Amanani 24
1 Kwathi uBhalamu esebonile ukuthi kuyamthokozisa uThixo ukubusisa u-Israyeli, kasadinganga njalo imilingo njengakuqala, kodwa waphenduka wakhangela enkangala.
And Balaam seeth that [it is] good in the eyes of Jehovah to bless Israel, and he hath not gone as time by time to meet enchantments, and he setteth towards the wilderness his face;
2 Kwathi uBhalamu ekhangela wabona u-Israyeli emise izihonqo zakhe ngokwezizwe zakhe, uMoya kaNkulunkulu wehlela phezu kwakhe
and Balaam lifteth up his eyes, and seeth Israel tabernacling, by its tribes, and the Spirit of God is upon him,
3 wasesitsho isambulelo sakhe: “Isambulelo sikaBhalamu indodana kaBheyori, isambulelo salowo omehlo akhe abonisisa kuhle,
and he taketh up his simile, and saith: '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 a vision of the Almighty seeth, Falling — and eyes uncovered:
5 Aze aba mahle amathente akho, Oh Jakhobe, izindawo zakho zokuhlala, Oh Israyeli!
How good have been thy tents, O Jacob, Thy tabernacles, O Israel;
6 Njengezigodi zisabalele, njengezivande zisekele umfula, sanhlaba ehlanyelwe nguThixo, njengezihlahla zomsedari ezingasemanzini.
As valleys they have been stretched out, As gardens by a river; As aloes Jehovah hath 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 maketh water flow from his buckets, And his seed [is] in many waters; And higher than Agag [is] his king, And exalted is his kingdom.
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 Reem is to him, He eateth up nations his adversaries, And their bones he breaketh, And [with] his arrows he smiteth,
9 Njengesilwane bayaqutha bacathame phansi, njengesilwanekazi, ngubani olesibindi sokubavusa na? Akuthi labo abakubusisayo babusiswe njalo lalabo abakuqalekisayo baqalekiswe!”
He hath bent, he hath lain down as a lion, And as a lioness: who doth raise him up? He who is blessing thee [is] blessed, And he who is cursing thee [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 burneth against Balaam, and he striketh his hands; and Balak saith unto Balaam, 'To pierce mine enemies I called thee, and lo, thou hast 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 thyself unto thy place; I have said, I do greatly honour thee, and lo, Jehovah hath kept thee back from honour.'
12 UBhalamu wamphendula uBhalaki wathi, “Kanti kangizitshelanga yini izithunywa zakho owazithuma kimi ukuthi,
And Balaam saith unto Balak, 'Did I not also unto thy messengers whom thou hast sent unto me, speak, 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 doth give to me the fulness of his house of silver and gold, I am not able to pass over the command of Jehovah, to do good or evil of mine own heart — that which Jehovah speaketh — it I speak?
14 Khathesi sengibuyela ebantwini bakithi, kodwa woza, ngikuxwayise ukuthi kuyini okuzakwenziwa ngabantu laba ebantwini bakho ensukwini ezilandelayo.”
and, now, lo, I am going to my people; come, I counsel thee [concerning] that which this people doth to thy 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 taketh up his simile, and saith: '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; A vision of the Almighty he seeth, 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 it, but not now; I behold it, but not near; A star hath proceeded from Jacob, And a sceptre hath risen from Israel, And hath smitten corners of Moab, And hath destroyed all sons of Sheth.
18 I-Edomi izanqotshwa; uSeyiri, oyisitha sakhe, uzanqotshwa, kodwa u-Israyeli uzakhula abe lamandla.
And Edom hath been a possession, And Seir hath been a possession, [for] its enemies, And Israel is doing valiantly;
19 Umbusi uzavela kuJakhobe njalo uzabhubhisa abaseleyo balelodolobho.”
And [one] doth rule out of Jacob, And hath destroyed a remnant from Ar.'
20 Ngakho uBhalamu wabona u-Amaleki wasesitsho isambulelo sakhe: “U-Amaleki wayengowokuqala ezizweni, kodwa ekucineni uzakuba lunxiwa.”
And he seeth Amalek, and taketh up his simile, and saith: 'A beginning of the Goyim [is] Amalek; And his latter end — for ever he perisheth.'
21 Ngakho wasebona amaKheni wasesitsho isambulelo sakhe njalo: “Indawo yakho yokuhlala ivikelekile, isidleke sakho sakhelwe edwaleni;
And he seeth the Kenite, and taketh up his simile, and saith: 'Enduring [is] thy dwelling, And setting in a rock thy nest,
22 kanti-ke lina maKheni lizabhujiswa ekuthunjweni kwenu yi-Asiriya.”
But the Kenite is for a burning; Till when doth Asshur keep thee captive?'
23 Ngakho wasitsho isambulelo sakhe: “Kambe ngubani ongaphila nxa uNkulunkulu esenza lokhu na?
And he taketh up his simile, and saith: 'Alas! who doth live when God doth this?
24 Imikhumbi izakuza ivela okhunjini lwaseKhithimi; bazayehlula u-Asiriya kanye le-Ebha, kodwa laba bazachithwa babe ngamanxiwa.”
And — ships [are] from the side of Chittim, And they have humbled Asshur, And they have humbled Eber, And it also for ever is perishing.'
25 Ngakho uBhalamu wasukuma wasebuyela kibo loBhalaki wahamba ngeyakhe indlela.
And Balaam riseth, and goeth, and turneth back to his place, and Balak also hath gone on his way.
