Amanani 22
1 Abako-Israyeli basuka lapho baya emagcekeni aseMowabi bamisa izihonqo zabo zisekele umfula iJodani ngaphetsheya kweJerikho.
The children of Israel travelled, and encamped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho.
2 UBhalaki indodana kaZiphori wabona konke okwenziwa ngu-Israyeli kuma-Amori,
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.
Moab was very afraid of the people, because they were many. 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,
Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this multitude will lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” Balak the son of Zippor was king of 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.
He sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the River, to the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, “Behold, there is a people who came out of Egypt. Behold, they cover the surface of the earth, and they are staying opposite 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.”
Please come now therefore, and curse this people for me; for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall prevail, that we may strike 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.
The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand. 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.
He said to them, “Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak to me.” The princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.
9 UNkulunkulu weza kuBhalamu wambuza wathi, “Amadoda la olawo ngobani?”
God came to Balaam, and said, “Who are these men with you?”
10 UBhalamu wathi kuNkulunkulu, “UBhalaki indodana kaZiphori inkosi yamaMowabi ungithumele lelizwi elithi:
Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has said to me,
11 ‘Kulabantu abavele eGibhithe abagcwele elizweni lonke. Woza masinyane uzongiqalekisela lababantu. Mhlawumbe ngingaba lakho ukubalwisa ngibaxotshe lapha.’”
‘Behold, the people that has come out of Egypt covers the surface of the earth. Now, come curse them for me. Perhaps I shall be able to fight against them, and shall drive them out.’”
12 Kodwa uNkulunkulu wathi kuBhalamu, “Ungahambi labo. Ungabaqalekisi lababantu, ngoba babusisiwe.”
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.”
Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your land; for the LORD refuses to permit me to go with you.”
14 Ngakho amakhosana amaMowabi abuyela kuBhalaki athi, “UBhalamu walile ukubuya lathi.”
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.
Balak again sent princes, more, and more honourable than they.
16 Eza kuBhalamu afika athi: “Nanku okutshiwo nguBhalaki indodana kaZiphori: Akungabi lalutho olungakuvimbela ukuza kimi,
They came to Balaam, and said to him, “Balak the son of Zippor says, ‘Please let nothing 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 honour, and whatever you say to me I will do. Please come therefore, and curse this people for me.’”
18 Kodwa uBhalamu wabaphendula wathi, “Loba uBhalaki enganginika isigodlo sakhe sigcwele isiliva legolide, angingeke ngenze ulutho olukhulu loba oluncane oluphambene lelizwi likaThixo uNkulunkulu wami.
Balaam answered the servants of Balak, “If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can’t 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 please stay here tonight as well, that I may know what else the LORD will speak to me.”
20 Ngalobobusuku uNkulunkulu weza kuBhalamu wathi, “Njengoba ethunywe ukuzakubiza, hamba lawo, kodwa wenze lokho kuphela engizakutshela khona.”
God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak to you, that you shall do.”
21 UBhalamu wavuka ekuseni, wagada ubabhemi wakhe wahle wahamba lamakhosana amaMowabi.
Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his donkey, 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.
God’s anger burnt because he went; and the LORD’s angel placed himself in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey, 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.
The donkey saw the LORD’s angel standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the donkey turned out of the path, and went into the field. Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the path.
24 Ngakho ingilosi kaThixo yayakuma emkhandlwini phakathi kwezivini ezimbili, kulemiduli inxa zonke.
Then the LORD’s angel stood in a narrow path between 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.
The donkey saw the LORD’s angel, and she thrust herself to the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. He struck her again.
26 Ngakho ingilosi kaThixo yaya phambili yema emkhandlwini onciphileyo lapho okwakungelandlela yokuphendukela kwesokudla loba esenxele.
The LORD’s angel went further, and stood in a narrow place, where there 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.
The donkey saw the LORD’s angel, and she lay down under Balaam. Balaam’s anger burnt, and he struck the donkey with his staff.
28 Ngalokho uThixo wavula umlomo kababhemi, wathi kuBhalamu, “Kanti ngenzeni na kuwe uze ungitshaye okwamahlandla amathathu?”
The LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”
29 UBhalamu waphendula ubabhemi wathi, “Ungenze isiwula! Ngabe bengilenkemba esandleni sami bengizakubulala khathesi.”
Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have mocked me, I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would have killed 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.”
The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long until today? Was I ever in the habit of doing so to you?” 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 LORD’s angel standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face.
32 Ingilosi kaThixo yambuza yathi, “Kungani utshaye ubabhemi wakho okwamahlandla amathathu na? Ngize lapha ukukuvimbela ngoba indlela yakho iyibutshapha phambi kwami.
The LORD’s angel said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out as an adversary, because your way is perverse before me.
33 Ubabhemi ungibonile waphambuka okwamahlandla amathathu. Alubana kaphambukanga, ngabe khathesi sengikubulele wena, ngayekela ubabhemi.”
The donkey saw me, and turned away before me these three times. Unless she had turned away from me, surely now I would have killed you, and saved her alive.”
34 UBhalamu wathi engilosini kaThixo, “Ngonile. Angizange nginanzelele ukuthi umi endleleni ukungivimbela. Nxa kungakuthokozisi khathesi, ngizabuyela emuva.”
Balaam said to the LORD’s angel, “I have sinned; for I didn’t know that you stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases you, I will go back again.”
35 Ingilosi kaThixo yathi kuBhalamu, “Hamba lawo lamadoda, kodwa ukhulume lokho engikutshela khona kuphela.” Ngakho uBhalamu wahamba lamakhosana kaBhalaki.
The LORD’s angel said to Balaam, “Go with the men; but you shall only speak the word that I shall speak to you.” 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.
When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him to the City of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border.
37 UBhalaki wathi kuBhalamu, “Angikuthumelanga ilizwi lokuphangisa na? Kungani ungezanga kimi? Kambe kangenelisi ukukupha umvuzo na?”
Balak said to Balaam, “Didn’t I earnestly send for you to summon you? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I not able indeed to promote you to honour?”
38 UBhalamu waphendula wathi, “Yebo, sengifikile kuwe khathesi. Kodwa angiyikukhuluma loba yini engiyifunayo. Ngizakhuluma lokho uNkulunkulu azakubeka emlonyeni wami kuphela.”
Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you. Have I now any power at all to speak anything? I will speak the word that God puts in my mouth.”
39 Ngakho uBhalamu wahamba loBhalaki eKhiriyathi-Huzothi.
Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath Huzoth.
40 UBhalaki wenza umhlatshelo wenkomo lezimvu, njalo ezinye wazipha uBhalamu ezinye wazipha amakhosana ayehamba lawo.
Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes who were with him.
41 Ekuseni ngosuku olulandelayo uBhalaki wathatha uBhalamu waya eBhamothi-Bhali, kulapho abona khona izihonqo zabako-Israyeli.
In the morning, Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal; and he saw from there part of the people.
