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 to bless Israel, he went not, as at the other times, to meet with enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

2 Kwathi uBhalamu ekhangela wabona u-Israyeli emise izihonqo zakhe ngokwezizwe zakhe, uMoya kaNkulunkulu wehlela phezu kwakhe

And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.

3 wasesitsho isambulelo sakhe: “Isambulelo sikaBhalamu indodana kaBheyori, isambulelo salowo omehlo akhe abonisisa kuhle,

And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor saith, And the man whose eye was closed saith:

4 isambulelo salowo ozwa amazwi kaNkulunkulu, lowo obona umbono ovela kuSomandla, lowo owela phansi ngokuzehlisa, njalo omehlo akhe avulekile:

He saith, which heareth the words of God, Which seeth the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, and having his eyes open:

5 Aze aba mahle amathente akho, Oh Jakhobe, izindawo zakho zokuhlala, Oh Israyeli!

How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, Thy tabernacles, O Israel!

6 Njengezigodi zisabalele, njengezivande zisekele umfula, sanhlaba ehlanyelwe nguThixo, njengezihlahla zomsedari ezingasemanzini.

As valleys are they spread forth, As gardens by the river side, As lign-aloes which the LORD hath planted, As cedar trees beside the waters.

7 Amanzi azageleza emigqonyeni yabo; inhlanyelo yabo ibe semanzini amanengi. Inkosi yabo izakuba nkulu kulo-Agagi; umbuso wabo uzakuba ngophakemeyo.

Water shall flow from his buckets, And his seed shall be in many waters, And his king shall be higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted.

8 UNkulunkulu wabakhupha eGibhithe; balamandla anjengawenyathi. Bayazitshwabadela izizwe eziyizitha njalo bephule amathambo azo abe yizicucu; ngemitshoko yabo babacibe.

God bringeth him forth out of Egypt; He hath as it were the strength of the wild-ox: He shall eat up the nations his adversaries, And shall break their bones in pieces, And smite [them] through with his arrows.

9 Njengesilwane bayaqutha bacathame phansi, njengesilwanekazi, ngubani olesibindi sokubavusa na? Akuthi labo abakubusisayo babusiswe njalo lalabo abakuqalekisayo baqalekiswe!”

He couched, he lay down as a lion, And as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? Blessed be every one that blesseth thee, And cursed be every one that curseth thee.

10 Ngakho uBhalaki wamthukuthelela kakhulu uBhalamu. Watshaya izandla zakhe wathi, “Ngikubizele ukuthi uzengiqalekisela izitha zami, kodwa wena usubabusise okwamahlandla la amathathu.

And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.

11 Wohle usuke nje khathesi ubuyele kini! Ngithe ngizakupha umvuzo omuhle kakhulu, pho-ke uThixo usekuvimbele ukwamukeliswa umvuzo.”

Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honour.

12 UBhalamu wamphendula uBhalaki wathi, “Kanti kangizitshelanga yini izithunywa zakho owazithuma kimi ukuthi,

And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto 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 would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; what the LORD speaketh, that will I speak?

14 Khathesi sengibuyela ebantwini bakithi, kodwa woza, ngikuxwayise ukuthi kuyini okuzakwenziwa ngabantu laba ebantwini bakho ensukwini ezilandelayo.”

And now, behold, I go unto my people: come, [and] I will advertise thee 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,

And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor saith, And the man whose eye was closed saith:

16 isambulelo salowo olalela ezwe amazwi kaNkulunkulu, ololwazi oluvela koPhezukonke, obona umbono ovela kuSomandla, owela phansi ngokuzehlisa, njalo omehlo akhe avulekile:

He saith, which heareth the words of God, And knoweth the knowledge of the Most High, Which seeth the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, and having his eyes open:

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 nigh: There shall come forth a star out of Jacob, And a sceptre shall rise out of Israel, And shall smite through the corners of Moab, And break down all the sons of tumult.

18 I-Edomi izanqotshwa; uSeyiri, oyisitha sakhe, uzanqotshwa, kodwa u-Israyeli uzakhula abe lamandla.

And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession, [which were] his enemies; While Israel doeth valiantly.

19 Umbusi uzavela kuJakhobe njalo uzabhubhisa abaseleyo balelodolobho.”

And out of Jacob shall one have dominion, And shall destroy the remnant from the city.

20 Ngakho uBhalamu wabona u-Amaleki wasesitsho isambulelo sakhe: “U-Amaleki wayengowokuqala ezizweni, kodwa ekucineni uzakuba lunxiwa.”

And he looked on Amalek, and took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; But his latter end shall come to destruction.

21 Ngakho wasebona amaKheni wasesitsho isambulelo sakhe njalo: “Indawo yakho yokuhlala ivikelekile, isidleke sakho sakhelwe edwaleni;

And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwelling place, And thy nest is set in the rock.

22 kanti-ke lina maKheni lizabhujiswa ekuthunjweni kwenu yi-Asiriya.”

Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted, Until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.

23 Ngakho wasitsho isambulelo sakhe: “Kambe ngubani ongaphila nxa uNkulunkulu esenza lokhu na?

And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this?

24 Imikhumbi izakuza ivela okhunjini lwaseKhithimi; bazayehlula u-Asiriya kanye le-Ebha, kodwa laba bazachithwa babe ngamanxiwa.”

But ships [shall come] from the coast of Kittim, And they shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, And he also shall come to destruction.

25 Ngakho uBhalamu wasukuma wasebuyela kibo loBhalaki wahamba ngeyakhe indlela.

And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.