Mga Bilang 23

1 At sinabi ni Balaam kay Balac, Ipagtayo mo ako rito ng pitong dambana, at ipaghanda mo ako rito ng pitong toro at ng pitong tupang lalake.

Balaam said to King Balak, “Build seven altars for me here. Then kill seven young bulls and seven rams [for a sacrifice].”

2 At ginawa ni Balac gaya ng sinalita ni Balaam; at si Balac at si Balaam ay naghandog sa bawa't dambana ng isang toro at ng isang tupang lalake.

So Balak did that. And then he and Balaam each burned a young bull and a ram [as a sacrifice] on each altar.

3 At sinabi ni Balaam kay Balac, Tumayo ka sa tabi ng iyong handog na susunugin, at ako'y yayaon; marahil ang Panginoon ay paririto na sasalubungin ako: at anomang bagay na kaniyang ipakita sa akin ay aking sasaysayin sa iyo. At siya'y naparoon sa isang dakong mataas na walang tanim.

Then Balaam said to Balak, “You stand here close to your burned offerings, and I will go and ask Yahweh if he has something else to tell me. Then I will tell you what he says to me.” Then Balaam went by himself to the top of a hill,

4 At sinalubong ng Dios si Balaam: at sinabi niya sa kaniya, Aking inihanda ang pitong dambana, at aking inihandog ang isang toro at ang isang tupang lalake sa bawa't dambana.

and God appeared to him there. Balaam said to him, “We have built seven altars, and I have killed and burned a young bull and a ram [as a sacrifice to you] on each altar.”

5 At nilagyan ng Panginoon ng salita ang bibig ni Balaam, at sinabi: Bumalik ka kay Balac, at ganito ang iyong sasalitain.

Then Yahweh gave Balaam a message to give to King Balak. Then he said, “Go back and tell him what I told you.”

6 At siya'y bumalik sa kaniya, at, narito, siya'y nakatayo sa tabi ng kaniyang handog na susunugin, siya at ang lahat ng mga prinsipe sa Moab.

When Balaam returned to Balak, Balak was standing with the leaders from Moab beside the offerings he had burned [on the altar].

7 At kaniyang ibinadya ang kaniyang talinhaga, at sinabi, Mula sa Aram ay dinala ako rito ni Balac, Niyang hari sa Moab, na mula sa mga bundok ng Silanganan: Parito ka, sumpain mo sa akin ang Jacob. At parito ka, laitin mo ang Israel.

This is the message that Balaam told them: “Balak, the King of Moab, summoned me to come here from Syria; he brought me here from the hills at the eastern side of Syria. He said, ‘Come and curse the descendants of Jacob for me, saying that bad things will happen to these Israeli people!’

8 Paanong aking susumpain ang hindi sinumpa ng Dios? At paanong aking lalaitin ang hindi nilait ng Panginoon?

But (how can I curse people whom God has not cursed?/I certainly cannot curse people whom God has not cursed!) [RHQ] (How can I condemn people whom Yahweh has not condemned?/I cannot condemn people whom Yahweh has not condemned!) [RHQ]

9 Sapagka't mula sa taluktok ng mga bato ay aking nakikita siya, At mula sa mga burol ay akin siyang natatanawan: Narito, siya'y isang bayang tatahang magisa, At hindi ibinibilang sa gitna ng mga bansa.

I have seen them from the tops of the rocky peaks. I see that they are a group of people who live by themselves; they have separated themselves from other nations.

10 Sinong makabibilang ng alabok ng Jacob, O ng bilang ng ikaapat na bahagi ng Israel? Mamatay nawa ako ng kamatayan ng matuwid, At ang aking wakas ay magiging gaya nawa ng kaniya!

(Who can count the descendants of Jacob; they are as numerous as particles of (dust/dirt)?/No one can count the descendants of Jacob; they are as numerous as particles of (dust/dirt)!) [RHQ] (Who can count even a quarter of the Israeli people?/No one can count even a quarter of the Israeli people!) [RHQ] I wish/hope that I will die like righteous people die; I hope that I will die [peacefully] like they will die.”

11 At sinabi ni Balac kay Balaam, Anong ginawa mo sa akin? Ipinagsama kita upang sumpain mo ang aking mga kaaway, at, narito, iyong pinagpala silang totoo.

Then Balak said, “What have you done to me [RHQ]? I brought you here to curse my enemies, but instead you have (blessed them/asked Yahweh to bless them)!”

12 At siya'y sumagot, at nagsabi, Hindi ba nararapat na aking pagingatang salitain yaong isinasa bibig ko ng Panginoon?

But Balaam replied, “I can [RHQ] say only what Yahweh tells me to say. I cannot say anything else.”

13 At sinabi sa kaniya ni Balac, Isinasamo ko sa iyo, na sumama ka sa akin sa ibang dako, na iyong pagkakakitaan sa kanila; ang iyo lamang makikita ay ang kahulihulihang bahagi nila, at hindi mo makikita silang lahat: at sumpain mo sila sa akin mula roon.

Then King Balak told Balaam, “Come with me to another place. There you will see only part of the Israeli people, and you will be able to curse those people for me.”

14 At dinala niya siya sa parang ng Sophim, sa taluktok ng Pisga, at nagtayo roon ng pitong dambana, at naghandog ng isang toro, at ng isang tupang lalake sa bawa't dambana.

So Balak took Balaam to a field on the top of Pisgah [Mountain]. There, again he built seven altars and offered a young bull and a ram [as a sacrifice] on each altar.

15 At kaniyang sinabi kay Balac, Tumayo ka rito sa tabi ng iyong handog na susunugin, samantalang aking sinasalubong ang Panginoon doon.

Then Balaam said to the king, “Stand here close to your burned offerings, while I go and talk with Yahweh.”

16 At sinalubong ng Panginoon si Balaam, at pinapagsalita siya ng salita sa kaniyang bibig, at sinabi, bumalik ka kay Balac, at ganito ang iyong sasalitain.

So Balaam did that, and Yahweh appeared to Balaam again and gave him another message. Then he said, “Go back to Balak and tell him that message.”

17 At siya'y naparoon sa kaniya, at, narito, siya'y nakatayo sa tabi ng kaniyang handog na susunugin, at ang mga prinsipe sa Moab na kasama niya. At sinabi sa kaniya ni Balac, Anong sinalita ng Panginoon?

So Balaam returned to where the king and the leaders from Moab were standing, next to the altar where Balak had burned the sacrifices. Balak asked him, “What did Yahweh say?”

18 At kaniyang ibinadya ang kaniyang talinghaga, at sinabi, Tumindig ka, Balac, at iyong dinggin; Makinig ka sa akin, ikaw anak ni Zippor:

Then Balaam told him this message: “Balak, listen carefully; hear what I have to say, you son of Zippor [DOU]!

19 Ang Dios ay hindi tao na magsisinungaling, Ni anak ng tao na magsisisi; Sinabi ba niya, at hindi niya gagawin? O sinalita ba niya, at hindi niya isasagawa?

God is not a human being. Humans lie, but God never lies. He never changes his mind/thoughts, as humans do. Whatever he has said that he will do, he does.

20 Narito, ako'y tumanggap ng utos na magpala: At kaniyang pinagpala, at hindi ko na mababago.

He commanded me [to request him] to bless [the Israelis], So he has blessed them, and I cannot change that.

21 Wala siyang nakitang kasamaan sa Jacob, Ni wala siyang nakitang kasamaan sa Israel: Ang Panginoon niyang Dios ay sumasa kaniya, At ang sigaw ng hari ay nasa gitna nila.

Yahweh their God is with/helping them; they have declared that he is their true king. So the descendants of Jacob will not be harmed; they will not have any troubles [DOU].

22 Dios ang naglalabas sa kanila sa Egipto; Siya'y may lakas na gaya ng mabangis na toro.

God brought them out of Egypt [where they were slaves]; he is as strong as a wild ox.

23 Tunay na walang enkanto laban sa Jacob, Ni panghuhula laban sa Israel: Ngayo'y sasabihin tungkol sa Jacob at sa Israel, Anong ginawa ng Dios!

When people curse [PRS] the descendants of Jacob, they will not be harmed; when people work sorcery on them, it will have no power. So now people will say about the descendants of Jacob, ‘God has done wonderful things for the Israelis!’

24 Narito, ang bayan ay tumitindig na parang isang leong babae, At parang isang leon na nagpakataas: Siya'y hindi mahihiga hanggang sa makakain ng huli, At makainom ng dugo ng napatay.

They are very strong, like lionesses that are ready to attack [other animals]; they stand firm like lions. The lions refuse to rest until they have [killed and] eaten their prey, and drunk the blood of the animals they slaughtered.”

25 At sinabi ni Balac kay Balaam, Ni huwag mo silang pakasumpain ni pakapagpalain.

Then Balak said to Balaam, “If you will not curse them, then [I certainly] do not [want you to] bless them!”

26 Nguni't si Balaam ay sumagot at nagsabi kay Balac, Di ba isinaysay ko sa iyo, na sinasabi, Yaong lahat na sinasalita ng Panginoon, ay siya kong nararapat gawin?

But Balaam replied, “I told you that I must do only what Yahweh tells me to do!”

27 At sinabi ni Balac kay Balaam, Halika ngayon, ipagsasama kita sa ibang dako; marahil ay kalulugdan ng Dios na iyong sumpain sila sa akin mula roon.

Then King Balak said to Balaam, “Come with me; I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God to allow you to curse them from that place.”

28 At ipinagsama ni Balac si Balaam sa taluktok ng Peor, na nakatungo sa ilang.

So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor [Mountain] where they could look down [and see the Israelis in] the desert.

29 At sinabi ni Balaam kay Balac, Ipagtayo mo ako rito ng pitong dambana, at ipaghanda mo ako rito ng pitong toro at ng pitong tupang lalake.

Balaam again told Balak, “Build me seven altars again and kill seven young bulls and seven rams [for a sacrifice].”

30 At ginawa ni Balac gaya ng sinabi ni Balaam, at naghandog ng isang toro at ng isang tupang lalake sa bawa't dambana.

So Balak did what Balaam told him to do. He burned a young bull and a ram on each altar as sacrifices.