36 Kwathi uBhalaki esizwa ukuthi uBhalamu uyeza, waphuma ukumhlangabeza edolobheni lamaMowabi emngceleni wase-Arinoni emaphethelweni elizwe lakhe.
And Balak heard that Balaam, was coming, —so he went forth to meet him unto a city of Moab which was upon the boundary of Arnon, which was in the utmost part of the boundary.
37 UBhalaki wathi kuBhalamu, “Angikuthumelanga ilizwi lokuphangisa na? Kungani ungezanga kimi? Kambe kangenelisi ukukupha umvuzo na?”
And Balak said unto Balaam: Did I not, send, unto thee, to call thee? Wherefore didst thou not come unto me? Am I not in very deed, able to honour thee?
38 UBhalamu waphendula wathi, “Yebo, sengifikile kuwe khathesi. Kodwa angiyikukhuluma loba yini engiyifunayo. Ngizakhuluma lokho uNkulunkulu azakubeka emlonyeni wami kuphela.”
And Balaam said unto Balak—Lo! I am come unto thee, Now, can, I, possibly, promise anything? The word that God shall put in my mouth, that, must I speak.
39 Ngakho uBhalamu wahamba loBhalaki eKhiriyathi-Huzothi.
So Balaam went with Balak, —and they entered Kiriath-huzoth.
40 UBhalaki wenza umhlatshelo wenkomo lezimvu, njalo ezinye wazipha uBhalamu ezinye wazipha amakhosana ayehamba lawo.
And Balak sacrificed herd and flock, —and sent unto Balaam, and unto 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 in the morning, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up the high places of Baal, —and he saw from thence the utmost part of the people.
