Psalms 74
1 AN INSTRUCTION OF ASAPH. Why, O God, have You cast off forever? Your anger smokes against the flock of Your pasture.
Ihubo lika-Asafu Kungani ususilahlile kokuphela na, awu Nkulunkulu? Kungani ulaka lwakho luvutha phezu kwezimvu zedlelo lakho na?
2 Remember Your congregation [That] You purchased of old, You redeemed the rod of Your inheritance, This Mount Zion—You dwelt in it.
Khumbula abantu owabathengayo ekadeni, isizwe selifa lakho owasihlengayo iNtaba iZiyoni, owawuhlala khona.
3 Lift up Your steps to the continuous desolations, Everything the enemy did wickedly in the sanctuary.
Phenduka ungene emanxiweni aphakade la, incithakalo yonke le yenziwe yisitha endlini engcwele.
4 Your adversaries have roared, In the midst of Your meeting-places, They have set their ensigns as ensigns.
Izitha zakho zazibhonga endaweni owawuhlangana lathi kuyo; zamisa impawu zazo njengeziboniso.
5 He is known as one bringing in on high Against a thicket of wood—axes.
Zenza njengabantu abaphakamise amahloka ukuphendla indlela yabo eguswini.
6 And now they break down its engravings, Together, with axe and hatchet,
Zafohloza konke okubaziweyo ngamahloka azo langezando.
7 They have sent Your sanctuary into fire, They defiled the Dwelling Place of Your Name to the earth,
Zatshisa indlu yakho engcwele yaphela nya; zangcolisa indawo ehlala iBizo lakho.
8 They said in their hearts, “Let us oppress them together,” They burned all the meeting-places of God in the land.
Zathi ngezinhliziyo zazo, “Sizababhuqa baphele nya!” Zatshisa zonke izindawo zokukhonzela uNkulunkulu elizweni.
9 We have not seen our ensigns, There is no longer a prophet, Nor with us is one knowing how long.
Kasisaboniswa mimangaliso; kakuselabuphrofethi, kakho kithi owaziyo ukuthi kuzaze kube nini kunjalo.
10 Until when, O God, does an adversary reproach? Does an enemy despise Your Name forever?
Koze kube nini isitha sikuklolodela na, awu Nkulunkulu? Izitha zizalithuka kokuphela ibizo lakho na?
11 Why do You turn back Your hand, Even Your right hand? Remove [it] from the midst of Your bosom.
Kungani ufinyeza isandla sakho sokunene na? Sikhuphe ezingoxweni zezembatho zakho ubabhubhise.
12 And God [is] my king of old, Working salvation in the midst of the earth.
Kodwa wena Nkulunkulu uyiNkosi yami kwasekadeni; uletha insindiso emhlabeni.
13 You have divided [the] sea by Your strength, You have shattered heads of dragons by the waters,
Kwakunguwe owaqhekeza ulwandle ngamandla akho; wafohloza amakhanda esilo phakathi kwamanzi.
14 You have broken the heads of leviathan, You make him food for the people of desert-dwellers.
Kwakunguwe owachoboza amakhanda kaLeviyathani waba yikudla kwezidalwa zasenkangala.
15 You have cleaved a fountain and a stream, You have dried up perennial flowings.
Kwakunguwe owavula imithombo lemifula; womisa qha imifula eyayihlala igeleza.
16 The day [is] Yours, The night [is] also Yours, You have prepared a light-giver—the sun.
Imini ngeyakho, ngobakho njalo lobusuku; walimisa ilanga kanye lenyanga.
17 You have set up all the borders of earth, Summer and winter—You have formed them.
Kwakunguwe owamisa imingcele yonke yomhlaba; wenza ihlobo kanye lobusika.
18 Remember this—an enemy reproached YHWH, And a foolish people have despised Your Name.
Khumbula ukuthi isitha besikuklolodela, Thixo, ukuthi iziwula bezihlambaza ibizo lakho.
19 Do not give up to a [wild] creature, The soul of Your turtle-dove, Do not forget the life of Your poor ones forever.
Ungaqhubeli umphefumulo wejuba lakho ezinyamazaneni; ungaze wakhohlwa kokuphela impilo yabantu bakho abahluphekayo.
20 Look attentively to the covenant, For the dark places of earth, Have been full of habitations of violence.
Nanzelela isivumelwano sakho, ngoba izikhundla zobugebenga zigcwele kulolonke ilizwe ezindaweni ezilamathunzi.
21 Do not let the oppressed turn back ashamed, Let the poor and needy praise Your Name,
Ungayekeli abancindezelweyo babuyele beyangekile; sengathi abayanga labaswelayo bangalidumisa ibizo lakho.
22 Arise, O God, plead Your plea, Remember Your reproach from a fool all the day.
Phakama, awu Nkulunkulu, vikela okungokwakho; khumbula ukuthi iziwula zikuhleka njani ilanga lonke.
23 Do not forget the voice of Your adversaries, The noise of Your withstanders is going up continually!
Ungakulibali ukuvungama kwalabo abalwa lawe, ukuxokozela kwezitha zakho, okuzwakala kokuphela.
