Hesabu 23
1 Balaamu akamwabia Balaki, “Jenga madhabahu saba kwa ajili yangu na uandae mafahari saba na kondoo dume saba.”
And Balaam said to Balak, Make me here seven altars and get ready seven oxen and seven male sheep.
2 Kwa hiyo Balaki akafanya kama Balaamu alivyoomba. Kisha Balaki na Balaamu wakatoa sadaka ya fahari mmoja na kondoo dume mmoja kwa kila madhabahu.
And Balak did as Balaam had said; and Balak and Balaam made an offering on every altar of an ox and a male sheep.
3 Ndipo Balaamu alipomwamiba Balaki, “Simama kwenye sadaka yako ya kuteketezwa na mimi nitaenda. Labda BWANA atakuja kukutana na mimi. Chochote atakachoniambia nitakuambia.” Kwa hiyo akaenda juu ya mlima usiokuwa na miti.
Then Balaam said to Balak, Take your place by your burned offering, and I will go and see if the Lord comes to me: and I will give you word of whatever he says to me. And he went to an open place on a hill.
4 Wakati bado akiwa juu ya mlima. Mungu akakutana naye, na Balaamu akamwambia, “Nimejenga madhabahu saba, na nimetoa sadaka ya fahari na kondoo dume kwa kila madhabahu.”
And God came to Balaam, and Balaam said to him, I have made ready seven altars, offering an ox and a male sheep on every altar.
5 BWANA akaweka ujumbe kwenye kinywa cha Baalamu akasema, “Rudi kwa Balaki ukamwambie.”
And the Lord put words in Balaam's mouth, and said, Go back to Balak, and this is what you are to say.
6 Kwa hiyo Balaamu akarudi kwa Balaki aliyekuwa amesimama karibu na sadaka yake ya kuteketezwa, na viongozi wote wa Moabu walikuwa pamoja naye.
So he went back to him where he was waiting by his burned offering with all the chiefs of Moab.
7 Ndipo Balaamu alipoanza kunena unabii wake akisema, “Balaki amenileta kutoka Aramu, Mfalme wa Moabu kutoka katika milima ya mashariki, 'Njoo, nilaanie Yakobo kwa ajili yangu,' alisema, 'Njoo umtie unajisi Israeli,'
And in the words which the Lord had given him he said, From Aram Balak has sent for me, the king of Moab from the mountains of the East: come, put curses on Jacob for me and be angry with Israel.
8 Nawezaje kuwalaani wale ambao Mungu hajawalaani? Nawezaje kuwapinga wale ambao Mungu hawapingi?
How may I put curses on him who is not cursed by God? how may I be angry with him with whom the Lord is not angry?
9 Kwa kuwa kutoka juu ya miamba Ninamwona; kutoka kwenye milima ninamtazama. Kuna watu wanaoishi pekee yao na hawajioni wenyewe kama ni taifa la kawaida.
From the top of the rocks I see him, looking down on him from the hills: it is a people made separate, not to be numbered among the nations.
10 Nani awezaye kuyahesabu mavumbi ya Yakobo au kuhesabu hata robo ya Israeli? Naomba nife kifo cha mtu mwenye haki, na mwisho wa maisha yangu uwe kama wake!”
Who is able to take the measure of the dust of Jacob or the number of the thousands of Israel? May my death be the death of the upright and my last end like his!
11 Balaki akamwambia Balaamu, “Umenifanyia nini? Nilikuleta ili uwalaani maadui wangu, lakini ona, umewabariki,”
Then Balak said to Balaam, What have you done to me? I sent for you so that my haters might be cursed, and see, you have given them a blessing.
12 Balaamu akajibu akasema, “Kwa nini nisiwe mwangalifu kusema kile ambacho BWANA anaweka kinywani mwangu?”
And in answer he said, Am I not ordered to say only what the Lord puts into my mouth?
13 Basi Balaki akamwambia, “Hebu uje nami kwenye eneo jingine ili uwaone. Utakaowaona ni wale wa karibu tu, huwezi kuwaona wote. Huko sasa unaweza kunilaania hawa watu.”
And Balak said to him, Come with me now into another place from which you will not be able to see them all, but only the outskirts of them; and you will send curses on them from there.
14 Kwa hiyo akampeleka Balaamu kwenye shamba la Zofimu, lililo juu ya Mlima Pisiga, na kule akajenga madhabau zingine saba. Akatoa sadaka ya fahari mmoja na kondoo dume kwa kila madhabahu.
So he took him into the country of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and there they made seven altars, offering an ox and a male sheep on every altar.
15 Kisha Balaamu akamwambia Balaki, “Simama hapa karibu na sadaka zako, wakati mimi naenda kukutana na BWANA kule.”
Then he said to Balak, Take your place here by your burned offering, while I go over there to the Lord.
16 Kwa hiyo BWANA akakutana na Balaamu na kumwekea ujumbe kinywani mwake. Alimwambia, “Rudi kwa Balaki ukamwambie huu ujumbe toka kwangu.”
And the Lord came to Balaam, and put words in his mouth, and said, Go back to Balak, and this is what you are to say.
17 Balaamu akamrudia, na tazama, alikuwa amesimama karibu na sadaka zake za kuteketezwa, na vionigozi wa Moabu walikuwa pamoja naye. Balaki akamwuliza, “BWANA amekwambiaje?”
So he came to him where he was waiting by his burned offering with the chiefs of Moab by his side. And Balak said to him, What has the Lord said?
18 Balaamu akaanza kutoa unabii. Akasema, “Inuka, Balaki na usikilize. Nisikilize mimi wewe mwana wa Zippori.
And in the words which the Lord had given him he said, Up! Balak, and give ear; give attention to me, O son of Zippor:
19 Mungu siyo mtu, kwamba umdanganye, au mwanadamu awezaye kubadili mawazo. Je, alishawahi kuahidi kitu pasipo kukitekeleza? Je, alishawahi kusema kuwa atafanya kitu bila kufanya kama alivyosema?
God is not a man, to say what is false; or the son of man, that his purpose may be changed: what he has said, will he not do? and will he not give effect to the words of his mouth?
20 Tazama, Mimi nimeamriwa kuwabariki. Mungu ametoa baraka, nami siwezi kuibadilisha.
See, I have had orders to give blessing: and he has given a blessing which I have no power to take away.
21 Hajawahi kuona magumu katika Yakobo au tabu katika Israeli. BWANA Mungu wao yuko pamoja nao, na kelele za wafalme wao ziko pamoja nao.
He has seen no evil in Jacob or wrongdoing in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the glad cry of a king is among them.
22 Mungu aliwatoa Misri kwa nguvu kama za nyati.
It is God who has taken them out of Egypt; his horns are like those of the mountain ox.
23 Hakuna uganga utakaofanikiwa dhidi ya Yakobo, na hakuna uchawi utakaomwumiza Israeli. Badala yake, itasemwa juu ya Yakobo na Israeli, 'Tazama kile ambacho Mungu amefanya!'
No evil power has effect against Jacob, no secret arts against Israel; at the right time it will be said of Jacob and of Israel, See what God has done!
24 Tazama, watu wanainuka kama simba jike, kama vile simba ainukavyo na kuvamia. Halali chini mpaka ale windo lake na kunywa damu ya windo lake,”
See, Israel comes up like a she-lion, lifting himself up like a lion: he will take no rest till he has made a meal of those he has overcome, drinking the blood of those he has put to death.
25 Kisha Balaki akamwambia Balaamu, “Kamwe usiwalaani wala kuwabariki.”
Then Balak said to Balaam, If you will not put a curse on them, at all events do not give them a blessing.
26 Lakini Balaamu akamjibu Balaki, “Sijakuambia kuwa nitasema yote ambayo BWANA ananiambia kusema?
But Balaam in answer said to Balak, Did I not say to you, I may only do what the Lord says?
27 Balaki akamwambia Balaamu, “Njoo sasa, Nami nitakupeleka mahali pengine. Labda kule itampendeza Mungu kunilaania hawa hawa watu.”
Then Balak said to Balaam, Come now, I will take you to another place; it may be that God will let you put a curse on them from there.
28 Kwa hiyo Balaki akampeleka Balaamu juu ya Mlima Peori, ambao unalitazama chini lile jangwa,
So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, looking down over the waste land.
29 Balaamu akamwambia Balaki, “Nijengee madhabahu saba hapa na uniandalie mafahari saba na kondoo duume saba.
And Balaam said to Balak, Make me seven altars here and get seven oxen and seven male sheep ready for me.
30 “Kwa hiyo Balaki akafanya kama alivyoambiwa; akatoa sadaka ya fahari na kondoo mume kwenye kila madhabahu.
And Balak did as Balaam said, offering an ox and a male sheep on every altar.
