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.
1 Bileam okwa lombwele Balak a ti: “Tungila ndje mpaka iiyambelo iheyali ngoye u etele ndje oongombe heyali noonzi oondumentu heyali.”
2 Balak okwa ningi, ngaashi a lombwelwa, oye naBileam noya yamba ongombe nonzi ondumentu poshiyambelo kehe. 3 Opo ihe Bileam okwa ti kuBalak: “Kala mpaka pefikilondjambo lyoye, manga tandi ka tala, pamwe Omuwa ta tsakaneke ndje. Otandi ya ndi ku lombwele, ngele okwi ihololele ndje.” Okwa londo koshikulundundu shimwe, 4 naKalunga okwe mu tsakaneke. Bileam okwa ti kuye: “Onda tungu iiyambelo iheyali nonda yambele ongombe nonzi ondumentu koshiyambelo kehe.”
5 Omuwa okwa lombwele Bileam shoka e na oku shi popya e te mu tumu kuBalak, opo e mu lombwele elaka lye. 6 Okwa shuna e ta adha Balak a thikama pefikilondjambo e li pamwe naawiliki yaMoab.
7 Bileam okwa totomona ehunganeko lye e ta ti:
“Balak okwi ile ndje muAram,
omukwaniilwa gwaMoab okoondundu dhokuuzilo, a ti:
‘Ila, u lile ndje Jakob muumpulile;
ila, u tikilile ndje Israel.’
8 Otandi mu li ngiini,
Kalunga sho ite mu li?
Otandi mu tikile ngiini,
Omuwa sho ite mu tikile?
9 Opombanda mpaka nde mu tala,
okiikulundundu tandi mu ligamene.
Tala, oshigwana shi iyoololelwa
sho itaashi yalulilwa maantu yalwe.
10 Olye ta vulu okuyalula oluvalo lwaJakob,
nenge okuyeleka omwaalu gwaIsrael?
Nandi se eso lyaayuuki,
ndi tokoke ndi na ombili,
ngaashi aantu yaKalunga!”
11 Balak okwa ti kuBileam: “Owa ningi ndje ngiini? Onde ku ithana, u ye u lile ndje aatondi yandje muumpulile, ihe owe ya laleke nuuyamba.”
12 Bileam okwa yamukula a ti: “Otandi popi ashike shoka Omuwa ta lombwele ndje, ndi shi popye.”
Ehunganeko etiyali lyaBileam
13 Balak okwa lombwele Bileam a ti: “Ila, tu ye kehala lilwe nkoka to vulu okutala ombinga onkwawo yAaisraeli, ngoye u ya lile ndje muumpulile.” 14 Okwe mu fala kelundu lyaZofim kondungu yondundu Pisga. Okwa tungile ko iiyambelo iheyali e ta yambele ongombe nonzi ondumentu koshiyambelo kehe.
15 Bileam okwa ti kuBalak: “Kala mpaka pefikilondjambo lyoye, manga tandi ka tsakaneka Kalunga hwiyaka.”
16 Omuwa okwa tsakaneke Bileam e te mu lombwele shoka e na okupopya, nokwe mu shunitha kuBalak, e mu faalele elaka. 17 Okwa shuna e ta adha Balak a thikama pefikilondjambo lye, pamwe naawiliki yaMoab. Balak okwa pula shoka Omuwa a ti, 18 naBileam okwa totomona ehunganeko lye a ti:
“Thikama, Balak, u pulakene!
Omuna gwaZippor, pulakena ndje!
19 Kalunga hamuntu a popye iifundja,
Ye hamuna gwomuntu i idhiladhilulule.
A uvaneke sha ye kee shi gwanithe;
a popye sha ye kee shi ninge.
20 Onda nongekwa okuyambeka,
nongele Kalunga a yambeke,
ite vulu oku shi galula.
21 Omuntu ka mono omukundu muJakob
nenge okundhindhilika oshiponga muIsrael.
Omuwa, Kalunga kawo, oku li puyo,
nesimano lyomukwaniilwa tali ligolelwa mokati kawo.
22 Kalunga okwe ya tembudha muEgipiti;
oku ya lile po a fa ooniga dhonyati.
23 Kaku na uumpulile tau li Jakob,
kaku na uulodhi tau logo Israel.
Ngashingeyi aantu taa popi Jakob naIsrael taa ti:
‘Tala shoka Kalunga a ningi!’
24 Oshigwana shaIsrael osha thikama sha fa onkoshi onyali.
Ongaashi onime otashi iyelutha po,
itashi ka lala, manga inaashi lya shoka she shi yugu,
manga inaashi nwa ombinzi yoshihakanwa shasho she shi dhipaga.”
25 Nena Balak okwa ti kuBileam: “Owa tindi okuthinga Aaisraeli, ihe ino ya laleka wo nuuyamba!”
26 Bileam okwa yamukula a ti: “Inandi ku lombwela nani kutya otandi ningi ashike shoka Omuwa ta lombwele ndje?”
Ehunganeko etitatu lyaBileam
27 Balak okwa ti: “Ila, tu ye ndi ku fale kehala lilwe. Pamwe Kalunga ota ka pitika, u ya lile ndje muumpulile nkoka.” 28 Okwa fala Bileam kondungu yondundu Peor, ndjoka ya tumbalala mombuga. 29 Bileam okwe mu lombwele e ta ti: “Tungila ndje iiyambelo iheyali mpaka e to etele ndje oongombe heyali noonzi oondumentu heyali.” 30 Balak okwa ningi, ngaashi a lombwelwa, e ta yambele ongombe nonzi ondumentu koshiyambelo kehe.
