Lakkoobsa 23
1 Balaʼaamis Baalaaqiin, “Iddoo aarsaa torba asitti naaf ijaari; amma illee korommii loonii torbaa fi korbeeyyii hoolaa torba naa qopheessi” jedhe.
Balaam said to King Balak, “Build seven altars for me here. Then kill seven young bulls and seven rams [for a sacrifice].”
2 Baalaaqis akkuma Balaʼaam jedhe sana godhe; isaan lamaan tokkoo tokkoo iddoo aarsaa irratti korma looniitii fi korbeessa hoolaa tokko tokko aarsaa dhiʼeessan.
So Balak did that. And then he and Balaam each burned a young bull and a ram [as a sacrifice] on each altar.
3 Ergasii Balaʼaam Baalaaqiin akkana jedhe; “Ani xinnoo achi sirraa nan siqa; ati immoo asuma aarsaa kee bira turi. Tarii Waaqayyo anaa wajjin wal arguuf ni dhufa taʼa. Waan inni natti mulʼisu kam iyyuu ani sittin hima.” Innis gara gaara tokkoo dhaqe.
Then Balaam said to Balak, “You stand here close to your burned offerings, and I will go and ask Yahweh if he has something else to tell me. Then I will tell you what he says to me.” Then Balaam went by himself to the top of a hill,
4 Waaqayyo isaan wal arginaan Balaʼaam, “Ani iddoo aarsaa torba qopheessee tokkoo tokkoo isaa irratti korma loonii tokkoo fi korbeessa hoolaa tokko qopheesseera” jedhe.
and God appeared to him there. Balaam said to him, “We have built seven altars, and I have killed and burned a young bull and a ram [as a sacrifice to you] on each altar.”
5 Waaqayyo ergaa tokko afaan Balaʼaam keessa kaaʼee, “Baalaaqitti deebiʼiitii ergaa kana itti himi” jedheen.
Then Yahweh gave Balaam a message to give to King Balak. Then he said, “Go back and tell him what I told you.”
6 Balaʼaam Baalaaqitti deebiʼee isaa qondaaltota Moʼaab wajjin aarsaa isaa bira dhaabatu arge.
When Balaam returned to Balak, Balak was standing with the leaders from Moab beside the offerings he had burned [on the altar].
7 Balaʼaam ergaa isaa akkana jedhee dubbate: “Baalaaq Arraam irraa, mootichi Moʼaab gaarran baʼaa irraa na fide. Innis, ‘Kottuutii Yaaqoobin naa abaari; kottuutii Israaʼelin naa balaaleffadhu’ jedhe.
This is the message that Balaam told them: “Balak, the King of Moab, summoned me to come here from Syria; he brought me here from the hills at the eastern side of Syria. He said, ‘Come and curse the descendants of Jacob for me, saying that bad things will happen to these Israeli people!’
8 Ani akkamittan warra Waaqni hin abaarin abaaruu dandaʼa? Ani akkamittan warra Waaqayyo hin balaaleffatin balaaleffachuu dandaʼa?
But (how can I curse people whom God has not cursed?/I certainly cannot curse people whom God has not cursed!) [RHQ] (How can I condemn people whom Yahweh has not condemned?/I cannot condemn people whom Yahweh has not condemned!) [RHQ]
9 Fiixee gaarranii irraa ani isa nan arga; tulluuwwan irraas isa nan ilaala. Saba kophaa isaa jiraatu, kan saba kaan keessatti of hin lakkoofne nan arga.
I have seen them from the tops of the rocky peaks. I see that they are a group of people who live by themselves; they have separated themselves from other nations.
10 Eenyutu awwaara Yaaqoob lakkaaʼuu dandaʼa? Eenyutu Israaʼel keessaa kurmaana isaa illee lakkaaʼa? Ani duʼa nama qajeelaa haa duʼu; dhumni koos akkuma dhuma isaa haa taʼu!”
(Who can count the descendants of Jacob; they are as numerous as particles of (dust/dirt)?/No one can count the descendants of Jacob; they are as numerous as particles of (dust/dirt)!) [RHQ] (Who can count even a quarter of the Israeli people?/No one can count even a quarter of the Israeli people!) [RHQ] I wish/hope that I will die like righteous people die; I hope that I will die [peacefully] like they will die.”
11 Baalaaqis Balaʼaamiin, “Wanni ati na goote kun maali? Ani akka ati diina koo naa abaartuufin si fide; ati kunoo isaan eebbifte malee waan tokko iyyuu isaan hin goone!” jedhe.
Then Balak said, “What have you done to me [RHQ]? I brought you here to curse my enemies, but instead you have (blessed them/asked Yahweh to bless them)!”
12 Innis, “Ani waan Waaqayyo afaan koo keessa kaaʼu hin dubbadhuu?” jedhee deebii kenneef.
But Balaam replied, “I can [RHQ] say only what Yahweh tells me to say. I cannot say anything else.”
13 Baalaaq, “Mee gara lafa itti isaan arguu dandeessu biraa na wajjin kottu; ati gara tokko qofa malee hunduma isaanii arguu hin dandeessu. Achiis isaan naa abaari” jedheen.
Then King Balak told Balaam, “Come with me to another place. There you will see only part of the Israeli people, and you will be able to curse those people for me.”
14 Inni gara dirree Xoofiim kan fiixee Phisgaa irratti argamuutti isa geesse; achittis iddoo aarsaa torba ijaaree tokkoo tokkoo iddoo aarsaa sanaa irratti korma loonii tokkoo fi korbeessa hoolaa tokko aarsaa dhiʼeesse.
So Balak took Balaam to a field on the top of Pisgah [Mountain]. There, again he built seven altars and offered a young bull and a ram [as a sacrifice] on each altar.
15 Balaʼaamis Baalaaqiin, “Ati hamma ani achi siqee Waaqa wajjin wal argutti asuma aarsaa kee bira turi” jedhe.
Then Balaam said to the king, “Stand here close to your burned offerings, while I go and talk with Yahweh.”
16 Waaqayyo Balaʼaam wajjin wal argee ergaa tokko afaan isaa keessa kaaʼee, “Baalaaqitti deebiʼiitii ergaa kana itti himi” jedheen.
So Balaam did that, and Yahweh appeared to Balaam again and gave him another message. Then he said, “Go back to Balak and tell him that message.”
17 Balaʼaam Baalaaq bira dhaqee isaa qondaaltota Moʼaab wajjin aarsaa isaa bira dhaabatu arge. Baalaaqis, “Waaqayyo maal jedhe?” jedhee Balaʼaamiin gaafate.
So Balaam returned to where the king and the leaders from Moab were standing, next to the altar where Balak had burned the sacrifices. Balak asked him, “What did Yahweh say?”
18 Balaʼaam akkana jedhee ergaa isaa dubbate: “Yaa Baalaaq, kaʼiitii dhaggeeffadhu; yaa ilma Ziphoori na dhagaʼi.
Then Balaam told him this message: “Balak, listen carefully; hear what I have to say, you son of Zippor [DOU]!
19 Waaqni nama miti; inni hin sobu; yookaan gaabbuudhaaf inni ilma namaa miti. Inni waa dubbatee ergasii hin hojjetuu? Inni waa abdachiisee ergasii hin raawwatuu?
God is not a human being. Humans lie, but God never lies. He never changes his mind/thoughts, as humans do. Whatever he has said that he will do, he does.
20 Kunoo ani eebbisuudhaaf ajaja argadheera; inni eebbiseera; anis geeddaruu hin dandaʼu.
He commanded me [to request him] to bless [the Israelis], So he has blessed them, and I cannot change that.
21 “Inni Yaaqoob keessatti daba hin argine; rakkina tokko illee Israaʼel keessatti hin argine. Waaqayyo Waaqni isaanii isaan wajjin jira; ililleen Mootii isaan wajjin jira.
Yahweh their God is with/helping them; they have declared that he is their true king. So the descendants of Jacob will not be harmed; they will not have any troubles [DOU].
22 Waaqayyo biyya Gibxiitii isaan baase; inni jabina akka jabina gafarsaa qaba.
God brought them out of Egypt [where they were slaves]; he is as strong as a wild ox.
23 Yaaqoob irratti falfalli tokko iyyuu hin hojjetu; Israaʼel irrattis tolchi tokko iyyuu hin hojjetu. Amma Yaaqoobii fi Israaʼeliin, ‘Waan Waaqni hojjete ilaalaa!’ jedhama.
When people curse [PRS] the descendants of Jacob, they will not be harmed; when people work sorcery on them, it will have no power. So now people will say about the descendants of Jacob, ‘God has done wonderful things for the Israelis!’
24 Kunoo sabni sun akka leenca dhalaatti kaʼa; akkuma leencaattis ol jedha; inni hamma waan adamsate nyaatee fixutti, hamma dhiiga waan ajjeefate sanaa dhuguttis hin ciisu.”
They are very strong, like lionesses that are ready to attack [other animals]; they stand firm like lions. The lions refuse to rest until they have [killed and] eaten their prey, and drunk the blood of the animals they slaughtered.”
25 Baalaaq Balaʼaamiin, “Ati gonkumaa isaan hin abaarin yookaan isaan hin eebbisin” jedhe.
Then Balak said to Balaam, “If you will not curse them, then [I certainly] do not [want you to] bless them!”
26 Balaʼaamis, “Ani akka waan Waaqayyo jedhu kam iyyuu hojjedhu sitti hin himnee?” jedhee Baalaaqiif deebise.
But Balaam replied, “I told you that I must do only what Yahweh tells me to do!”
27 Ergasii Baalaaq Balaʼaamiin, “Mee kottu amma illee ani iddoo biraa sin geessaa. Tarii achii jara naaf abaaruun kee Waaqa gammachiisa taʼaatii” jedhe.
Then King Balak said to Balaam, “Come with me; I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God to allow you to curse them from that place.”
28 Baalaaqis Balaʼaamin fiixee tulluu Pheʼoor kan irra dhaabatanii gammoojjii sana gad ilaalanitti ol baase.
So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor [Mountain] where they could look down [and see the Israelis in] the desert.
29 Balaʼaamis Baalaaqiin, “Iddoo aarsaa torba asitti naaf ijaari; ammas korommii loonii torbaa fi korbeeyyii hoolaa torba naaf qopheessi” jedhe.
Balaam again told Balak, “Build me seven altars again and kill seven young bulls and seven rams [for a sacrifice].”
30 Baalaaqis akkuma Balaʼaam jedheen sana godhe; tokkoo tokkoo iddoo aarsaa irrattis korma loonii tokkoo fi korbeessa hoolaa tokko aarsaa dhiʼeesse.
So Balak did what Balaam told him to do. He burned a young bull and a ram on each altar as sacrifices.
