Hesabu 23
1 Balaamu akasema, “Nijengee hapa madhabahu saba, mnitayarishie mafahali saba na kondoo dume saba.”
Then Balaam told Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice.”
2 Balaki akafanya kama Balaamu alivyosema; hao wawili kila mmoja wao akatoa fahali mmoja na kondoo dume mmoja juu ya kila madhabahu.
Balak did as Balaam had said, and together they offered a bull and a ram 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.
Balaam said to Balak, “Wait here beside your burnt offering while I go and see if perhaps the Lord will come and meet with me. Whatever he reveals to me, I'll share with you.” Then Balaam left to climb up a rocky crag.
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.”
God met with him there, and Balaam said. “I have built seven altars and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.”
5 Bwana akaweka ujumbe katika kinywa cha Balaamu na kusema, “Rudi kwa Balaki umpe ujumbe huu.”
The Lord gave Balaam a message to share. He told him, “Go back to Balak and this is what you are to say to him.”
6 Basi Balaamu akarudi kwa Balaki, akamkuta amesimama kando ya sadaka yake akiwa na wakuu wote wa Moabu.
So he went back to Balak, who was waiting there beside his burnt offering, along with all the Moabite leaders.
7 Ndipo Balaamu akasema ujumbe wake: “Balaki amenileta kutoka Aramu, mfalme wa Moabu kutoka milima ya mashariki. Akasema, ‘Njoo, unilaanie Yakobo; njoo unishutumie Israeli.’
This is the declaration that Balaam gave: “Balak brought me from Aram; the king of Moab brought me from the mountains of the east. He said, ‘Come and curse Jacob for me! Come and condemn Israel!’
8 Nitawezaje kuwalaani, hao ambao Mungu hajawalaani? Nitawezaje kuwashutumu hao ambao Bwana hakuwashutumu?
But how can I curse what God has not cursed? How can I condemn what the Lord has not condemned?
9 Kutoka vilele vya miamba ninawaona, kutoka mahali palipoinuka ninawatazama. Ninaliona taifa ambalo wanaishi peke yao, nao hawahesabiwi kama mojawapo ya mataifa.
For I'm looking down on them from the top of rocky crags; I'm watching them from the hills. I see a people who live on their own, different from the other 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 count Jacob's descendants? They are so many they're like dust! Who can count even a quarter of the Israelites? I would like to die as a good person dies! Let the end of my life be like their end!”
11 Balaki akamwambia Balaamu, “Ni nini ulichonitendea? Nimekuleta ulaani adui zangu, lakini wewe badala yake umewabariki!”
Then Balak complained to Balaam, “What on earth have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, and now look! All you have done is bless them!”
12 Balaamu akajibu, “Je, hainipasi kusema kile Bwana anachoweka katika kinywa changu?”
But Balaam replied, “Don't you think I should I say precisely what the Lord tells me?”
13 Ndipo Balaki akamwambia, “Twende pamoja mahali pengine ambapo unaweza kuwaona; utawaona baadhi tu wala si wote. Nawe kutoka huko, unilaanie hao.”
Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place where you can see them. But you'll only see a part of their camp—you won't see all of them. You can curse them for me 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.
He took him to the field of Zophim at the top of Mount Pisgah. There he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
15 Balaamu akamwambia Balaki, “Kaa hapa kando ya sadaka yako wakati ninapokwenda kuonana na Mungu kule.”
Balaam told Balak, “Wait here beside your burnt offering while I meet the Lord over there.”
16 Bwana akakutana na Balaamu, akaweka ujumbe katika kinywa chake akasema, “Rudi kwa Balaki umpe ujumbe huu.”
The Lord met Balaam and gave him a message to share. He told him, “Go back to Balak and this is what you are to say 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?”
So he went back to Balak, who was waiting there beside his burnt offering, along with all the Moabite leaders. “What did the Lord say?” Balak asked.
18 Ndipo Balaamu akasema ujumbe wake: “Balaki, inuka na usikilize, nisikie mimi, wewe mwana wa Sipori.
This is the prophecy that Balaam delivered: “Stand up, Balak, and pay attention! Listen to me, son of Zippor!
19 Mungu si mtu, hata aseme uongo, wala yeye si mwanadamu, hata ajute. Je, anasema, kisha asitende? Je, anaahidi, asitimize?
God isn't a human being who would lie. He's not a mere mortal who changes his mind. Does he say he's going to do something but doesn't? Does he make promises he doesn't carry out?
20 Nimepokea agizo kubariki; amebariki, nami siwezi kubadilisha.
Look, I have been ordered to give a blessing. God has blessed, and I can't change that.
21 “Haijaonekana bahati mbaya katika Yakobo, wala taabu katika Israeli. Bwana, Mungu wao yu pamoja nao, nayo sauti kuu ya Mfalme imo katikati yao.
He's not expecting anything bad will happen to Jacob; he doesn't foresee any trouble for Israel. The Lord their God is with them; they celebrate him as their king.
22 Mungu aliwatoa kutoka Misri; wao wana nguvu za nyati.
God led them out of Egypt with great power, as strong as an ox.
23 Hakuna uchawi dhidi ya Yakobo, wala hakuna uaguzi dhidi ya Israeli. Sasa itasemwa kuhusu Yakobo na Israeli, ‘Tazama yale Mungu aliyotenda!’
No spell can be cast against Jacob; no magic can be used against Israel. People will talk about Jacob and Israel, saying, ‘What amazing things God has done for them!’
24 Taifa lainuka kama simba jike; linajiinua kama simba ambaye hatulii mpaka amalize kurarua mawindo yake na kunywa damu ya mawindo yake.”
Look! The Israelites go out hunting like a lioness; they chase like a lion. They don't rest until they eat their prey, and drink the blood of their dead victim.”
25 Kisha Balaki akamwambia Balaamu, “Usiwalaani kabisa, wala usiwabariki kabisa!”
Then Balak said to Balaam, “If you can't give them any curses then at least don't give them any blessings!”
26 Balaamu akajibu, “Je, sikukuambia ni lazima nifanye lolote analosema Bwana?”
But Balaam replied, “Didn't I explain to you that I have to do whatever the Lord tells me?”
27 Basi Balaki akamwambia Balaamu, “Njoo, nikupeleke mahali pengine. Huenda itampendeza Mungu kukuruhusu unilaanie hao watu kutoka mahali hapo.”
“Please come with me and I will take you somewhere else,” Balak said. “Maybe God would let you curse them for me from there.”
28 Balaki akamchukua Balaamu juu ya Mlima Peori, unaotazamana na nyika.
Balak took Balaam to the top of Mount Peor, which looks down on the wastelands.
29 Balaamu akasema, “Nijengee hapa madhabahu saba, uandae mafahali saba na kondoo dume saba kwa ajili yangu.”
Balaam told Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice.”
30 Balaki akafanya kama Balaamu alivyosema, kisha akatoa sadaka ya fahali mmoja na kondoo dume mmoja juu ya kila madhabahu.
Balak what Balaam told him, and he offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
