Psalms 78
1 Maschil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, [to] my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
Lalelani, bantu bami, umthetho wami, libeke indlebe yenu emazwini omlomo wami.
2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
Ngizavula umlomo wami ngomfanekiso, ngikhuphe izimfihlakalo zendulo,
3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
esizizwileyo lesizaziyo, obaba abasitshela zona.
4 We will not hide [them] from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.
Kasiyikuzifihlela abantwana babo, kusizukulwana esilandelayo, silandisa izindumiso zeNkosi, lamandla ayo, lezimangaliso ezenzileyo.
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:
Ngoba wamisa ubufakazi koJakobe, wabeka umlayo koIsrayeli, awulaya obaba, ukuze bawazise abantwana babo,
6 That the generation to come might know [them, even] the children [which] should be born; [who] should arise and declare [them] to their children:
ukuze isizukulwana esilandelayo sazi, abantwana abazazalwa, basukume batshele abantwana babo,
7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:
ukuze babeke ithemba labo kuNkulunkulu, bangayikhohlwa imisebenzi kaNkulunkulu, kodwa bagcine imithetho yakhe;
8 And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation [that] set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.
njalo bangabi njengaboyise, isizukulwana esilenkani lesivukelayo, isizukulwana esingaqondisanga inhliziyo yaso, lesimoya waso ungathembekanga kuNkulunkulu.
9 The children of Ephraim, [being] armed, [and] carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.
Abantwana bakoEfrayimi, behlomile betshoka ngamadandili, babuyela emuva mhla wempi.
10 They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;
Kabasilondolozanga isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu, bala ukuhamba emlayweni wakhe.
11 And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.
Bakhohlwa izenzo zakhe lezimangaliso zakhe ayebatshengisa zona.
12 Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, [in] the field of Zoan.
Phambi kwaboyise wenza isimangaliso elizweni leGibhithe, egangeni leZowani.
13 He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.
Waqhekeza ulwandle, wabachaphisa, wenza amanzi ema njengenqumbi.
14 In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.
Wabakhokhela ngeyezi emini, lebusuku bonke ngokukhanya komlilo.
15 He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave [them] drink as [out of] the great depths.
Waqhekeza amadwala enkangala, wabanathisa kungathi kuvela ezinzikini ezinkulu.
16 He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
Waseveza izifula edwaleni, wenza amanzi ehla njengemifula.
17 And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.
Kodwa baphinda futhi ukona kuye, ngokumvukela oPhezukonke enkangala.
18 And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.
Bamlinga uNkulunkulu enhliziyweni yabo ngokucela ukudla kwenkanuko yabo.
19 Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?
Basebekhuluma bemelene loNkulunkulu bathi: UNkulunkulu angalungisa itafula enkangala yini?
20 Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?
Khangela, watshaya idwala, kwampompoza amanzi, lezifula zagabha; anganika lesinkwa yini? angalungisela abantu bakhe inyama na?
21 Therefore the LORD heard [this], and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;
Ngakho iNkosi yezwa yathukuthela; umlilo wasubaselwa uJakobe, njalo lolaka lwavukela uIsrayeli,
22 Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:
ngoba kabakholwanga kuNkulunkulu, kabathembanga esindisweni lwakhe.
23 Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,
Lanxa walaya amayezi ngaphezulu, wavula iminyango yamazulu,
24 And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.
wabanisela imana ukuthi badle, wabapha amabele amazulu.
25 Man did eat angels’ food: he sent them meat to the full.
Umuntu wadla isinkwa sabalamandla; wabathumela ukudla ukuze basuthe.
26 He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.
Wenza umoya wempumalanga wavunguza emazulwini; langamandla akhe waqhuba umoya weningizimu.
27 He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:
Wasenisela phezu kwabo inyama njengothuli, lenyoni ezilempiko njengetshebetshebe lolwandle;
28 And he let [it] fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.
wazenza zawela phakathi kwenkamba yabo, zagombolozela indawo zabo zokuhlala.
29 So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire;
Ngakho badla basutha kakhulu, ngoba wabalethela isiloyiso sabo.
30 They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat [was] yet in their mouths,
Kabehlukananga lenkanuko yabo; ukudla kusesemlonyeni wabo,
31 The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen [men] of Israel.
ulaka lukaNkulunkulu lwaselubavukela, wabulala kwabakhulupheleyo babo, watshaya abakhethiweyo bakoIsrayeli.
32 For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.
Kulokhu konke bajinga besona, njalo kabakholwanga ngenxa yezimangaliso zakhe.
33 Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.
Ngakho waziqeda izinsuku zabo ngeze, leminyaka yabo ovalweni.
34 When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God.
Lapho ebabulala, bamdinga, baphenduka, bamdingisisa uNkulunkulu.
35 And they remembered that God [was] their rock, and the high God their redeemer.
Bakhumbula ukuthi uNkulunkulu ulidwala labo, loNkulunkulu oPhezukonke ungumhlengi wabo.
36 Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.
Kodwa bamyenga ngomlomo wabo, baqamba amanga kuye ngolimi lwabo.
37 For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.
Ngoba inhliziyo yabo yayingaqondanga kuye, njalo bengathembekanga esivumelwaneni sakhe.
38 But he, [being] full of compassion, forgave [their] iniquity, and destroyed [them] not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.
Kodwa yena elesihawu wathethelela ububi babo, kababhubhisanga; yebo, kanengi walunqanda ulaka lwakhe, kakuvusanga konke ukuthukuthela kwakhe.
39 For he remembered that they [were but] flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.
Ngoba wakhumbula ukuthi bayinyama, umoya odlulayo, ongabuyiyo.
40 How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, [and] grieve him in the desert!
Kanengi kangakanani bemvukela ehlane, bemdabukisa enkangala.
41 Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.
Yebo baphenduka bamlinga uNkulunkulu, bamdabukisa oNgcwele kaIsrayeli.
42 They remembered not his hand, [nor] the day when he delivered them from the enemy.
Kabasikhumbulanga isandla sakhe, usuku abahlenga ngalo esitheni.
43 How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan:
Ukuthi wamisa njani izibonakaliso zakhe eGibhithe, lezimangaliso zakhe emmangweni weZowani,
44 And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.
lokuthi waphendula imifula yabo yaba ligazi, lezifula zabo, ukuze banganathi.
45 He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.
Wathumela phakathi kwabo umtshitshi wezibawu, ezabadlayo, lamaxoxo ababhubhisayo.
46 He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust.
Wasenika imihogoyi isivuno sabo, lomsebenzi wabo isikhonyane.
47 He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost.
Wabulala ivini labo ngesiqhotho, lemikhiwa yabo yesikhamore ngongqwaqwane.
48 He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.
Wasenikela izifuyo zabo esiqhothweni, lemihlambi yabo kuyo imibane.
49 He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels [among them].
Waphosela phezu kwabo ukuvutha kolaka lwakhe, ukuthukuthela, lokucunuka, lokuhlupheka, ngokuthuma izithunywa zobubi.
50 He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;
Walungisela ulaka lwakhe indlela, kanqandanga umphefumulo wabo ekufeni, kodwa wanikela impilo yabo kumatshayabhuqe wesifo.
51 And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of [their] strength in the tabernacles of Ham:
Wasetshaya wonke amazibulo eGibhithe, okokuqala kwamandla emathenteni kaHamu.
52 But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
Wasebakhupha abantu bakhe njengezimvu, wabakhokhela enkangala njengomhlambi.
53 And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
Wasebakhokhela bephephile ukuze bangesabi; kodwa ulwandle lwasibekela izitha zabo.
54 And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, [even to] this mountain, [which] his right hand had purchased.
Wasebafikisa emkhawulweni wendawo yakhe engcwele, le intaba, isandla sakhe sokunene esayizuzayo.
55 He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
Wasebaxotsha abezizwe phambi kwabo; wababela ilifa ngomzila, wahlalisa izizwe zakoIsrayeli emathenteni azo.
56 Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:
Kanti bamlinga, bamvukela uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke, kabazigcinanga izifakazelo zakhe.
57 But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.
Kodwa babuyela emuva, benza ngokungathembeki njengaboyise, baphanjulwa njengedandili elikhohlisayo.
58 For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.
Ngoba bamthukuthelisa ngezindawo zabo eziphakemeyo, bavusa umona wakhe ngezithombe zabo ezibaziweyo.
59 When God heard [this], he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:
UNkulunkulu esizwa wathukuthela, wamenyanya kakhulu uIsrayeli.
60 So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent [which] he placed among men;
Ngakho walitshiya ithabhanekele leShilo, ithente alimisa phakathi kwabantu.
61 And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy’s hand.
Wasenikela amandla akhe ekuthunjweni, lenkazimulo yakhe esandleni sesitha.
62 He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.
Wasenikela abantu bakhe enkembeni, waselithukuthelela ilifa lakhe.
63 The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.
Umlilo waqeda amajaha abo, lezintombi zabo kazihlatshelelwanga.
64 Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.
Abapristi babo bawa ngenkemba, labafelokazi babo kabalilanga.
65 Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, [and] like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.
Khona iNkosi yavuka njengobelele, njengeqhawe eliklabalala ngenxa yewayini.
66 And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach.
Yazitshaya izitha zayo emuva, yazithela ihlazo phakade.
67 Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:
Yasilahla ithente likaJosefa, kayikhethanga isizwe sakoEfrayimi.
68 But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.
Kodwa yakhetha isizwe sakoJuda, intaba yeZiyoni eyithandayo.
69 And he built his sanctuary like high [palaces], like the earth which he hath established for ever.
Yayakha indlu yayo engcwele njengezingqonga, njengomhlaba ewusekeleyo kuze kube nininini.
70 He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:
Yasikhetha uDavida inceku yayo, yamthatha ezibayeni zezimvu;
71 From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.
ekulandeleni izimvukazi ezenyisayo, yamletha ukwelusa uJakobe abantu bayo, loIsrayeli ilifa layo.
72 So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.
Njalo wabelusa njengobuqotho benhliziyo yakhe, wabakhokhela ngobugabazi bezandla zakhe.
