Psalms 78
1 An instruction. Of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law; incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
Utenzi wa Asafu. Enyi watu wangu, sikieni mafundisho yangu, sikilizeni maneno ya kinywa changu.
2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter riddles from of old,
Nitafungua kinywa changu kwa mafumbo, nitazungumza mambo yaliyofichika, mambo ya kale:
3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us:
yale ambayo tuliyasikia na kuyajua, yale ambayo baba zetu walituambia.
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.
Hatutayaficha kwa watoto wao; tutakiambia kizazi kijacho matendo yastahiliyo sifa ya Bwana, uweza wake, na maajabu aliyoyafanya.
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;
Aliagiza amri kwa Yakobo na akaweka sheria katika Israeli, ambazo aliwaamuru baba zetu wawafundishe watoto wao,
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,
ili kizazi kijacho kizijue, pamoja na watoto ambao watazaliwa, nao pia wapate kuwaeleza watoto wao.
7 And that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but observe his commandments;
Ndipo wangeweka tumaini lao kwa Mungu, nao wasingesahau matendo yake, bali wangalizishika amri zake.
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.
Ili wasifanane na baba zao, waliokuwa kizazi cha ukaidi na uasi, ambao roho zao hazikuwa na uaminifu kwake, ambao roho zao hazikumwamini.
9 The sons of Ephraim, armed bowmen, turned back in the day of battle.
Watu wa Efraimu, ingawa walijifunga pinde, walikimbia siku ya vita.
10 They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;
Hawakulishika agano la Mungu na walikataa kuishi kwa sheria yake.
11 And forgot his doings, and his marvellous works which he had shewn them.
Walisahau aliyokuwa ameyatenda, maajabu aliyokuwa amewaonyesha.
12 In the sight of their fathers had he done wonders, in the land of Egypt, the field of Zoan.
Alitenda miujiza machoni mwa baba zao, huko Soani, katika nchi ya Misri.
13 He clave the sea, and caused them to pass through; and made the waters to stand as a heap;
Aliigawanya bahari akawapitisha, alifanya maji yasimame imara kama ukuta.
14 And he led them with a cloud in the daytime, and all the night with the light of fire.
Aliwaongoza kwa wingu mchana na kwa nuru kutoka kwenye moto usiku kucha.
15 He clave rocks in the wilderness, and gave [them] drink as out of the depths, abundantly;
Alipasua miamba jangwani na akawapa maji tele kama bahari,
16 And he brought streams out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
alitoa vijito kutoka kwenye jabali lililochongoka, akayafanya maji yatiririke kama mito.
17 Yet they still went on sinning against him, provoking the Most High in the desert;
Lakini waliendelea kutenda dhambi dhidi yake, wakiasi jangwani dhidi ya Aliye Juu Sana.
18 And they tempted God in their heart, by asking meat for their lust;
Kwa makusudi walimjaribu Mungu, wakidai vyakula walivyovitamani.
19 And they spoke against God: they said, Is God able to prepare a table in the wilderness?
Walinena dhidi ya Mungu, wakisema, “Je, Mungu aweza kuandaa meza jangwani?
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?
Alipopiga mwamba, maji yalitoka kwa nguvu, vijito vikatiririka maji mengi. Lakini je, aweza kutupa chakula pia? Je, anaweza kuwapa watu wake nyama?”
21 Therefore Jehovah heard, and was wroth; and fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also went up against Israel:
Bwana alipowasikia, alikasirika sana, moto wake ukawa dhidi ya Yakobo, na ghadhabu yake ikawaka dhidi ya Israeli,
22 Because they believed not in God, and confided not in his salvation;
kwa kuwa hawakumwamini Mungu, wala kuutumainia ukombozi wake.
23 Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and had opened the doors of the heavens,
Hata hivyo alitoa amri kwa anga zilizo juu na kufungua milango ya mbingu,
24 And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them the corn of the heavens.
akawanyeshea mana ili watu wale; aliwapa nafaka ya mbinguni.
25 Man did eat the bread of the mighty; he sent them provision to the full.
Watu walikula mkate wa malaika, akawatumia chakula chote ambacho wangeliweza kula.
26 He caused the east wind to rise in the heavens, and by his strength he brought the south wind;
Aliachia upepo wa mashariki kutoka kwenye mbingu na kuuongoza upepo wa kusini kwa uwezo wake.
27 And he rained flesh upon them as dust, and feathered fowl as the sand of the seas,
Aliwanyeshea nyama kama mavumbi, ndege warukao kama mchanga wa pwani.
28 And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations:
Aliwafanya washuke ndani ya kambi yao, kuzunguka mahema yao yote.
29 And they did eat, and were well filled; for that they lusted after, he brought to them.
Walikula na kusaza, kwa maana alikuwa amewapa kile walichotamani.
30 They were not alienated from their lust, their meat was yet in their mouths,
Kabla hawajamaliza kula walichokitamani, hata kilipokuwa kingali bado vinywani mwao,
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.
hasira ya Mungu ikawaka juu yao, akawaua wale waliokuwa na nguvu zaidi miongoni mwao, akiwaangusha vijana wa Israeli.
32 For all this, they sinned still, and believed not in his marvellous works;
Licha ya haya yote, waliendelea kutenda dhambi, licha ya maajabu yake, hawakuamini.
33 And he consumed their days in vanity, and their years in terror.
Kwa hiyo akamaliza siku zao katika ubatili na miaka yao katika vitisho.
34 When he slew them, then they sought him, and returned and sought early after God;
Kila mara Mungu alipowaua baadhi yao, waliosalia walimtafuta, walimgeukia tena kwa shauku.
35 And they remembered that God was their rock, and God, the Most High, their redeemer.
Walikumbuka kwamba Mungu alikuwa Mwamba wao, kwamba Mungu Aliye Juu Sana alikuwa Mkombozi wao.
36 But they flattered him with their mouth, and lied unto him with their tongue;
Lakini walimdanganya kwa vinywa vyao, wakisema uongo kwa ndimi zao,
37 For their heart was not firm toward him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.
mioyo yao haikuwa thabiti kwake, wala hawakuwa waaminifu katika agano lake.
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:
Hata hivyo alikuwa na huruma, alisamehe maovu yao na hakuwaangamiza. Mara kwa mara alizuia hasira yake, wala hakuchochea ghadhabu yake yote.
39 And he remembered that they were flesh, a breath that passeth away and cometh not again.
Alikumbuka kwamba wao walikuwa nyama tu, upepo upitao ambao haurudi.
40 How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!
Mara ngapi walimwasi jangwani na kumhuzunisha nyikani!
41 And they turned again and tempted God, and grieved the Holy One of Israel.
Walimjaribu Mungu mara kwa mara, wakamkasirisha yeye Aliye Mtakatifu wa Israeli.
42 They remembered not his hand, the day when he delivered them from the oppressor,
Hawakukumbuka uwezo wake, siku aliyowakomboa kutoka kwa mtesi,
43 How he set his signs in Egypt, and his miracles in the field of Zoan;
siku aliyoonyesha ishara zake za ajabu huko Misri, maajabu yake huko Soani.
44 And turned their rivers into blood, and their streams, that they could not drink;
Aligeuza mito yao kuwa damu, hawakuweza kunywa maji kutoka vijito vyao.
45 He sent dog-flies among them, which devoured them, and frogs, which destroyed them;
Aliwapelekea makundi ya mainzi yakawala, na vyura wakawaharibu.
46 And he gave their increase unto the caterpillar, and their labour unto the locust;
Aliruhusu tunutu kuharibu mimea yao, mazao yao kwa nzige.
47 He killed their vines with hail, and their sycamore trees with hail-stones;
Aliharibu mizabibu yao kwa mvua ya mawe na mikuyu yao kwa mvua iliyochangamana na theluji.
48 And he delivered up their cattle to the hail, and their flocks to thunderbolts.
Aliwaachia mifugo yao mvua ya mawe, akayapiga makundi ya wanyama wao kwa radi.
49 He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and distress, — a mission of angels of woes.
Aliwafungulia hasira yake kali, ghadhabu yake, hasira na uadui, na kundi la malaika wa kuharibu.
50 He made a way for his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;
Aliitengenezea njia hasira yake, hakuwaepusha na kifo, bali aliwaachia tauni.
51 And he smote all the firstborn in Egypt, the first-fruits of their vigour in the tents of Ham.
Aliwapiga wazaliwa wote wa kwanza wa Misri, matunda ya kwanza ya ujana katika mahema ya Hamu.
52 And he made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock;
Lakini aliwatoa watu wake kama kundi, akawaongoza kama kondoo kupitia jangwani.
53 And he led them safely, so that they were without fear; and the sea covered their enemies.
Aliwaongoza salama, wala hawakuogopa, bali bahari iliwameza adui zao.
54 And he brought them to his holy border, this mountain, which his right hand purchased;
Hivyo akawaleta hadi kwenye mpaka wa nchi yake takatifu, hadi nchi ya vilima ambayo mkono wake wa kuume ulikuwa umeitwaa.
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.
Aliyafukuza mataifa mbele yao, na kuwagawia nchi zao kama urithi, aliwakalisha makabila ya Israeli katika makao yao.
56 But they tempted and provoked God, the Most High, and kept not his testimonies,
Lakini wao walimjaribu Mungu, na kuasi dhidi ya Yeye Aliye Juu Sana, wala hawakuzishika sheria zake.
57 And they drew back and dealt treacherously like their fathers: they turned like a deceitful bow.
Kama baba zao, hawakuwa thabiti wala waaminifu, wakawa wasioweza kutegemewa kama upinde wenye kasoro.
58 And they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.
Wakamkasirisha Mungu kwa mahali pao pa juu pa kuabudia miungu, wakachochea wivu wake kwa sanamu zao.
59 God heard, and was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:
Wakati Mungu alipowasikia, alikasirika sana, akamkataa Israeli kabisa.
60 And he forsook the tabernacle at Shiloh, the tent where he had dwelt among men,
Akaiacha hema ya Shilo, hema aliyokuwa ameiweka katikati ya wanadamu.
61 And gave his strength into captivity, and his glory into the hand of the oppressor;
Akalipeleka Sanduku la nguvu zake utumwani, utukufu wake mikononi mwa adui.
62 And delivered up his people unto the sword, and was very wroth with his inheritance:
Aliachia watu wake wauawe kwa upanga, akaukasirikia sana urithi wake.
63 The fire consumed their young men, and their maidens were not praised in [nuptial] song;
Moto uliwaangamiza vijana wao, na wanawali wao hawakuimbiwa nyimbo za arusi,
64 Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows made no lamentation.
makuhani wao waliuawa kwa upanga, wala wajane wao hawakuweza kulia.
65 Then the Lord awoke as one out of sleep, like a mighty man that shouteth aloud by reason of wine;
Ndipo Bwana alipoamka kama vile kuamka usingizini, kama vile mtu aamkavyo kutoka kwenye bumbuazi la mvinyo.
66 And he smote his adversaries in the hinder part, and put them to everlasting reproach.
Aliwapiga na kuwashinda adui zake, akawatia katika aibu ya milele.
67 And he rejected the tent of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim,
Ndipo alipozikataa hema za Yosefu, hakulichagua kabila la Efraimu,
68 But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved;
lakini alilichagua kabila la Yuda, Mlima Sayuni, ambao aliupenda.
69 And he built his sanctuary like the heights, like the earth which he hath founded for ever.
Alijenga patakatifu pake kama vilele, kama dunia ambayo aliimarisha milele.
70 And he chose David his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:
Akamchagua Daudi mtumishi wake na kumtoa kwenye mazizi ya kondoo.
71 From following the suckling-ewes, he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.
Kutoka kuchunga kondoo alimleta kuwa mchungaji wa watu wake Yakobo, wa Israeli urithi wake.
72 And he fed them according to the integrity of his heart, and led them by the skilfulness of his hands.
Naye Daudi aliwachunga kwa uadilifu wa moyo, kwa mikono ya ustadi aliwaongoza.
