< Nomipā 24 >
1 Pea ʻi heʻene mamata ʻe Pelami kuo lelei kia Sihova ke fakamonūʻia ʻa ʻIsileli, naʻe ʻikai ʻalu ia, ʻo hangē ko ʻene fuofua fai, ke kumi ʻae kikite, ka naʻa ne hanga hono mata ki he toafa.
Balaam now realized that Yahweh wanted to bless the Israeli people, [not curse them]. So he did not use magic/divination [like a shaman would do] to find out what Yahweh wanted, as he often did. Instead, he turned toward the desert.
2 Pea naʻe hanga hake ʻae mata ʻo Pelami, pea naʻa ne mamata ki ʻIsileli kuo nau nofo, ʻo fakatatau ki honau ngaahi faʻahinga; pea naʻe tō ʻae laumālie ʻoe ʻOtua kiate ia.
He saw the Israeli people camped there [in their tents], with each tribe gathered in its own group. Then the Spirit of God took control of him,
3 Pea naʻa ne fai atu ʻa ʻene lea fakatātā, ʻo pehē, “Ko Pelami ko e foha ʻo Peoli kuo ne pehē, pea kuo pehē ʻe he tangata kuo ʻā hono mata:
and enabled him to give this prophetic message to Balak: “I, Balaam, the son of Beor, am giving this prophecy; I am speaking as a man who sees [what will happen in the future] clearly speaks.
4 Kuo ne pehē, ʻe ia naʻe fanongo ki he folofola ʻa Sihova, mo ne mamata ki he hā mai ʻoe Māfimafi, mo ne tō hifo, kae ʻā pe hono mata:
I hear this message from God; I see a vision from him who is all-powerful. My eyes are open as I prostrate myself in front of him.
5 Hono ʻikai lelei lahi ʻa ho ngaahi fale fehikitaki, ʻE Sēkope, pea mo ho ngaahi nofoʻanga, ʻE ʻIsileli!
You descendants of Jacob, your tents are very beautiful; they are truly lovely!
6 ʻOku nau mafola atu ʻo hangē ko e fonua tokalelei, ʻo hangē ko e ngaahi ngoue ʻi he veʻe vaitafe, pea hangē ko e ngaahi ʻakau ko e ʻalosi ʻaia kuo tō ʻe Sihova, pea ʻoku tatau mo e ngaahi ʻakau ko e sita ʻi he veʻe vai.
Your tents are spread out [in front of me like groves of palm trees in] valleys, like gardens alongside a river. They are like strong aloe trees/plants that Yahweh has planted, like [strong] cedar trees [that grow] along the rivers.
7 Pea ʻe lilingi ʻe ia ʻae vai mei heʻene ngaahi ipu vai, pea ko hono tenga, ʻe tupu ia ʻi he vai lahi, pea ʻe māʻolunga ʻa hono tuʻi ʻia Ekaki, pea ʻe hakeakiʻi ʻa hono puleʻanga.
Your water buckets will always be full; the seeds [that you plant] will always have plenty of water [to make them grow]. The Israelis’ king will be greater than [King] Agag; the kingdom that he rules will be honored.
8 Kuo ʻomi ia ʻe he ʻOtua mei ʻIsipite, ʻoku ʻiate ia ʻae mālohi ʻo hangē ko e ʻiunikoni: pea te ne kai ke ʻosi ʻae ngaahi puleʻanga ʻo hono ngaahi fili, pea te ne fesiʻi honau ngaahi hui, pea ne hokaʻi ke ʻasi ʻiate kinautolu ʻa ʻene ngaahi ngahau.
God brought the Israelis out of Egypt, [leading them along] with his great power [MTY] like a wild ox has. He devastates all the nations that oppose him; he breaks all those people’s bones into pieces, and shoots them with his arrows.
9 Naʻe tokoto ia, ʻo toitoi ʻo hangē ko e laione, pea tatau mo e laione lahi: pea ko hai te ne faʻa ueʻi hake ia? ʻOku monūʻia ia ʻaia ʻoku ne tāpuakiʻi koe, pea ʻe malaʻia ia ʻoku ne fakamalaʻiaʻi koe.”
The Israelis are like lions that crouch and lie down, [ready to pounce on their prey] [SIM]. They are like lionesses [that are resting, but ready to attack]; no one [RHQ] would dare to arouse them! [God] will bless everyone who blesses you Israelis, and he will curse everyone who curses you.”
10 Pea naʻe tupu ʻae ʻita ʻa Pelaki kia Pelami, pea naʻa ne pasipasi ʻa hono nima: pea pehē ʻe Pelaki kia Pelami, “Naʻaku ui mai ko e ke ke tukitalaʻi hoku ngaahi fili, pea vakai, kuo ke tāpuakiʻi tofu pe ʻakinautolu ni ʻo liunga tolu.
Then King Balak was extremely angry with Balaam. He showed with his hands that he was very angry, and he [shouted at Balaam], “I summoned you here to curse my enemies! Instead, you have (blessed/asked God to bless) them three times!
11 Pea ko ia ke ke puna ki ho potu: ne u ʻamanaki ke u hakeakiʻi koe ke ke ongoongo lahi, pea vakai, kuo taʻofi koe ʻe Sihova mei he ongoongolelei.”
So now, get out of here! Go back home! I said that I would pay you a lot of money [if you cursed them], but Yahweh has prevented you from getting any pay!”
12 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Pelami kia Pelaki, “ʻIkai naʻaku lea ki hoʻo kau talafekau ʻaia naʻa ke fekau mai kiate au, ʻo pehē,
Balaam said to Balak, “[Do you not remember what] [RHQ] I told the messengers that you sent to me? I said,
13 Kapau ʻe foaki ʻe Pelaki kiate au ʻa hono fale ʻoku pito ʻi he siliva mo e koula, ʻe ʻikai te u fakakeheʻi ʻae fekau ʻa Sihova, ke fai ʻae lelei pe ko e kovi ʻi hoku loto ʻoʻoku; ka ko ia ʻe folofola mai ʻe Sihova, ko ia pe te u lea ʻaki?”
‘Even if Balak would give me a palace filled with silver and gold, I would not disobey Yahweh. I cannot do anything bad or anything that is good [that he does not approve of].’ And I told you that I could say only what Yahweh says to me.
14 Pea ko eni, “Vakai, te u ʻalu au ki hoku kakai: ka te u fakahā kiate ko e ʻaia ʻe fai ʻe he kakai ni ki ho kakai ʻi he ngaahi ʻaho ʻamui.”
So yes, I will return to my people, but first, allow me to tell you what will happen to you Moab people in the future.”
15 Pea naʻa ne fai atu ʻa ʻene lea fakatātā, ʻo pehē, “Ko Pelami ko e foha ʻo Peoli kuo ne pehē, pea ko e tangata kuo ʻā hono mata kuo pehē ʻe ia:
So Balaam said this [to Balak]: “I, Balaam, son of Beor, am again giving a prophecy, speaking as a man who sees [what will happen in the future] clearly speaks.
16 Kuo pehē ʻe ia, naʻe fanongo ki he folofola ʻae ʻOtua, pea maʻu ʻae ʻilo ʻoe fungani Māʻolunga, ʻaia kuo mamata ki he hā mai ʻoe Māfimafi, mo ne tō hifo, kae ʻā hono mata:
I hear a message from God; I know things that God, who lives in heaven, has [revealed to me]. I see a vision from him who is all-powerful. My eyes are open as I prostrate myself in front of him.
17 Te u mamata kiate ia, ka ʻe ʻikai vave: te u sio kiate ia, ka ʻe ʻikai ofi: ʻe haʻu ʻae Fetuʻu meia Sēkope, pea ʻe tuʻu hake ʻae Tokotoko ʻae tuʻi ʻi ʻIsileli, pea ʻe taaʻi ʻe ia ʻae ngaahi tuliki ʻo Moape, pea ʻe fakaʻauha ʻae fānau kotoa pē ʻoku fiefie lahi.
The things that I see [in the vision] are not [going to happen] now; I see things [that God will cause to happen] in the future. A man who is [a descendant of] Jacob will appear like a star [MET]; a king who holds a scepter will be one of the Israeli people. He will crush the heads of you people of Moab; he will wipe out the descendants of Seth.
18 Pea ʻe hoko ʻa ʻItomi ko e tofiʻa, ʻe hoko foki ʻa Seia ko e tofiʻa ki hono ngaahi fili; pea ʻe fai mālohi ʻa ʻIsileli.
The Israelis will occupy Edom, and they will conquer their enemies [who live near] Seir [Mountain]. The Israeli people will be victorious/strong.
19 ʻE haʻu meia Sēkope ʻaia te ne maʻu ʻae pule, pea te ne fakaʻauha ia ʻoku toe ʻi he kolo.”
A ruler who is a descendant of Jacob will come; he will get rid of the people who still live in the city [where Balaam first met Balak].”
20 Pea ʻi heʻene sio ki ʻAmaleki, naʻa ne fai atu ʻa ʻene lea fakatātā, ʻo pehē, “Ko ʻAmaleki ko e ʻuluaki ia ʻoe ngaahi puleʻanga; ka ʻe pehē ʻa hono ikuʻanga, ʻe ʻauha ia ʻo lauikuonga.”
Then Balaam looked out over where the Amalek people-group [lived], and he prophesied this: “The Amalek people-group were the greatest nation, but they will be wiped out.”
21 Pea naʻa ne sio ki he kau Kenai pea naʻa ne fai atu ʻa ʻene lea fakatātā, ʻo ne pehē, “ʻOku mālohi ʻa ho potu nofoʻanga, pea kuo ke tuku ʻa ho pununga ʻi he maka.
Then he looked out over the area where the Ken people-group [lived], and he prophesied this: “You [think that] the place where you live is secure/safe like a nest that is made in the cliffs [MET],
22 Ka ʻe fakaʻaʻau ke ʻosi ʻae kau Kenai kaeʻoua ke ʻave koe ʻe he kakai ʻAsilia ʻo fakapōpulaʻi.”
but you will be wiped out when the army of Assyria conquers you.”
23 Pea naʻa ne fai atu ʻa ʻene lea fakatātā, ʻo pehē, “ʻOiauē, ko hai ʻe moʻui ʻoka fai ʻe he ʻOtua ʻae meʻa ni!
Balaam ended his prophecies by saying, “Also, (who can (survive/escape) when God does all these things?/no one will be able to (survive/escape) when God does all these things!) [RHQ]
24 Pea [ʻe haʻu ]ʻae ngaahi vaka mei he mata fonua ʻo Kitime, pea ʻe fakamamahi ʻe ia ʻa ʻAsilia, pea ʻe fakamamahi mo ʻIpeli, pea ʻe ʻauha foki mo ia ʻo lauikuonga.”
Ships will come from Cyprus [Island], and [the men in those ships] will defeat [the armies of] Assyria and Eber. But God will get rid of those men, too.”
25 Pea naʻe tuʻu hake ʻa Pelami, pea ne ʻalu ʻo foki ki hono potu: pea ko Pelaki foki naʻe toe ʻalu ia ʻi hono hala.
Then Balaam and Balak returned to their homes.