Psalms 78
1 A contemplation by Asaph. Hear my teaching, my people. Turn your ears to the words of my mouth.
Þjóð mín, hlustaðu á kenningu mína. Gefðu gaum að því sem ég hef að segja.
2 I will open my mouth in a parable. I will utter dark sayings of old,
Nú ætla ég að rifja upp fyrir þér liðna atburði,
3 which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
frásagnir sem varðveist hafa frá kynslóð til kynslóðar.
4 We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, his strength, and his wondrous deeds that he has done.
Ég birti ykkur sannleikann, svo að þið getið sagt börnum ykkar frá dásemdarverkum Drottins, öllum þeim undrum sem hann vann.
5 For he established a covenant in Jacob, and appointed a teaching in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children;
Lögmál sitt gaf hann Ísrael og bauð forfeðrunum að kenna það börnum sínum
6 that the generation to come might know, even the children who should be born; who should arise and tell their children,
sem síðan skyldu kenna það sínum afkomendum. Þannig skyldi lögmál hans berast frá einni kynslóðinni til annarrar.
7 that they might set their hope in God, and not forget God’s deeds, but keep his commandments,
Því hefur sérhver kynslóð getað haldið lög Guðs, treyst honum og heyrt um hans dásemdarverk.
8 and might not be as their fathers— a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not make their hearts loyal, whose spirit was not steadfast with God.
Ný kynslóð skyldi ekki þurfa að fara að fordæmi feðra sinna sem voru þrjóskir, óhlýðnir og ótrúir og forhertu sig gegn Guði.
9 The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.
Þótt íbúar Efraím væru alvopnaðir, þá flúðu þeir þegar að orustunni kom.
10 They did not keep God’s covenant, and refused to walk in his law.
Þannig rufu þeir sáttmálann við Guð og fóru sína eigin leið.
11 They forgot his doings, his wondrous deeds that he had shown them.
Þeir gleymdu máttarverkum Drottins,
12 He did marvelous things in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
sem hann hafði fyrir þá gert og forfeður þeirra í Egyptalandi,
13 He split the sea, and caused them to pass through. He made the waters stand as a heap.
þegar hann klauf hafið og leiddi þá yfir þurrum fótum. Vatnið stóð eins og veggur til beggja handa!
14 In the daytime he also led them with a cloud, and all night with a light of fire.
Að degi til leiddi hann þá með skýi, en eldstólpa um nætur.
15 He split rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink abundantly as out of the depths.
Hann rauf gat á klettinn í eyðimörkinni. Vatnið streymdi fram og þeir svöluðu þorsta sínum.
16 He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
Já, það flæddi frá klettinum, líkast rennandi á!
17 Yet they still went on to sin against him, to rebel against the Most High in the desert.
Samt héldu þeir fast við þrjósku sína og syndguðu gegn hinum hæsta Guði.
18 They tempted God in their heart by asking food according to their desire.
Þeir kvörtuðu og kveinuðu og heimtuðu annað að borða en það sem Guð gaf þeim.
19 Yes, they spoke against God. They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?
Þeir ásökuðu jafnvel sjálfan Guð og sögðu:
20 Behold, he struck the rock, so that waters gushed out, and streams overflowed. Can he give bread also? Will he provide meat for his people?”
„Hann gaf okkur vatn, en hvers vegna fáum við ekki brauð eða kjöt?!“
21 Therefore the LORD heard, and was angry. A fire was kindled against Jacob, anger also went up against Israel,
Drottinn hlustaði og honum rann í skap, reiði hans upptendraðist gegn Ísrael.
22 because they did not believe in God, and did not trust in his salvation.
Enda treystu þeir honum ekki, né trúðu forsjá hans.
23 Yet he commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven.
Jafnvel þótt hann lyki upp himninum – eins og glugga! –
24 He rained down manna on them to eat, and gave them food from the sky.
og léti manna rigna niður.
25 Man ate the bread of angels. He sent them food to the full.
Já, þeir átu englabrauð! – og urðu mettir.
26 He caused the east wind to blow in the sky. By his power he guided the south wind.
Þá lét hann austanvind blása og stýrði vestanvindinum með krafti sínum.
27 He also rained meat on them as the dust, winged birds as the sand of the seas.
Og viti menn, fuglum rigndi af himni, – þeir voru eins og sandur á sjávarströnd!
28 He let them fall in the middle of their camp, around their habitations.
Af hans völdum féllu þeir til jarðar um allar tjaldbúðirnar.
29 So they ate, and were well filled. He gave them their own desire.
Og fólkið át nægju sína. Hann mettaði hungur þeirra.
30 They did not turn from their cravings. Their food was yet in their mouths,
En varla höfðu þeir lokið matnum – fæðan var enn í munni þeirra,
31 when the anger of God went up against them, killed some of their strongest, and struck down the young men of Israel.
þá reiddist Drottinn þeim og lagði að velli æskumenn Ísraels.
32 For all this they still sinned, and did not believe in his wondrous works.
En þeir sáu sig ekki um hönd, en héldu áfram að syndga og vildu ekki trúa kraftaverkum Drottins.
33 Therefore he consumed their days in vanity, and their years in terror.
Þess vegna stytti hann ævi þeirra og sendi þeim miklar hörmungar.
34 When he killed them, then they inquired after him. They returned and sought God earnestly.
En þegar neyðin var stærst, tóku þeir að leita Guðs. Þeir iðruðust og snéru sér til hans.
35 They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God, their redeemer.
Þeir viðurkenndu að Guð er eini grundvöllur lífsins – að hinn hæsti Guð væri frelsari þeirra.
36 But they flattered him with their mouth, and lied to him with their tongue.
En því miður fylgdu þeir honum aðeins í orði kveðnu, en ekki af heilum hug,
37 For their heart was not right with him, neither were they faithful in his covenant.
hjarta þeirra var langt frá honum. Þeir stóðu ekki við orð sín.
38 But he, being merciful, forgave iniquity, and did not destroy them. Yes, many times he turned his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.
Samt var hann þeim miskunnsamur, fyrirgaf syndir þeirra og tortímdi þeim ekki. Margoft hélt hann aftur af reiði sinni.
39 He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes away, and does not come again.
Hann minntist þess að þeir voru dauðlegir menn, eins og andblær sem kemur og fer.
40 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness, and grieved him in the desert!
Já, oft risu þeir gegn Guði í eyðimörkinni og ollu honum vonbrigðum.
41 They turned again and tempted God, and provoked the Holy One of Israel.
Aftur og aftur sneru þeir við honum baki og freistuðu hans.
42 They did not remember his hand, nor the day when he redeemed them from the adversary;
Þeir gleymdu krafti hans og kærleika og hvernig hann hafði frelsað þá frá óvinum þeirra.
43 how he set his signs in Egypt, his wonders in the field of Zoan,
Þeir gleymdu plágunum sem hann sendi Egyptum í Sóan
44 he turned their rivers into blood, and their streams, so that they could not drink.
þegar hann breytti fljótum þeirra í blóð, svo að enginn gat drukkið.
45 He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.
Eða þegar hann fyllti landið af flugum og froskum!
46 He also gave their increase to the caterpillar, and their labor to the locust.
Lirfurnar spilltu uppskerunni og engispretturnar átu allt, hvort tveggja var frá honum komið.
47 He destroyed their vines with hail, their sycamore fig trees with frost.
Hann eyddi vínviði þeirra með hagléli og mórberjatrjánum með frosti.
48 He also gave over their livestock to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.
Búpeningurinn hrundi niður í haganum, haglið rotaði hann og sauðirnir drápust í eldingum.
49 He threw on them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, indignation, and trouble, and a band of angels of evil.
Hann úthellti reiði sinni yfir þá, sendi þeim ógn og skelfingu. Hann leysti út sendiboða ógæfunnar – engla sem létu þá kenna á því!
50 He made a path for his anger. He did not spare their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence,
Hann gaf reiðinni lausan tauminn. Og ekki hlífði hann Egyptunum. Þeir fengu vænan skerf af plágum og sjúkdómum.
51 and struck all the firstborn in Egypt, the chief of their strength in the tents of Ham.
Þá deyddi hann frumburði Egypta, efnilegan ungviðinn, sem vonirnar voru bundnar við.
52 But he led out his own people like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
Sinn eigin lýð leiddi hann styrkri hendi gegnum eyðimörkina.
53 He led them safely, so that they were not afraid, but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
Hann var skjól þeirra og vörn. Þeir þurftu ekkert að óttast, en hafið gleypti óvini þeirra.
54 He brought them to the border of his sanctuary, to this mountain, which his right hand had taken.
Hann greiddi för þeirra til fyrirheitna landsins, til hæðanna sem hann hafði skapað.
55 He also drove out the nations before them, allotted them for an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
Íbúum landsins stökkti hann á flótta en gaf þar ættkvíslum Ísraels erfðahlut og skjól.
56 Yet they tempted and rebelled against the Most High God, and did not keep his testimonies,
En þótt þeir nytu gæsku Guðs, risu þeir gegn hinum hæsta og fyrirlitu boðorð hans.
57 but turned back, and dealt treacherously like their fathers. They were twisted like a deceitful bow.
Þeir sneru af leið og rufu trúnað rétt eins og feður þeirra. Eins og bogin ör misstu þeir marksins sem Guð hafði sett þeim.
58 For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their engraved images.
Þeir tóku aðra guði, reistu þeim ölturu og egndu Drottin á móti sér.
59 When God heard this, he was angry, and greatly abhorred Israel,
Guð sá verk þeirra og reiddist – fékk viðbjóð á Ísrael.
60 so that he abandoned the tent of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men,
Hann yfirgaf helgidóm sinn í Síló, bústað sinn meðal manna.
61 and delivered his strength into captivity, his glory into the adversary’s hand.
Örk sína lét hann falla í hendur óvinanna og vegsemd hans var óvirt af heiðingjum.
62 He also gave his people over to the sword, and was angry with his inheritance.
Hann reiddist lýð sínum og lét hann falla fyrir sverði óvinanna.
63 Fire devoured their young men. Their virgins had no wedding song.
Æskumenn Ísraels fórust í eldi og ungu stúlkurnar upplifðu ekki sinn brúðkaupsdag.
64 Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows could not weep.
Prestunum var slátrað og ekkjur þeirra dóu áður en þær gátu harmað þá.
65 Then the Lord awakened as one out of sleep, like a mighty man who shouts by reason of wine.
Þá var sem Drottinn vaknaði af svefni, eins og hetja sem rís upp úr vímu,
66 He struck his adversaries backward. He put them to a perpetual reproach.
og hann gaf þeim vænt spark í bakhlutann og sendi þá burt með skömm, sömu leið og þeir komu.
67 Moreover he rejected the tent of Joseph, and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,
Hann hafnaði fjölskyldu Jósefs, ætt Efraíms,
68 But chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which he loved.
en kaus Júdaættkvísl og Síonfjall, sem hann elskar.
69 He built his sanctuary like the heights, like the earth which he has established forever.
Þar reisti hann musteri sitt – voldugt og traust rétt eins og himin og jörð.
70 He also chose David his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds;
Hann kaus Davíð sem þjón sinn, tók hann frá sauðunum,
71 from following the ewes that have their young, he brought him to be the shepherd of Jacob, his people, and Israel, his inheritance.
úr smalamennskunni, til að verða leiðtogi og hirðir þjóðar sinnar.
72 So he was their shepherd according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.
Og hann gætti hennar af öryggi og með hreinu hjarta.
