Psalms 78
1 An Instructive Psalm. Asaph’s. Give ear, O my people, to mine instruction, Bend your ear to the sayings of my mouth;
Lalelani, bantu bami, umthetho wami, libeke indlebe yenu emazwini omlomo wami.
2 I will open, in a parable, my mouth, I will pour forth enigmas out of antiquity; —
Ngizavula umlomo wami ngomfanekiso, ngikhuphe izimfihlakalo zendulo,
3 Which we have heard, and come to know, And, our fathers, have recounted to us;
esizizwileyo lesizaziyo, obaba abasitshela zona.
4 We will not withhold [them] from their children, To a later generation, recounting the praises of Yahweh, Even his might and his wonders which he wrought;
Kasiyikuzifihlela abantwana babo, kusizukulwana esilandelayo, silandisa izindumiso zeNkosi, lamandla ayo, lezimangaliso ezenzileyo.
5 When he set up a testimony in Jacob, And, a law, appointed in Israel, —Which he commanded our fathers, That they might make them known to their children;
Ngoba wamisa ubufakazi koJakobe, wabeka umlayo koIsrayeli, awulaya obaba, ukuze bawazise abantwana babo,
6 To the end, A later generation, might come to know, Children who should be born, Who should arise, and recount [them] to their children;
ukuze isizukulwana esilandelayo sazi, abantwana abazazalwa, basukume batshele abantwana babo,
7 That they might set, in Elohim, their confidence, —And not forget the doings of El, But, his commandments, might observe;
ukuze babeke ithemba labo kuNkulunkulu, bangayikhohlwa imisebenzi kaNkulunkulu, kodwa bagcine imithetho yakhe;
8 And not become, like their fathers, a generation stubborn and rebellious, —A generation that fixed not their heart, Neither was their spirit, faithful with GOD.
njalo bangabi njengaboyise, isizukulwana esilenkani lesivukelayo, isizukulwana esingaqondisanga inhliziyo yaso, lesimoya waso ungathembekanga kuNkulunkulu.
9 The sons of Ephraim—armed bowmen, Turned in the day of battle;
Abantwana bakoEfrayimi, behlomile betshoka ngamadandili, babuyela emuva mhla wempi.
10 They kept not the covenant of God, And, in his law, refused to walk;
Kabasilondolozanga isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu, bala ukuhamba emlayweni wakhe.
11 And forgat His doings, And his wonders which he had showed them:
Bakhohlwa izenzo zakhe lezimangaliso zakhe ayebatshengisa zona.
12 In presence of their fathers, wrought he, wondrously, —In the land of Egypt—the field of Zoan:
Phambi kwaboyise wenza isimangaliso elizweni leGibhithe, egangeni leZowani.
13 He clave the sea, and caused them to pass through, And reared up the waters like a mound;
Waqhekeza ulwandle, wabachaphisa, wenza amanzi ema njengenqumbi.
14 And led them, by a cloud, in the daytime, And all the night, by a light of fire;
Wabakhokhela ngeyezi emini, lebusuku bonke ngokukhanya komlilo.
15 He used to cleave rocks in the desert, And let them drink as out of mighty deeps;
Waqhekeza amadwala enkangala, wabanathisa kungathi kuvela ezinzikini ezinkulu.
16 And he brought forth streams out of the cliff, And caused waters to flow down, like rivers.
Waseveza izifula edwaleni, wenza amanzi ehla njengemifula.
17 But again, once more sinned they against him, Resisting the Most High in a land of drought:
Kodwa baphinda futhi ukona kuye, ngokumvukela oPhezukonke enkangala.
18 They put GOD to the proof in their heart, By asking food to their mind:
Bamlinga uNkulunkulu enhliziyweni yabo ngokucela ukudla kwenkanuko yabo.
19 Yea they spake against Elohim, —They said, Can GOD prepare a table in the desert?
Basebekhuluma bemelene loNkulunkulu bathi: UNkulunkulu angalungisa itafula enkangala yini?
20 Lo! he hath smitten a rock, And waters, have gushed out, Yea, torrents, have rushed along, —Food also, can he give? Or provide flesh for his people?
Khangela, watshaya idwala, kwampompoza amanzi, lezifula zagabha; anganika lesinkwa yini? angalungisela abantu bakhe inyama na?
21 Therefore, Yahweh hearkened, and became wroth, —And, a fire, was kindled against Jacob, Moreover also, anger, mounted against Israel;
Ngakho iNkosi yezwa yathukuthela; umlilo wasubaselwa uJakobe, njalo lolaka lwavukela uIsrayeli,
22 Because, They believed not in God, Nor trusted in his salvation;
ngoba kabakholwanga kuNkulunkulu, kabathembanga esindisweni lwakhe.
23 Though he had commanded the skies above, And, the doors of the heavens, had opened;
Lanxa walaya amayezi ngaphezulu, wavula iminyango yamazulu,
24 And had rained on them manna to eat, And, the corn of the heavens, had given to them:
wabanisela imana ukuthi badle, wabapha amabele amazulu.
25 The food of the mighty, each one did eat, Nourishment, sent he them to the full;
Umuntu wadla isinkwa sabalamandla; wabathumela ukudla ukuze basuthe.
26 He let loose an east wind in the heavens, Then guided he, in his might, a south wind;
Wenza umoya wempumalanga wavunguza emazulwini; langamandla akhe waqhuba umoya weningizimu.
27 And rained upon them flesh as the dust, And, like the sand of the seas, birds of wing;
Wasenisela phezu kwabo inyama njengothuli, lenyoni ezilempiko njengetshebetshebe lolwandle;
28 And let them 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 abundantly filled, When, what they longed for, he had brought them: —
Ngakho badla basutha kakhulu, ngoba wabalethela isiloyiso sabo.
30 They had not turned away from what they had longed for, Yet was their food in their mouth,
Kabehlukananga lenkanuko yabo; ukudla kusesemlonyeni wabo,
31 When, the anger of God, mounted against them, And he slew of their vigorous youths, And, the choice young men of Israel, caused he to bow down in death.
ulaka lukaNkulunkulu lwaselubavukela, wabulala kwabakhulupheleyo babo, watshaya abakhethiweyo bakoIsrayeli.
32 For all this, sinned they still, And believed not in his wonders;
Kulokhu konke bajinga besona, njalo kabakholwanga ngenxa yezimangaliso zakhe.
33 So he ended, in a breath, their days, And their years, in a sudden terror!
Ngakho waziqeda izinsuku zabo ngeze, leminyaka yabo ovalweni.
34 If he slew [of] them, then they sought him, Yea they turned, and did earnestly seek GOD;
Lapho ebabulala, bamdinga, baphenduka, bamdingisisa uNkulunkulu.
35 And remembered that, Elohim, was their rock, Yea, EL Most High, their Redeemer:
Bakhumbula ukuthi uNkulunkulu ulidwala labo, loNkulunkulu oPhezukonke ungumhlengi wabo.
36 So they spake him fair with their mouth, And, with their tongue, did promise him falsely;
Kodwa bamyenga ngomlomo wabo, baqamba amanga kuye ngolimi lwabo.
37 But, their heart, was not fixed with him, Nor were they trusty in his covenant:
Ngoba inhliziyo yabo yayingaqondanga kuye, njalo bengathembekanga esivumelwaneni sakhe.
38 Yet, he, full of compassion, would put a propitiatory-covering over iniquity, and not destroy, —Yea, many a time, turned he back his anger, And would not stir up all his wrath.
Kodwa yena elesihawu wathethelela ububi babo, kababhubhisanga; yebo, kanengi walunqanda ulaka lwakhe, kakuvusanga konke ukuthukuthela kwakhe.
39 So then he remembered, That, Flesh, they were, A Wind departing, that returneth not.
Ngoba wakhumbula ukuthi bayinyama, umoya odlulayo, ongabuyiyo.
40 How often they, Resisted him in the desert, Vexed him, in the waste:
Kanengi kangakanani bemvukela ehlane, bemdabukisa enkangala.
41 Yea they again put GOD to the test, And, to the Holy One of Israel, caused they sorrow:
Yebo baphenduka bamlinga uNkulunkulu, bamdabukisa oNgcwele kaIsrayeli.
42 They remembered not his hand—The day, When he ransomed them from the adversary;
Kabasikhumbulanga isandla sakhe, usuku abahlenga ngalo esitheni.
43 When he set, in Egypt, his signs, And his wonders, in the plain of Zoan;
Ukuthi wamisa njani izibonakaliso zakhe eGibhithe, lezimangaliso zakhe emmangweni weZowani,
44 When he turned, into blood, their Nile-streams, And, their own rivers, could they not drink;
lokuthi waphendula imifula yabo yaba ligazi, lezifula zabo, ukuze banganathi.
45 He sent among them, The gad-fly, and it devoured them, And the frog, and it despoiled them;
Wathumela phakathi kwabo umtshitshi wezibawu, ezabadlayo, lamaxoxo ababhubhisayo.
46 When he gave to the corn-locust their produce, And their toil, to the swarming locust;
Wasenika imihogoyi isivuno sabo, lomsebenzi wabo isikhonyane.
47 He killed, with hail, their vine, And their sycomores, with frost:
Wabulala ivini labo ngesiqhotho, lemikhiwa yabo yesikhamore ngongqwaqwane.
48 When he gave up, to hail-storms, their beasts, And their cattle, to pestilent fevers;
Wasenikela izifuyo zabo esiqhothweni, lemihlambi yabo kuyo imibane.
49 He sent among them the heat of his anger, Wrath and indignation and distress, —A mission of messengers of misfortune:
Waphosela phezu kwabo ukuvutha kolaka lwakhe, ukuthukuthela, lokucunuka, lokuhlupheka, ngokuthuma izithunywa zobubi.
50 He leveled a path for his anger, Withheld not, from death, their soul, But, their life—to the pestilence, he delivered:
Walungisela ulaka lwakhe indlela, kanqandanga umphefumulo wabo ekufeni, kodwa wanikela impilo yabo kumatshayabhuqe wesifo.
51 So he smote, Every first-born in Egypt, The beginning of their strength, in the tents of Ham;
Wasetshaya wonke amazibulo eGibhithe, okokuqala kwamandla emathenteni kaHamu.
52 And he set forth, like sheep, his people, And guided them, like a flock in the desert;
Wasebakhupha abantu bakhe njengezimvu, wabakhokhela enkangala njengomhlambi.
53 Yea he led them securely, and they dreaded not, And, their enemies, the sea did cover.
Wasebakhokhela bephephile ukuze bangesabi; kodwa ulwandle lwasibekela izitha zabo.
54 Then brought he them within his own holy bounds, The mountain-range, which his right hand made his own:
Wasebafikisa emkhawulweni wendawo yakhe engcwele, le intaba, isandla sakhe sokunene esayizuzayo.
55 So he drave out, before them, [whole] nations, And allotted them, by line, an inheritance, And caused to dwell, in their own homes, the tribes of Israel.
Wasebaxotsha abezizwe phambi kwabo; wababela ilifa ngomzila, wahlalisa izizwe zakoIsrayeli emathenteni azo.
56 But they tested and resisted God Most High, And, his testimonies, did not observe;
Kanti bamlinga, bamvukela uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke, kabazigcinanga izifakazelo zakhe.
57 But drew back and dealt treacherously, like their fathers, They turned aside, like deceitful bowmen;
Kodwa babuyela emuva, benza ngokungathembeki njengaboyise, baphanjulwa njengedandili elikhohlisayo.
58 And provoked him to anger with their high places, And, with their images, used to move him to jealousy.
Ngoba bamthukuthelisa ngezindawo zabo eziphakemeyo, bavusa umona wakhe ngezithombe zabo ezibaziweyo.
59 God heard and was wroth, And greatly abhorred Israel;
UNkulunkulu esizwa wathukuthela, wamenyanya kakhulu uIsrayeli.
60 So he gave up the habitation of Shiloh, The tent he had set up among Men;
Ngakho walitshiya ithabhanekele leShilo, ithente alimisa phakathi kwabantu.
61 Yea he gave up, into captivity, his strength, And his beauty into the hand of an adversary;
Wasenikela amandla akhe ekuthunjweni, lenkazimulo yakhe esandleni sesitha.
62 And delivered up, to the sword, his people, And, with his own inheritance, was he wroth;
Wasenikela abantu bakhe enkembeni, waselithukuthelela ilifa lakhe.
63 His young men, were devoured by fire, And, his virgins, were not praised in song;
Umlilo waqeda amajaha abo, lezintombi zabo kazihlatshelelwanga.
64 His priests, by the sword, did fall, And, his widows, were not able to bewail.
Abapristi babo bawa ngenkemba, labafelokazi babo kabalilanga.
65 Then awoke, as one that had slept, Adonay, As a warrior exulting with wine!
Khona iNkosi yavuka njengobelele, njengeqhawe eliklabalala ngenxa yewayini.
66 So he smote his adversaries in the rear, Reproach age-abiding, laid he upon them.
Yazitshaya izitha zayo emuva, yazithela ihlazo phakade.
67 Howbeit he rejected the tent of Joseph, And, the tribe of Ephraim, did not choose:
Yasilahla ithente likaJosefa, kayikhethanga isizwe sakoEfrayimi.
68 But made choice of the tribe of Judah, The mountain of Zion, which he loved;
Kodwa yakhetha isizwe sakoJuda, intaba yeZiyoni eyithandayo.
69 And built, like the heights, his sanctuary, Like the earth, he founded it to times age-abiding.
Yayakha indlu yayo engcwele njengezingqonga, njengomhlaba ewusekeleyo kuze kube nininini.
70 And made choice of David his servant, And took him from among the folds of the sheep:
Yasikhetha uDavida inceku yayo, yamthatha ezibayeni zezimvu;
71 From after the sucking ewes, he brought him in, —To be shepherd to Jacob his people, And to Israel, his inheritance.
ekulandeleni izimvukazi ezenyisayo, yamletha ukwelusa uJakobe abantu bayo, loIsrayeli ilifa layo.
72 So he did shepherd them, according to the singleness of his heart, And, with the discernment of his hands, used he to guide them.
Njalo wabelusa njengobuqotho benhliziyo yakhe, wabakhokhela ngobugabazi bezandla zakhe.
