1 Waisilaeli nawaluka majendo kahi, nawaluta kuwika kambi ya hewo kuli ibalalika lya Moabu, kolilawilaga isanya mwa lwanda lwa Yolodani, lichilola na muji wa Yeliko.

2 Mndewa Balaki mwana wa Sipoli, nakazona mbuli zeng'ha ziwele Waisilaeli zowawaditile Waamoli. 3 Heye hamwe na Wamoabu nawawadumba ng'hatu Waisilaeli. Nawawadumba kwa chiwalo cha winji wa hewo. 4 Lelo Wamoabu nawawalonjela vilongozi wa Midiani, “Lung'hongola alu lyowifya chila chinhu hafungo mwa hetwe kota ibuguma vyolilingulya misolo kumgunda.” Ahyo, Balaki mwana wa Sipoli, nayawele mndewa wa Moabu mhela awo, 5 nakahilika usenga kwa Balaamu mwana wa Beoli, ako Petoli kota kuwele hafungo mwa lwanda mbaka kuli isi ya wanhu wa heye, yolonga, “Hana wanhu walawile Misili, nawo nawenela chila honhu hano muisi, na kahi wangikala behi na heni. 6 Uye lelo uwapanjile wanhu wano kwa chiwalo cha heni, mina wana mong'ho kusinda heni. Wone uwapanjile, hanji ndoweza kuwasumya na kuwawinga waleche kwinjila kuli isi ya heni, kwa vila ndivizela wone hegwe umtambichize munhu nakatambichizagwa na wone umpanjile munhu nakapanjilagwa.”

7 Lelo wakulu wa Moabu na Midiani nawahola sendi na kumha mlaguzi, nawoka kuluta kwa Balaamu. Nalowafichile, nawamha Balaamu usenga wa Balaki. 8 Balaamu nakawalonjela, “Muwase kuno nechilo ayi, nani ndowalonjela choyondonjela Mkulu Nguluwi.” Lelo wala vilongozi wa Moabu nawawasa kwa Balaamu.

9 Hamba Nguluwi nakamuyila Balaamu, nakamuuza, “Wanhu wachi wano nawekale na hegwe?” 10 Balaamu nakamwidichila Nguluwi, “Balaki, mndewa wa ako Moabu, mwana wa Sipoli, nakangalila usenga kota 11 hana wanhu walingulawa Misili, nawenela chila honhu hano muisi. Nakandanda ndikawapanjile wala wanhu leka hanji koweza kitowa na hewo na kuwawinga.”

12 Nguluwi nakamlonjela Balaamu, “Uleche kuka hamwe na wanhu wano ne kuwapanjila, mina nawatambichizwa.”

13 Lelo hamitondo Balaamu nakenuka, nakawalonjela wakulu wa Balaki, “Mhiluche kuli isi ya hemwe, kwa vila Mkulu Nguluwi hambe yagane kung'hundiza kuka hamwe na hemwe.” 14 Lelo wakulu wa Moabu nawoka, nawahiluka kwa Balaki, nawamlonjela, “Balaamu nakalema kuya hamwe na hetwe.”

15 Hamba, Balaki nakalajiza wakulu wanji, wenji lukami na wakulu ng'hatu kusinda wala wa mwaluko. 16 Na hewo nawafika kwa Balaamu, nawamlonjela, “Balaki mwana wa Sipoli, nakalonga hino, ‘Uleche kukunda kulemezwa na chinhu choneche na kulema kuya kwa heni. 17 Ndokulipa vinojile ng'hatu na choneche choundanda ndokuditila goya. Uye uwapanjile wanhu wano.’ ”

18 Ila Balaamu nakawedichila, “Hanga Balaki komha heni ng'handa ya heye imemile sendi na zahabu, heni siweza kuleka kuhulichiza ilajizo lya Mkulu Nguluwi, Nguluwi wa heni, kwa mbuli yoneche, ndodo ama ng'hulu. 19 Ila dedede, muwase hano nechilo ayi kota wala wayenu, nani ndovizela kahi choyondonjela Mkulu Nguluwi.”

20 Lelo Nguluwi nakamuyila Balaamu nechilo ayo, nakamlonjela, “Wone wanhu wano nawoya kukuchema, uche hamwe na hewo, ila udite chila chondikulonjela hela.” 21 Balaamu nakalilimka mitondo, nakaliwika goya idogowi lya heye, nakoka hamwe na hewo wakulu wa Moabu.

22 Nguluwi nakazudila ng'hatu kwa vila Balaamu nayali yoluta, ahyo mhilisi wa Mkulu Nguluwi nayali yatatamale mnzila kumlemeza kukola. Mhela awo Balaamu nayali yakwinile idogowi lya heye yawele na vitumagwa wa heye weli. 23 Lelo idogowi nalimona mhilisi ayo wa Mkulu Nguluwi yemile mnzila, yebatile ipanga lisomoligwe kuli yala yake. Ahyo nalileka nzila, naliluta hafungo. Balaamu nakalitowa idogowi alyo na kumhilula mnzila. 24 Hamba mhilisi ayo wa Mkulu Nguluwi nakalongola kumwando, nakema honhu hawele na nzila nzisili, hagati mwa migunda ja zabibu na lukanzi banzi zeng'ha mbili. 25 Lila idogowi lolimuwene yula mhilisi wa Mkulu Nguluwi, nalikundujiza lilyo mlukanzi na kumlumiza mgulu wa Balaamu baho. Lelo Balaamu nakalitowa kahi alyo idogowi. 26 Hamba mhilisi wa Mkulu Nguluwi nakalongola kahi na kwima hali honhu hazisili halihela honhu ha kukola, ne kumoso ne kudilo. 27 Idogowi lila lolimuwene yula mhilisi wa Mkulu Nguluwi, naliwasa hanyi. Balaamu nakazudila ng'hatu, nakalitowa na ng'hweku ya heye. 28 Aho, Mkulu Nguluwi nakalidita lila idogowi lilonje, idogowi nalimlonjela Balaamu, “Nandikuditila choni mbaka kunhowa heni mala zidatu azi?” 29 Balaamu nakalilonjela lila idogowi, “Hegwe nakumbeza heni. Wone nandali ndibatile ipanga, ndahawele ndikukopole sambi baha.” 30 Idogowi lila nalimlonjela Balaamu, “Ndaze, heni ndahawele idogowi lya hegwe likupapile kuli mhela weng'ha wa kikala kwa hegwe mbaka zuwa lya lehano? Ndaze, nanjeza kukuditila kota ahi aho hamwande?” Balaamu nakalidichila, “Hebu.”

31 Aho, Mkulu Nguluwi nakamdita Balaamu yalole, na heye nakamona mhilisi wa Mkulu Nguluwi yemile mnzila, yebatile ipanga lisomoligwe kuli yala yake. Balaamu naketoza hanyi chifunama. 32 Mhilisi wa Mkulu Nguluwi nakamlonjela Balaamu, “Lekachoni nakulitowa idogowi lya hegwe mala zidatu azi? Mbuya kukulemeza, kwa vila kulutilila na majendo ndo kwajilila. 33 Idogowi lya hegwe limbona heni mala azi zidatu nalikola hafungo mwa heni. Wone nahalikolile kutali na heni, ndahawele ndikukopola hegwe na kulileka idogowi ali.”

34 Balaamu nakamlonjela mhilisi wa Mkulu Nguluwi, “Ndita gehile mina hambe ndivizele kota nakwima mnzila kundemeza heni. Lelo wone hauganile heni ndutilile na majendo ago, ndohiluka haluga.” 35 Ila mhilisi wa Mkulu Nguluwi nakamlonjela Balaamu, “Ulute na wanhu wano, ila kolonga chila chondikulonjela hela,” Lelo Balaamu nakalutilila na majendo hamwe na wala vilongozi wa Balaki.

36 Balaki naloyahuliche kota Balaamu kanguya, nakalawa kuka kumbochela kuli muji wa Ali, muji nalouwele hafungo mwa lwanda lwa Alinoni kuli mbaka wa Moabu. 37 Balaki nakamlonjela Balaamu, “Lekachoni nahuyile kwa heni mala imwe hala hondikuchemile? Ndaze, nakujesa kota siweza kukulipa vinojile?” 38 Balaamu nakamwidichila Balaki, “Lelo mbuya. Ila, ndaze, ndina ludali lwa kulonga choneche chila? Mbuli yondonjela Mkulu Nguluwi ndo yoganigwa kulonga.” 39 Lelo Balaamu nakaluta hamwe na Balaki, nawafika kuli muji wa Kiliati-husoti. 40 Balaki nakalavya nhambiko ya isenga na ing'holo ako, nakawapa miwunde ajo Balaamu hamwe na vilongozi wawele hamwe na heye.

41 Hamitondo hake, Balaki nakamhola Balaamu, nakoka na heye mbaka Bamoti-baali, nalowawele ako, Balaamu nakawona Waisilaeli wamwe.