Umwami wa Mowabu atumira Balāmu
1 Abisiraheli barakomeza baragenda, bashinga amahema mu kibaya cya Mowabu, iburasirazuba bw’uruzi rwa Yorodani, ahateganye n’i Yeriko.
2 Umwami wa Mowabu witwaga Balaki mwene Sipori, amenya ibyo Abisiraheli bagiriye Abamori byose.
3 Abamowabu babonye ubwinshi bw’Abisiraheli, baratinya bashya ubwoba.
4 Nuko babwira abakuru b’Abamidiyani bati: “Abisiraheli bazamaraho ibihugu bidukikije, nk’uko ikimasa kimara ubwatsi aho kirisha.”
Umwami Balaki
5 yohereza intumwa kuri Balāmu mwene Bewori, wari i Petori hafi y’uruzi rwa Efurati. Balāmu akomoka muri ako karere. Izo ntumwa zatumwe kumubwira ziti: “Dore hari abantu bavuye mu Misiri bayogoje ibihugu, ndetse bari hafi kugera iwanjye.
6 None ngwino umvumire abo bantu kuko bandusha amaboko, ahari byatuma nshobora kubatsinda nkabirukana mu gihugu cyanjye. Nzi yuko uwo usabiye umugisha awuhabwa, kandi uwo uvumye akaba ikivume.”
7 Abakuru b’Abamowabu n’Abamidiyani bagenda bajyanye ibyo guha Balāmu, kugira ngo avume Abisiraheli. Bageze iwe bamubwira ubutumwa bwa Balaki.
8 Balāmu arababwira ati: “Nimurare hano, ejo nzabamenyesha icyo Uhoraho ari bumbwire.” Nuko abatware ba Mowabu barara iwe.
9 Iryo joro Imana ibaza Balāmu iti: “Abo bantu bari iwawe ni bande?”
10 Balāmu arasubiza ati: “Balaki mwene Sipori umwami wa Mowabu yabantumyeho ati:
11 ‘Dore hari abantu bavuye mu Misiri bayogoje ibihugu. None ngwino ubamvumire, ahari byatuma nshobora kubarwanya nkabirukana.’ ”
12 Imana ibwira Balāmu iti: “Ntuzajyane na bo kandi ntuzavume abo bantu, kuko nabahaye umugisha.”
13 Bukeye Balāmu abwira intumwa za Balaki ati: “Nimwitahire kuko Uhoraho yanze ko tujyana.”
14 Abatware ba Mowabu barahaguruka basubira kwa Balaki baramubwira bati: “Balāmu yanze ko tuzana.”
15 Balaki atuma abandi batware barusha aba mbere ubwinshi n’icyubahiro.
16 Bageze kwa Balāmu baramubwira bati: “Balaki mwene Sipori aravuze ati: ‘Ntihagire ikikubuza kunyitaba,
17 kuko nzaguhemba bishimishije kandi icyo uzansaba cyose nzakigukorera. None rero ngwino umvumire abo bantu.’ ”
18 Balāmu asubiza intumwa za Balaki ati: “N’aho Balaki yampa ifeza n’izahabu byuzuye ingoro ye, sinaca ku itegeko ry’Uhoraho Imana yanjye.
19 Namwe nimurare hano, kugira ngo ndebe ko hari ikindi Uhoraho ari bumbwire.”
20 Iryo joro Imana ibwira Balāmu iti: “Ubwo abo bantu baje kuguhamagara muzajyane, ariko uzakore icyo nzakubwira gusa.”
Indogobe ya Balāmu
21 Bukeye Balāmu ategura indogobe ye, ajyana n’abatware ba Mowabu
22 ahetswe n’indogobe ye, aherekejwe n’abagaragu be babiri. Ariko Imana ibonye agiye irarakara, yohereza umumarayika wayo ngo amutangīre.
23 Indogobe ibonye umumarayika w’Uhoraho ahagaze mu nzira afashe inkota mu ntoki, irakebereza inyura mu gisambu. Balāmu arayikubita kugira ngo isubire mu nzira.
24 Umumarayika w’Uhoraho ajya guhagarara mu nzira ifunganye, yanyuraga hagati y’inkuta zikikije imirima y’imizabibu.
25 Indogobe imubonye yegera urukuta cyane irubyigiraho ikirenge cya Balāmu, arongera arayikubita.
26 Umumarayika w’Uhoraho arongera yigira imbere ahagarara ahantu hafunganye cyane, ku buryo nta washoboraga guca iburyo cyangwa ibumoso.
27 Indogobe imubonye iryama igihetse Balāmu, ararakara ayikubita inkoni.
28 Nuko Uhoraho aha iyo ndogobe ububasha bwo kuvuga, ibaza Balāmu iti: “Nakugize nte kugira ngo unkubite izi ncuro eshatu zose?”
29 Balāmu arayisubiza ati: “Wansuzuguye, ahubwo iyo ngira inkota mba nkwishe!”
30 Indogobe ibaza Balāmu iti: “Ko ari jye uguheka buri gihe, ese hari ubwo nigeze nkugirira ntya?”
Arahakana ati: “Oya.”
31 Ako kanya Uhoraho atuma Balāmu abona umumarayika wari uhagaze mu nzira, afashe inkota mu ntoki. Balāmu amubonye yikubita hasi yubamye.
32 Umumarayika w’Uhoraho aramubwira ati: “Kuki wakubise indogobe yawe incuro eshatu zose? Dore ni jye waje kugutangīra, kuko mbona uru rugendo rutazakugwa neza.
33 Indogobe yambonye impunga incuro eshatu. Iyo itampunga mba nakwishe, ariko yo singire icyo nyitwara.”
34 Balāmu aramusubiza ati: “Nacumuye! Ntabwo nari nzi ko waje kuntangīra. Nyamara niba ubona ko uru rugendo rudakwiriye, reka nitahire.”
35 Ariko umumarayika w’Uhoraho aramubwira ati: “Jyana n’abo bantu. Icyakora uzajye uvuga gusa icyo nkubwiye.” Nuko Balāmu akomeza urugendo hamwe n’intumwa za Balaki.
Balāmu ahura na Balaki
36 Balaki yumvise ko Balāmu aje, ajya kumusanganirira mu mujyi uri hafi y’uruzi rwa Arunoni, ku mupaka w’igihugu cye.
37 Balaki aramubaza ati: “Kuki utazanye n’intumwa nagutumyeho bwa mbere? Wibwiraga ko ntashobora kuguhemba bishimishije?”
38 Balāmu asubiza Balaki ati: “Noneho ndaje, ariko sinshobora kugira icyo mvuga ku bwanjye. Nzavuga gusa icyo Imana izambwira.”
39 Nuko Balaki ajyana Balāmu mu mujyi w’i Kiriyati-Husoti.
40 Balaki atamba ibitambo by’inka n’intama, abigaburiraho Balāmu na ba batware bari kumwe.
Balāmu ananirwa kuvuma Abisiraheli
41 Bukeye Balaki ajyana Balāmu ku musozi witwa Bamoti-Bāli, aho bashoboraga kwitegereza igice kimwe cy’inkambi y’Abisiraheli.