Numbers 23
1 UBhileyamu wathi kuBhalaki: “Ngakhele lapha ama-althare ayisikhombisa, bese ungilungisela izinkunzi eziyisikhombisa nezinqama eziyisikhombisa.”
2 UBhalaki wenza njengalokhu uBhileyamu eshilo. UBhalaki noBhileyamu banikela ngenkunzi nangenqama e-althare ngalinye.
3 UBhileyamu wathi kuBhalaki: “Yima maqondana nomnikelo wakho wokushiswa, mina ngizohamba, mhlawumbe uSimakade uyohlangana nami, angikhombise izwi nanoma yikuphi engifanele ukuba ngikusho kuwe.” Wayesenyukela egqumeni eliyiqwaqwasi.
4 UNkulunkulu wahlangana noBhileyamu, uBhileyamu wathi kuye: “Sengiwalungisile ama-althare ayisikhombisa, nganikela ngenkunzi nenqama phezu kwalelo nalelo althare.”
5 USimakade wamnika uBhileyamu okwakufanele akusho kuBhalaki, wathi: “Buyela kuBhalaki ukhulume uthi.”
6 Waphindela kuBhalaki, wamfica emile eceleni komnikelo wakhe wokushiswa, yena nazo zonke izikhulu zakwaMowabi.
7 UBhileyamu wayesewethula umbiko wakhe, wathi: “UBhalaki ungisuse e-Aramu wangiletha lapha, inkosi yakwaMowabi ngasezintabeni empumalanga. Yathi: ‘Woza, ungiqalekisele uJakobe; woza uzojivaza u-Israyeli.’
8 Ngingamqalekisa kanjani lowo uNkulunkulu angamqalekisanga na? Ngingamjivaza kanjani lowo uSimakade angamjivazanga na?
9 Ngiyambona ngiseziqongweni zamadwala, ngisemagqumeni, ngiyambona. Bheka, ngibona abantu abahlala bodwa abazibona beyisizwe esehlukile kwezinye izizwe.
10 Ngubani ongabala uthuli lukaJakobe, abale okwesine kuka-Israyeli na? Mangife ukufa kwabaqotho, isiphetho sami masifane nesakhe.”
11 UBhalaki wathi kuBhileyamu: “Wenzani kimi na? Ngikulethe lapha ukuba uqalekise izitha zami, kunalokho, bheka uzibusisile.”
12 UBhileyamu waphendula, wathi: “Akufanele yini ngiqikelele ukuba ngikutshele lokho uSimakade athe angikusho na?”
13 UBhalaki wathi kuye: “Woza sihambe, siye kwenye indawo lapho uzobabona khona; uzobona ingxenye yabo kuphela, hhayi bonke. Uma usulapho ungiqalekisele bona.”
14 Wamsusa lapho waya naye ensimini eZofimu, esiqongweni sentaba iPhisiga. Wakha ama-althare ayisikhombisa, kwathi kulelo nalelo althare wenza umnikelo ngenkunzi nenqama.
15 UBhileyamu wathi: “Mana lapha maqondana nomnikelo wakho wokushiswa; mina ngizoyohlangana noNkulunkulu.”
16 USimakade wahlangana noBhileyamu, wabeka izwi emlonyeni wakhe, wathi: “Buyela kuBhalaki ukhulume naye.”
17 Wabuyela kuye wamfica emi eceleni komnikelo wakhe wokushiswa ekanye nezikhulu zakwaMowabi. UBhalaki wathi kuye: “Utheni uSimakade na?”
18 UBhileyamu wayesewethula umbiko wakhe, wathi: “Sukuma Bhalaki, ubeke indlebe; ungilalele, wena ndodana kaZiphori.
19 UNkulunkulu akasiye umuntu, ukuba angaqamba amanga, futhi akasiyo indodana yomuntu ukuthi angaguquka kwakushilo. Ushilo, kanakukwenza akushilo na? Ukhulumile, kanakukufeza akushilo na?
20 Bheka, unginike umyalo wokuba ngibusise; Yena ubusisile, mina angikwazi ukukuguqula lokho.
21 Akayibonanga inhlekelele engehlela uJakobe, akabonanga nankathazo kwa-Israyeli. USimakade uNkulunkulu wabo unabo, inhlokomo yenkosi yabo iphakathi kwabo.
22 UNkulunkulu owabakhipha eGibhithe; unjengezimpondo zenyathi kubo.
23 Akukho mlingo ongamelana noJakobe, nakubhula okungamelana no-Israyeli. Manje sekuzothiwa ngoJakobe nango-Israyeli: ‘Bukani okwenziwe nguNkulunkulu!’
24 Laba bantu banjengengonyama; baziphakamisisa okwengonyama engaphumuli ingakayisobozeli inyamazane, iphuze igazi layo.”
25 UBhalaki wathi kuBhileyamu: “Ungalokothi ubaqalekise abakwa-Israyeli, futhi ungalokothi ubabusise!”
26 UBhileyamu waphendula, wathi kuBhalaki: “Angikutshelanga yini ukuthi konke akushoyo uSimakade ngizokwenza na?”
27 UBhalaki wathi kuBhileyamu: “Ngiyakuncenga woza, siye kwenye indawo, mhlawumbe uNkulunkulu uyakuthokoza ngayo bese ungiqalekisela bona lapho.”
28 UBhalaki wamthatha uBhileyamu wamyisa esiqongweni iPheyori elibheke ngezansi ngasehlane.
29 UBhileyamu wathi kuBhalaki: “Ngakhele ama-althare ayisikhombisa lapha, bese ungilungisela izinkunzi eziyisikhombisa nezinqama eziyisikhombisa.”
30 UBhalaki wenza njengokusho kukaBhileyamu, wanikela ngenkunzi nenqama kulelo nalelo althare.