Hesabu 23
1 Balaamu akasema, “Nijengee hapa madhabahu saba, mnitayarishie mafahali saba na kondoo dume saba.”
And Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars here for me, and prepare as many calves, and the same number of rams.”
2 Balaki akafanya kama Balaamu alivyosema; hao wawili kila mmoja wao akatoa fahali mmoja na kondoo dume mmoja juu ya kila madhabahu.
And when he had acted according to the words of Balaam, they placed a calf and a ram together on each altar.
3 Kisha Balaamu akamwambia Balaki, “Kaa hapa kando ya sadaka yako wakati mimi ninakwenda kando. Huenda Bwana atakuja kukutana nami. Lolote atakalonifunulia, nitakuambia.” Basi akaenda hata mahali peupe palipoinuka.
And Balaam said to Balak: “Stand for a little while next to your holocaust, until I go, to see if perhaps the Lord will meet with me. And whatever he will command, I shall speak to you.”
4 Mungu akakutana naye, kisha Balaamu akasema, “Nimekwisha kutengeneza madhabahu saba, na juu ya kila madhabahu nimetoa sadaka ya fahali mmoja na kondoo dume mmoja.”
And after he had quickly departed, God met with him. And Balaam, speaking to him, said: “I have set up seven altars, and I have placed a calf and a ram on each.”
5 Bwana akaweka ujumbe katika kinywa cha Balaamu na kusema, “Rudi kwa Balaki umpe ujumbe huu.”
Then the Lord placed the word in his mouth, and he said: “Return to Balak, and you shall say this.”
6 Basi Balaamu akarudi kwa Balaki, akamkuta amesimama kando ya sadaka yake akiwa na wakuu wote wa Moabu.
Returning, he found Balak standing next to his holocaust, with all the leaders of the Moabites.
7 Ndipo Balaamu akasema ujumbe wake: “Balaki amenileta kutoka Aramu, mfalme wa Moabu kutoka milima ya mashariki. Akasema, ‘Njoo, unilaanie Yakobo; njoo unishutumie Israeli.’
And taking up his parable, he said: “Balak, king of the Moabites, has led me from Aram, from the mountains of the east. ‘Come forth,’ he said, ‘and curse Jacob. Hurry and condemn Israel.’
8 Nitawezaje kuwalaani, hao ambao Mungu hajawalaani? Nitawezaje kuwashutumu hao ambao Bwana hakuwashutumu?
How shall I curse him, whom God has not cursed? For what reason would I condemn him, whom the Lord does not condemn?
9 Kutoka vilele vya miamba ninawaona, kutoka mahali palipoinuka ninawatazama. Ninaliona taifa ambalo wanaishi peke yao, nao hawahesabiwi kama mojawapo ya mataifa.
I will look upon him from the tops of the stones, and I will consider him from the hills. This people shall dwell alone, and they shall not be counted among the nations.
10 Ni nani awezaye kuhesabu mavumbi ya Yakobo, au kuhesabu robo ya Israeli? Mimi na nife kifo cha mtu mwenye haki, na mwisho wangu na uwe kama wao!”
Who can number the dust that is Jacob, and who can know the number of the stock of Israel? May my soul die a just death, and may my end be like theirs.”
11 Balaki akamwambia Balaamu, “Ni nini ulichonitendea? Nimekuleta ulaani adui zangu, lakini wewe badala yake umewabariki!”
And Balak said to Balaam: “What is this that you are doing? I called for you, in order to curse my enemies, and to the contrary, you bless them.”
12 Balaamu akajibu, “Je, hainipasi kusema kile Bwana anachoweka katika kinywa changu?”
He answered him, “How can I say anything other than what the Lord orders?”
13 Ndipo Balaki akamwambia, “Twende pamoja mahali pengine ambapo unaweza kuwaona; utawaona baadhi tu wala si wote. Nawe kutoka huko, unilaanie hao.”
Therefore, Balak said: “Come with me to another place, from where you may see a portion of Israel, though you cannot see them all. Curse them from there.”
14 Basi akampeleka kwenye shamba la Sofimu, juu ya kilele cha Mlima Pisga. Pale akajenga madhabahu saba na kutoa sadaka ya fahali na kondoo dume mmoja juu ya kila madhabahu.
And when he had led him to a lofty place, on the top of mount Pisgah, Balaam built seven altars, and placing upon each a calf and a ram,
15 Balaamu akamwambia Balaki, “Kaa hapa kando ya sadaka yako wakati ninapokwenda kuonana na Mungu kule.”
he said to Balak, “Stand here next to your holocaust, while I continue on to meet him.”
16 Bwana akakutana na Balaamu, akaweka ujumbe katika kinywa chake akasema, “Rudi kwa Balaki umpe ujumbe huu.”
And when the Lord had met him, and had put the word in his mouth, he said, “Return to Balak, and you shall say this to him.”
17 Basi Balaamu akarudi kwa Balaki, akamkuta amesimama kando ya sadaka yake, akiwa na wakuu wa Moabu. Balaki akamuuliza, “Je, Bwana amesema nini?”
Returning, he found him standing next to his holocaust, and the leaders of the Moabites were with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the Lord spoken?”
18 Ndipo Balaamu akasema ujumbe wake: “Balaki, inuka na usikilize, nisikie mimi, wewe mwana wa Sipori.
But, taking up his parable, he said: “Stand, Balak, and pay attention. Listen, you son of Zippor.
19 Mungu si mtu, hata aseme uongo, wala yeye si mwanadamu, hata ajute. Je, anasema, kisha asitende? Je, anaahidi, asitimize?
God is not like a man, so that he would lie, nor is he like a son of man, so that he would be changed. Therefore, having spoken, will he not act? Has he ever spoken, and not fulfilled?
20 Nimepokea agizo kubariki; amebariki, nami siwezi kubadilisha.
I was led here to bless, and I have no strength to hinder the blessing.
21 “Haijaonekana bahati mbaya katika Yakobo, wala taabu katika Israeli. Bwana, Mungu wao yu pamoja nao, nayo sauti kuu ya Mfalme imo katikati yao.
There is no idol in Jacob; neither is there a false image to be seen in Israel. The Lord his God is with him, and the resound of royal victory is in him.
22 Mungu aliwatoa kutoka Misri; wao wana nguvu za nyati.
God has led him away from Egypt; his strength is like that of the rhinoceros.
23 Hakuna uchawi dhidi ya Yakobo, wala hakuna uaguzi dhidi ya Israeli. Sasa itasemwa kuhusu Yakobo na Israeli, ‘Tazama yale Mungu aliyotenda!’
There is no soothsaying in Jacob, nor any divination in Israel. In their times, it shall be told to Jacob and to Israel what God has wrought.
24 Taifa lainuka kama simba jike; linajiinua kama simba ambaye hatulii mpaka amalize kurarua mawindo yake na kunywa damu ya mawindo yake.”
Behold, the people will rise up like a lioness, and lie down like a lion. But they will not lie down until they devour the prey and drink the blood of the slain.”
25 Kisha Balaki akamwambia Balaamu, “Usiwalaani kabisa, wala usiwabariki kabisa!”
And Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse him, nor bless him.”
26 Balaamu akajibu, “Je, sikukuambia ni lazima nifanye lolote analosema Bwana?”
And he said, “Have I not told you that whatever God would command of me, I would do?”
27 Basi Balaki akamwambia Balaamu, “Njoo, nikupeleke mahali pengine. Huenda itampendeza Mungu kukuruhusu unilaanie hao watu kutoka mahali hapo.”
And Balak said to him: “Come and I will lead you to another place. If perhaps it may please God, then you may curse them from there.”
28 Balaki akamchukua Balaamu juu ya Mlima Peori, unaotazamana na nyika.
And when he had led him on to the top of mount Peor, which looks out toward the wilderness,
29 Balaamu akasema, “Nijengee hapa madhabahu saba, uandae mafahali saba na kondoo dume saba kwa ajili yangu.”
Balaam said to him, “Build seven altars here for me, and prepare as many calves, and the same number of rams.”
30 Balaki akafanya kama Balaamu alivyosema, kisha akatoa sadaka ya fahali mmoja na kondoo dume mmoja juu ya kila madhabahu.
Balak did as Balaam had said, and he placed on each altar a calf and a ram.
