< Numbers 22 >

1 And they set out and made camp in the plains of Moab, across the Jordan, where Jericho is situated.
Pea naʻe hiki atu ʻae fānau ʻa ʻIsileli, ʻo nofo ʻi he toafa ʻo Moape ʻi he potu mai ʻo Sioatani[ʻo ofi ]ki Seliko.
2 Then Balak, the son of Zippor, seeing all that Israel had done to the Amorite,
Pea naʻe ʻilo ʻe Pelaki ko e foha ʻo Sipoa ʻae meʻa kotoa pē kuo fai ʻe ʻIsileli ki he kau ʻAmoli.
3 and that the Moabites had great fear of him, and that they were not able to bear his assault,
Pea naʻe manavahē lahi ʻa Moape ki he kakai, koeʻuhi naʻa nau tokolahi: pea naʻe mamahi lahi ʻa Moape koeʻuhi ko e fānau ʻa ʻIsileli.
4 said to those greater by birth of Midian: “So will this people wipe away all those who are dwelling within our borders, in the same way that the ox is accustomed to tear out grass, all the way to the roots.” At that time, he was king of Moab.
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Moape ki he kau mātuʻa ʻo Mitiane, “Ko eni, ʻe ʻemo hake ʻe he kakai ni ʻaia kotoa pē ʻoku takatakai ʻakitautolu, ʻo hangē ʻoku ʻemo hake ʻe he pulu ʻae mohuku ʻoe ngoue.” Pea ko Pelaki ko e foha ʻo Sipoa ko e tuʻi ia ʻoe kau Moape ʻi he kuonga ko ia.
5 Therefore, he sent messengers to Balaam, the son of Beor, a seer who lived above the river of the land of the sons of Ammon, to call him, and to say: “Behold, a people has gone forth from Egypt, which has covered the face of the earth. They are encamped opposite me.
Ko ia naʻa ne fekau ai kia Pelami ko e foha ʻo Peoli ki Pitoli, ʻaia ʻoku ofi ki he vaitafe ʻoe fonua ʻoe fānau ʻa hono kakai, ke ui ia, ʻo pehē, “Vakai, kuo haʻu ha kakai mei ʻIsipite: vakai, ʻoku nau ʻufiʻufi ʻae funga fonua, pea ʻoku nau nofo ofi kiate au:
6 Therefore, come and curse this people, for they are stronger than I am. If only, in some way, I might be able to strike them and to drive them from my land. For I know that he whom you bless shall be blessed, and he whom you curse shall be cursed.”
Pea ko eni, ʻoku ou kole kiate koe, ke ke haʻu ʻo fakamalaʻiaʻi maʻaku ʻae kakai ni, he ʻoku nau mālohi fau kiate au: pea te u vetekina nai, mo teʻia ʻakinautolu, pea te u kapusia ʻakinautolu ʻi he fonua ni: he ʻoku ou pehē, ʻoku monūʻia ia ʻoku ke fakamonūʻiaʻi, pea ʻoku malaʻia ia ʻoku ke fakamalaʻiaʻi.”
7 And the elders of Moab, and those greater by birth of Midian, continued on, holding the price of divination in their hands. And when they had come to Balaam, and had explained to him all the words of Balak,
Pea ko e kau mātuʻa ʻo Moape mo e kau mātuʻa ʻo Mitiane naʻa nau ʻave ʻi honau nima ʻae totongi ʻo ʻene tukitala; pea naʻa nau haʻu kia Pelami, ʻo fakahā kiate ia ʻae lea ʻa Pelaki.
8 he responded, “Remain for this night, and I will answer with whatever the Lord will say to me.” And while they stayed with Balaam, God came and said to him,
Pea naʻa ne pehē kiate kinautolu, “Mou nofo ʻi heni ʻi he poōni, pea te u toe ʻomi ʻae lea kiate kimoutolu, ʻo hangē ko e folofola ʻa Sihova kiate au:” pea naʻe nofo mo Pelami ʻae houʻeiki ʻo Moape.
9 “What do these men want with you?”
Pea naʻe hāʻele mai ʻae ʻOtua kia Pelami, mo ne pehē, “Ko e hā ʻae kau tangata ni ʻoku ʻiate koe?”
10 He responded, “Balak, the son of Zippor, the king of the Moabites has sent to me,
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Pelami ki he ʻOtua, “Ko Pelaki ko e foha ʻo Sipoa, ko e tuʻi ʻo Moape, kuo ne fekau mai kiate au, ʻo pehē,
11 saying: ‘Behold, a people, which has gone forth from Egypt, has covered the face of the earth. Come and curse them, so that, in some way, I may be able to fight them and drive them away.’”
‘Vakai kuo haʻu ha kakai mei ʻIsipite, ʻoku nau ʻufiʻufi ʻae funga fonua: ko ia ke ke haʻu ʻo fakamalaʻiaʻi maʻaku ʻakinautolu; pea te u mālohi ʻapē ʻiate kinautolu, pea kapusi atu ʻakinautolu.’”
12 And God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them, and do not curse the people, for they are blessed.”
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he ʻOtua kia Pelami, “ʻOua ʻaupito te ke ʻalu mo kinautolu; ʻe ʻikai te ke fakamalaʻiaʻi ʻae kakai: he ʻoku nau monūʻia.”
13 And he, rising up in the morning, said to the leaders, “Go into your own land, for the Lord has prohibited me from going with you.”
Pea naʻe tuʻu hake ʻa Pelami ʻi he pongipongi, pea naʻa ne pehē ki he houʻeiki meia Pelaki, “Mou ō ki homou fonua: he kuo taʻofi au ʻe Sihova ke ʻoua naʻa tau ō mo kimoutolu.”
14 Returning, the leaders said to Balak, “Balaam was not willing to come with us.”
Pea naʻe tuʻu hake ʻae houʻeiki ʻo Moape, ʻonau ō kia Pelaki, ʻo pehē, “ʻOku pehē ʻe Pelami, ʻe ʻikai te ne haʻu mo kimautolu.”
15 Again, he sent many more persons, and these were more noble than those he had sent before.
Pea naʻe toe fekau ʻe Pelaki ʻae houʻeiki kehe naʻe ongoongolelei mo tokolahi hake ʻiate kinautolu.
16 And when these had come to Balaam, they said: “So says Balak, the son of Zippor. Do not hesitate to come to me.
Pea naʻa nau haʻu kia Pelami, ʻo pehē kiate ia, “ʻOku pehē ʻe Pelaki ko e foha ʻo Sipoa, ‘ʻOku ou kole atu kiate koe, ʻoua naʻa toe ʻai ha meʻa ke taʻofi hoʻo haʻu kiate au:
17 For I am ready to honor you, and whatever you would want, I shall give to you. Come and curse this people.”
He te u hiki hake ko e ke ke ongoongolelei lahi, pea te u fai ʻo hangē ko hoʻo lea mai kiate au: ko ia ke ke haʻu, ʻoku ou kole kiate koe, ʻo fakamalaʻiaʻi maʻaku ʻae kakai ni.’”
18 Balaam responded: “Even if Balak were to give to me his own house, filled with silver and gold, I still would not be able to change the word of the Lord my God, neither to say more, nor to say less.
Pea naʻe lea ʻa Pelami ki he kau talafekau ʻa Pelaki, “Kapau ʻe foaki ʻe Pelaki kiate au ʻa hono fale ʻoku pito ʻi he siliva mo e koula, ʻe ʻikai teu faʻa fakakeheʻi ʻae folofola ʻa Sihova ko hoku ʻOtua, ke fai ʻo lahi hake pe siʻi hifo.
19 I beg you to remain for this night also, so that I may know what the Lord will answer me again.”
Pea ko eni, ʻoku ou kole atu kiate kimoutolu, mou nofo foki ʻi heni ʻi he poōni, koeʻuhi ke u ʻilo pe ko e hā ʻe toe folofola mai ʻe Sihova kiate au.”
20 Therefore, God came to Balaam in the night, and said to him: “If these men have arrived to call you, then rise up and go with them; yet only in so far as you shall do what I will command you.”
Pea naʻe hāʻele mai ʻae ʻOtua ʻi he pō kia Pelami, ʻo ne pehē kiate ia, “Kapau ʻe haʻu ʻae kau tangata ke ui koe, tuʻu hake, ʻo ʻalu mo kinautolu; ka ko e lea te u lea ʻaki kiate koe, ko ia pe te ke fai.”
21 Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddling his donkey, he set out with them.
Pea naʻe tuʻu hake ʻa Pelami ʻi he pongipongi, pe naʻa ne ʻai ʻae hekaʻanga ki heʻene ʻasi, pea ʻalu mo e houʻeiki ʻo Moape.
22 And God was angry. And an Angel of the Lord stood in the way opposite Balaam, who was sitting on the donkey, and he had two servants with him.
Pea naʻe tupu ʻae houhau ʻoe ʻOtua koeʻuhi ko ʻene ʻalu: pea naʻe tuʻu ʻi he hala ʻae ʻāngelo ʻa Sihova ko e tali tau kiate ia. Pea naʻe heka ia ʻi heʻene ʻasi, pea mo ʻene ongo tamaioʻeiki mo ia.
23 The donkey, discerning that the Angel was standing in the way with a drawn sword, turned herself from the road and went through a field. And when Balaam beat her and intended to return her to the path,
Pea naʻe mamata ʻae ʻasi ki he ʻāngelo ʻa Sihova naʻe tuʻu ʻi he hala, pea mo ʻene heletā naʻe ʻi hono nima: pea naʻe afe atu ʻae ʻasi mei he hala, ʻo ʻalu ki he ngoue: pea naʻe taaʻi ʻe Pelami ʻae ʻasi, ke fakafoki ia ki he hala.
24 the Angel stood in a narrow place between the two walls, with which the vineyards were enclosed.
Ka naʻe tuʻu ʻae ʻāngelo ʻa Sihova, ʻi he hala ʻoe ngoue vaine, pea naʻe ai ʻae ʻā maka ʻi he potu toʻomataʻu, mo e potu toʻohema.
25 And the donkey, seeing this, drew herself close to the wall and scraped the foot of the rider. So he beat her again.
Pea ʻi he mamata ʻae ʻasi ki he ʻāngelo ʻa Sihova, naʻe ʻoho ia ki he ʻā maka, pea naʻe mamulu ʻae vaʻe ʻo Pelami ʻi he ʻā maka: pea naʻa ne toe taaʻi ia.
26 And, nevertheless, the Angel passing on to a narrow place, where one would not be able to deviate either to the right or to the left, stood to meet him.
Pea naʻe ʻalu ʻae ʻāngelo ʻa Sihova, pea naʻe tuʻu ia ʻi he potu ʻapiʻapi, pea naʻe ʻikai ʻi ai ha hala ke afe ki he nima toʻomataʻu ki he toʻohema.
27 And when the donkey had seen the Angel standing there, she fell under the feet of the rider, who, being angry, struck her sides more vehemently with a club.
Pea ʻi he mamata ʻae ʻasi ki he ʻāngelo ʻa Sihova, naʻe tō ia ki lalo mo Pelami: pea naʻe tupu ai ʻae ʻita ʻa Pelami, ʻo ne taaʻi ʻae ʻasi ʻaki ʻae tokotoko.
28 And the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said: “What have I done to you? Why do strike you me, behold now, for the third time?”
Pea naʻe toʻo ʻe Sihova ʻae ngutu ʻoe ʻasi, pea ne pehē ʻe ia kia Pelami, “Ko e hā kuo u fai kiate koe, kuo ke taaʻi ai au ʻo liunga tolu?”
29 Balaam responded, “Because you have deserved it, and you have mistreated me. If only I had a sword, so that I might pierce you.”
Pea pehē ʻe Pelami ki he ʻasi, “Koeʻuhi kuo ke manukiʻi au: ʻamusiaange ʻeau kuo ʻi hoku nima ha heletā, he ka ne ai te u tāmateʻi koe.”
30 The donkey said: “Am not I your animal, on which you have always been accustomed to sit, even until this present day? Tell me, when did I ever do the same thing to you.” But he said, “Never.”
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he ʻasi kia Pelami, “ʻIkai ko hoʻo ʻasi au kuo ke heka ki ai talu hoʻo maʻu au ʻo aʻu ki he ʻaho ni? He kuo u faʻa fai pehē ni kiate koe?” Pea ne pehē ʻe ia, “Naʻe ʻikai.”
31 Immediately, the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the Angel standing in the way with a drawn sword, and he reverenced him prone on the ground.
Pea naʻe toki fakaʻā ʻe Sihova ʻae mata ʻo Pelami, pea naʻe mamata ia ki he ʻāngelo ʻa Sihova ʻoku tuʻu ʻi he hala, mo ʻene heletā kuo toʻo ʻi hono nima: pea naʻe punou ʻe ia hono ʻulu, pea foʻohifo ki hono mata.
32 And the Angel said to him: “Why did you beat your donkey three times? I have come to be an adversary to you, because your way is perverse and contrary to me.
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he ʻāngelo kiate ia, “Ko e hā kuo ke taaʻi ai ʻa hoʻo ʻasi ni ʻo liunga tolu? Vakai ne u ʻalu atu ʻo taʻofi koe, koeʻuhi ʻoku kovi ho hala ʻi hoku ʻao:
33 And unless the donkey had turned aside from the way, allowing a place for my opposition, I would have killed you, and she would have lived.”
Pea naʻe mamata ʻae ʻasi kiate au, pea ne afe meiate au ʻo liunga tolu: ka ne ʻikai afe ia meiate au ko e moʻoni kuo u tāmateʻi foki koe, kae tuku ia ke moʻui.”
34 Balaam said: “I have sinned, not knowing that you stood against me. And now, if it displeases you for me to continue on, I will return.”
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Pelami ki he ʻāngelo ʻa Sihova, “Kuo u angahala au; he naʻe ʻikai te u ʻilo naʻa ke tuʻu kiate au ʻi he hala: pea ko eni, kapau ʻoku kovi kiate koe, te u toe foki au.”
35 The Angel said, “Go with them, but be careful not to speak anything other than what I shall instruct you.” And so, he went with the leaders.
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he ʻāngelo ʻa Sihova kia Pelami, “ʻAlu mo e kau tangata: ka ko e lea pe te u lea ʻaki kiate koe, ko ia pe te ke lea ʻaki.” Pea naʻe ʻalu ʻa Pelami mo e houʻeiki meia Pelaki.
36 And when Balak had heard it, he went out to meet him in a town of the Moabites, which is situated at the furthest borders of Arnon.
Pea naʻe fanongo ʻa Pelaki kuo haʻu ʻa Pelami, pea naʻe ʻalu atu ia ʻo fakafetaulaki mo ia ki ha kolo ʻi Moape, ʻaia ʻoku ʻi he matafonua ʻo ʻAlanoni, ʻi hono ngataʻanga mamaʻo atu.
37 And he said to Balaam: “I sent messengers to call you. Why did you not come to me immediately? Was it because I am not able to pay the cost for your arrival?”
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Pelaki kia Pelami, “ʻIkai naʻaku fekau mālohi kiate koe ʻo ui koe? Ka ko e hā naʻe ʻikai te ke haʻu ai kiate au? ʻIkai ʻoku ou mafai ke u hiki hake koe ke ke ongoongolelei?”
38 He answered him: “Behold, here I am. Am I able to speak anything other than what God will put into my mouth?”
Pea pehē ʻe Pelami kia Pelaki, “Vakai, kuo u haʻu kiate koe: pea ʻoku ai ha mālohi siʻi ʻiate au ke u lea ki ha meʻa? Ka ko e folofola ʻe tuku mai ʻe he ʻOtua ki hoku ngutu, ko ia pe te u lea ʻaki.”
39 Therefore, they continued on together, and they arrived at a city, which was at the furthest borders of his kingdom.
Pea naʻe ʻalu ʻa Pelami mo Pelaki, pea naʻa na hoko ki Kesa-Husoti.
40 And after Balak had killed oxen and sheep, he sent the gifts to Balaam, and to the leaders who were with him.
Pea naʻe feilaulau ʻaki ʻe Pelaki ʻae fanga pulu mo e sipi, ʻo ne tali kia Pelami, mo e houʻeiki naʻe ʻiate ia.
41 Then, when morning arrived, he led him to the heights of Baal, and he gazed upon the most distant portions of the population.
Pea naʻe hoko ʻo pehē, ʻi he pongipongi hake, naʻe ʻave ʻe Pelaki ʻa Pelami, ʻo ʻomi ia ki he ngaahi potu māʻolunga ʻo Peali, koeʻuhi ke ne mamata mei ai ki he ngataʻanga ʻoe kakai ʻi tuaʻā.

< Numbers 22 >