< Amanani 24 >
1 Kwathi uBhalamu esebonile ukuthi kuyamthokozisa uThixo ukubusisa u-Israyeli, kasadinganga njalo imilingo njengakuqala, kodwa waphenduka wakhangela enkangala.
And Balaam sees that [it is] good in the eyes of YHWH to bless Israel, and he has not gone as time by time to seek enchantments, and he sets his face toward the wilderness;
2 Kwathi uBhalamu ekhangela wabona u-Israyeli emise izihonqo zakhe ngokwezizwe zakhe, uMoya kaNkulunkulu wehlela phezu kwakhe
and Balaam lifts up his eyes, and sees Israel dwelling by its tribes, and the Spirit of God is on him,
3 wasesitsho isambulelo sakhe: “Isambulelo sikaBhalamu indodana kaBheyori, isambulelo salowo omehlo akhe abonisisa kuhle,
and he takes up his allegory and says: “An affirmation of Balaam son of Beor, And an affirmation of the man whose eyes are shut,
4 isambulelo salowo ozwa amazwi kaNkulunkulu, lowo obona umbono ovela kuSomandla, lowo owela phansi ngokuzehlisa, njalo omehlo akhe avulekile:
An affirmation of him who is hearing sayings of God, Who sees a vision of the Almighty, Falling—and eyes uncovered:
5 Aze aba mahle amathente akho, Oh Jakhobe, izindawo zakho zokuhlala, Oh Israyeli!
How good have been your tents, O Jacob, Your dwelling places, O Israel;
6 Njengezigodi zisabalele, njengezivande zisekele umfula, sanhlaba ehlanyelwe nguThixo, njengezihlahla zomsedari ezingasemanzini.
They have been stretched out as valleys, As gardens by a river; As aloes YHWH has planted, As cedars by waters;
7 Amanzi azageleza emigqonyeni yabo; inhlanyelo yabo ibe semanzini amanengi. Inkosi yabo izakuba nkulu kulo-Agagi; umbuso wabo uzakuba ngophakemeyo.
He makes water flow from his buckets, And his seed [is] in many waters; And his King [is] higher than Gog [[or Agag]], And his kingdom is exalted.
8 UNkulunkulu wabakhupha eGibhithe; balamandla anjengawenyathi. Bayazitshwabadela izizwe eziyizitha njalo bephule amathambo azo abe yizicucu; ngemitshoko yabo babacibe.
God is bringing him out of Egypt, As the swiftness of a wild ox for him, He eats up nations—his adversaries, And he breaks their bones, And he strikes [with] his arrows.
9 Njengesilwane bayaqutha bacathame phansi, njengesilwanekazi, ngubani olesibindi sokubavusa na? Akuthi labo abakubusisayo babusiswe njalo lalabo abakuqalekisayo baqalekiswe!”
He has bent, he has lain down as a lion, And as a lioness, who raises him up? He who is blessing you [is] blessed, And he who is cursing you [is] cursed.”
10 Ngakho uBhalaki wamthukuthelela kakhulu uBhalamu. Watshaya izandla zakhe wathi, “Ngikubizele ukuthi uzengiqalekisela izitha zami, kodwa wena usubabusise okwamahlandla la amathathu.
And the anger of Balak burns against Balaam, and he strikes his hands; and Balak says to Balaam, “I called you to pierce my enemies, and behold, you have certainly blessed these three times;
11 Wohle usuke nje khathesi ubuyele kini! Ngithe ngizakupha umvuzo omuhle kakhulu, pho-ke uThixo usekuvimbele ukwamukeliswa umvuzo.”
and now, flee for yourself to your place; I have said, I greatly honor you, and behold, YHWH has kept you back from honor.”
12 UBhalamu wamphendula uBhalaki wathi, “Kanti kangizitshelanga yini izithunywa zakho owazithuma kimi ukuthi,
And Balaam says to Balak, “Did I not also speak to your messengers whom you have sent to me, saying,
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 Balak gives to me the fullness of his house of silver and gold, I am not able to pass over the command of YHWH, to do good or evil of my own heart; that which YHWH speaks—it I speak?
14 Khathesi sengibuyela ebantwini bakithi, kodwa woza, ngikuxwayise ukuthi kuyini okuzakwenziwa ngabantu laba ebantwini bakho ensukwini ezilandelayo.”
And now, behold, I am going to my people; come, I counsel you [concerning] that which this people does to your people in the latter end of the days.”
15 Ngakho uBhalamu wasesitsho isambulelo sakhe: “Isambulelo sikaBhalamu indodana kaBheyori, isambulelo salowo omehlo akhe abonisisa kuhle,
And he takes up his allegory and says: “An affirmation of Balaam son of Beor, And an affirmation of the man whose eyes [are] shut;
16 isambulelo salowo olalela ezwe amazwi kaNkulunkulu, ololwazi oluvela koPhezukonke, obona umbono ovela kuSomandla, owela phansi ngokuzehlisa, njalo omehlo akhe avulekile:
An affirmation of him who is hearing sayings of God, And knowing knowledge of the Most High; He sees a vision of the Almighty, Falling—and eyes uncovered:
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 see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A star has proceeded from Jacob, And a scepter has risen from Israel, And has struck corners of Moab, And has destroyed all sons of Seth.
18 I-Edomi izanqotshwa; uSeyiri, oyisitha sakhe, uzanqotshwa, kodwa u-Israyeli uzakhula abe lamandla.
And Edom has been a possession, And Seir has been a possession [for] his enemies, And Israel is doing valiantly;
19 Umbusi uzavela kuJakhobe njalo uzabhubhisa abaseleyo balelodolobho.”
And [One] rules out of Jacob, And has destroyed a remnant from the city.”
20 Ngakho uBhalamu wabona u-Amaleki wasesitsho isambulelo sakhe: “U-Amaleki wayengowokuqala ezizweni, kodwa ekucineni uzakuba lunxiwa.”
And he sees Amalek, and takes up his allegory, and says: “Amalek [is] first [among] nations, But his latter end—destruction forever.”
21 Ngakho wasebona amaKheni wasesitsho isambulelo sakhe njalo: “Indawo yakho yokuhlala ivikelekile, isidleke sakho sakhelwe edwaleni;
And he sees the Kenite, and takes up his allegory, and says: “Your dwelling [is] enduring, And your nest is being set in a rock,
22 kanti-ke lina maKheni lizabhujiswa ekuthunjweni kwenu yi-Asiriya.”
But the Kenite is for a burning; Until when does Asshur keep you captive?”
23 Ngakho wasitsho isambulelo sakhe: “Kambe ngubani ongaphila nxa uNkulunkulu esenza lokhu na?
And he takes up his allegory and says: “Woe! Who lives when God does this?
24 Imikhumbi izakuza ivela okhunjini lwaseKhithimi; bazayehlula u-Asiriya kanye le-Ebha, kodwa laba bazachithwa babe ngamanxiwa.”
But ships [come] from the side of Chittim, And they have humbled Asshur, And they have humbled Eber, But it is also perishing forever.”
25 Ngakho uBhalamu wasukuma wasebuyela kibo loBhalaki wahamba ngeyakhe indlela.
And Balaam rises, and goes, and turns back to his place, and Balak has also gone on his way.