Numeri 23:1-30
23 UBhalami wathi kuBhalaki: “Ngakhela ama-aldara alikhomba,+ ungihlabele iinkunzi ezilikhomba namaramu alikhomba endaweni le.”
2 Khonokho uBhalaki wenza njengombana uBhalami amtjelile. UBhalaki noBhalami banikela ikunzi neramu e-aldareni ngalinye.+
3 UBhalami wathi kuBhalaki: “Hlala lapha hlanu komnikelwakho otjhiswako, mina ngisakhamba. Mhlamunye uJehova angakhuluma nami. Nanyana yini angitjela yona ngizokutjela.” Nje-ke wakhamba waya esiqongolweni sentaba.
4 UZimu wakhuluma noBhalami+ owathi kuye: “Ngibeke ama-aldara alikhomba ngokulandelana, nganikela ikunzi neramu e-aldareni ngalinye.”
5 UJehova watjela uBhalami ekufuze akutjho, wathi kuye:+ “Buyela kuBhalaki umtjele engizokutjela khona.”
6 Wabuyela wabona uBhalaki nawo woke amakhosana wakwaMowabi bajame hlanu komnikelwakhe otjhiswako.
7 Wakhuluma amezwi asakondlo la, wathi:+
“UBhalaki ikosi yakwaMowabi ungisuse e-Aramu,+Eentabeni ezingepumalanga:
‘Yewize uzongiqalekisela uJakopo.
Yewize uqalekise ama-Israyeli.’+
8 Ngingabaqalekisa njani labo uZimu angakabaqalekisi?
Ngingabajezisa njani labo uJehova angakabajezisi?+
9 Ngibabona ngiphezu kwamatje,Ngibabona ngisemibundwini.
Bababantu abahlala bodwa;+Bazihlukanisile hlangana neentjhaba.+
10 Ngubani ongabala iinzukulwana zakaJakopo+ ezinengi njengehlabathi?Ngubani ongabala ingcenye yesine yama-Israyeli?
Angihlongakale njengomuntu olungileko,Ukufa kwami akube njengekwabo.”
11 UBhalaki wathi kuBhalami: “Khuyini le ongenze yona? Ngikulethe lapha bona uzongiqalekisela amanabami kodwana akhenge wenze litho ngaphandle kokuwabusisa.”+
12 Wamphendula wathi: “Kghani akukafuzi ngikhulume nanyana yini uJehova athe ngiyikhulume?”+
13 UBhalaki wathi kuye: “Yewize ukhambe nami kwenye indawo lapha uzowabona khona. Uzokubona amanye wawo, angekhe uwabone woke. Ngibawa ungiqalekisele wona ulapho.+
14 Wamthatha wakhamba naye emmangweni weTsofimu esiqongolweni sePisiga+ begodu wakha ama-aldara alikhomba, wanikela ngekunzi neramu e-aldareni ngalinye.+
15 UBhalami wathi kuBhalaki: “Hlala lapha eduze nomnikelwakho otjhiswako mina nangisayokukhuluma noZimu lapha.”
16 UJehova wakhuluma noBhalami wamtjela okufuze akutjho, wathi:+ “Buyela kuBhalaki utjho engikutjele khona.”
17 Waya kuye wambona ajame hlanu komnikelwakhe otjhiswako namakhosana wakwaMowabi. UBhalaki wambuza wathi: “Utheni uJehova?”
18 Wakhuluma amezwi asakondlo la, wathi:+
“Sikima Bhalaki ungilalele.
Yewizwe ndodana kaTsipori.
19 UZimu akakhulumi amala njengomuntu,+Akatjhugululi umkhumbulwakhe njengendodana yomuntu.+
Akukhulumileko akazukwenza na?
Akuthembisileko angeze akwenza na?+
20 Qala! Ngizele ukuzokubusisa;Nje uZimu ubusisile,+ angekhe ngakubuyisela emuva.+
21 Akavumi ukuthi kube nomlingo osetjenziselwa uJakopo,Akavumi bona ama-Israyeli atshwenywe.
UJehova uZimawo unawo,+Ayamdumisa ngombana uyikosawo.
22 UZimu uwakhupha eGibhide.+
Unjengeempondo zekunzi yommango kiwo.+
23 Ayikho imilingo engasebenza kuJakopo,+Akukho ukuthukula okungasebenza ku-Israyeli.+
Nje-ke kuzokuthiwa ngoJakopo no-Israyeli:
‘Qala lokho uZimu akwenzileko!’
24 Abantwaba bazokusikima njengebhubezi,Njengebhubezi bayazisikimela.+
Angekhe balale bangakadli inyamazanaBegodu basele iingazi zeenlwana abazibuleleko.”
25 UBhalaki wathi kuBhalami: “Nangabe awukghoni ukubaqalekisa, ungababusisi.”
26 UBhalami waphendula uBhalaki wathi: “Ngitheni kuwe, akhenge ngikutjele na bona ngizokwenza lokho uJehova akutjhoko’?”+
27 UBhalaki wathi kuBhalami: “Ngibawa ukhambe nami ngikuse kwenye indawo. Mhlamunye uZimu weqiniso uzakuvumela ukuthi ungiqalekisele bona nawulapho.”+
28 UBhalaki wathatha uBhalami watjhinga naye esiqongolweni sePewori esiqale eJetjhimoni.*+
29 UBhalami wathi kuBhalaki: “Ngakhela ama-aldara alikhomba endaweni le, ungihlabele neenkunzi ezilikhomba namaramu alikhomba.”+
30 UBhalaki wenza njengombana uBhalami atjhwile, wanikela ikunzi neramu e-aldareni ngalinye.
Imitlolo Ephasi
^ Namkha kungenzeka “erhalawumbeni; emmangweni.”
