Numbers 22

22 ¹Den di Israel people comot, dem camp for di plains of Moab wey dey for di oda side of Jordan, opposite Jericho. ²Now Balak, di pikin of Zippor, see everytin wey Israel do di Amorite people. ³Moab fear di people well well, because dem plenty; Moab dey shake because of di Israel people. ⁴Moab tell di elders of Midian, "Dis crowd go lick up everytin wey surround us, di way ox dey lick up grass for field." Balak, di pikin of Zippor, na im be king of Moab dat time.

⁵E send messengers go call Balaam, di pikin of Beor, wey dey Pethor, near di River Euphrates for di land of im people. E talk say, "See, one people don comot from Egypt. See, dem don cover di whole ground, and dem don settle for my front. ⁶Abeg, come curse dis people for me—dem strong pass me. Maybe I fit beat dem and drive dem comot from di land, because I sabi say: anybody wey you bless, e don bless, and anybody wey you curse, e don curse."

⁷Di elders of Moab and di elders of Midian waka go, dem carry money for divination for dem hand, and dem reach Balaam and tell am wetin Balak talk.

⁸E tell dem, "Stay for here dis night, and I go bring back word as God go talk to me." So di officials of Moab stay with Balaam.

⁹Den our Papa come meet Balaam and ask, "Who be dis men wey dey with you?"

¹⁰Balaam tell our Papa, "Balak, di pikin of Zippor, king of Moab, don send word give me: ¹¹See, di people wey comot from Egypt don cover di whole ground. Come now, curse dem for me—maybe I fit fight against dem and drive dem comot."

¹²But our Papa tell Balaam, "No go with dem. No curse di people, because dem don bless."

¹³Balaam wake for dat morning and tell Balak im officials, "Go back to una land—God don refuse make I go with una."

¹⁴Di officials of Moab wake, dem go meet Balak, and dem talk, "Balaam refuse to come with us."

¹⁵Den Balak send officials again—dem plenty pass and get honor pass di first ones. ¹⁶Dem reach Balaam and talk, "Balak, di pikin of Zippor, say: No make anytin stop you from coming meet me, ¹⁷because I go honor you well well, and do anytin wey you tell me. So abeg come curse dis people for me."

¹⁸Balaam answer Balak im servants, "Even if Balak give me im house full of silver and gold, I no fit go pass wetin God command, to do small or big tin. ¹⁹So now, abeg, stay for here dis night, una too, so I fit sabi wetin more our Papa go talk to me."

²⁰And our Papa come meet Balaam for night and tell am, "Since dis men come call you, wake up and go with dem, but do only wetin I go tell you."

²¹So Balaam wake for morning, e put saddle on im donkey, and e go with di officials of Moab.

Our Papa Talk Through Donkey

²²But our Papa im anger burn because e go, and our Papa im messenger stand for di road as Balaam im enemy. Balaam dey ride im donkey, with im two servants. ²³Di donkey see di messenger of our Papa dey stand for di road, with im sword wey e don comot for im hand, and di donkey turn comot from di road enter di field. So Balaam beat di donkey make e turn back go di road. ²⁴Den our Papa im messenger stand for one narrow path between di vineyards, wall dey for each side. ²⁵Di donkey see di messenger of our Papa, e press body against di wall, and e press Balaam im leg against am, so e beat am again.

²⁶Di messenger of our Papa waka go front again and stand for one narrow place wey no get space to turn right or left. ²⁷When di donkey see di messenger of our Papa, e lie down under Balaam; Balaam im anger flare, and e beat am with im stick.

²⁸Den our Papa open di donkey im mouth, and e tell Balaam, "Wetin I do you, wey you beat me dis three times?"

²⁹Balaam tell di donkey, "You don make jest of me! If I get sword for my hand, I for don kill you now."

³⁰Di donkey tell Balaam, "No be your donkey I be, di one wey you dey ride your whole life till today? I ever do you like dis before?" E talk, "No."

³¹Den our Papa open Balaam im eyes, and e see our Papa im messenger dey stand for di road, with sword wey e don comot for im hand, and e bow down low and fall with im face for ground.

³²Di messenger of our Papa tell am, "Why you beat your donkey three times? I don come out as enemy, because your way na reckless way for my front. ³³Di donkey see me and turn comot from me dis three times. If e no bin turn comot, I for don kill you by now and leave am make e live."

³⁴Balaam tell di messenger of our Papa, "I don sin—I no know say you stand for di road to block me. Now if dis one no good for your eyes, I go turn go back."

³⁵Di messenger of our Papa tell Balaam, "Go with di men, but talk only wetin I go tell you." So Balaam continue go with Balak im officials.

³⁶When Balak hear say Balaam dey come, e comot go meet am for di city of Moab, wey dey di Arnon border, for di edge of di border. ³⁷Balak tell Balaam, "No be I send message quick quick to call you? Why you no come meet me? I no fit really honor you?"

³⁸Balaam tell Balak, "See, I don come meet you now—but I fit just talk anytin? Na only wetin God put for my mouth I fit talk."

³⁹So Balaam go with Balak, and dem reach Kiriath-huzoth. ⁴⁰Balak sacrifice cattle and sheep, e send share give Balaam and di officials wey dey with am. ⁴¹For morning Balak carry Balaam and bring am up go Bamoth-baal, and from dia e see di edge of di people.