Numbers 23

Ukwambulelwa Kwakuqala KukaBhalamu

1UBhalamu wathi, “Ngakhela ama-alithare ayisikhombisa lapha, ube usungilungisela inkunzi eziyisikhombisa kanye lenqama eziyisikhombisa.” 2UBhalaki wenza njengokutshiwo nguBhalamu, kwathi bobabili babo banikela ngenkunzi langenqama eyodwa e-alithareni linye ngalinye.

3Ngakho uBhalamu wasesithi kuBhalaki, “Hlala lapha eceleni lomnikelo wakho mina ngisaya eceleni. Mhlawumbe uThixo uzabuya azohlangana lami. Lokho azakuveza kimi ngizakutshela.” Wasesuka waya endaweni ephakemeyo eligceke.

4UNkulunkulu wahlangana laye, njalo uBhalamu wathi, “Sengakhe ama-alithare ayisikhombisa njalo e-alithareni linye ngalinye nginikele ngenkunzi langenqama eyodwa.”

5Ngakho uThixo watshela uBhalamu wathi, “Buyela kuBhalaki uyemupha umbiko lo.”

6Ngakho wabuyela kuBhalaki wamfica emi eceleni komnikelo wakhe, kanye lawo wonke amakhosana amaMowabi. 7Ngakho uBhalamu wasesitsho umbiko wakhe:

“UBhalaki ungilethe ngivela e-Aramu,
inkosi yamaMowabi evela ezintabeni zasempumalanga.
‘Woza,’ watsho njalo, ‘ngiqalekisela uJakhobe;
woza, mchothoze u-Israyeli.’
8Ngingabaqalekisa njani
labo abangaqalekiswanga nguNkulunkulu?
Ngingachothoza njani
labo abangazange bachothozwe nguThixo?
9Eziqongweni zamatshe ngiyababona,
khonale phezulu bayangikhanyela.
Ngibona abantu abahlezi ngokwehluka,
njalo kabaziboni bengabalezizizwe.
10Ngubani ongabala uthuli lukaJakhobe
loba ingxenye yesine yabako-Israyeli na?
Yekela ngife ukufa kwabalungileyo,
njalo sengathi isiphetho sami singafana lesabo!”
11UBhalaki wathi kuBhalamu, “Kuyini osungenzele khona na? Ngize lawe ukuze uqalekise izitha zami, kodwa akulalutho olwenzileyo ngaphandle kokuzibusisa!”

12UBhalamu, waphendula wathi, “Ngingakukhulumi na engikutshelwe nguThixo?”

Ukwambulelwa Kwesibili KukaBhalamu

13Ngakho uBhalaki wathi kuBhalamu, “Woza asiye kwenye indawo lapha ozababona khona; uzabona ingxenye kuphela kungeyisibo bonke. Khonapho-ke ungiqalekisele bona.” 14Wasesuka laye waya emangweni waseZofimu phezu kwentaba iPhisiga, kulapho akha khona ama-alithare ayisikhombisa wanikela ngenkunzi langenqama e-alithareni linye ngalinye.

15UBhalamu wathi kuBhalaki, “Hlala lapha eceleni komnikelo wakho mina ngisayahlangana laye ngale.”

16 UThixo wahlangana loBhalamu wamtshela wathi, “Buyela kuBhalaki uyemnika umbiko lo.”

17Wasebuyela kuBhalaki wamfica emi eceleni komnikelo wakhe, kanye lamakhosana amaMowabi. UBhalaki wambuza wathi, “Utheni uThixo?”

18Wasesitsho umbiko wakhe:

“Vuka, Bhalaki, njalo ulalele; zwana mina,
ndodana kaZiphori.
19UNkulunkulu kasumuntu, ukuthi angaqamba amanga,
loba indodana yomuntu, yona eguquguqula ingqondo yayo.
Kambe ukhuluma angenzi na?
Uyathembisa angagcwalisi isithembiso na?
20Ngamukele umlayo wokubusisa;
usebusisile, njalo ngingeke ngikuguqule lokho.

21Akulamabhadi ehlela kuJakhobe,
akulasizi olubonakala ku-Israyeli.
UThixo uNkulunkulu wabo ukanye labo;
umkhosi weNkosi uphakathi kwabo.
22UNkulunkulu wabakhipha eGibhithe;
balamandla enyathi.
23Akulamilingo engalinga uJakhobe,
akulamasalamusi angamelana lo-Israyeli.
Khathesi sekuzathiwa ngoJakhobe
kanye lo-lsrayeli, ‘Khangela okwenziwe nguNkulunkulu!’
24Abantu bayavuka njengesilwanekazi;
badlwanguluka njengesilwane
sona esingaphumuliyo size sitshwabadele inyamazana yaso
njalo sinathe igazi layo.”
25Ngakho uBhalaki wasesithi kuBhalamu, “Ungabaqalekisi, njalo ungababusisi!”

26UBhalamu waphendula wathi, “Angikutshelanga na ukuthi ngenza engikutshelwe nguThixo?”

Isambulelo Sesithathu SikaBhalamu

27Ngakho uBhalaki wathi kuBhalamu, “Woza, kahle ngikuse kwenye indawo. Mhlawumbe kuzamthokozisa uNkulunkulu akuvumele ukuthi ungiqalekisele bona ukhonale.” 28Ngakho uBhalaki wahamba loBhalamu baya phezu kwePheyori ekhangele enkangala.

29UBhalamu wathi, “Ngakhela ama-alithare ayisikhombisa khonapha, ungilungisele inkunzi eziyisikhombisa lenqama eziyisikhombisa.” 30UBhalaki wenza lokho ayekutshelwe nguBhalamu, wanikela inkunzi eyodwa lenqama e-alithareni linye ngalinye.