4 Mose 22
1 Afei, Israelfo no kɔɔ Moab tataw so kɔtenaa Asubɔnten Yordan apuei fam a ɛhɔ ne Yeriko di nhwɛanim no.
Then the Israelis traveled west to the area of Moab that was in the valley of the Jordan [River], across the river from Jericho [city].
2 Sipor babarima Balak huu nea Israelfo ayɛ Amorifo no nyinaa,
But King Balak, the son of Zippor, who ruled Moab, found out what the Israelis had done to the Amor people-group.
3 na Moab huu Israelfo dodow a wɔwɔ hɔ no, ɔne ne nkurɔfo bɔɔ huboa.
[When he saw that] the Israelis were very numerous, he and his people became terrified.
4 Moabfo no ka kyerɛɛ Midian mpanyimfo no se, “Saa dɔm yi bɛwe biribiara a ɛwɔ ha no, sɛnea nantwi we sare.” Enti Sipor ba Balak a na ɔyɛ Moabhene saa bere no
So the king of Moab [went to] the leaders of the Midian people-group and said to them, “This huge group [of Israelis] will (wipe out/destroy) everything around them, like an ox devours grass!” Balak was the king of Moab.
5 somaa nnipa ma wɔkɔɔ Beor babarima Balaam nkyɛn wɔ Petor a ɛbɛn Asubɔnten Eufrate ho. Balak kae se, “Nnipadɔm bi fi Misraim aba. Wɔkata asase ani nyinaa na wɔabɛtena abɛn me.
He sent messengers to [a prophet named] Balaam, who was living in his own area, in Pethor [town], near the [Euphrates] River. He sent this message to request that Balaam would come [to help him]: “A huge group of people has arrived here from Egypt. [It looks like] they are covering the entire land! And they have begun to live close to us.
6 Mɛsrɛ wo, bra na bɛdome wɔn ma me, efisɛ wɔyɛ den sen me. Ebia ɛbɛma matumi adi wɔn so nkonim na mapam wɔn afi asase no so. Efisɛ minim nhyira a ɛba wɔn a wuhyira wɔn no so, na minim mmusu a ɛba wɔn a wodome wɔn no so nso.”
Because they are very powerful/numerous, [we are afraid of them. So] please come and curse them for me. Then my army may be able to defeat them and expel them from the land [where they are now living]. I know that good things will happen to the people whom you bless, and disasters will happen to the people whom you curse.”
7 Moab ne Midian mpanyimfo no fii hɔ a na wokita sika a wɔde rekotua Balaam ka ama wadome Israelfo no. Enti wɔkɔɔ Balaam nkyɛn kɔkaa nea ehia Balak no kyerɛɛ no.
[Balak’s messengers, who were] leaders of both the Moab and Midian people-groups, took money with them to pay Balaam in order that he would [come and] curse the Israelis. They went to Balaam and told him what Balak had said.
8 Balaam kae se, “Monna mma ade nkye mo. Ade kye a, nea Awurade bɛkyerɛ me sɛ menyɛ no, mɛka akyerɛ mo.” Enti Moab mpanyimfo no dae.
Balaam said, “Stay here tonight. [Tomorrow morning] I will tell you whatever Yahweh tells me that I should say to you.” So the leaders from Moab stayed there that night.
9 Anadwo no, Onyankopɔn baa Balaam nkyɛn bebisaa no se, “Saa nnipa yi yɛ hefo?”
During the night, God appeared to Balaam and asked him, “(Who are/Tell me about) these men who are staying with you.”
10 Obuae se, “Wɔde nkra afi Moabhene Balak nkyɛn abrɛ me se:
Balaam replied, “Balak, the king of Moab, sent these men to tell me this:
11 Nnipadɔm bi fi Misraim aba ne hye so. Enti bra na bɛdome wɔn sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a metumi ne wɔn ako apam wɔn.”
‘A huge group of people has come from Egypt, and they have spread all over this area. Please come immediately to curse them. Then I may be able to defeat them and expel them [from this area].’”
12 Onyankopɔn ka kyerɛɛ Balaam se, “Nkɔ. Ɛnsɛ sɛ wodome wɔn, efisɛ mahyira wɔn!”
God replied to Balaam, “Do not go with them! I have blessed those people, so you must not curse them!”
13 Ade kyee anɔpa no, Balaam ka kyerɛɛ Balak nkurɔfo no se, “Monsan nkɔ fie! Awurade ampene sɛ me ne mo nkɔ.”
The next morning, Balaam got up and told Balak’s men, “Go back home. [But go by yourselves, because] Yahweh is not allowing me to go with you.”
14 Enti Balak mpanyimfo no san bɛbɔɔ amanneɛ se, “Balaam ne yɛn amma.”
So the men from Moab returned to King Balak and they reported to him, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
15 Balak somaa nnipa dodow pa ara a anuonyamfo a wɔkyɛn kan dɔm no fra wɔn mu.
But Balak sent another [group of] leaders to Balaam. It was a group that was larger and they were more important [than the men in the first group].
16 Wɔbaa Balaam nkyɛn bɛka kyerɛɛ no se, “Sɛnea Sipor ba Balak se ni, ‘Mma biribiara nsiw wo kwan sɛ wobɛba me nkyɛn,
They went to Balaam and told him this: “This is what King Balak says: ‘Please do not allow anything to hinder you from coming here.
17 efisɛ metua wo ka yiye. Bra na bɛdome saa nnipa no ma me.’”
I will pay you (a lot of money/very well) [if you come], and I will do anything that you ask me to do. Just come and curse these [Israeli] people for me!’”
18 Nanso, Balaam buae se, “Sɛ Balak ma me dwetɛ ne sikakɔkɔɔ a ɛwɔ nʼahemfi hɔ nyinaa mpo a, merentumi nyɛ biribiara mmu saa ahyɛde a Awurade a ɔyɛ me Nyankopɔn no ahyɛ no so.
But Balaam answered them, “Even if Balak would give me a palace filled with silver and gold, I would not do anything to disobey Yahweh, (my God/the God whom I [worship]).
19 Nanso, monna ha mma ade nkye na yɛnhwɛ sɛ Awurade bɛka asɛm foforo bi aka nea waka dedaw no ho anaa.”
But stay here one more night, like the other messengers did, and I will find out if Yahweh has anything more to say to me.”
20 Anadwo no, Onyankopɔn ka kyerɛɛ Balaam se, “Esiane sɛ nnipa no abɛfrɛ wo no nti, Sɔre na wo ne saa nnipa no nkɔ na mmom, hwɛ yiye na yɛ nea mɛkyerɛ wo sɛ yɛ no nko ara.”
That night God appeared to Balaam again and said to him, “These men have come to request that you go back with them, so you may go with them, but do only what I tell you [to do]!”
21 Ade kyee anɔpa no, ɔhyehyɛɛ nʼafurum, tenaa ne so ne Moab mpanyimfo no sii mu.
So the next morning, Balaam put a saddle on his donkey and he departed [with two of his servants] along with the men from Moab.
22 Nanso, Onyankopɔn bo fuw Balaam ahopere a ɔde kɔe no; enti ɔsomaa Awurade bɔfo ma ogyinaa akwantemfi sɛ onsiw no kwan. Na Balaam te nʼafurum so a nʼasomfo baanu ka ne ho.
[Even though God had given Balaam permission to go, he was still angry]. So he sent one of his angels to Balaam. This angel stood in the road to block Balaam’s path. As Balaam and the two servants were riding on their donkeys,
23 Afurum no huu Awurade bɔfo no sɛ okura afoa gyina kwan no mfimfini no, ɔman faa wuram. Balaam hwee no sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a ɔbɛfa ɔkwan no so.
Balaam’s donkey saw the angel. The angel was standing in the road and was holding a sword in his hand, [but Balaam did not see him]. Balaam’s donkey turned off the road into a field. So Balaam struck the donkey and forced it to go back onto the road.
24 Na Awurade ɔbɔfo no gyina ɔkwan hiahiaa bi a ɛwɔ bobeturo afasu abien ntam.
Then the angel stood in a place where the road was very narrow, between two vineyards, with walls on each side of the road.
25 Bere a afurum no huu Awurade bɔfo no, otwerii ɔfasu no ho maa Balaam nan pemee. Enti Balaam san hwee aboa no.
When the donkey saw the angel standing there, it walked very close to the wall [to try to get past the angel]. As a result, it bashed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So Balaam struck the donkey again.
26 Afei, Awurade bɔfo no kɔɔ nʼanim kogyinaa baabi a ɛhɔ kyere pa ara a na afurum no nnya baabi nnan ne ho mfa nifa anaa benkum.
Then the angel went further along the road and stood at a place that was extremely narrow, with the result that the donkey could not get past at all.
27 Enti obutuw ɔkwan no mu. Balaam bo fuw yiye ma ɔde abaa no hwee no.
This time, when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down [on the ground] with Balaam sitting on top of it. Balaam became extremely angry, and he struck the donkey again with his walking stick.
28 Afei, Awurade buee afurum no ano, na obisaa Balaam se, “Mayɛ wo dɛn na nti a wohwe me mprɛnsa saa?”
Then Yahweh enabled the donkey to speak! It said to Balaam, “What bad thing have I done to you that caused you to strike me three times?”
29 Balaam nso buaa no se, “Woama mayɛ ɔkwasea! Na sɛ mikura afoa a, anka mekum wo mprempren.”
Balaam shouted, “I struck you because you have caused me to appear to be foolish! If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!”
30 Afurum no nso bisaa no se, “Menyɛ wʼafurum a woatena me so daa de abesi nnɛ? So mayɛ sɛɛ pɛn?” Obuae se, “Dabi.”
But the donkey answered, “I am your own donkey [RHQ], the one that you have always ridden! Have I ever done anything like this previously?” Balaam said, “No.”
31 Afei, Awurade buee Balaam ani ma ohuu ɔsoro bɔfo no sɛ watwe afoa gyina ɔkwan no mfimfini. Enti ɔde nʼanim butuw fam.
Then Yahweh enabled Balaam to see the angel standing on the road, holding a sword in his hand. Balaam [realized that it was an angel and] prostrated himself on the ground in front of the angel.
32 Awurade bɔfo no bisaa no se, “Adɛn nti na woahwe wʼafurum no mprɛnsa saa? Maba sɛ merebesiw wo kwan, efisɛ wʼakwan mu no wunni ahwɛyie wɔ mʼanim.
The angel asked him, ‘(Why did you strike your donkey three times?/ You should certainly not have struck the donkey three times! [RHQ] I have come to block your path because what you are planning to do is wrong.
33 Afurum no huu me a ɔman faa nkyɛn mprɛnsa. Sɛ wamman a, anka mekum wo na magyaa no.”
Three times your donkey saw me and turned away from me. If it had not done that, I would certainly have killed you already, but I would have allowed the donkey to live.”
34 Balaam ka kyerɛɛ Awurade bɔfo no se, “Mafom. Na minnim sɛ wugyina ɔkwan no mu a worebesiw me kwan. Sɛ wʼani nnye ho a mɛsan akɔ.”
Then Balaam said to the angel, “I have sinned. But I did not realize that you were standing there, trying to block my path. So if you do not want me to continue going, I will return home.”
35 Awurade bɔfo no ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Wo ne nnipa no nkɔ, nanso asɛm a mɛka akyerɛ wo no nko ara na ka.” Enti Balaam ne Balak mpanyimfo no kɔe.
But the angel replied, “I will allow you to go with these men, but you must say only what I tell you to say!” So Balaam went on with the leaders whom Balak [had sent].
36 Bere a Balak tee sɛ Balaam reba no, ofii kurow no mu kohyiaa no wɔ Moabfo kurow mu wɔ Arnon hye so, wɔ nʼasase ano.
When King Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went to meet him at a Moab town alongside the Arnon [River] that was at the border of his own land.
37 Balak bisaa Balaam se, “Mamfrɛ wo ɔhare so ana? Adɛn nti na woamma me nkyɛn? So merentumi ntua wo ka ana?”
[When he arrived where] Balaam was, he said to him, “I sent you [RHQ] a message saying that you should come immediately [RHQ]! Why did you not come immediately? [Did you think that] I was not able to pay you a lot of money for coming?”
38 Balaam buae se, “Ɛwɔ mu sɛ maba de, nanso merentumi nka nea mepɛ biara. Asɛm a Onyankopɔn de bɛhyɛ mʼano no nko ara na ɛsɛ sɛ meka.”
Balaam replied, “I have come here now, but I am not able to say anything [that I want to]. I will say only the words that God tells me to say [MTY].”
39 Balaam kaa Balak ho ne no kɔɔ Kiria-Husot.
Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath-Huzoth [town].
40 Balak kum anantwi ne nguan bɔɔ afɔre na ɔde mmoa no bi maa Balaam ne ne mpanyimfo a wɔka ne ho.
There Balak killed some cattle and sheep as sacrifices, and offered [parts of the meat] to Balaam and the leaders who were with him.
41 Ade kyee anɔpa no, Balak faa Balaam de no kɔɔ Bamot-Baal atifi. Ofi hɔ too nʼani huu sɛ Israelfo no sam wɔn atenae hɔ.
[They slept there], and the next morning Balak took Balaam part way up [the mountain] to Bamoth-Baal [village]. From there, they could see some of the Israeli people who were down below.
