Amanani 24
1 UBalami esebonile ukuthi kuhle emehlweni eNkosi ukubusisa uIsrayeli, kahambanga njengezinye izikhathi ukuyadinga imilingo; kodwa wakhangelisa ubuso bakhe enkangala.
And when Bil'am saw that it was pleasing in the eyes of the Lord to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for 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 Bil'am lifted up his eyes, and when he saw Israel encamped according to their tribes, there came upon him the spirit of God.
3 Wasephakamisa umfanekiso wakhe wathi: UBalami indodana kaBeyori uthi, lendoda olihlo layo livulekile ithi,
And he took up his parable, and said, Thus saith Bil'am the son of Beor, and thus saith the man whose eyes are open;
4 uthi ozwayo amazwi kaNkulunkulu, obonayo umbono kaSomandla, esiwa, njalo kwembulwe amehlo.
Thus saith he who heareth the sayings of God, who seeth the vision of the Almighty, falling down, with unvailed eyes:
5 Mahle kangakanani amathente akho, Jakobe, amakhaya akho, Israyeli!
How beautiful are thy tents, O Jacob, thy dwelling, O Israel!
6 Njengezigodi zisabalele, njengezivande ngasemfuleni, njengezinhlaba iNkosi ezihlanyeleyo, njengezihlahla zemisedari ngasemanzini!
As streams are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as aloe-trees, which the Lord hath planted, as cedar-trees beside the waters.
7 Amanzi azageleza evela embizeni zakhe, lenhlanyelo yakhe izakuba semanzini amanengi, lenkosi yakhe izakuba nkulu kuloAgagi, lombuso wakhe uzaphakama.
Water runneth out of His buckets, that his seed may be moistened by abundance of water; and exalted above Agag shall be his king, and raised on high shall be his kingdom.
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 to him like the heights of the reem; he will devour nations, his oppressors, and their bones will he break, and pierce [them] through with his arrows.
9 Waqutha, walala phansi njengesilwane, lanjengesilwane esisikazi; ngubani ozamvusa? Okubusisayo abusiswe, lokuqalekisayo aqalekiswe!
He coucheth, he lieth down as a lion, and as a lioness: who shall make him rise up? They that bless thee be blessed, and they that curse thee be cursed.
10 Njalo ulaka lukaBalaki lwavuthela uBalami, watshaya izandla zakhe, uBalaki wasesithi kuBalami: Ngikubize ukuze uqalekise izitha zami, kodwa khangela, uzibusisile lokuzibusisa okwalezizikhathi ezintathu.
And the anger of Balak was kindled against Bil'am, and he struck his hands together: and Balak said unto Bil'am, To denounce my enemies did I call thee, and, behold, thou hast even blessed them these three times.
11 Khathesi-ke zibalekele uye endaweni yakho. Bengithe ngizakuhlonipha ngodumo, kodwa khangela, iNkosi ikuvimbile kudumo.
And now flee thou to thy place: I thought to honor thee greatly; but, lo, the Lord hath kept thee back from honor.
12 UBalami wasesithi kuBalaki: Kangikhulumanga yini lakuzithunywa obuzithume kimi ngisithi:
And Bil'am said unto Balak, Did I not already speak to thy messengers, whom thou sentest 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 could not transgress the order of the Lord, to do good or evil out of my own heart: what the Lord will speak, that must I speak?
14 Khathesi-ke, khangela, ngiya ebantwini bakithi; woza ngikucebise ukuthi lababantu bazakwenzani ebantwini bakini ensukwini zokucina.
And now, behold, I am going unto my people: come, I will advise thee against what this people will 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, Thus saith Bil'am the son of Beor, and thus saith the man whose eyes are open;
16 uthi ozwayo amazwi kaNkulunkulu, lowazi ulwazi loPhezukonke, obonayo umbono kaSomandla, esiwa, njalo kuvuleke amehlo.
Thus saith he who heareth the sayings of God, and knoweth the knowledge of the Most High, who seeth the vision of the Almighty, falling down, with unvailed 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 steppeth forth a star out of Jacob, and there ariseth a sceptre out of Israel, and he pierceth the chiefs of Moab, and destroyeth all the children of Sheth.
18 Njalo uEdoma uzakuba yimfuyo, loSeyiri abe yimfuyo yezitha zakhe, kodwa uIsrayeli uzakwenza ngobuqhawe,
And Edom shall be a conquest, and Seir shall be a conquest for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.
19 kuzavela-ke koJakobe umbusi, njalo uzabhubhisa oseleyo emzini.
And there shall rule the one from Jacob, and he shall destroy whatever escapeth out of the city.
20 Esebone uAmaleki, waphakamisa umfanekiso wakhe wathi: UAmaleki wayengowokuqala wezizwe, kodwa ukucina kwakhe kuyikubhubha okupheleleyo.
And he looked on Amalek, and he took up his parable, and said, The first of nations is Amalek; but his latter end shall be destruction for ever.
21 Esebone amaKeni, waphakamisa umfanekiso wakhe wathi: Iqinile indlu yakho, isidleke sakho usimise edwaleni.
And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwelling-place, and placed on the rock is thy nest.
22 Kanti-ke uKhayini uzachithwa, aze akuthumbe uAshuri.
Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted: whither will Asshur 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 when God doth appoint this one?
24 Imikhumbi izavela ekhunjini lweKitimi, ihluphe uAshuri, ihluphe uEberi; njalo laye uzabhubha okwesikhathi sonke.
But ships will come from the coast of Kittim, and will afflict Asshur, and will afflict 'Eber; and he also will be given to destruction for ever.
25 UBalami wasesukuma wahamba wabuyela endaweni yakhe; loBalaki laye wahamba ngendlela yakhe.
And Bil'am rose up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way.
