Numeri
24 Lapho uBhalami ebona ukuthi kwakumjabulisa uJehova* ukubusisa u-Israyeli, akabange esasuka ukuze ayofuna amabika okubi, + kodwa ubuso bakhe wabubhekisa ehlane. 2 Lapho uBhalami ephakamisa amehlo futhi ebona u-Israyeli emise amatende ngokwezizwe zakhe, + umoya kaNkulunkulu waba phezu kwakhe. + 3 Wabe esesho lesi saga: +
“Amazwi kaBhalami indodana kaBheyori,
Namazwi endoda emehlo ayo aye avulwa,
4 Amazwi alowo ozwa izwi likaNkulunkulu,
Owabona umbono woMninimandla Onke,
Oye wakhothama amehlo akhe evuliwe: +
5 Yeka ukuthi mahle kanjani amatende akho, Jakobe,
Amatabernakele akho, Israyeli! +
6 Afinyelela kude njengezigodi, *+
Njengamasimu angasemfuleni,
Njengenhlaba etshalwe uJehova,
Njengemisedari engasemanzini.
7 Kulokhu kuconsa amanzi emabhakedeni akhe esikhumba amabili,
8 UNkulunkulu umkhipha eGibhithe;
Unjengezimpondo zenkunzi yasendle kubo.
Uyodla izizwe, abacindezeli bakhe, +
Amathambo azo uyowaququda, aziphihlize ngemicibisholo yakhe.
9 Uqosheme, ulele phansi njengebhubesi,
Njengebhubesi, ubani ongalokotha amvuse?
Labo abakubusisayo babusisiwe,
Nalabo abakuqalekisayo baqalekisiwe.” +
10 UBhalaki wamthukuthelela uBhalami. Washaya izandla ngokwedelela wathi kuBhalami: “Ngikubizele ukuba uqalekise izitha zami, + kodwa okwenzile nje ukuzibusisa kathathu. 11 Ngakho buyela ekhaya* khona manje. Bengihlose ukukuphakamisa kakhulu, + kodwa uJehova akavumanga ukuba ngikuphakamise.”
12 UBhalami waphendula uBhalaki wathi: “Angishongo yini ezithunyweni owazithuma ukuthi, 13 ‘Noma kungathiwa uBhalaki unginika indlu yakhe igcwele isiliva negolide, bengingeke ngenze lutho ngokuthanda kwami* olungale komyalo kaJehova, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kuhle noma kubi. Ngizokhuluma kuphela lokho uJehova azongitshela khona’? + 14 Manje ngiyahamba ngiya kubantu bakithi. Woza ngikutshele lokho lesi sizwe esiyokwenza kubantu bakho esikhathini esizayo.”* 15 Ngakho washo lesi saga: +
“Amazwi kaBhalami indodana kaBheyori,
Namazwi endoda emehlo ayo avuliwe, +
16 Amazwi alowo ozwa izwi likaNkulunkulu,
Nalowo onolwazi ngoPhezukonke,
Wabona umbono woMninimandla Onke
Lapho ekhothama phansi amehlo akhe evuliwe:
17 Ngizombona, kodwa hhayi manje;
Ngizombuka, kodwa hhayi maduze.
18 U-Edomi uyoba yifa, +
Yebo, iSeyiri + libe yifa lezitha zakhe, +
Ngesikhathi u-Israyeli ebonisa isibindi sakhe.
19 Kuyophuma kuJakobe othile onqobayo, +
Uyobhubhisa noma ubani osindile edolobheni.”
20 Lapho ebona u-Amaleki, waqhubeka nesaga sakhe wathi:
21 Lapho ebona amaKheni, + waqhubeka nesaga sakhe wathi:
“Ilondekile indawo yakho yokuhlala, imiswe emadwaleni indlu yakho.
22 Kodwa kukhona ozoshisa iKhayine.
Kuzoba isikhathi esingakanani ngaphambi kokuba i-Asiriya likuthumbe?”
23 Waqhubeka nesaga sakhe wathi:
“Maye! Ubani oyosinda lapho uNkulunkulu enza lokhu?
Kodwa naye uyophela nya.”
25 Ngemva kwalokho uBhalami + wasukuma wahamba wabuyela endaweni yakhe. UBhalaki naye wahamba indlela yakhe.