Masalimo 144
1 Salimo la Davide. Atamandike Yehova Thanthwe langa, amene amaphunzitsa manja anga kuchita nkhondo; zala zanga kumenya nkhondo.
I praise Yahweh, who is [like an overhanging] rock [under which I] ([get refuge/am protected])! He trains my hands so that I can use them to fight battles; he trains my fingers so that I can [shoot arrows in a war].
2 Iye ndiye Mulungu wanga wachikondi ndi malo anga otetezedwa, linga langa ndi mpulumutsi wanga, chishango changa mmene ine ndimathawiramo, amene amagonjetsa mitundu ya anthu pansi panga.
He is the one who protects me; he is [like] a fortress [DOU] in which I am safe, he protects me [like] [protect soldiers] [MET], and he gives me refuge. He defeats [other] nations and [then] puts them under my power.
3 Inu Yehova, munthu nʼchiyani kuti mumamusamalira, mwana wa munthu kuti muzimuganizira?
Yahweh, [we] people are [very insignificant/unimportant], so why (are you concerned/do you care about us) [RHQ]? [It is amazing to me that] you pay attention to humans.
4 Munthu ali ngati mpweya; masiku ake ali ngati mthunzi wosakhalitsa.
[The time that we live is as short] as [SIM] a puff of wind; our time to live disappears like a shadow does.
5 Ngʼambani mayiko akumwamba, Inu Yehova, ndipo tsikani pansi; khudzani mapiri kuti atulutse utsi.
Yahweh, (tear open/open up) the sky and come down! Touch the mountains in order that smoke will pour out from them!
6 Tumizani zingʼaningʼani ndi kubalalitsa adani; ponyani mivi yanu ndi kuwathamangitsa.
Cause lightning to flash with the result that [your enemies] will run away! Shoot your arrows [at them] and cause them to (run away/scatter).
7 Tambasulani dzanja lanu kuchokera kumwamba; landitseni ndi kundipulumutsa, ku madzi amphamvu, mʼmanja mwa anthu achilendo,
[It is as though my enemies surround me like] a flood; reach your hand down from heaven and rescue me from them [SYN]. They are men from other countries
8 amene pakamwa pawo ndi podzala ndi mabodza, amene dzanja lawo lamanja ndi lachinyengo.
who [SYN] [always] tell lies. [Even in a courtroom where they swear to tell the truth] they tell lies.
9 Ndidzakuyimbirani nyimbo yatsopano Inu Mulungu; ndidzakuyimbirani nyimbo pa zeze wa nsambo khumi,
God, I will sing a new song to you, and I will play my ten-stringed harp [while I sing] to you.
10 kwa Iye amene amapambanitsa mafumu, amene amapulumutsa Davide mtumiki wake ku lupanga loopsa.
You enable kings to defeat [their enemies]; and you rescued me, your servant David, from [being killed by] my enemies’ swords.
11 Landitseni ndi kundipulumutsa, mʼmanja mwa anthu achilendo, amene pakamwa pawo ndi podzaza ndi mabodza, amene dzanja lawo lamanja ndi lachinyengo.
[So I ask you to] save me from [being killed by] the swords [that those] evil [people carry]. Rescue me from the power [MTY] of those foreigners who [SYN] [always] tell lies, and [who raise] their right hands [in courtrooms when they solemnly declare that they will tell the truth].
12 Ndipo ana aamuna pa chinyamata chawo adzakhala ngati mbewu yosamalidwa bwino, ana athu aakazi adzakhala ngati zipilala zosemedwa bwino, zokongoletsera nyumba yaufumu.
I wish/hope that our young sons will grow up to be like strong plants [SIM], and I wish/hope that our daughters will [grow up to] be [straight and tall] like the pillars [SIM] that stand in the corners of palaces.
13 Nkhokwe zathu zidzakhala zodzaza ndi zokolola za mtundu uliwonse. Nkhosa zathu zidzaswana miyandamiyanda pa mabusa athu.
I wish/hope that our barns will be full of many different crops. I wish/hope that the sheep in our fields will give birth to tens of thousands of baby lambs.
14 Ngʼombe zathu zidzanyamula katundu wolemera. Sipadzakhala mingʼalu pa makoma, sipadzakhalanso kupita ku ukapolo, mʼmisewu mwathu simudzakhala kulira chifukwa cha mavuto.
I wish/hope that our cows will give birth to many calves without having any miscarriages or deaths when they are born (OR, that no enemies will break through our city walls and take us (into exile/to their own countries)). I wish/hope that [there will not be a time when the people in] our streets cry out in distress [because foreign armies are invading].
15 Odala anthu amene adzalandira madalitso awa; odala anthu amene Mulungu wawo ndi Yehova.
If good things like that happen to a nation, the people will be very happy. The people whose God is Yahweh are the ones who will be happy!
