< Psalms 18 >
1 “To the chief musician, by the servant of the Lord, by David, who spoke unto the Lord the words of this song on the day that the Lord had delivered him out of the power of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul; And he said,” I ever love thee, O Lord, my strength.
Nakupenda, Yahwe, nguvu yangu.
2 The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my rock, in whom I trust; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
Yahwe ni mwamba wangu, ngome yangu, yeye ambaye aniwekae kweye usalama; yeye ni Mungu wangu, mwamba wangu; ninapata kimbilio kwake. Yeye ni ngao yangu, pembe ya wokovu wangu, na ngome yangu.
3 Praised, I cried, be the Lord, and from my enemies was I saved.
Nitamuita Yahwe kwa sababu anastahili kusifiwa, na nitaokolewa kutoka kwa adui zangu.
4 The bonds of death encompassed me, and the floods of destruction made me afraid.
Kamba za mauti zilinizunguka, na mafuriko yakimbiayo yalinielemea.
5 The bonds of hell encircled me: the snares of death seized on me. (Sheol )
Kamba za kuzimu zilinizunguka; mitego ya mauti ilininasa. (Sheol )
6 [When] in my distress I called upon the Lord, and unto my God I cried: he heard from his temple my voice, and my complaint came before him, even into his ears.
dhiki yangu nilimuita Yahwe; Niliita msaada kwa Mungu. Naye alisikia sauti yangu kutoka hekaluni mwake; kuita kwangu msaada kulienda mpaka uweponi mwake; na kuingia masikioni pake.
7 Then shook and trembled the earth; and the foundations of the mountains were moved; and they were shaken, because he was wroth.
Kisha nchi ikatikisika na kutetemeka; misingi ya milima pia ilitetemeka na kutikiswa kwa sababu Mungu alikuwa amekasirika.
8 Smoke went up in his anger and consuming fire out of his mouth: coals flamed forth from him.
Moshi ulifuka kutoka kwenye pua zake, na moto mkali ulitokea mdomoni mwake. Makaa yaliwashwa kwa moto huo.
9 And he bent the heavens, and came down: and thick darkness was under his feet:
Yeye alizifunua mbingu na alishuka chini, na giza nene lilikuwa chini ya miguu yake.
10 And he rode upon a cherub, and flew along, and he flitted by upon the wings of the wind.
Alipanda kwenye kerubi na akaruka; alinyiririka kwenye mabawa ya upepo.
11 He made darkness his hiding-place, round about him as his pavilion, dark waters, thick clouds of the skies.
Yahwe alilifanya giza kuwa hema likimzunguka yeye, wingu la mvua zito katika mbingu.
12 From the brightness before him his thick clouds passed away, [with] hail-stones and coals of fire.
Mawe ya barafu na makaa ya moto yalianguka kutoka katika mwangaza kabla yake.
13 And the Lord thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered forth his voice, [with] hail-stones and coals of fire.
Yahwe aliongea katika mbingu! Sauti ya aliye juu ilisikika.
14 And he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot forth lightnings, and discomfited them.
Yeye aliifyatua mishale yake na kuwatawanya adui zake; na radi nyingi zenye mwanga alizitawanya katika maeneo tofauti tofauti.
15 And then were seen the channels of the waters, and there were laid open the foundations of the world, through thy rebuke, O Lord, through the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.
Ndipo mifereji ya maji ilitokea; misingi ya dunia ikadhihirishwa kwa mlio wa pigo lako, Yahwe kwa sauti ya pumzi ya pua zako.
16 He stretched out from above [his hand], he took me; he drew me out from mighty waters.
Yeye alishuka chini kutokea juu; akanishikilia mimi! Akanivuta nje ya maji yafurikayo.
17 He delivered me from my enemy, the strong, and from those that hated me, when they were too mighty for me.
Aliniokoa kutoka kwa maadui zangu wenye nguvu, kutoka kwa wale ambao walinichukia mimi, kwa kuwa walikuwa na nguvu sana kuliko mimi.
18 They overcame me on the day of my calamity; but the Lord became my stay.
Wao walikuja kinyume na mimi katika siku ile ya dhiki yangu lakini Mungu alikuwa msaada wangu!
19 And he brought me forth into a large space; he delivered me, because he had delight in me.
Yeye aliniweka huru katika eneo pana la wazi; yeye aliniokoa kwa sababu alipenezwa nami.
20 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the purity of my hands did he recompense me.
Yahwe amenitunuku mimi kwa sababu ya haki yangu; yeye amenirejesha mimi kwa sababu mikono yangu ilikuwa misafi.
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
Kwa kuwa nimezitunza njia za Yahwe na sijafanya uovu wa kumgeuka Mungu wangu.
22 For all his ordinances were before me, and his statutes had I not put away from me.
Kwa kuwa amri zake zote za haki zimekuwa mbele yangu; kama asemavyo, sijaenda kinyume nazo.
23 I was also upright with him, and I guarded myself against my iniquity.
Pia nimekuwa sina hatia mbele zake, na nimejiweka mwenyewe mbali na dhambi.
24 Therefore did the Lord recompense me according to my righteousness, according to the purity of my hands before his eyes.
Hivyo Yahwe amenirejesha kwa sababu ya haki yangu, na kwa sababu mikono yangu ilikuwa safi mbele ya macho yake.
25 With the kind thou wilt show thyself kind; with the upright man thou wilt show thyself upright;
Kwa yeyote aliye mwaminifu, jionyeshe wenyewe kuwa mwaminifu; kwa mtu asiye na lawama, jionyeshe mwenyewe kuwa usiye na lawama.
26 With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; and with the perverse thou wilt wage a contest.
Kwa yeyote aliye msafi, jionyeshe mwenyewe safi; bali ni mjanja kwa yeyote aliye geuzwa.
27 For thou wilt indeed save the afflicted people; but haughty eyes wilt thou bring down.
Kwa kuwa wewe huwaokoa watu walio taabishwa, lakini wewe huwashusha chini wale wenye majivuno, yaani macho yaliyo jinua!
28 For thou wilt cause my light to shine: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.
Kwa kuwa wewe huipa mwanga taa yangu; Yahwe Mungu wangu hutia mwanga giza langu.
29 For [aided] by thee I run through a troop; and [helped] by my God I leap over a wall.
Kwa kuwa kwa kupitia wewe ninaweza kuruka juu ya kiwazo kilichowekwa; kupitia Mungu ninaweza kuruka juu ya ukuta.
30 As for God, —his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried: he is a shield to all those that trust in him.
Kama kwa Mungu: njia yake ni kamilifu. Neno la Yahwe ni safi! Yeye ni ngao kwa yeyote anaye kimbilia katika yeye.
31 For who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock beside our God?
Kwa kuwa nani ni Mungu ispokuwa Yahwe? Nani ndiye mwamba ispokuwa Mungu wetu?
32 He is the God that girdeth me with strength, and rendereth my way unobstructed.
Ni Mungu anitiaye nguvu ndani yangu kama vile mkanda, ambaye humweka mtu mwenye lawama katika njia yake.
33 He maketh my feet like those of the hinds, and upon my high-places he causeth me to stand.
Yeye hunifanya miguu yangu kuwa myepesi kama mbawala na kuniweka mahali pa juu!
34 He teacheth my hands for the war, so that a brazen bow is bent by my arms.
Yeye hufunza viganja vyangu kwa ajili ya vita na mikono yangu kupiga upinde wa shaba.
35 And thou gavest me the shield of thy salvation, and thy right hand supported me: and thy meekness hath made me great.
Wewe umenipa mimi ngao ya wokovu. Mkono wako wa kuume umenisaidia, na neema yako imenifanya kuwa mkubwa.
36 Thou enlargest my steps under me, so that my joints do not slip.
Wewe umetengeneza nafasi pana kwa ajili ya miguu yangu ili miguu yangu isiteleze.
37 I pursue my enemies, and overtake them; and I return not again till I have made an end of them.
Ninawashawishi adui zangu na kuwakamata; nami sikurudi nyuma mpaka walipo haribiwa.
38 I crush them that they are not able to rise: they fall under my feet.
Niliwashambulia hata hawakuweza kuamka; nao wameangukia chini ya miguu yangu.
39 For thou hast girded me with strength for the war: thou subduest my opponents under me.
Kwa kuwa unanitia nguvu kama mshipi kwa ajili ya vita; wewe unawaweka chini yangu wale ambao wanainuka kinyume na mimi.
40 And my enemies thou causest to turn their back to me; and those that hate me, —that I may destroy them.
Wewe ulinipa visogo vya maadui zangu; niliwaagamiza wale walio nichukia.
41 They cry, but there is none to help; unto the Lord, —but he answereth them not.
Wao waliita msaada lakini hakuna aliye wasaidia; walimuita Yahwe, lakini hakuwaitikia.
42 And I beat them small as the dust before the wind: like the dirt in the streets do I cast them out.
Niliwapiga wao katika vipande vidogo vidogo kama vile vumbi mbele ya upepo; niliwatupa nje kama udongo mtaani.
43 Thou deliverest me from the contests of the people; thou appointest me to be the head of nations: a people that I know not shall serve me.
Wewe uliniokoa mimi kutoka katika migogoro ya watu. wewe umenifanya kichwa juu ya mataifa. Watu ambao sikuwahi kuwafahamu huntumikia.
44 As soon as their ear heareth they shall be obedient to me: the children of the stranger shall utter flattery unto me.
Pindi tu waliposikia kuhusu mimi, wao walinitii; wageni walilazimishwa kunisujudu.
45 The children of the stranger shall fade away, and come forth trembling out of their close places.
Wageni walitoka kwenye ngome yao wakitetemeka.
46 The Lord liveth, and blessed be my Rock; and exalted be the God of my salvation;
Yahwe anaishi; mwamba wangu usifiwe. Ainuliwe Mungu wa wokovu wangu.
47 The God that granteth me vengeance, and subdueth nations under me;
Yeye ni Mungu ambaye hutelekeza visasi kwa ajili yangu, ambaye huwatiisha mataifa chini yangu.
48 That delivereth me from my enemies: also above my opponents thou liftest me up; thou deliverest me from the man of violence.
Nimewekwa huru kutoka kwa adui zangu! wewe uliniinua juu ya wale walioinuka kunyume na mimi! Wewe uliniokoa kutoka kwa watu wenye vurugu.
49 Therefore will I give thanks unto thee among the nations, O Lord, and unto thy name will I sing praises, —
Kwa hiyo nitakushukuru wewe, Yahwe, kati ya mataifa; Nitaliimbia sifa jina lako!
50 [To him] that maketh great the salvation of his king, and who sheweth kindness to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for ever.
Mungu hutoa ushindi mkuu kwa mfalme wake, na yeye huonyesha uaminifu wa agano lake kwa mpakwa mafuta wake, kwa Daudi na ukoo wake milele.