The King of Moab Sends for Balaam
1 The Israelites moved on and set up camp in the plains of Moab east of the Jordan and opposite Jericho.
2 When the king of Moab, Balak son of Zippor, heard what the Israelites had done to the Amorites and how many Israelites there were, 3 he and all his people became terrified. 4 The Moabites said to the leaders of the Midianites, “This horde will soon destroy everything around us, like a bull eating the grass in a pasture.” So King Balak 5 sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor near the Euphrates River in the land of Amaw. They brought him this message from Balak: “I want you to know that a whole nation has come from Egypt; its people are spreading out everywhere and threatening to take over our land. 6 They outnumber us, so please come and put a curse on them for me. Then perhaps we will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. I know that when you pronounce a blessing, people are blessed, and when you pronounce a curse, they are placed under a curse.”
7 So the Moabite and Midianite leaders took with them the payment for the curse, went to Balaam, and gave him Balak's message. 8 Balaam said to them, “Spend the night here, and tomorrow I will report to you whatever the Lord tells me.” So the Moabite leaders stayed with Balaam.
9 God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these people that are staying with you?”
10 He answered, “King Balak of Moab has sent them to tell me 11 that a people who came from Egypt has spread out over the whole land. He wants me to curse them for him, so that he can fight them and drive them out.”
12 God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them, and do not put a curse on the people of Israel, because they have my blessing.”
13 The next morning Balaam went to Balak's messengers and said, “Go back home; the Lord has refused to let me go with you.” 14 So they returned to Balak and told him that Balaam had refused to come with them.
15 Then Balak sent a larger number of leaders, who were more important than the first. 16 They went to Balaam and gave him this message from Balak: “Please don't let anything prevent you from coming to me! 17 I will reward you richly and do anything you say. Please come and curse these people for me.”
18 But Balaam answered, “Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not disobey the command of the Lord my God in even the smallest matter. 19 But please spend the night, as the others did, so that I may learn whether or not the Lord has something else to tell me.”
20 That night God came to Balaam and said, “If these men have come to ask you to go with them, get ready and go, but do only what I tell you.” 21 So the next morning Balaam saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite leaders.
Balaam and His Donkey
22 God was angry that Balaam was going, and as Balaam was riding along on his donkey, accompanied by his two servants, the angel of the Lord stood in the road to bar his way. 23 When the donkey saw the angel standing there holding a sword, it left the road and turned into the fields. Balaam beat the donkey and brought it back onto the road. 24 Then the angel stood where the road narrowed between two vineyards and had a stone wall on each side. 25 When the donkey saw the angel, it moved over against the wall and crushed Balaam's foot against it. Again Balaam beat the donkey. 26 Once more the angel moved ahead; he stood in a narrow place where there was no room at all to pass on either side. 27 This time, when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down. Balaam lost his temper and began to beat the donkey with his stick. 28 Then the Lord gave the donkey the power of speech, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you? Why have you beaten me these three times?”
29 Balaam answered, “Because you have made a fool of me! If I had a sword, I would kill you.”
30 The donkey replied, “Am I not the same donkey on which you have ridden all your life? Have I ever treated you like this before?”
“No,” he answered.
31 Then the Lord let Balaam see the angel standing there with his sword; and Balaam threw himself face downward on the ground. 32 The angel demanded, “Why have you beaten your donkey three times like this? I have come to bar your way, because you should not be making this journey. 33 But your donkey saw me and turned aside three times. If it hadn't, I would have killed you and spared the donkey.”
34 Balaam replied, “I have sinned. I did not know that you were standing in the road to oppose me; but now if you think it is wrong for me to go on, I will return home.”
35 But the angel said, “Go on with these men, but say only what I tell you to say.” So Balaam went on with them.
Balak Welcomes Balaam
36 When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went to meet him at Ar, a city on the Arnon River at the border of Moab. 37 Balak said to him, “Why didn't you come when I sent for you the first time? Did you think I wasn't able to reward you enough?”
38 Balaam answered, “I came, didn't I? But now, what power do I have? I can say only what God tells me to say.” 39 So Balaam went with Balak to the town of Huzoth, 40 where Balak slaughtered cattle and sheep and gave some of the meat to Balaam and the leaders who were with him.
Balaam's First Prophecy
41 The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal, from where Balaam could see a part of the people of Israel.
'Bädri'ba Moaba ro ka Lazo Ozo Balama vo
1 'Dooko lidri Yisaraele ro oyiyite, ago otoyi gawa te vorri Moaba roya ndra Yaradene kundusi miäwuäwuro Yeriko be. 2 'Bädri'ba Moaba ro Balaka ŋgwa Zipora ro eri tase cini Yisaraele'bai koyeyibe Amora'bai ri ana tana te, 3 ago Moaba'bai a'doyite turiro amba, tana Yisaraele'bai te orivoya amba. Moaba'bai te turi ro ndra. 4 Moaba'bai atayite dri'bai Midiana ro ri ekye: “Lowa ono elena ŋgase cini gbikyi ama lomvosi ono ro kyiti, oso ti kabe käyi omvo ni lowo yasi ronye.” Ta'dota Balaka ŋgwa Zipora ro se ni 'bädri'ba Moaba ro tu ana si ana, 5 zo lazo'bai te Balama ŋgwa Beora ro re Petora ya, se orivoya loto Golo kala 'bädri Amawa roya, zi nda te, atate ndäri ekye: “Mindre lidri ono ikyite ni Ezipeto yasi, ànya takoyi 'bädri te cini, ago ànya riyite loto ma lomvo. 6 Gi rägu nyikyi ri, mitri lidri ono robe märi, tana mbara ànyaro para ndrani ämäri, kode ma'dona 'da mbara be ànya opene ṛe, ago manjana ànya 'da ni 'bädri ono yasi; tana mäni ndi nda se nyabe äṛuna äṛute, ago nda se nyabe otrina atrite.”
7 Ta'dota dri'bai Moaba ro ndi dri'bai Midiana robe oyiyite ŋgapäṛi be ta 'diotri rota; ànya ikyiyite Balama re, ago itiyi lazo Balaka rote ndäri. 8 Balama atate ànyari ekye: “Nyu'du noŋwa ŋgäkyi ono si, ago ondo oko mologona ta 'da ämiri oso se OPI kabe atana märi ronye.” Ta'dota dri'bai Moaba ro u'duyite Balama be.
9 Lu ikyite Balama re ago atate ekye: “Lidri mibe kwoi a'diyi owo ya?”
10 Balama atate Lu ri ekye: “Balaka ŋgwa Zipora ro, 'bädri'ba Moaba ro, ezo lazo ni märi ekye: 11 ‘Lidri se kikyiyibe ni Ezipeto yasi ono, takoyi 'bädri te cini, nyikyi ànya otrine, tana ma'do robe mbara be kyila oyene ànya yibe ago ànya onjane tesi?’ ”
12 Oko Lu atate Balama ri ekye: “Oyine miri ànya yibe i'do, miri lidri Yisaraele ro otrine i'do 'de, tana mäṛu ànya te.”
13 Balama ŋgate kyenoŋbo, ago atate dri'bai Balaka ro ri ekye: “Mìgo 'bädri modo amiro roya; tana OPI laga ma zo oyine ami yibe.” 14 Ta'dota dri'bai Moaba ro ŋgayite ago oyiyite Balaka re, ago atayite Balaka ri ekye: “Balama gazo ikyine ama yibe.”
15 'Dooko Balaka zo dri'bai kpate to'di, otina te ndra ago likuna ndrani ànya se käti ana drisi. 16 Ànya ikyiyite Balama re ago atayite ndäri ekye: “Balaka ŋgwa Zipora ro ekye: ‘Mi'ba ŋga aza kalaga mi koni ikyivoya mare; 17 tana endaro mozona ŋga ndi amba miri, ago tase nyabe atana märi mayena ndi; nyikyi mitri lidri ono märi?’ ”
18 Oko Balama zatadrite, atate ruindu'bai Balaka ro ri ekye: “Aba Balaka kozo Zo'desi ndaro miri ro gica twi mo'di be ndi logo läguläguro be märi, märi ota OPI Lu maro ro drina lävune i'do 'de, ta menyeŋwa kode ta 'desi oye si. 19 Yauono molo'baru ämiri, miri dri noŋwa ŋgäkyi ono si oso azii se käti ronye, tana mäni tase aza OPI ka oyebe atane märi robe.”
20 Ago OPI ikyite Balama re ŋgäkyi ana si ago atate ndäri ekye: “Ondro lidri kwoi kikyiyite mi uzine, miŋga, nyoyi ri ànya yibe. Oko miri gialo tase mata mibe sina 'do oyene ayani.” 21 Ta'dota Balama ŋgate kyenoŋbo ago rite doŋgyi ndaro dri, ago oyite dri'bai Moaba'bai robe.
Balama ndi Doŋgyi Ndaro be
22 Oko Lu a'dote kyilaro tana Balama kabe oyi ana ro; ago malaika OPI ro edrete liti ya liti lagane zo ndäri. Balama ugu umute doŋgyi si, ago ruindu'bai ritu ndaro orivoya tro nda be. 23 Doŋgyi ndre malaika OPI rote edrevoya liti dri, eŋgye bando te drì ndaro ya; ndi doŋgyi kute liti biṛi ya ago cite ämvu yasi; oko Balama 'bi doŋgyi te, logone liti dri. 24 Ndi malaika OPI ro kyi edrete litiŋwa cariŋwa lakole ämvu kono ro yasi dri, se orivoya tiṛi be lamadri riti yasi. 25 Ondro doŋgyi kondre malaika OPI rote oko, anya 'berute tiṛi lomvo, ago ebe pa Balama rote 'de tiṛi lomvo; ago Balama 'bi anya te kpa to'di. 26 'Dooko malaika OPI ro oyite mileya ago edrete vo kyiraŋwa ya, se liti aza i'do ruozaza drigwo ya kode gaṛi ya. 27 Ondro doŋgyi kondre malaika OPI rote oko, anya 'dete vuru Balama zele, ago Balama a'dote kyilaro, ago nda 'bi doŋgyi te dambaṛa ndaro si. 28 'Dooko OPI pi kala doŋgyi rote, ago anya atate Balama ri ekye: “Maye e'diyi miri, mi'de gwo ma o'bine perena nätu nonye niya?”
29 Balama atate doŋgyi ri ekye: “Tana nya ni oji ma si. Aba ma'do gwo bando be drì maro ya aba mäfuna mi ṛo ufu.”
30 Doŋgyi logotate Balama ri ekye: “Inye'do ma ṛo ko doŋgyi miro, se nyälämute sina tu cini ori miro rosi madale ondro ono owo ya? Inye 'do kyenona maye mi ndi ronye ya?” Nda zatadrite ekye: “Hwa!”
31 'Dooko OPI pi mi Balama rote, ago nda ndre malaika OPI rote edrevoya liti ya, eŋgye bando ndaro te drì ndaro ya; 'dooko Balama edi drî ndaro te, ago 'dete militi si vuru. 32 Malaika OPI ro atate ndäri ekye: “Tana e'di mi'de gwo doŋgyi miro o'bine perena nätu inye niya? Mindre, mikyite edrene ŋbi mimile, tana a'do maro noŋwa ono si liti miro asete. 33 Doŋgyi ndre ma te, ago narute ni mamilesi perena nätu. Aba ondro ka'do ànya ko'deko ukune ni märi endaro aba ono mäfu mi te ago me'bena ndi doŋgyi ayani orine.”
34 'Dooko Balama atate malaika OPI ro ri ekye: “Maye takozi te, tana mäni kote anjioko mi orivoya edrevoya liti dri ma lagane zo, ondro ka'dote takozi yi mimile magona te kovole.”
35 Oko malaika OPI ro atate Balama ri ekye: “Nyoyi lidri kwoi yibe, oko toto ata se mata mibe sina 'do, miri atane ayani. Ta'dota Balama oyite dri'bai se Balaka kezobe kai yibe.”
Balaka Utudri Balama rote
36 Ondro Balaka keritate ekye Balama esate oko, nda fote tesi drî ndaro utune 'bakici aza Moaba ro ya, kishwe se kogobe Golo Arenona roya ana dri; se zwa tawi ana. 37 Balaka atate Balama ri ekye: “Inye'do mazo lazo ro kote ni mivo mi uzine ya? Tana e'di mi'de kote ikyine mare niya? Inye'do mänina ko ŋga ozone miri amba ya?”
38 Balama atate Balaka ri ekye: “Mindre, mikyite mire! Inye'do ma gibe mbara be ta aza ataza ya? Ata se Lu kabe o'bana kala maro ya ono, be märi atane ayani.” 39 'Dooko Balama oyite Balaka be, ago ànya esayite Kiriyata Usota ya. 40 Ndi Balaka lo 'daŋgo ndi timele be te ago ozo izana azaka te Balama ri ndi dri'bai se nda be kai yibe.
Taope Käti Balama ro
41 Kyenonosi oko Balaka ru Balama te ago ezi nda te Bamota Bala ya ago ni nasi Balama ndre rukä lidri Yisaraele ro rote lototi.