Amanani 24
1 UBalami esebonile ukuthi kuhle emehlweni eNkosi ukubusisa uIsrayeli, kahambanga njengezinye izikhathi ukuyadinga imilingo; kodwa wakhangelisa ubuso bakhe 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 uBalami ephakamisa amehlo akhe, wabona uIsrayeli ehlezi ngokwezizwe zakhe, loMoya kaNkulunkulu waba phezu kwakhe.
And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling tribe by tribe; and the spirit of God came upon him.
3 Wasephakamisa umfanekiso wakhe wathi: UBalami indodana kaBeyori uthi, lendoda olihlo layo livulekile ithi,
And he took up his parable, and said: The saying of Balaam the son of Beor, and the saying of the man whose eye is opened;
4 uthi ozwayo amazwi kaNkulunkulu, obonayo umbono kaSomandla, esiwa, njalo kwembulwe amehlo.
The saying of him who heareth the words of God, who seeth the vision of the Almighty, fallen down, yet with opened eyes:
5 Mahle kangakanani amathente akho, Jakobe, amakhaya akho, Israyeli!
How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, thy dwellings, O Israel!
6 Njengezigodi zisabalele, njengezivande ngasemfuleni, njengezinhlaba iNkosi ezihlanyeleyo, njengezihlahla zemisedari ngasemanzini!
As valleys stretched out, as gardens by the river-side; as aloes planted of the LORD, as cedars beside the waters;
7 Amanzi azageleza evela embizeni zakhe, lenhlanyelo yakhe izakuba semanzini amanengi, lenkosi yakhe izakuba nkulu kuloAgagi, lombuso wakhe uzaphakama.
Water shall flow from his branches, and his seed shall be in many waters; and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.
8 UNkulunkulu wamkhupha eGibhithe, ulokunjengamandla enyathi, uzakudla izizwe, izitha zakhe, njalo uzakwephula amathambo azo, njalo azitshoke ngemitshoko yakhe.
God who brought him forth out of Egypt is for him like the lofty horns of the wild-ox; he shall eat up the nations that are his adversaries, and shall break their bones in pieces, and pierce them through with his arrows.
9 Waqutha, walala phansi njengesilwane, lanjengesilwane esisikazi; ngubani ozamvusa? Okubusisayo abusiswe, lokuqalekisayo aqalekiswe!
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 Njalo ulaka lukaBalaki lwavuthela uBalami, watshaya izandla zakhe, uBalaki wasesithi kuBalami: Ngikubize ukuze uqalekise izitha zami, kodwa khangela, uzibusisile lokuzibusisa okwalezizikhathi ezintathu.
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 Khathesi-ke zibalekele uye endaweni yakho. Bengithe ngizakuhlonipha ngodumo, kodwa khangela, iNkosi ikuvimbile kudumo.
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 UBalami wasesithi kuBalaki: Kangikhulumanga yini lakuzithunywa obuzithume kimi ngisithi:
And Balaam said unto Balak: 'Spoke I not also to thy messengers that thou didst send unto me, saying:
13 Uba uBalaki ebezangipha indlu yakhe igcwele isiliva legolide, bengingayikweqa umlayo weNkosi, ukwenza okuhle kumbe okubi okwenhliziyo yami; lokho iNkosi ekutshoyo yilokho engizakukhuluma?
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-ke, khangela, ngiya ebantwini bakithi; woza ngikucebise ukuthi lababantu bazakwenzani ebantwini bakini ensukwini zokucina.
And now, behold, I go unto my people; come, and I will announce to thee what this people shall do to thy people in the end of days.'
15 Wasephakamisa umfanekiso wakhe wathi: UBalami indodana kaBeyori uthi, lendoda elamehlo avulekileyo ithi,
And he took up his parable, and said: The saying of Balaam the son of Beor, and the saying of the man whose eye is opened;
16 uthi ozwayo amazwi kaNkulunkulu, lowazi ulwazi loPhezukonke, obonayo umbono kaSomandla, esiwa, njalo kuvuleke amehlo.
The saying of him who heareth the words of God, and knoweth the knowledge of the Most High, who seeth the vision of the Almighty, fallen down, yet with opened eyes:
17 Ngizambona, kodwa hatshi khathesi, ngizamkhangela, kodwa kungeseduze; kuzavela inkanyezi kuJakobe, lentonga yobukhosi izavuka koIsrayeli, itshaye amagumbi akoMowabi, njalo ichithe bonke abantwana bakaShethi.
I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not nigh; there shall step forth a star out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite through the corners of Moab, and break down all the sons of Seth.
18 Njalo uEdoma uzakuba yimfuyo, loSeyiri abe yimfuyo yezitha zakhe, kodwa uIsrayeli uzakwenza ngobuqhawe,
And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also, even his enemies, shall be a possession; while Israel doeth valiantly.
19 kuzavela-ke koJakobe umbusi, njalo uzabhubhisa oseleyo emzini.
And out of Jacob shall one have dominion, and shall destroy the remnant from the city.
20 Esebone uAmaleki, waphakamisa umfanekiso wakhe wathi: UAmaleki wayengowokuqala wezizwe, kodwa ukucina kwakhe kuyikubhubha okupheleleyo.
And he looked on Amalek, and took up his parable, and said: Amalek was the first of the nations; but his end shall come to destruction.
21 Esebone amaKeni, waphakamisa umfanekiso wakhe wathi: Iqinile indlu yakho, isidleke sakho usimise edwaleni.
And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his parable, and said: Though firm be thy dwelling-place, and though thy nest be set in the rock;
22 Kanti-ke uKhayini uzachithwa, aze akuthumbe uAshuri.
Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted; How long? Asshur shall carry thee away captive.
23 Wasephakamisa umfanekiso wakhe wathi: Maye, ngubani ozaphila nxa uNkulunkulu esenza lokhu?
And he took up his parable, and said: Alas, who shall live after God hath appointed him?
24 Imikhumbi izavela ekhunjini lweKitimi, ihluphe uAshuri, ihluphe uEberi; njalo laye uzabhubha okwesikhathi sonke.
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 UBalami wasesukuma wahamba wabuyela endaweni yakhe; loBalaki laye wahamba ngendlela yakhe.
And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way.
