Hesabu 22
1 Watu wa Israeli wakasafiri mpaka wakaweka kambi kwenye uwanda wa Moabu karibu na Yeriko, kwenye upande mwingine wa mto Yorodani kutoka mji ule.
And the children of Israel departed, and encamped on the west of Moab by Jordan towards Jericho.
2 Balaki mwana wa Zippori aliona yote ambayo Israeli aliwafanyia Waamori. Moabu aliogopa sana hao watu kwa sababu walikuwa wengi sana,
And when Balac son of Sepphor saw all that Israel did to the Amorite,
3 na Moabu alIwahofia wana wa Israeli.
then Moab feared the people exceedingly because they were many; and Moab was grieved before the face of the children of Israel.
4 Mfalme wa Moabu akawaambia wazee wa Midiani, “Huu umati utakula kila kitu tulicho nacho na maksai hula nyasi za kondeni.” Sasa Balaki mwana wa Zippori alikuwa mfalme wa Moabu.
And Moab said to the elders of Madiam, Now shall this assembly lick up all that are round about us, as a calf would lick up the green [herbs] of the field: —and Balac son of Sepphor was king of Moab at that time.
5 Akatuma wajumbe kwenda kwa Balamu mwana wa Beori, kule Petho ambayo iko karibu na mto Frati, katika nchi ya taifa lake na watu wake. Akamwita na kumwambia, “Tazama, Kuna taifa ambalo wamekuja hapa tokea Misiri. Wanafunika uso wa dunia na sasa wananifuatia mimi.
And he sent ambassadors to Balaam the son of Beor, to Phathura, which is on a river of the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, a people is come out of Egypt, and behold it has covered the face of the earth, and it has encamped close to me.
6 Tafadhali naomba uje unilaanie hili taifa, kwa sababu wana nguvu kuliko mimi. Labda nitaweza kuwavamia na kuwafukuza watoke katika nchi yangu. Najua kuwa yeyote unayembariki hubarikiwa na yeyote unayemlaani atalaaniwa.”
And now come, curse me this people, for it is stronger than we; if we may be able to strike some of them, and I will cast them out of the land: for I know that whoever you do bless, they are blessed, and whoever you do curse, they are cursed.
7 Kwa hiyo wazee wa Moabu na wale wa Midiani wakaondoka, pamoja nao wakachukua malipo ya uganga. Wakafika kwa Balaamu wakamwambia maneno ya Balaki.
And the elders of Moab went, and the elders of Madiam, and their divining [instruments were] in their hands; and they came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balac.
8 Balaamu akawaambia, “Bakini hapa usiku wa leo. Kesho nitawaletea atakachoniambia BWANA.” Kwa hiyo wale viongozi wa Moabu wakabaki na Balaamu kwa usiku huo.
And he said to them, Tarry here the night, and I will answer you the things which the Lord shall say to me; and the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.
9 Mungu akaja kwa Balaamu na kumwambia, “Ni akina nani hawa waliokuja kwako?”
And God came to Balaam, and said to him, Who are these men with you?
10 Balaamu akamjibu Mungu, “Balaki mwana wa Zippori, Mfalme wa Moabu amewatuma kwangu. Alisema,
And Balaam said to God, Balac son of Sepphor, king of Moab, sent them to me, saying,
11 'Tazama hawa watu waliotoka Misri wanafunika uso wa nchi yangu. Sasa naomba uje unilaanie hawa watu. Labada nitaweza kuwa kuwashinda na kuwafukuza.'”
Behold, a people has come forth out of Egypt, and has covered the face of the land, and it has encamped near to me; and now come, curse it for me, if indeed I shall be able to strike it, and cast it out of the land.
12 Mungu akamjiu Balaam, “Usiambatane na hao wanaume. Na usiwalaani hawa wana wa Israeli kwa sababu wamebarikiwa.”
And God said to Balaam, You shall not go with them, neither shall you curse the people; for they are blessed.
13 Balaamu akaamka asubuhi na kuwaambia wale viongozi wa Balaki, “Rudini nchini kwenu kwa sababu BWANA amenikataza kuambatana nanyi.”
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balac, Depart quickly to your lord; God does not permit me to go with you.
14 Kwa hiyo wale viongozi wa Moabu wakaondoka na kurudi kwa Balaki. Wakamwambia, “Balaamu amekataa kuambatana nasi.”
And the princes of Moab rose, and came to Balac, and said, Balaam will not come with us.
15 Balaki akatuma viongozi wengine waliokuwa wanaheshimiwa zaidi kuliko kundi lile la awali.
And Balac yet again sent more princes and more honourable than they.
16 Wakaja kwa Balaamu na kumwambia, “Balaki mwana wa Zippori anasema hivi, 'Tafadhali hebu kitu chochote kisikuzuie kuja kwangu,
And they came to Balaam, and they say to him, Thus says Balac the son of Sepphor: I beseech you, delay not to come to me.
17 kwa sababu nitakulipa malipo mazuri sana na kukupa heshima kubwa, nami nitakufanyia chochote utakachoniambia. Tafadhali sana uje unilaanie hawa watu.'”
For I will greatly honour you, and will do for you whatever you shall say; come then, curse me this people.
18 Balaamu akawajibu watu wa Balaki akawaambia, “Hata kama Balaki atanipa ikulu yake ikiwa imejaa fedha na dhahabu, sitaweza kufanya dhidi ya maneno ya BWANA, Mungu wangu na kufanya pungufu au zaidi ya kile anachoniambia.
And Balaam answered and said to the princes of Balac, If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I shall not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord God, to make it little or great in my mind.
19 Sasa basi, tafadhali subirini hapa usiku wa leo pia, ili kwamba nipate kujifunza kitu zaidi ambacho BWANA ananiambia.”
And now do you also wait here this night, and I shall know what the Lord will yet say to me.
20 BWANA akaja kwa Balaamu usiku ule na kumwambia, “kwa kuwa hawa watu wamekuja kukuita, inuka uende nao. Lakini utafanya tu kile nitakachokuambia kufanya.”
And God came to Balaam by night, and said to him, If these men are come to call you, rise and follow them; nevertheless the word which I shall speak to you, it shall you do.
21 Balaamu akainuka asubuhi, akatandika punda wake, akaenda pamoja na viongozi wa Moabu.
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.
22 Lakini kwa sababu alienda, hasira za Mungu zikawaka. Malaika wa BWANA akasimama barabarani kama adui wa Balaamu, aliyekuwa akimpanda yule punda. Watumishi wawili wa Balaamu walikuwa pamoja naye.
And God was very angry because he went; and the angel of the Lord rose up to withstand him. Now he had mounted his ass, and his two servants were with him.
23 Yule punda alimwona yule malaika wa BWANA akiwa amesimama barabarani akiwa na upanga mkononi mwake. Yule punda akageuka na kwenda shambani. Balaamu akampiga yule punda ili arudi barabarani.
And when the ass saw the angel of God standing opposite in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand, then the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field; and [Balaam] struck the ass with his staff to direct her in the way.
24 Sasa malaika wa BWANA akasimama kwenye njia nyembamba katikati ya mashamba ya mizabibu, na kushoto kwake kulikuwa na ukuta.
And the angel of the Lord stood in the avenues of the vines, a fence [being] on this side and a fence on that.
25 Yule punda akamwona yule malaika wa BWANA tena. Akasogea zaidi ukutani na kuubana mguu wa Balaamu ukutani. Balaamu akampiga tena yule punda.
And when the ass saw the angel of God, she thrust herself against the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall, and he struck her again.
26 Yule malaika wa BWANA akasogea mbele zaidi kwenye eneo jingine jembamba zaidi ambalo haikuwezekana kugeuka upande mwingine.
And the angel of the Lord went farther, and came and stood in a narrow place where it was impossible to turn to the right or the left.
27 Yule Punda akamwona tena yule malaika wa BWANA, akalala chini ya Balaamu. Hasira za Balaamu zikawaka, akampiga yule punda kwa fimbo yake.
And when the ass saw the angel of God, she lay down under Balaam; and Balaam was angry, and struck the ass with his staff.
28 Kisha BWANA akafungua kinywa cha punda na akaongea. Akamwambia Balaamu, “Nimekukosea nini kiasi kwamba umenipiga mara tatu?”
And God opened the mouth of the ass, and she says to Balaam, What have I done to you, that you have struck me this third time?
29 Balaamu akamjibu yule punda, “Ni kwa sababu umenitendea kwa ujinga. Natamani kama ningekuwa na upanga mkononi mwangu, kama ningekuwa nao, sasa hivi ningekuwa nimekuua.”
And Balaam said to the ass, Because you have mocked me; and if I [had] had a sword in my hand, I would now have killed you.
30 Yule punda akamwambia Balaamu, “Je, mimi si punda wako ambaye umenipanda maishani mwako mwote mpaka hivi sasa? Je, nimewahi kuwa na tabia ya kukufanyia hivi hapo awali?” Balaamu akasema “hapana.”
And the ass says to Balaam, [Am] not I your ass on which you have ridden since your youth till this day? did I ever do thus to you, utterly disregarding [you]? and he said, No.
31 Basi BWANA akafungua macho ya Balaamu, na akamwona malaika wa BWANA amesimama barabarani akiwa na upanga mkononi mwake. Balaamu akainamisha kichwa chake chini.
And God opened the eyes of Balaam, and he sees the angel of the Lord withstanding [him] in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand, and he stooped down and worshipped on his face.
32 Yule malaika wa BWANA akamwambia, “Kwa nini umempiga punda wako mara tatu? Tazama, Nimekuja kama adui yako kwa sababu matendo yako kwangu yamekuwa maovu.
And the angel of God said to him, Why have you struck your ass this third time? and, behold, I came out to withstand you, for your way was not seemly before me; and when the ass saw me, she turned away from me this third time.
33 Yule punda aliniona na akageuka kutoka kwangu mara tatu. Kama asingekuwa amegeuka kutoka kwangu, hakika ningekuwa nimekua na yeye kumwacha hai.
And if she had not turned out of the way, surely now, I should have slain you, and should have saved her alive.
34 Balaamu akamwambia malaika wa BWANA, nimetenda dhambi. Sikujua kuwa ulisimama kinyume na mimi barabarani. Kwa hiyo sasa, kama haikupendezi, Nitageuka.”
And Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing opposite in the way to meet [me]; and now if it shall not be pleasing to you [for me to go on], I will return.
35 Lakini yule malaika wa BWANA akamwambia Balaamu, “endelea na wale watu. Lakini utasema maneno nitakayokwambia tu.”Kwa hiyo Balaamu akaendelea na wale vioingozi wa Balaki.
And the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, Go with the men: nevertheless the word which I shall speak to you, that you shall take heed to speak. And Balaam went with the princes of Balac.
36 Balaki aliposikia kuwa Balaamu alikuwa amekuja, alienda kukutana naye kule mjini Moabu pale Amoni, ambao uko mpakani.
And when Balac heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him, to a city of Moab, which is on the borders of Arnon, which is on the [extreme] part of the borders.
37 Balaki akamwambia Balaamu, “Je, mimi sikutuma watu kukuita? Basi kwa nini hukuja kwangu? Je, mimi sina uwezo wa kukufanya uheshimike?”
And Balac said to Balaam, Did I not send to you to call you? why have you not come to me? shall I not indeed be able to honour you?
38 Ndipo Balaamu alipomjibu Balaki, “Tazama, mimi nimekuja kwako. Je mimi sina mamlaka ya kusema chochote? Mimi ninaweza kusema maneno ambayo Mungu ameweka kinywani mwangu.”
And Balaam said to Balac, Behold, I am now come to you: shall I be able to say anything? the word which God shall put into my mouth, that I shall speak.
39 Balaamu akaenda na Balaki, na Wakafika Kiriathi Huzothi.
And Balaam went with Balac, and they came to the cities of streets.
40 Kisha Balaki akatoa sadaka ya maksai na kondoo na kumpatia Balaamu baadhi ya hiyo nyama na wale viongozi waliokuwa pamoja naye.
And Balac offered sheep and calves, and sent to Balaam and to his princes who were with him.
41 Kesho yake asubuhi, Balaki akampeleka Balaamu mpaka juu mahali pa Baali. Kule juu Balaamu aliweza kuona sehemu tu ya kambi za Waisraeli.
And it was morning; and Balac took Balaam, and brought him up to the pillar of Baal, and showed him thence a part of the people.
