Amanani 24
1 Kwathi uBhalamu esebonile ukuthi kuyamthokozisa uThixo ukubusisa u-Israyeli, kasadinganga njalo imilingo njengakuqala, kodwa waphenduka wakhangela enkangala.
And when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord that he should bless Israel. he went not as he had gone before, to seek divination: but setting his face towards the desert,
2 Kwathi uBhalamu ekhangela wabona u-Israyeli emise izihonqo zakhe ngokwezizwe zakhe, uMoya kaNkulunkulu wehlela phezu kwakhe
And lifting up his eyes, he saw Israel abiding in their tents by their tribes: and the spirit of God rushing upon him,
3 wasesitsho isambulelo sakhe: “Isambulelo sikaBhalamu indodana kaBheyori, isambulelo salowo omehlo akhe abonisisa kuhle,
He took up his parable and said: Balaam the son of Beor hath said: The man hath said, whose eye ire stopped up:
4 isambulelo salowo ozwa amazwi kaNkulunkulu, lowo obona umbono ovela kuSomandla, lowo owela phansi ngokuzehlisa, njalo omehlo akhe avulekile:
The hearer of the words of God hath said, he that hath beheld the vision of the Almighty, he that falleth, and so his eyes are opened:
5 Aze aba mahle amathente akho, Oh Jakhobe, izindawo zakho zokuhlala, Oh Israyeli!
How beautiful are thy tabernacles, O Jacob, and thy tents, O Israel!
6 Njengezigodi zisabalele, njengezivande zisekele umfula, sanhlaba ehlanyelwe nguThixo, njengezihlahla zomsedari ezingasemanzini.
As woody valleys, as watered gardens near the rivers, as tabernacles which the Lord hath pitched, as cedars by the waterside.
7 Amanzi azageleza emigqonyeni yabo; inhlanyelo yabo ibe semanzini amanengi. Inkosi yabo izakuba nkulu kulo-Agagi; umbuso wabo uzakuba ngophakemeyo.
Water shall flow out of his bucket, and his seed shall be in many waters. For Agag his king shall be removed, and his kingdom shall be taken awry.
8 UNkulunkulu wabakhupha eGibhithe; balamandla anjengawenyathi. Bayazitshwabadela izizwe eziyizitha njalo bephule amathambo azo abe yizicucu; ngemitshoko yabo babacibe.
God hath brought him out of Egypt, whose strength is like to the rhinoceros. They shall devour the nations that are his enemies, and break their bones, and pierce them with arrows.
9 Njengesilwane bayaqutha bacathame phansi, njengesilwanekazi, ngubani olesibindi sokubavusa na? Akuthi labo abakubusisayo babusiswe njalo lalabo abakuqalekisayo baqalekiswe!”
Lying down he hath slept as a lion, and as a lioness, whom none shall dare to rouse. He that blesseth thee, shall also himself be blessed: he that curseth thee shall be reckoned accursed.
10 Ngakho uBhalaki wamthukuthelela kakhulu uBhalamu. Watshaya izandla zakhe wathi, “Ngikubizele ukuthi uzengiqalekisela izitha zami, kodwa wena usubabusise okwamahlandla la amathathu.
And Balac being angry against Balaam, clapped his hands together and said: I called thee to curse my enemies, and thou on the contrary hast blessed them three times.
11 Wohle usuke nje khathesi ubuyele kini! Ngithe ngizakupha umvuzo omuhle kakhulu, pho-ke uThixo usekuvimbele ukwamukeliswa umvuzo.”
Return to thy place. I had determined indeed greatly to honour thee, but the Lord hath deprived thee of the honour designed for thee.
12 UBhalamu wamphendula uBhalaki wathi, “Kanti kangizitshelanga yini izithunywa zakho owazithuma kimi ukuthi,
Balaam made answer to Balac: Did I not say to thy messengers, whom thou sentest to me:
13 ‘Loba uBhalaki enganginika isigodlo sakhe sigcwele isiliva legolide, akulalutho lolulodwa ebengizalwenza ngokwentando yami, okuhle kumbe okubi, okuphambene lomlayo kaThixo, kufanele ngitsho lokho kuphela uThixo akutshoyo na’?
If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to utter any thing of my own head either good or evil: but whatsoever the Lord shall say, that I will speak?
14 Khathesi sengibuyela ebantwini bakithi, kodwa woza, ngikuxwayise ukuthi kuyini okuzakwenziwa ngabantu laba ebantwini bakho ensukwini ezilandelayo.”
But yet going to my people, I will give thee counsel, what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.
15 Ngakho uBhalamu wasesitsho isambulelo sakhe: “Isambulelo sikaBhalamu indodana kaBheyori, isambulelo salowo omehlo akhe abonisisa kuhle,
Therefore taking up his parable, again he said: Balaam the son of Beor hath said: The man whose eye is stopped up, hath said:
16 isambulelo salowo olalela ezwe amazwi kaNkulunkulu, ololwazi oluvela koPhezukonke, obona umbono ovela kuSomandla, owela phansi ngokuzehlisa, njalo omehlo akhe avulekile:
The hearer of the words of God hath said, who knoweth the doctrine of the Highest, and seeth the visions of the Almighty, who falling hath his eyes opened:
17 Ngiyambona, kodwa hatshi khathesi; ngiyambona, kodwa kungesikho eduze. Inkanyezi izaphuma ivela kuJakhobe; intonga yobukhosi izaphakama ivela ku-Israyeli. Uzacobodisa amabunzi kaMowabi, inkakhayi zamadodana wonke kaSethi.
I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not near. A STAR SHALL RISE out of Jacob and a sceptre shall spring up from Israel: and shall strike the chiefs of Moab, and shall waste all the children of Seth.
18 I-Edomi izanqotshwa; uSeyiri, oyisitha sakhe, uzanqotshwa, kodwa u-Israyeli uzakhula abe lamandla.
And he shall possess Idumea: the inheritance of Seir shall come to their enemies, but Israel shall do manfully.
19 Umbusi uzavela kuJakhobe njalo uzabhubhisa abaseleyo balelodolobho.”
Out of Jacob shall he come that shall rule, and shall destroy the remains of the city.
20 Ngakho uBhalamu wabona u-Amaleki wasesitsho isambulelo sakhe: “U-Amaleki wayengowokuqala ezizweni, kodwa ekucineni uzakuba lunxiwa.”
And when he saw Amalec, he took up his parable, and said: Amalec the beginning of nations, whose latter ends shall be destroyed.
21 Ngakho wasebona amaKheni wasesitsho isambulelo sakhe njalo: “Indawo yakho yokuhlala ivikelekile, isidleke sakho sakhelwe edwaleni;
He saw also the Cinite: and took up his parable, and said: Thy habitation indeed is strong: but though thou build thy nest in a rock,
22 kanti-ke lina maKheni lizabhujiswa ekuthunjweni kwenu yi-Asiriya.”
And thou be chosen of the stock of Cin, how long shalt thou be able to continue? For Assur shall take thee captive.
23 Ngakho wasitsho isambulelo sakhe: “Kambe ngubani ongaphila nxa uNkulunkulu esenza lokhu na?
And taking up his parable, again he said: Alas, who shall live when God shall do these things?
24 Imikhumbi izakuza ivela okhunjini lwaseKhithimi; bazayehlula u-Asiriya kanye le-Ebha, kodwa laba bazachithwa babe ngamanxiwa.”
They shall come in galleys from Italy, they shall overcome the Assyrians, and shall waste the Hebrews, and at the last they themselves also shall perish.
25 Ngakho uBhalamu wasukuma wasebuyela kibo loBhalaki wahamba ngeyakhe indlela.
And Balaam rose, and returned to his place: Balac also returned the way that he came.
