1Bhalamu wakhuluma kuBhalaki, watsi: “Ngakhele emalati lasikhombisa, ungilungiselele tinkunzi letisikhombisa netihhanca letisikhombisa.” 2Bhalaki wakwenta konkhe loko lekwakufunwe nguBhalamu, bobabili base banikela ngenkunzi nesihhanca kulelo nakulelo lilati.
3Bhalamu wakhuluma kuBhalaki, watsi: “Mani lapha eceleni kwemnikelo wakho, mine ngisaphambuka; ngisafuna kuhlola kutsi Simakadze utawuhlangabetana yini nami. Loko langembulela kona nawe ngitakwatisa.” Asakushito loko, wase ukhuphukela egcumeni lelingenatihlahla.
4Nkulunkulu wahlangabetana naye, naBhalamu watsi kuye: “Sengilungise emalati lasikhombisa, etikwalelo nalelo lati nginikele ngenkunzi nesihhanca.”
5Simakadze wabeka emavi emlonyeni waBhalamu, watsi: “Ncandzeka uye kuBhalaki, ufike umtjele lelivi.” 6Ngako-ke wancandzeka wamkhandza aseme eceleni kwemnikelo wakhe kanye nebaholi bakaMowabi.
7Bhalamu wakhuluma umlayeto wakhe, watsi:
“Bhalaki wangisusa e-Aramu,
inkhosi yakaMowabi,
etintsabeni letingasemphumalanga,
watsi: ‘Kota utengicalekisela Jakobe,
ungijivazele Israyeli.’
8Ngingabacalekisa kanjani
labo labangakacalekiswa nguNkulunkulu?
Ngingabajivaza kanjani
labo labangakajivazwa nguSimakadze?
9Ngiyababona loku ngilapha
esicongweni sentsaba lesilidvwala.
Yebo, ngiyababona loku ngilapha
etulu ekuphakameni, ngibasinga umkhanya.
Ngababona basive lesitihlalela sodvwa,
sitehlukanise naletinye tive.
10Ngubani longabala lutfuli lwaJakobe,
nome abale incenye yesive saka-Israyeli?
Angimane ngife kufa kwalolungile,
shangatsi nesiphetfo sami
singaba njengesabo.”
11Bhalaki wakhuluma kuBhalamu, watsi: “Yini lena lese uyente kimi? Ngikuletse lapha kutsi utewucalekisa letitsa tami, kodvwa kute lokwentile; esikhundleni saloko utibusisile.”
12Bhalamu waphendvula watsi: “Kantsi akukafaneli yini ngikhulume loko lokubekwe nguSimakadze emlonyeni wami?”
Umlayeto wesibili waBhalamu
13Bhalaki wakhuluma kuye, watsi: “Kota la sihambe nawe siye kulenye indzawo, khona utawubabona; noko utawubona incenye yabo, hhayi bonkhe. Utawube sewungicalekisela bona.” 14Ngako wamtsatsa wahamba naye baya etsafeni laseSofimu, etulu esicongweni sentsaba iPhisga, wefika lapho wakha emalati lasikhombisa, wanikela ngenkunzi nangesihhanca etikwalelo nalelo lati.
15Bhalamu wakhuluma kuBhalaki, watsi: “Mani lapha eceleni kwemnikelo wakho, mine ngisetawuhlangana naSimakadze lapha.”
16Simakadze wahlangana naBhalamu, wamtjela emavi lekufanele awakhulume, watsi: “Ncandzeka, uye kuBhalaki uyewumtjela lelivi.” 17Ngako-ke wancandzeka waya kuye, wamkhandza eceleni kwemnikelo wakhe, eme nebaholi bakaMowabi. Bhalaki wambuta watsi: “Utsiteni Simakadze?” 18Bhalamu wakhuluma umlayeto wakhe, watsi:
“Sukuma, Bhalaki, ulalele,
ngive kahle wena, msa waSiphori.
19Nkulunkulu akasiye umuntfu
kutsi angacala emanga,
futsi akasiyo indvodzana yemuntfu
legucukako engcondvweni yayo.
Uyakhuluma yini angabe asenta?
Uyetsembisa yini
angabe asasifeza setsembiso sakhe?
20Nginikwe umyalo wekutsi ngibusise,
yena sewubusisile,
mine ngingabe ngisakugucula loko.
21“Kute emashwa latakwehlela Jakobe,
Israyeli angeke abe nelusizi.
Simakadze Nkulunkulu wabo, unabo;
kumenyetwa nekudvunyiswa kweNkhosi
kusemkhatsini wabo.
22Nkulunkulu lowabakhipha eGibhithe,
ubalwela ngemandla lanjengewenyatsi.
23Kute longaloya Jakobe,
kute longaphengula Israyeli;
kuyawukhulunywa ngaJakobe
nanga-Israyeli kutsiwe:
‘Bukani lokwentiwe nguNkulunkulu!’
24Lesive sivuka njengelibhubesi lelisikati,
siphakame njengenkunzi yelibhubesi,
lelingaphumuli lingakayidli layicedza
inyamatane leliyibambile,
linatse nengati
yaleto tinyamatane lelitibulele.”
25Bhalaki wakhuluma kuBhalamu, watsi: “Njengobe awukabacalekisi, lokungenani ungababusisi.”
26Bhalamu waphendvula, watsi: “Angikakutjeli yini kutsi kufanele ngikhulume loko lengikutjelwa nguSimakadze?”
Umlayeto wesitsatfu waBhalamu
27Bhalaki wakhuluma kuBhalamu, watsi: “Kota, sihambe nawe, siye kulenye indzawo, mhlawumbe kungahle kumjabulise Nkulunkulu, akuvumele kutsi ungicalekisele lesive ukuleyo ndzawo.” 28Bhalaki watsatsa Bhalamu, bobabili benyukela esicongweni sentsaba iPheyori leyengamele lihlane.
29Bhalamu wakhuluma watsi: “Ngakhele emalati lasikhombisa lapha, ungilungisele tinkunzi letisikhombisa netihhanca letisikhombisa.” 30Bhalaki wenta njengekusho kwaBhalamu, wanikela inkunzi nesihhanca kulelo nakulelo lilati.
