[1] Aisraeli anayenda kupita ku zigwa za Mowabu nakamanga misasa yawo tsidya lina la Yorodani moyangʼanana ndi Yeriko.
[2] Tsono Balaki mwana wa Zipori anaona zonse zimene Aisraeli anachitira Aamori,
[3] ndipo Amowabu anaopa anthuwo chifukwa analipo ambiri. Amowabuwo anachita mantha kwambiri mpaka ananjenjemera chifukwa cha Aisraeli.
[4] Iwo anati kwa akuluakulu a ku Midiyani, “Gulu ili lidzabudula zonse zimene zatizungulira monga momwe ngʼombe yothena imathera udzu wa ku tchire.” Tsono Balaki mwana wa Zipori, yemwe anali mfumu ya Mowabu pa nthawi imeneyo,
[5] anatumiza amithenga kwa Balaamu mwana wa Beori, yemwe anali ku Petori, pafupi ndi mtsinje, mʼdziko la kwawo kuti akamuyitane. Balaki anati: “Taonani, anthu ochokera ku Igupto abwera, adzaza dziko lonse ndipo akufuna kuchita nane nkhondo.
[6] Tsopano bwera, utemberere anthu amenewa chifukwa ndi amphamvu kwambiri kuposa ine. Mwina ndingadzawagonjetse ndi kuwatulutsira kunja kwa dzikoli chifukwa ndikudziwa kuti amene umawadalitsa amadalitsika, ndipo amene umawatemberera amatembereredwa.”
[7] Akuluakulu a Mowabu ndi akuluakulu a Midiyani ananyamuka atatenga ndalama zokalipirira mawula. Atafika kwa Balaamu, anamuwuza zomwe Balaki ananena.
[8] Balaamu anawawuza kuti, “Mugone konkuno usiku uno, ndipo ndikuyankhani zomwe Yehova andiwuze.” Choncho akuluakulu a Amowabu anagona kwa Balaamu.
[9] Mulungu anabwera kwa Balaamu namufunsa kuti, “Kodi anthu ali ndi iwewa ndani?”
[10] Balaamu anayankha Mulungu kuti, “Balaki mwana wa Zipori, mfumu ya Mowabu, ananditumizira uthenga uwu:
[11] ‘Taonani, anthu amene achokera ku dziko la Igupto adzaza dziko lonse. Tsopano bwera udzawatemberere mʼmalo mwanga. Mwina ndidzatha kumenyana nawo ndi kuwatulutsa.’ ”
[12] Koma Mulungu anawuza Balaamu kuti, “Usapite nawo. Usawatemberere anthu amenewo chifukwa ndi odalitsika.”
[13] Mmawa mwake Balaamu anadzuka ndi kuwuza akuluakulu a Balaki aja kuti, “Bwererani ku dziko la kwanu chifukwa Yehova sanandilole kuti ndipite nanu.”
[14] Kotero akuluakulu a Mowabu anabwerera kwa Balaki ndi kukanena kuti, “Balaamu wakana kubwera nafe.”
[15] Kenaka Balaki anatumanso akuluakulu ena ambiri ndi olemekezeka kwambiri kuposa oyamba aja ndipo
[16] anafika kwa Balaamu nati; “Zomwe Balaki mwana wa Zipori akunena ndi izi: ‘Usalole kuti china chilichonse chikulepheretse kubwera kwa ine,
[17] chifukwa ndidzakulipira bwino kwambiri ndipo ndidzakuchitira chilichonse chimene unganene. Bwera ndipo uwatemberere anthu amenewa mʼmalo mwanga.’ ”
[18] Koma Balaamu anayankha atumiki a Balaki kuti, “Ngakhale Balaki atandipatsa nyumba yaufumu yodzaza ndi siliva ndi golide sindingachite chilichonse chachikulu kapena chachingʼono kuposa kuchita lamulo la Yehova Mulungu wanga.
[19] Tsopano mukhale kuno usiku uno monga ena anachitira, ndidzaona chimene Yehova adzandiwuza.”
[20] Usiku umenewo Mulungu anabwera kwa Balaamu ndipo anati, “Popeza anthu awa abwera kudzakuyitana, nyamuka, pita nawo koma ukachite zokhazo zimene ndikuwuze.”
[21] Balaamu anadzuka mmawa, namanga bulu wake wamkazi ndipo anapita ndi akuluakulu a Mowabu.
[22] Koma Mulungu anakwiya kwambiri pamene ankapita ndipo mngelo wa Yehova anayima pa njira kutsutsana naye. Balaamu anakwera bulu wake wamkazi ndipo antchito ake awiri anali naye.
[23] Pamene buluyo anaona mngelo wa Yehova atayima pa njira ndi lupanga mʼmanja mwake, anapatukira kumbali kwa msewu napita kutchire. Balaamu anamumenya kuti abwerere mu msewu.
[24] Kenaka mngelo wa Yehova anayima mʼkanjira kakangʼono pakati pa minda iwiri ya mpesa yokhala ndi makoma mbali zonse
[25] Bulu uja ataona mngelo wa Yehova anadzipanikiza ku khoma, kukhukhuza phazi la Balaamu kukhomako. Ndipo pomwepo Balaamu anamenya buluyo kachiwiri.
[26] Kenaka mngelo wa Yehova anapita patsogolo ndi kuyima pamalo opanikizika pomwe panalibe poti nʼkutembenukira ku dzanja lamanja kapena lamanzere.
[27] Buluyo ataonanso mngelo wa Yehova uja, anagona pansi Balaamu ali pa msana, ndipo iye anakwiya ndi kumumenya ndi ndodo yake.
[28] Pamenepo Yehova anayankhulitsa bulu uja, ndipo buluyo anati kwa Balaamu, “Ndakuchitirani chiyani kuti mundimenye katatuka?”
[29] Balaamu anati kwa buluyo, “Wandipusitsa, ndikanakhala ndi lupanga mʼmanja mwanga, ndikanakupha pomwe pano.”
[30] Buluyo anati kwa Balaamu, “Kodi sindine bulu wanu, amene mumakwera nthawi zonse kufikira lero? Kodi ndinakuchitiranipo zoterezi?” Iye anati “Ayi.”
[31] Pomwepo Yehova anatsekula maso Balaamu ndipo anaona mngelo wa Yehovayo ali chiyimire pa njira ndi lupanga losolola. Tsono iye anawerama nalambira pamaso pake.
[32] Mngelo wa Yehova anamufunsa kuti, “Chifukwa chiyani wamenya bulu wako katatu? Taona, Ine ndabwera kudzakutsutsa chifukwa ulendo wakowu ndi woyipa pamaso panga.
[33] Buluyu anandiona ndi kupatuka katatu aka. Akanakhala kuti sanapatuke, ndikanakupha tsopano, koma buluyu nʼkanamusiya ndi moyo.”
[34] Balaamu anati kwa mngelo wa Yehova uja, “Ndachimwa. Sindinadziwe kuti munayima pa njira kunditsutsa. Tsopano ngati Inu simunakondwe, ineyo ndibwerera.”
[35] Mngelo wa Yehova anati kwa Balaamu, “Pita ndi anthuwa koma ukayankhule zokhazo zimene ndikakuwuze.” Choncho Balaamu anapita ndi akuluakulu a Balaki.
[36] Balaki atamva kuti Balaamu akubwera, anapita kukakumana naye ku mzinda wa Mowabu umene unali mʼmalire a Arinoni, mʼmphepete mwa dziko lake.
[37] Balaki anati kwa Balaamu, “Kodi sindinakutumizire uthenga woti ubwere msanga? Chifukwa chiyani sunabwere kwa ine? Kodi sindingathe kukulipira mokwanira?”
[38] Balaamu anayankha Balaki kuti, “Taonani, ndabwera kwa inu lero, kodi ine ndili ndi mphamvu zoti nʼkuyankhula chilichonse? Inetu ndiyenera kuyankhula zokhazo zimene Mulungu wandiwuza.”
[39] Pamenepo Balaamu anapita pamodzi ndi Balaki ku Kiriati-Huzoti.
[40] Balaki anapereka nsembe ngʼombe ndi nkhosa, ndipo anapereka zina kwa Balaamu ndi kwa akuluakulu omwe anali naye.
[41] Mmawa mwake Balaki anatenga Balaamu napita limodzi ku Bamoti Baala, ndipo kumeneko anakaonako gulu lina la Aisraeliwo.