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 was good in the eyes of Yahweh to bless Israel, he went not as at other times to invoke enchantments, —but set towards the desert, his face.
2 Kwathi uBalami ephakamisa amehlo akhe, wabona uIsrayeli ehlezi ngokwezizwe zakhe, loMoya kaNkulunkulu waba phezu kwakhe.
So Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel, dwelling, according to his tribes, —then 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, —The oracle of Balaam, son of Beor, Yea the oracle of the man, of opened eye;
4 uthi ozwayo amazwi kaNkulunkulu, obonayo umbono kaSomandla, esiwa, njalo kwembulwe amehlo.
The oracle of one hearing sayings of GOD, Who the sight of the Almighty, receiveth in vision, Who falleth down but hath unveiled eyes: —
5 Mahle kangakanani amathente akho, Jakobe, amakhaya akho, Israyeli!
How pleasing are thy tents, O Jacob, —Thy habitations, O Israel:
6 Njengezigodi zisabalele, njengezivande ngasemfuleni, njengezinhlaba iNkosi ezihlanyeleyo, njengezihlahla zemisedari ngasemanzini!
Like ravines extended, Like gardens by a river, —Like aloe-trees Yahweh hath planted, Like cedars by waters:
7 Amanzi azageleza evela embizeni zakhe, lenhlanyelo yakhe izakuba semanzini amanengi, lenkosi yakhe izakuba nkulu kuloAgagi, lombuso wakhe uzaphakama.
He poureth forth water from his buckets, And, his seed, is among many waters, —And taller than Agag is his King, And exalted is his kingdom.
8 UNkulunkulu wamkhupha eGibhithe, ulokunjengamandla enyathi, uzakudla izizwe, izitha zakhe, njalo uzakwephula amathambo azo, njalo azitshoke ngemitshoko yakhe.
GOD having brought him forth out of Egypt, The very horns of the buffalo, are his, —He eateth up nations that assail him And the bones of them, he breaketh And the loins of him, he crusheth:
9 Waqutha, walala phansi njengesilwane, lanjengesilwane esisikazi; ngubani ozamvusa? Okubusisayo abusiswe, lokuqalekisayo aqalekiswe!
He hath knelt—hath lain down, Like a strong lion, yea like a lioness, Who shall rouse him up? Such as bless thee are each one blessed, But, such, as curse thee, are each one cursed.
10 Njalo ulaka lukaBalaki lwavuthela uBalami, watshaya izandla zakhe, uBalaki wasesithi kuBalami: Ngikubize ukuze uqalekise izitha zami, kodwa khangela, uzibusisile lokuzibusisa okwalezizikhathi ezintathu.
Then kindled the anger of Balak against Balaam, and he smote together his hands, —and Balak said unto Balaam—To revile my foes, I called thee, And lo! thou hast kept on blessing, these three times.
11 Khathesi-ke zibalekele uye endaweni yakho. Bengithe ngizakuhlonipha ngodumo, kodwa khangela, iNkosi ikuvimbile kudumo.
Now, therefore, flee thou unto thy place, —I said, I will, highly honour, thee; but lo! Yahweh hath kept thee back from honour.
12 UBalami wasesithi kuBalaki: Kangikhulumanga yini lakuzithunywa obuzithume kimi ngisithi:
And Balaam said unto Balak, —Was it not so that even unto thy messengers whom thou didst send unto me, I spake saying-
13 Uba uBalaki ebezangipha indlu yakhe igcwele isiliva legolide, bengingayikweqa umlayo weNkosi, ukwenza okuhle kumbe okubi okwenhliziyo yami; lokho iNkosi ekutshoyo yilokho engizakukhuluma?
Though Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, yet could I not go beyond the bidding of Yahweh, to, do good or ill, out of my own heart, —what Yahweh shall speak, that, must I speak?
14 Khathesi-ke, khangela, ngiya ebantwini bakithi; woza ngikucebise ukuthi lababantu bazakwenzani ebantwini bakini ensukwini zokucina.
Now, therefore, behold me! going to my own people, —Come now! let me advise thee, what this people shall do unto thy people in the after-part of the days.
15 Wasephakamisa umfanekiso wakhe wathi: UBalami indodana kaBeyori uthi, lendoda elamehlo avulekileyo ithi,
So he took up his parable and said, —The oracle of Balaam, son of Beor, Yea the oracle of the man, of opened eye;
16 uthi ozwayo amazwi kaNkulunkulu, lowazi ulwazi loPhezukonke, obonayo umbono kaSomandla, esiwa, njalo kuvuleke amehlo.
The oracle of one hearing sayings of GOD, And knowing the knowledge of the Most High, —Who the sight of the Almighty, receiveth in vision, Who falleth down but hath unveiled 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 One, who is not now, I observe One, who is not nigh, —There hath marched forth a Star out of Jacob. And arisen a Sceptre out of Israel, That hath dishonoured the beard of Moab, Yea the crown of the head of all the tumultuous;
18 Njalo uEdoma uzakuba yimfuyo, loSeyiri abe yimfuyo yezitha zakhe, kodwa uIsrayeli uzakwenza ngobuqhawe,
So Edom hath become a possession, Yea a possession is Seir to his foes, —But, Israel, is doing valiantly;
19 kuzavela-ke koJakobe umbusi, njalo uzabhubhisa oseleyo emzini.
Yea One wieldeth dominion out of Jacob, —Who hath destroyed the remnant out of the fortress.
20 Esebone uAmaleki, waphakamisa umfanekiso wakhe wathi: UAmaleki wayengowokuqala wezizwe, kodwa ukucina kwakhe kuyikubhubha okupheleleyo.
And, when he saw Amalek, he took up, his parable, and said—The beginning of nations, —Amalek, But his latter end is even to perish.
21 Esebone amaKeni, waphakamisa umfanekiso wakhe wathi: Iqinile indlu yakho, isidleke sakho usimise edwaleni.
And when he saw the Kenite, he took up his parable, and said, —Enduring thy dwelling-place, Set thou then in the crag, thy nest;
22 Kanti-ke uKhayini uzachithwa, aze akuthumbe uAshuri.
Yet shall it be for destruction, O Kain, —How long shall Assyria hold thee captive?
23 Wasephakamisa umfanekiso wakhe wathi: Maye, ngubani ozaphila nxa uNkulunkulu esenza lokhu?
And he took up his parable, and said, —Alas who shall survive its fulfillment by GOD;
24 Imikhumbi izavela ekhunjini lweKitimi, ihluphe uAshuri, ihluphe uEberi; njalo laye uzabhubha okwesikhathi sonke.
When, ships, [come] from the coast of the isles, And humble Assyria, and humble the Hebrew, —And he too, is even to perish?
25 UBalami wasesukuma wahamba wabuyela endaweni yakhe; loBalaki laye wahamba ngendlela yakhe.
Then Balaam arose, and went and returned unto his place, —and, Balak also, went his way.
