Salme 78
1 En Maskil af Asaf. Lyt, mit Folk, til min Lære, bøj eders Øre til Ord fra min Mund;
A maskil of Asaph. My people, attend to my teaching: bend your ears to the words of my mouth,
2 jeg vil aabne min Mund med Billedtale, fremsætte Gaader fra fordums Tid,
as I open my mouth in a poem on the riddling story of the past.
3 hvad vi har hørt og ved, hvad vore Fædre har sagt os;
What we have heard and known, and what our ancestors have told us,
4 vi dølger det ikke for deres Børn, men melder en kommende Slægt om HERRENS Ære og Vælde og Underne, som han har gjort.
we will not hide from their children. We will tell to the next generation the praises and might of the Lord, and the wonders that he has done.
5 Han satte et Vidnesbyrd i Jakob, i Israel gav han en Lov, idet han bød vore Fædre at lade deres Børn det vide,
He set up a testimony in Jacob, a law he appointed in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to make known to their children,
6 at en senere Slægt kunde vide det, og Børn, som fødtes siden, staa frem og fortælle deres Børn derom,
that the next generation should know it, that the children yet to be born should arise and tell their children;
7 saa de slaar deres Lid til Gud og ikke glemmer Guds Gerninger, men overholder hans Bud,
that in God they might put their confidence, and not forget God’s works; but that they might keep his commandments,
8 ej slægter Fædrene paa, en vanartet, stridig Slægt, hvis Hjerte ikke var fast, hvis Aand var utro mod Gud
and not be like their ancestors, a generation defiant and stubborn, a generation with heart unsteady, and spirit unfaithful towards God.
9 — Efraims Børn var rustede Bueskytter, men svigted paa Stridens Dag —
Ephraimites, armed bowmen, turned back in the day of battle.
10 Gudspagten holdt de ikke, de nægtede at følge hans Lov;
They did not keep God’s covenant, they refused to walk in his law.
11 hans Gerninger gik dem ad Glemme, de Undere, han lod dem skue.
They forgot what he had done, and the wonders he had shown them.
12 Han gjorde Undere for deres Fædre i Ægypten paa Zoans Mark;
He did wonders before their ancestors in the country of Zoan in Egypt.
13 han kløved Havet og førte dem over, lod Vandet staa som en Vold;
Through the sea which he split he brought them, making waters stand up like a heap;
14 han ledede dem ved Skyen om Dagen, Natten igennem ved Ildens Skær;
he led them by day with a cloud, all the night with a light of fire.
15 han kløvede Klipper i Ørkenen, lod dem rigeligt drikke som af Strømme,
From the rocks which he split in the wilderness, he gave them to drink as of ocean’s abundance.
16 han lod Bække rinde af Klippen og Vand strømme ned som Floder.
He brought streams out of the rock, and made water run down like rivers.
17 Men de blev ved at synde imod ham og vække den Højestes Vrede i Ørkenen;
Yet they still went on sinning against him, they defied the Most High in the desert.
18 de fristede Gud i Hjertet og krævede Mad til at stille Sulten,
They wilfully challenged God, demanding the food that they longed for.
19 de talte mod Gud og sagde: »Kan Gud dække Bord i en Ørken?
‘Is God able,’ such was their challenge, ‘to spread in the desert a table?
20 Se, Klippen slog han, saa Vand flød frem, og Bække vælded ud; mon han ogsaa kan give Brød og skaffe Kød til sit Folk?«
From the rock that he struck there gushed water, and torrents that overflowed; but can he also give bread, or provide his people with meat?’
21 Det hørte HERREN, blev vred, der tændtes en Ild mod Jakob, ja Vrede kom op mod Israel,
When the Lord heard this, he was furious, and fire was kindled on Jacob, anger flared up against Israel.
22 fordi de ikke troede Gud eller stolede paa hans Frelse.
For they put no trust in God, no confidence in his help.
23 Da bød han Skyerne oventil, lod Himlens Døre aabne
So he summoned the clouds above; and, opening the doors of heaven,
24 og Manna regne paa dem til Føde, han gav dem Himmelkorn;
he rained manna upon them for food, and grain of heaven he gave them.
25 Mennesker spiste Englebrød, han sendte dem Mad at mætte sig med.
Everyone ate the bread of angels; he sent them food to the full.
26 Han rejste Østenvinden paa Himlen, førte Søndenvinden frem ved sin Kraft;
He launched the east wind in the heavens, and guided the south by his power.
27 Kød lod han regne paa dem som Støv og vingede Fugle som Havets Sand,
He rained meat upon them like dust, winged bird like the sand of the sea.
28 lod dem falde midt i sin Lejr, rundt omkring sine Boliger;
In the midst of their camp he dropped it, all around their tents.
29 Og de spiste sig overmætte, hvad de ønsked, lod han dem faa.
They ate and were more than filled; he had brought them the thing they desired.
30 Men før deres Attraa var stillet, mens Maden var i deres Mund,
But the thing they desired became loathsome: while their food was still in their mouths,
31 rejste Guds Vrede sig mod dem; han vog deres kraftige Mænd, fældede Israels Ynglinge.
the wrath of God rose against them. He slew the stoutest among them, and laid low the young men of Israel.
32 Og dog blev de ved at synde og troede ej paa hans Undere.
Yet for all this they sinned yet more, and refused to believe in his wonders.
33 Da lod han deres Dage svinde i Tomhed og endte brat deres Aar.
So he ended their days in a breath, and their years in sudden dismay.
34 Naar han vog dem, søgte de ham, vendte om og spurgte om Gud,
When he slew them, then they sought after him, they turned and sought God with diligence.
35 kom i Hu, at Gud var deres Klippe, Gud den Allerhøjeste deres Genløser.
They remembered that God was their rock, and the Most High God their redeemer.
36 De hyklede for ham med Munden, løj for ham med deres Tunge;
But they flattered him with their mouth, and lied to him with their tongue.
37 deres Hjerter holdt ikke fast ved ham, hans Pagt var de ikke tro.
Their heart was not steady with him, they were faithless to his covenant.
38 Og dog er han barmhjertig, han tilgiver Misgerning, lægger ej øde, hans Vrede lagde sig Gang paa Gang, han lod ikke sin Harme fuldt bryde frem;
But he is full of pity: he pardons sin and destroys not. Often he turns his anger away, without stirring his wrath at all.
39 han kom i Hu, de var Kød, et Pust, der svinder og ej vender tilbage.
So he remembered that they were but flesh, breath that passes and does not return.
40 Hvor tit stod de ham ikke imod i Ørkenen og voldte ham Sorg i det øde Land!
But how often they rebelled in the desert, and caused him grief in the wilderness,
41 De fristede atter Gud, de krænkede Israels Hellige;
tempting God again and again, provoking the Holy One of Israel.
42 hans Haand kom de ikke i Hu, den Dag han friede dem fra Fjenden,
They did not remember his strength, nor the day he redeemed from the foe,
43 da han gjorde sine Tegn i Ægypten, sine Undere paa Zoans Mark,
how he set his signs in Egypt, in the country of Zoan his wonders.
44 forvandled deres Floder til Blod, saa de ej kunde drikke af Strømmene,
He turned their canals into blood, their streams undrinkable.
45 sendte Myg imod dem, som aad dem, og Frøer, som lagde dem øde,
He sent forth flies, which devoured them; frogs, too, which destroyed them.
46 gav Æderen, hvad de avlede, Græshoppen al deres Høst,
Their crops he gave to the caterpillar, and the fruits of their toil to the locust.
47 slog deres Vinstokke ned med Hagl, deres Morbærtræer med Frost,
He slew their vines with hail, and their sycamore trees with frost.
48 prisgav Kvæget for Hagl og deres Hjorde for Lyn.
He delivered their cattle to the hail, and their flocks to bolts of fire.
49 Han sendte sin Vredesglød mod dem, Harme, Vrede og Trængsel, en Sendefærd af Ulykkesengle;
He let loose his hot anger among them, fury and wrath and distress, a band of destroying angels.
50 frit Løb gav han sin Vrede, skaaned dem ikke for Døden, gav deres Liv til Pris for Pest;
He cleared a path for his anger, did not spare them from death, but gave them over to pestilence.
51 alt førstefødt i Ægypten slog han, Mandskraftens Førstegrøde i Kamiternes Telte,
He struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, the first fruits of their strength in the tents of Ham.
52 lod sit Folk bryde op som en Hjord, leded dem som Kvæg i Ørkenen,
He led forth his people like sheep, he was guide to his flock in the desert.
53 leded dem trygt, uden Frygt, mens Havet lukked sig over deres Fjender;
Securely he led them, and free from fear, while their foes were drowned in the sea.
54 han bragte dem til sit hellige Land, de Bjerge, hans højre vandt,
To his holy realm he brought them, to the mountain his right hand had purchased.
55 drev Folkeslag bort foran dem, udskiftede ved Lod deres Land og lod Israels Stammer bo i deres Telte.
He drove out the nations before them, and allotted their land for possession, and their tents for Israel to live in.
56 Dog fristed og trodsede de Gud den Allerhøjeste og overholdt ikke hans Vidnesbyrd;
Yet they tempted and angered the Most High God, they did not observe his decrees.
57 de faldt fra, var troløse som deres Fædre, svigtede som en slappet Bue,
They drew back, false like their ancestors; they failed like a treacherous bow.
58 de krænked ham med deres Offerhøje, ægged ham med deres Gudebilleder.
Their shrines stirred him to anger, their idols moved him to jealousy.
59 Det hørte Gud og blev vred, følte højlig Lede ved Israel;
When God heard of this, he was furious, and he spurned Israel utterly.
60 han opgav sin Bolig i Silo, det Telt, hvor han boede blandt Mennesker;
He abandoned his home in Shiloh, the tent he had pitched among people.
61 han gav sin Stolthed i Fangenskab, sin Herlighed i Fjendehaand,
He gave his strength up to captivity, his glory to the hands of the foe.
62 prisgav sit Folk for Sværdet, blev vred paa sin Arvelod;
He gave his people to the sword, he was furious with his own.
63 Ild fortæred dets unge Mænd, dets Jomfruer fik ej Bryllupssange,
Fire devoured their young men, and their maidens had no marriage-song.
64 dets Præster faldt for Sværdet, dets Enker holdt ikke Klagefest.
Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows could not weep.
65 Da vaagned Herren som en, der har sovet, som en Helt, der er døvet af Vin;
Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, like a warrior flushed with wine;
66 han slog sine Fjender paa Ryggen, gjorde dem evigt til Skamme.
and he beat back his foes, putting them to perpetual scorn.
67 Men han fik Lede ved Josefs Telt, Efraims Stamme udvalgte han ikke;
He disowned the tent of Joseph, he rejected the tribe of Ephraim;
68 han udvalgte Judas Stamme, Zions Bjerg, som han elsker;
but he chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which he loves.
69 han bygged sit Tempel himmelhøjt, grundfæsted det evigt som Jorden.
And he built like the heights his sanctuary, like the earth which he founded forever.
70 Han udvalgte David, sin Tjener, og tog ham fra Faarenes Folde,
And he chose David his servant, taking him from the sheepfolds.
71 hentede ham fra de diende Dyr til at vogte Jakob, hans Folk, Israel, hans Arvelod;
From the mother-ewes he brought him, to be shepherd to Jacob his people, and to Israel his inheritance.
72 han vogtede dem med oprigtigt Hjerte, ledede dem med kyndig Haand.
With upright heart did he shepherd them, and with skilful hands did he guide them.
