Psalms 78
1 An instruction. Of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law; incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
Ihubo ka-Asafu Zwanini imfundiso yami, bantu bami; lilalele amazwi omlomo wami.
2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter riddles from of old,
Ngizavula umlomo wami ngemifanekiso, ngizakutsho izinto ezifihlekileyo, izinto zekadeni,
3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us:
esakuzwayo lesikwaziyo esakutshelwa ngokhokho bethu.
4 We will not hide [them] from their sons, shewing forth to the generation to come the praises of Jehovah, and his strength, and his marvellous works which he hath done.
Kasizukuzifihlela abantwana babo; sizasitshela isizukulwane esizayo ngemisebenzi emangalisayo kaThixo, amandla akhe, lemimangaliso aseyenzile.
5 For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children;
Wamisela uJakhobe imithetho wabeka umlayo ko-Israyeli, walaya okhokho bethu ukuthi bawufundise abantwababo,
6 That the generation to come might know [them], the children that should be born; that they might rise up and tell [them] to their children,
ukuze aziwe yisizukulwane esilandelayo, kanye labantwana abazazalwa, kuthi labo batshele abantwababo.
7 And that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but observe his commandments;
Yikho-ke bazabeka ithemba labo kuNkulunkulu njalo abasoze bakhohlwa izenzo zakhe kodwa bagcine imilayo yakhe.
8 And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that prepared not their heart, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.
Kabayikuba njengabokhokho babo ababeyisizukulwana esilobuqholo lesihlamukayo, onhliziyo zabo zazingazinikelanga kuNkulunkulu omoya yabo yayingathembekanga kuye.
9 The sons of Ephraim, armed bowmen, turned back in the day of battle.
Amadoda ako-Efrayimi, loba ayehlomile ngemitshoko, afulathela mhla welanga lempi;
10 They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;
kabasigcinanga isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu, bala ukuphila ngomthetho wakhe.
11 And forgot his doings, and his marvellous works which he had shewn them.
Bakhohlwa lokho ayekwenzile, izimanga ayebatshengise zona.
12 In the sight of their fathers had he done wonders, in the land of Egypt, the field of Zoan.
Wenza imimangaliso oyise bekhangele elizweni laseGibhithe, esigodini saseZowani.
13 He clave the sea, and caused them to pass through; and made the waters to stand as a heap;
Walwahlukanisa ulwandle wabahola bachapha; wenza amanzi ema aqina saka njengomduli.
14 And he led them with a cloud in the daytime, and all the night with the light of fire.
Wabahola ngeyezi emini njalo ngokukhanya komlilo ubusuku bonke.
15 He clave rocks in the wilderness, and gave [them] drink as out of the depths, abundantly;
Wawaqhekeza amadwala enkangala wabapha amanzi amanengi njengolwandle;
16 And he brought streams out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
wantshazisa impophoma emadwaleni amawa wenza amanzi ageleza njengemifula.
17 Yet they still went on sinning against him, provoking the Most High in the desert;
Kodwa baqhubeka besona phambi kwakhe, bamhlamukela enkangala yena oPhezukonke.
18 And they tempted God in their heart, by asking meat for their lust;
Bamlinga uNkulunkulu ngabomo ngokucela ukudla ababekutshisekela.
19 And they spoke against God: they said, Is God able to prepare a table in the wilderness?
Bamchothoza uNkulunkulu besithi, “Kambe uNkulunkulu angendlala itafula lokudlela enkangala na?
20 Behold, he smote the rock, and waters gushed out, and streams overflowed; is he able to give bread also, or provide flesh for his people?
Wathi lapho etshaya idwala, amanzi antshantshaza, kwageleza amanzi amanengi. Kodwa angasipha njalo lokudla na? Angabalethela inyama abantu bakhe na?”
21 Therefore Jehovah heard, and was wroth; and fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also went up against Israel:
UThixo wathi ebezwa wathukuthela kakhulu; umlilo wakhe wavuthela kuJakhobe, ulaka lwakhe lwaqina ku-Israyeli,
22 Because they believed not in God, and confided not in his salvation;
ngoba kabamkholwanga uNkulunkulu njalo kabawathembanga amandla okuhlenga kwakhe.
23 Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and had opened the doors of the heavens,
Loba kunjalo walaya umkhathi ngaphezulu wavula iminyango yamazulu;
24 And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them the corn of the heavens.
wanisa imana ukuthi badle abantu, wabapha amabele asezulwini.
25 Man did eat the bread of the mighty; he sent them provision to the full.
Abantu badla isinkwa sezingilosi; wabathumela konke ukudla ababengakudla.
26 He caused the east wind to rise in the heavens, and by his strength he brought the south wind;
Wawukhulula umoya wempumalanga uvela emazulwini, wawukhulula umoya weningizimu ngamandla akhe.
27 And he rained flesh upon them as dust, and feathered fowl as the sand of the seas,
Wanisela inyama kubo njengothuli, izinyoni eziphaphayo zaba njengetshebetshebe ogwini lolwandle.
28 And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations:
Wazenza zehlela phakathi kwezihonqo zabo, indawana yonke emathenteni abo.
29 And they did eat, and were well filled; for that they lusted after, he brought to them.
Bazitika baze bakhangela, ngoba wayebaphe ababekade bekukhalela.
30 They were not alienated from their lust, their meat was yet in their mouths,
Kodwa bengakakutshiyi lokho kudla ababekukhalela belokhu besakunambitha emilonyeni yabo,
31 When the anger of God went up against them; and he slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.
ulaka lukaNkulunkulu lwavutha kubo; wabulala zona iziqwabalanda zabo, wawahemula amajaha ako-Israyeli.
32 For all this, they sinned still, and believed not in his marvellous works;
Phezu kwakho konke lokhu baqhubeka besona; phezu kwezimanga zakhe, kabazange bakholwe.
33 And he consumed their days in vanity, and their years in terror.
Ngakho wenza insuku zabo zaphelela ezeni njalo leminyaka yabo yagcwala ukwesaba.
34 When he slew them, then they sought him, and returned and sought early after God;
Kwakusithi uNkulunkulu angababulala, bamdinge; baphendukele kuye njalo ngokutshiseka.
35 And they remembered that God was their rock, and God, the Most High, their redeemer.
Bakhumbula ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayelidwala labo, ukuthi uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke wayenguMhlengi wabo.
36 But they flattered him with their mouth, and lied unto him with their tongue;
Kodwa-ke kwakuyikumyenga ngemilomo yabo, beqamba amanga kuye ngendimi zabo;
37 For their heart was not firm toward him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.
inhliziyo zabo zazingabambelelanga kuye, babengathembekanga esivumelwaneni sakhe.
38 But he was merciful: he forgave the iniquity, and destroyed [them] not; but many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his fury:
Kodwa wayelesihawu; wazithethelela izono zabo kaze ababhubhisa. Isikhathi ngesikhathi waluthoba ulaka lwakhe akaze akuqubula konke ukuthukuthela kwakhe.
39 And he remembered that they were flesh, a breath that passeth away and cometh not again.
Wakhumbula ukuthi babeyinyama nje intshongolo eyedlulayo nje ingabe isabuya.
40 How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!
Kodwa ukuthi bamhlamukela kanengi njani enkangala, bamdabukisa egwaduleni!
41 And they turned again and tempted God, and grieved the Holy One of Israel.
Baphindaphinda ukulinga uNkulunkulu; bamthukuthelisa oNgcwele ka-Israyeli.
42 They remembered not his hand, the day when he delivered them from the oppressor,
Kabawakhumbulanga amandla akhe usuku abakhulula ngalo kumncindezeli,
43 How he set his signs in Egypt, and his miracles in the field of Zoan;
usuku lapho aveza khona izibonakaliso zakhe ezimangalisayo eGibhithe, izimanga zakhe esigodini saseZowani.
44 And turned their rivers into blood, and their streams, that they could not drink;
Waguqula imifula yabo yaba ligazi; behluleka ukunatha ezifuleni zabo.
45 He sent dog-flies among them, which devoured them, and frogs, which destroyed them;
Wathumela imihlambi yezibawu zabantinya, lamaxoxo ababhuqayo.
46 And he gave their increase unto the caterpillar, and their labour unto the locust;
Amabele abo wawathela izintethe, izithelo zabo isikhongwane.
47 He killed their vines with hail, and their sycamore trees with hail-stones;
Wathintitha amavini abo ngesiqhotho lemikhiwa yabo yesikhamore wayitshazisa ngongqwaqwane.
48 And he delivered up their cattle to the hail, and their flocks to thunderbolts.
Inkomo zabo wazithela ngesiqhotho, izifuyo zabo zadliwa yizikhatha zombane.
49 He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and distress, — a mission of angels of woes.
Wabathululela ulaka lwakhe oluvuthayo, intukuthelo yakhe, ukucunuka lenzondo ixuku lezingilosi ezibhubhisayo.
50 He made a way for his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;
Wayilungisa indlela yolaka lwakhe; kabaphephisanga ekufeni kodwa wabanikela emikhuhlaneni.
51 And he smote all the firstborn in Egypt, the first-fruits of their vigour in the tents of Ham.
Wawabulala wonke amazibulo aseGibhithe, izithelo zabo zokuqala zokuba ngamadoda emathenteni kaHamu.
52 And he made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock;
Kodwa wabakhupha abantu bakhe njengomhlambi wezimvu; wabahola njengezimvu bedabula inkangala.
53 And he led them safely, so that they were without fear; and the sea covered their enemies.
Wabakhokhela ngonanzelelo, ngakho babengesabi; kodwa ulwandle lwazigubuzela izitha zabo.
54 And he brought them to his holy border, this mountain, which his right hand purchased;
Kanjalo wabaletha emngceleni welizwe lakhe elingcwele, elizweni lamaqaqa ayelithethe ngesandla sakhe sokunene.
55 And he drove out the nations before them, and allotted them for an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
Wazixotsha izizwe phambi kwabo wabahlukanisela ilizwe lazo laba yilifa; wahlalisa izizwana zako-Israyeli emizini yazo.
56 But they tempted and provoked God, the Most High, and kept not his testimonies,
Kodwa bamlinga uNkulunkulu, bamhlamukela oPhezukonke; kabayigcinanga imilayo yakhe.
57 And they drew back and dealt treacherously like their fathers: they turned like a deceitful bow.
Njengabokhokho babo babengathembekanga bengakholwa, ungeke wathemba njengedandili elenziwe kubi.
58 And they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.
Bamvusa ulaka ngezindawo zabo eziphezulu; baqubula ubukhwele bakhe ngezithombe zabo.
59 God heard, and was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:
Wathi uNkulunkulu ngokukuzwa lokho, wathukuthela kakhulu; wamlahla qobo lokumlahla u-Israyeli.
60 And he forsook the tabernacle at Shiloh, the tent where he had dwelt among men,
Walidela ithabanikeli lakhe eShilo, ithente ayelakhile phakathi kwabantu.
61 And gave his strength into captivity, and his glory into the hand of the oppressor;
Umphongolo wakhe wamandla wawusa ekuthunjweni, inkazimulo yakhe ezandleni zesitha.
62 And delivered up his people unto the sword, and was very wroth with his inheritance:
Abantu bakhe wabanikela ukudliwa yinkemba; wayethukuthele kakhulu ngelifa lakhe.
63 The fire consumed their young men, and their maidens were not praised in [nuptial] song;
Umlilo waziqeda izinsizwa zabo, izintombi zabo zaswela izingoma zomtshado;
64 Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows made no lamentation.
abaphristi babo babulawa ngenkemba, abafelokazi babo behluleka ukulila.
65 Then the Lord awoke as one out of sleep, like a mighty man that shouteth aloud by reason of wine;
INkosi yasivuka njengokade esebuthongweni, njengomuntu ephaphama ekudakweni yiwayini.
66 And he smote his adversaries in the hinder part, and put them to everlasting reproach.
Wazitshaya zahlehla izitha zakhe; waziyangisa okungapheliyo.
67 And he rejected the tent of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim,
Khonapho-ke wawakhalala amathente kaJosefa, akaze asikhetha isizwana sika-Efrayimi;
68 But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved;
kodwa wakhetha isizwana sikaJuda, iNtaba iZiyoni ayeyithanda.
69 And he built his sanctuary like the heights, like the earth which he hath founded for ever.
Wakha indlu yakhe engcwele njengeziqongo, njengomhlaba awumisela ingunaphakade.
70 And he chose David his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:
Wakhetha uDavida inceku yakhe wamthatha ezilugwini zezimvu;
71 From following the suckling-ewes, he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.
wamsusa ekweluseni izimvu wamletha ukuba ngumelusi wabantu bakhe uJakhobe, baka-Israyeli ilifa lakhe.
72 And he fed them according to the integrity of his heart, and led them by the skilfulness of his hands.
Njalo uDavida wabelusa ngobuqotho benhliziyo; wabakhokhela ngesandla sobungcitshi.
