Hesabu 23
1 Balaamu akasema, “Nijengee hapa madhabahu saba, mnitayarishie mafahali saba na kondoo dume saba.”
UBhalamu wathi, “Ngakhela ama-alithare ayisikhombisa lapha, ube usungilungisela inkunzi eziyisikhombisa kanye lenqama eziyisikhombisa.”
2 Balaki akafanya kama Balaamu alivyosema; hao wawili kila mmoja wao akatoa fahali mmoja na kondoo dume mmoja juu ya kila madhabahu.
UBhalaki wenza njengokutshiwo nguBhalamu, kwathi bobabili babo banikela ngenkunzi langenqama eyodwa e-alithareni linye ngalinye.
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.
Ngakho uBhalamu wasesithi kuBhalaki, “Hlala lapha eceleni lomnikelo wakho mina ngisaya eceleni. Mhlawumbe uThixo uzabuya azohlangana lami. Lokho azakuveza kimi ngizakutshela.” Wasesuka waya endaweni ephakemeyo eligceke.
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.”
UNkulunkulu wahlangana laye, njalo uBhalamu wathi, “Sengakhe ama-alithare ayisikhombisa njalo e-alithareni linye ngalinye nginikele ngenkunzi langenqama eyodwa.”
5 Bwana akaweka ujumbe katika kinywa cha Balaamu na kusema, “Rudi kwa Balaki umpe ujumbe huu.”
Ngakho uThixo watshela uBhalamu wathi, “Buyela kuBhalaki uyemupha umbiko lo.”
6 Basi Balaamu akarudi kwa Balaki, akamkuta amesimama kando ya sadaka yake akiwa na wakuu wote wa Moabu.
Ngakho wabuyela kuBhalaki wamfica emi eceleni komnikelo wakhe, kanye lawo wonke amakhosana amaMowabi.
7 Ndipo Balaamu akasema ujumbe wake: “Balaki amenileta kutoka Aramu, mfalme wa Moabu kutoka milima ya mashariki. Akasema, ‘Njoo, unilaanie Yakobo; njoo unishutumie Israeli.’
Ngakho uBhalamu wasesitsho umbiko wakhe: “UBhalaki ungilethe ngivela e-Aramu, inkosi yamaMowabi evela ezintabeni zasempumalanga. ‘Woza,’ watsho njalo, ‘ngiqalekisela uJakhobe; woza, mchothoze u-Israyeli.’
8 Nitawezaje kuwalaani, hao ambao Mungu hajawalaani? Nitawezaje kuwashutumu hao ambao Bwana hakuwashutumu?
Ngingabaqalekisa njani labo abangaqalekiswanga nguNkulunkulu? Ngingachothoza njani labo abangazange bachothozwe nguThixo?
9 Kutoka vilele vya miamba ninawaona, kutoka mahali palipoinuka ninawatazama. Ninaliona taifa ambalo wanaishi peke yao, nao hawahesabiwi kama mojawapo ya mataifa.
Eziqongweni zamatshe ngiyababona, khonale phezulu bayangikhanyela. Ngibona abantu abahlezi ngokwehluka, njalo kabaziboni bengabalezizizwe.
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!”
Ngubani ongabala uthuli lukaJakhobe loba ingxenye yesine yabako-Israyeli na? Yekela ngife ukufa kwabalungileyo, njalo sengathi isiphetho sami singafana lesabo!”
11 Balaki akamwambia Balaamu, “Ni nini ulichonitendea? Nimekuleta ulaani adui zangu, lakini wewe badala yake umewabariki!”
UBhalaki wathi kuBhalamu, “Kuyini osungenzele khona na? Ngize lawe ukuze uqalekise izitha zami, kodwa akulalutho olwenzileyo ngaphandle kokuzibusisa!”
12 Balaamu akajibu, “Je, hainipasi kusema kile Bwana anachoweka katika kinywa changu?”
UBhalamu, waphendula wathi, “Ngingakukhulumi na engikutshelwe nguThixo?”
13 Ndipo Balaki akamwambia, “Twende pamoja mahali pengine ambapo unaweza kuwaona; utawaona baadhi tu wala si wote. Nawe kutoka huko, unilaanie hao.”
Ngakho uBhalaki wathi kuBhalamu, “Woza asiye kwenye indawo lapha ozababona khona; uzabona ingxenye kuphela kungeyisibo bonke. Khonapho-ke ungiqalekisele bona.”
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.
Wasesuka laye waya emangweni waseZofimu phezu kwentaba iPhisiga, kulapho akha khona ama-alithare ayisikhombisa wanikela ngenkunzi langenqama e-alithareni linye ngalinye.
15 Balaamu akamwambia Balaki, “Kaa hapa kando ya sadaka yako wakati ninapokwenda kuonana na Mungu kule.”
UBhalamu wathi kuBhalaki, “Hlala lapha eceleni komnikelo wakho mina ngisayahlangana laye ngale.”
16 Bwana akakutana na Balaamu, akaweka ujumbe katika kinywa chake akasema, “Rudi kwa Balaki umpe ujumbe huu.”
UThixo wahlangana loBhalamu wamtshela wathi, “Buyela kuBhalaki uyemnika umbiko lo.”
17 Basi Balaamu akarudi kwa Balaki, akamkuta amesimama kando ya sadaka yake, akiwa na wakuu wa Moabu. Balaki akamuuliza, “Je, Bwana amesema nini?”
Wasebuyela kuBhalaki wamfica emi eceleni komnikelo wakhe, kanye lamakhosana amaMowabi. UBhalaki wambuza wathi, “Utheni uThixo?”
18 Ndipo Balaamu akasema ujumbe wake: “Balaki, inuka na usikilize, nisikie mimi, wewe mwana wa Sipori.
Wasesitsho umbiko wakhe: “Vuka, Bhalaki, njalo ulalele; zwana mina, ndodana kaZiphori.
19 Mungu si mtu, hata aseme uongo, wala yeye si mwanadamu, hata ajute. Je, anasema, kisha asitende? Je, anaahidi, asitimize?
UNkulunkulu kasumuntu, ukuthi angaqamba amanga, loba indodana yomuntu, yona eguquguqula ingqondo yayo. Kambe ukhuluma angenzi na? Uyathembisa angagcwalisi isithembiso na?
20 Nimepokea agizo kubariki; amebariki, nami siwezi kubadilisha.
Ngamukele umlayo wokubusisa; usebusisile, njalo ngingeke ngikuguqule lokho.
21 “Haijaonekana bahati mbaya katika Yakobo, wala taabu katika Israeli. Bwana, Mungu wao yu pamoja nao, nayo sauti kuu ya Mfalme imo katikati yao.
Akulamabhadi ehlela kuJakhobe, akulasizi olubonakala ku-Israyeli. UThixo uNkulunkulu wabo ukanye labo; umkhosi weNkosi uphakathi kwabo.
22 Mungu aliwatoa kutoka Misri; wao wana nguvu za nyati.
UNkulunkulu wabakhipha eGibhithe; balamandla enyathi.
23 Hakuna uchawi dhidi ya Yakobo, wala hakuna uaguzi dhidi ya Israeli. Sasa itasemwa kuhusu Yakobo na Israeli, ‘Tazama yale Mungu aliyotenda!’
Akulamilingo engalinga uJakhobe, akulamasalamusi angamelana lo-Israyeli. Khathesi sekuzathiwa ngoJakhobe kanye lo-lsrayeli, ‘Khangela okwenziwe nguNkulunkulu!’
24 Taifa lainuka kama simba jike; linajiinua kama simba ambaye hatulii mpaka amalize kurarua mawindo yake na kunywa damu ya mawindo yake.”
Abantu bayavuka njengesilwanekazi; badlwanguluka njengesilwane sona esingaphumuliyo size sitshwabadele inyamazana yaso njalo sinathe igazi layo.”
25 Kisha Balaki akamwambia Balaamu, “Usiwalaani kabisa, wala usiwabariki kabisa!”
Ngakho uBhalaki wasesithi kuBhalamu, “Ungabaqalekisi, njalo ungababusisi!”
26 Balaamu akajibu, “Je, sikukuambia ni lazima nifanye lolote analosema Bwana?”
UBhalamu waphendula wathi, “Angikutshelanga na ukuthi ngenza engikutshelwe nguThixo?”
27 Basi Balaki akamwambia Balaamu, “Njoo, nikupeleke mahali pengine. Huenda itampendeza Mungu kukuruhusu unilaanie hao watu kutoka mahali hapo.”
Ngakho uBhalaki wathi kuBhalamu, “Woza, kahle ngikuse kwenye indawo. Mhlawumbe kuzamthokozisa uNkulunkulu akuvumele ukuthi ungiqalekisele bona ukhonale.”
28 Balaki akamchukua Balaamu juu ya Mlima Peori, unaotazamana na nyika.
Ngakho uBhalaki wahamba loBhalamu baya phezu kwePheyori ekhangele enkangala.
29 Balaamu akasema, “Nijengee hapa madhabahu saba, uandae mafahali saba na kondoo dume saba kwa ajili yangu.”
UBhalamu wathi, “Ngakhela ama-alithare ayisikhombisa khonapha, ungilungisele inkunzi eziyisikhombisa lenqama eziyisikhombisa.”
30 Balaki akafanya kama Balaamu alivyosema, kisha akatoa sadaka ya fahali mmoja na kondoo dume mmoja juu ya kila madhabahu.
UBhalaki wenza lokho ayekutshelwe nguBhalamu, wanikela inkunzi eyodwa lenqama e-alithareni linye ngalinye.
