Psalms 78
1 A psalm (maskil) of Asaph. Listen to what I have to teach you, my people; hear what I have to say.
Utenzi wa Asafu. Enyi watu wangu, sikieni mafundisho yangu, sikilizeni maneno ya kinywa changu.
2 I will tell you wise sayings; I will explain mysteries from the past
Nitafungua kinywa changu kwa mafumbo, nitazungumza mambo yaliyofichika, mambo ya kale:
3 that we have heard before and reflected on; stories our forefathers passed down to us.
yale ambayo tuliyasikia na kuyajua, yale ambayo baba zetu walituambia.
4 We will not keep them from our children; we will tell the next generation about God's marvelous actions—about his power and the amazing things he has done.
Hatutayaficha kwa watoto wao; tutakiambia kizazi kijacho matendo yastahiliyo sifa ya Bwana, uweza wake, na maajabu aliyoyafanya.
5 He gave his laws to the descendants of Jacob; his instructions to the people of Israel. He commanded our forefathers to teach them to their children,
Aliagiza amri kwa Yakobo na akaweka sheria katika Israeli, ambazo aliwaamuru baba zetu wawafundishe watoto wao,
6 so that the next generation—children yet to be born—would understand and grow up to teach their children.
ili kizazi kijacho kizijue, pamoja na watoto ambao watazaliwa, nao pia wapate kuwaeleza watoto wao.
7 In this way they should place their trust in God and not forget what God has done, and keep his commandments.
Ndipo wangeweka tumaini lao kwa Mungu, nao wasingesahau matendo yake, bali wangalizishika amri zake.
8 Then they would not be like their forefathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation that was untrustworthy and unfaithful.
Ili wasifanane na baba zao, waliokuwa kizazi cha ukaidi na uasi, ambao roho zao hazikuwa na uaminifu kwake, ambao roho zao hazikumwamini.
9 The soldiers of Ephraim, though armed with bows, ran away on the day of battle.
Watu wa Efraimu, ingawa walijifunga pinde, walikimbia siku ya vita.
10 They did not keep God's agreement, and refused to follow his laws.
Hawakulishika agano la Mungu na walikataa kuishi kwa sheria yake.
11 They ignored what he had done, and the amazing things he had shown them—
Walisahau aliyokuwa ameyatenda, maajabu aliyokuwa amewaonyesha.
12 the miracles he had performed for their forefathers near Zoan in Egypt.
Alitenda miujiza machoni mwa baba zao, huko Soani, katika nchi ya Misri.
13 He split the sea in two and led them through, making the water stand like walls on either side.
Aliigawanya bahari akawapitisha, alifanya maji yasimame imara kama ukuta.
14 He led them with a cloud by day, and by night with a light of fire.
Aliwaongoza kwa wingu mchana na kwa nuru kutoka kwenye moto usiku kucha.
15 He split open rocks in the desert to give his people plenty to drink, water as deep as the ocean.
Alipasua miamba jangwani na akawapa maji tele kama bahari,
16 He made streams flow from the stone; water rushing down like rivers!
alitoa vijito kutoka kwenye jabali lililochongoka, akayafanya maji yatiririke kama mito.
17 But they repeatedly sinned against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert.
Lakini waliendelea kutenda dhambi dhidi yake, wakiasi jangwani dhidi ya Aliye Juu Sana.
18 They deliberately provoked God by demanding the foods they longed for.
Kwa makusudi walimjaribu Mungu, wakidai vyakula walivyovitamani.
19 They insulted God by saying, “Can God provide food here in the desert?
Walinena dhidi ya Mungu, wakisema, “Je, Mungu aweza kuandaa meza jangwani?
20 Yes, he can strike a rock so that water gushes out like flowing rivers, but can he give us bread? Can he supply his people with meat?”
Alipopiga mwamba, maji yalitoka kwa nguvu, vijito vikatiririka maji mengi. Lakini je, aweza kutupa chakula pia? Je, anaweza kuwapa watu wake nyama?”
21 When he heard this, the Lord became very angry, burning like fire against the descendants of Jacob, furious with the people of Israel,
Bwana alipowasikia, alikasirika sana, moto wake ukawa dhidi ya Yakobo, na ghadhabu yake ikawaka dhidi ya Israeli,
22 for they didn't believe in God and didn't trust him to take care of them.
kwa kuwa hawakumwamini Mungu, wala kuutumainia ukombozi wake.
23 Even so he commanded the skies above and the doors of heaven to open,
Hata hivyo alitoa amri kwa anga zilizo juu na kufungua milango ya mbingu,
24 and he made manna rain down on them to eat, giving them bread from heaven.
akawanyeshea mana ili watu wale; aliwapa nafaka ya mbinguni.
25 Human beings ate the bread of angels; he sent them more than enough food.
Watu walikula mkate wa malaika, akawatumia chakula chote ambacho wangeliweza kula.
26 He sent the east wind blowing across the sky; by his power he drove the south wind.
Aliachia upepo wa mashariki kutoka kwenye mbingu na kuuongoza upepo wa kusini kwa uwezo wake.
27 He rained down meat on them as plentiful as dust; birds as numerous as sand on a beach.
Aliwanyeshea nyama kama mavumbi, ndege warukao kama mchanga wa pwani.
28 He made them fall right in the middle of their camp, all around where they were living.
Aliwafanya washuke ndani ya kambi yao, kuzunguka mahema yao yote.
29 They ate until they were full. He gave them the food they longed for.
Walikula na kusaza, kwa maana alikuwa amewapa kile walichotamani.
30 But before they satisfied their appetite, while the meat was still in their mouths,
Kabla hawajamaliza kula walichokitamani, hata kilipokuwa kingali bado vinywani mwao,
31 God became angry with them and he killed their strongest men, striking them down in the prime of life.
hasira ya Mungu ikawaka juu yao, akawaua wale waliokuwa na nguvu zaidi miongoni mwao, akiwaangusha vijana wa Israeli.
32 Despite all this they went right on sinning. Despite the miracles, they refused to trust him.
Licha ya haya yote, waliendelea kutenda dhambi, licha ya maajabu yake, hawakuamini.
33 So he snuffed out their futile lives, bringing them to an end in terror.
Kwa hiyo akamaliza siku zao katika ubatili na miaka yao katika vitisho.
34 When he began killing them, the rest came back to God in repentance, praying to him.
Kila mara Mungu alipowaua baadhi yao, waliosalia walimtafuta, walimgeukia tena kwa shauku.
35 They remembered that God was their rock, that God Most High was their Savior.
Walikumbuka kwamba Mungu alikuwa Mwamba wao, kwamba Mungu Aliye Juu Sana alikuwa Mkombozi wao.
36 They flattered him by what they told him, but they were only lying.
Lakini walimdanganya kwa vinywa vyao, wakisema uongo kwa ndimi zao,
37 Deep down they were not sincere, and did not keep the agreement they had with him.
mioyo yao haikuwa thabiti kwake, wala hawakuwa waaminifu katika agano lake.
38 But being compassionate he pardoned their guilt and did not destroy all of them. He often held back his anger—he did not pour out 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 He remembered their mortality—that they were like a puff of wind that would not return.
Alikumbuka kwamba wao walikuwa nyama tu, upepo upitao ambao haurudi.
40 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness, giving him grief in the desert!
Mara ngapi walimwasi jangwani na kumhuzunisha nyikani!
41 Again and again they provoked God, causing pain to the Holy One of Israel.
Walimjaribu Mungu mara kwa mara, wakamkasirisha yeye Aliye Mtakatifu wa Israeli.
42 They did not remember his strength when he rescued them from their oppressors,
Hawakukumbuka uwezo wake, siku aliyowakomboa kutoka kwa mtesi,
43 performing miracles in Egypt, doing wonderful things on the plain of Zoan.
siku aliyoonyesha ishara zake za ajabu huko Misri, maajabu yake huko Soani.
44 There he turned their rivers and their streams into blood so that no one could drink from them.
Aligeuza mito yao kuwa damu, hawakuweza kunywa maji kutoka vijito vyao.
45 He sent flies among them to destroy them, and frogs to ruin everything.
Aliwapelekea makundi ya mainzi yakawala, na vyura wakawaharibu.
46 He gave their crops to locusts; everything they worked had for was taken by locusts.
Aliruhusu tunutu kuharibu mimea yao, mazao yao kwa nzige.
47 He destroyed their vines with hail, and their fig trees with freezing rain.
Aliharibu mizabibu yao kwa mvua ya mawe na mikuyu yao kwa mvua iliyochangamana na theluji.
48 He handed over their cattle to hail and their flocks to lightning bolts.
Aliwaachia mifugo yao mvua ya mawe, akayapiga makundi ya wanyama wao kwa radi.
49 He poured out on them his fierce anger—rage and hostility and anguish—sending a band of destroying angels against them.
Aliwafungulia hasira yake kali, ghadhabu yake, hasira na uadui, na kundi la malaika wa kuharibu.
50 He sent his unrestrained anger against them; he did not spare them from death, handing them over to the plague.
Aliitengenezea njia hasira yake, hakuwaepusha na kifo, bali aliwaachia tauni.
51 He struck down all the firstborn of Egypt, the first to be conceived in the tents of Ham.
Aliwapiga wazaliwa wote wa kwanza wa Misri, matunda ya kwanza ya ujana katika mahema ya Hamu.
52 But he led out his people like sheep, and guided them like a flock in the wilderness.
Lakini aliwatoa watu wake kama kundi, akawaongoza kama kondoo kupitia jangwani.
53 He led them to safety, and they were not afraid. He drowned their enemies in the sea.
Aliwaongoza salama, wala hawakuogopa, bali bahari iliwameza adui zao.
54 He brought them to the border of his holy land, to this mountainous land that he had conquered for them.
Hivyo akawaleta hadi kwenye mpaka wa nchi yake takatifu, hadi nchi ya vilima ambayo mkono wake wa kuume ulikuwa umeitwaa.
55 He drove out the heathen nations before them. He divided up the land for them to own. He settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.
Aliyafukuza mataifa mbele yao, na kuwagawia nchi zao kama urithi, aliwakalisha makabila ya Israeli katika makao yao.
56 But they provoked God Most High, rebelling against him. They did not follow what he had told them.
Lakini wao walimjaribu Mungu, na kuasi dhidi ya Yeye Aliye Juu Sana, wala hawakuzishika sheria zake.
57 Just like their forefathers they turned away from God and were unfaithful to him, as twisted as a defective bow.
Kama baba zao, hawakuwa thabiti wala waaminifu, wakawa wasioweza kutegemewa kama upinde wenye kasoro.
58 They made him angry with their pagan high places of worship; they made him jealous with their idols.
Wakamkasirisha Mungu kwa mahali pao pa juu pa kuabudia miungu, wakachochea wivu wake kwa sanamu zao.
59 When God heard their worship he became furious and he totally rejected Israel.
Wakati Mungu alipowasikia, alikasirika sana, akamkataa Israeli kabisa.
60 He abandoned his place at Shiloh, the Tabernacle where he lived among the people.
Akaiacha hema ya Shilo, hema aliyokuwa ameiweka katikati ya wanadamu.
61 He surrendered the Ark of his power, allowing it to be captured; handing it over into enemy hands.
Akalipeleka Sanduku la nguvu zake utumwani, utukufu wake mikononi mwa adui.
62 He handed over his people to be slaughtered by the sword; he was furious with his chosen people.
Aliachia watu wake wauawe kwa upanga, akaukasirikia sana urithi wake.
63 Their young men were destroyed by fire; their young women had no wedding songs.
Moto uliwaangamiza vijana wao, na wanawali wao hawakuimbiwa nyimbo za arusi,
64 Their priests were killed by the sword; their widows were unable to mourn.
makuhani wao waliuawa kwa upanga, wala wajane wao hawakuweza kulia.
65 Then the Lord woke up as if from sleep, as a warrior sobering up from drinking wine.
Ndipo Bwana alipoamka kama vile kuamka usingizini, kama vile mtu aamkavyo kutoka kwenye bumbuazi la mvinyo.
66 He defeated his enemies, striking them on the back, causing them everlasting shame.
Aliwapiga na kuwashinda adui zake, akawatia katika aibu ya milele.
67 He rejected the descendants of Joseph, and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim.
Ndipo alipozikataa hema za Yosefu, hakulichagua kabila la Efraimu,
68 Instead he chose the tribe of Judah, and Mount Zion which he loves.
lakini alilichagua kabila la Yuda, Mlima Sayuni, ambao aliupenda.
69 There he built his sanctuary, high like the heavens, on earth that he made to last forever.
Alijenga patakatifu pake kama vilele, kama dunia ambayo aliimarisha milele.
70 He chose his servant David, taking him from the sheep pens,
Akamchagua Daudi mtumishi wake na kumtoa kwenye mazizi ya kondoo.
71 taking him from caring for the sheep and lambs to be a shepherd to the descendants of Jacob—God's special people, Israel.
Kutoka kuchunga kondoo alimleta kuwa mchungaji wa watu wake Yakobo, wa Israeli urithi wake.
72 Like a shepherd, he took care of them with sincere devotion, leading them with skillful hands.
Naye Daudi aliwachunga kwa uadilifu wa moyo, kwa mikono ya ustadi aliwaongoza.
