1 Ngono Bhalamu kadwa Bhalaki kati, “Undibakile zwibeso zwili kutendeka ipapa, ube undilulwamisila mikong'wana ili kutendeka ne nyundo dzili kutendeka.” 2 Bhalaki kathama tjaadwiwa ndi Bhalamu, ngono iye na Bhalamu bakayisa tjibhayilo tje nkong'wana ne tje nyundo mu tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo tjimwe ne tjimwe. 3 Bhalamu kadwa Bhalaki kati, “Ima pa tjibhayilo tjitjo tjinopisiwa, imi ndi yendile mbelinyana, pamwe Yahwe banowozha kundili, ngono tjabanobe bandilakidza itjo ndowokubudza.” Bhalamu kabe etathila pezhugwi kwe dombo. 4 Ndzimu ukashangana naye, Bhalamu kadwa Ndzimu kati, “Ndabaka zwibeso zwili kutendeka, ngono mu tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo tjimwe ne tjimwe ndayisa nkong'wana ne nyundo.”
5 Yahwe bakalonga matama abo mu nlomo wa Bhalamu, bakan'dwa beti, “Bgwilila kuna Bhalaki, ngono umbudze matama iyawa.” 6 Ngono kabgwilila kuna Bhalaki, kanon'wana ali mile ana makulukota wose e Moabu pa tjibhayilo tjitje tjinopisiwa. 7 Bhalamu katangisa ndebeleko iye kati:
“Bhalaki mambo we Moabu wakanonditola ku Aramu,
ku bhezhuba kwe matombo,
Wakati, ‘buya, undilongele bhiso muna Jakubo,
buya undilongele Iziraela bhiso.’
8 Apa ndingalonga bhiso tjini muna usakalongwa bhiso nge Ndzimu,?
Ndingabona nlandu tjini mu nthu usakabongwa nlandu ndi Yahwe?
9 Ngoti ndombona ndili pezhugwi kwe matombo,
ndombona ali mu matombo.
Bona, itjaba tjinogala tjili tjoga.
Kakale atjitozwibalila mu zwimwe zwitjaba.
10 Ndiani ungabala zwizekugwana zwa Jakubo zwinji se hwuluba,
Banjinji kwazo mu kubagwa.
Letja ndife lufu gwe nlulwami;
Ne bhelelo langu linge lile.”
11 Ngono Bhalaki kadwa Bhalamu kati, “Apa wandithamilani kene? Ndakanokutolela kuwolonga bhiso mu zwita zwangu, ngono bona, akuna tjawathama, akusi kubakombolela.” 12 Ngono kan'dabila eti, “Apa andizofanila kuleba tjandadwiwa ndi Yahwe kene?”
Kulebesambeli kwe bubili kwa Bhalamu
13 Bhalaki kadwa Bhalamu kati, “Ngatiyende tose, paungati ulipo ukabona bamwe be Baizaraela. Unowobona bamwe babo banowobe bali pejo, aungababone bose. Ube undilongela bhiso mubali uli paunowobe ulipo.” 14 Kayenda naye ku shango ye Zofimu pezhugwi kwe Dombo le Pisiga, bakaswika bakabaka zwibeso zwili kutendeka, bakapisila tjibhayilo tje nkong'wana ne tje nyundo mu tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo tjimwe ne tjimwe.
15 Bhalamu kadwa Bhalaki kati, “Ima ipapa kubapa ne tjibhayilo tjitjo tjinopisiwa, nditjanoshangana na Yahwe tjandiyeno.”
16 Yahwe bakashangana na Bhalamu, bakalonga matama abo mu nlomo uwe, bakan'dwa beti, “Bgwilila kuna Bhalaki, ngono umbudze matama iyawa.” 17 Ngono kaswika kunli, kawana alimile kubapa ne tjibhayilo tjitje tjinopisiwa ana makulukota e Moabu. Bhalaki kambhuzwa kati, “Yahwe balebani?” 18 Bhalamu katangisa ndebeleko iye kati:
“Milika, Bhalaki uhwe;
Unditeedze, iwe nkololo wa Zipori
19 Ndzimu autonga nthu, kwaunganyepa;
Autonga nthu, kwaungashandula nkumbulo.
Apa ungati tjawaleba, ukasi tjithame kene?
Kene tjawagadzabgwe, aungatjishingikadze kene?
20 Bona, ndakapiwa ndaulo kuti ndikombolele,
Ha Ndzimu wakombolela, andingabgwilize shule.
21 Auzowana mbipo muna Jakubo
kene kuli kubona mang'oni mu Iziraela.
Yahwe Ndzimu wabo unabo,
kulumbidziwa kwa mambo kupakati kwabo
22 Ndzimu wakabadusa mu Egipiti,
wakabagwila se nyati.
23 Akuna pheku muna Jakubo,
akuna hakata dzingashingisiwa mu Iziraela.
Ngwenu kowolebgwa ngekwa Jakubo na Iziraela kuyi,
‘Bona tjathamwa nge Ndzimu!’
24 Bona bathu ibaba, banomadzuka se shumbakadzi.
Kakale tjomuka se shumbalume,
Aitoizela isazandabula phuka ikaja,
Kudzina ing'wa malopa e zwayabulaya.”
25 Ndizo Bhalaki kadwa Bhalamu kati, “Se walamba tjose kulonga bhiso mu Iziraela, usitongo ikombolela tjose.” 26 Koga Bhalamu kadabila Bhalaki eti, “Apa andizokubudza kose Yahwe kwabakati ndithame kene?”
Kulebesambeli kwa Bhalamu kwe butatu
27 Bhalaki kadwa Bhalamu kati, “Ngatiyende, ngwenu ndowokuyisa ntome. Pamwe kowoshathisa Ndzimu kuti undilongele bhiso kudwa ikweno.” 28 Ipapo Bhalaki kayisa Bhalamu pezhugwi kwe Dombo le Peori kwaungalingila tjilambanyika pasi. 29 Bhalamu kadwa Bhalaki kati, “Undibakile zwibeso zwili kutendeka ipapa, ube undizhisila mikong'wana ili kutendeka ne nyundo dzili kutendeka.” 30 Ngono Bhalaki kathama sekwa adwiwa ndi Bhalamu, kayisa tjibhayilo tje nkong'wana ne tje nyundo mu tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo tjimwe ne tjimwe.
Balaam's First Message
1 Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars here, then bring seven bulls and seven rams.”
2 After Balak had done this, they sacrificed a bull and a ram on each altar. 3 Then Balaam said, “Wait here beside your offerings, and I'll go somewhere to be alone. Maybe the Lord will appear to me. If he does, I will tell you everything he says.” And he left.
4 When God appeared to him, Balaam said, “I have built seven altars and have sacrificed a bull and a ram on each one.”
5 The Lord gave Balaam a message, then sent him back to tell Balak. 6 When Balaam returned, he found Balak and his officials standing beside the offerings.
7 Balaam said:
“King Balak of Moab brought me
from the hills of Syria
to curse Israel
and announce its doom.
8 But I can't go against God!
He did not curse
or condemn Israel.
* 9 “From the mountain peaks,
I look down and see Israel,
the obedient people of God.
10 They are living alone in peace.
And though they are many,
they don't bother
the other nations.
“I hope to obey God
for as long as I live
and to die in such peace.”
11 Balak said, “What are you doing? I asked you to come and place a curse on my enemies. But you have blessed them instead!”
12 Balaam answered, “I can say only what the Lord tells me.”
Balaam's Second Message
13 Balak said to Balaam, “Let's go somewhere else. Maybe if you see a smaller part of the Israelites, you will be able to curse them for me.” 14 So he took Balaam to a field on top of Mount Pisgah where lookouts were stationed. Then he built seven altars there and sacrificed a bull and a ram on each one.
15 “Wait here beside your offerings,” Balaam said. “The Lord will appear to me over there.”
16 The Lord appeared to Balaam and gave him another message, then he told him to go and tell Balak. 17 Balaam went back and saw him and his officials standing beside the offerings.
Balak asked, “What did the Lord say?”
18 Balaam answered:
“Pay close attention
to my words—
19 God is no mere human!
He doesn't tell lies
or change his mind.
God always keeps his promises.
20 “My command from God
was to bless these people,
and there's nothing I can do
to change what he has done.
21 Israel's king is the Lord God.
He lives there with them
and intends them no harm.
22 With the strength of a wild ox,
God led Israel out of Egypt.
23 No magic charms can work
against them—
just look what God has done
for his people.
24 They are like angry lions
ready to attack;
and they won't rest
until their victim
is gobbled up.”
25 Balak shouted, “If you're not going to curse Israel, then at least don't bless them.”
26 “I've already told you,” Balaam answered. “I will say only what the Lord tells me.”
Balaam's Third Message
27 Balak said to Balaam, “Come on, let's try another place. Maybe God will let you curse Israel from there.” 28 So he took Balaam to Mount Peor overlooking the desert north of the Dead Sea.
29 Balaam said, “Build seven altars here, then bring me seven bulls and seven rams.”
30 After Balak had done what Balaam asked, he sacrificed a bull and a ram on each altar.