Psalms 78
1 My friends, listen to what I am going to teach you; pay careful attention [IDM] to what I say.
Ihubo ka-Asafu Zwanini imfundiso yami, bantu bami; lilalele amazwi omlomo wami.
2 I am going to give you some sayings that wise people have said. They will be sayings about things that happened long ago, things that were difficult to understand [MET],
Ngizavula umlomo wami ngemifanekiso, ngizakutsho izinto ezifihlekileyo, izinto zekadeni,
3 things that we have heard and known previously, things that our parents and grandparents told us.
esakuzwayo lesikwaziyo esakutshelwa ngokhokho bethu.
4 We will tell these things to our children [LIT], and we will also tell to our grandchildren [about] Yahweh’s power and the glorious/great things that he has done.
Kasizukuzifihlela abantwana babo; sizasitshela isizukulwane esizayo ngemisebenzi emangalisayo kaThixo, amandla akhe, lemimangaliso aseyenzile.
5 He gave laws and commandments to the Israeli people, [those who are the descendants of] Jacob [DOU], and he told our ancestors to teach them to their children
Wamisela uJakhobe imithetho wabeka umlayo ko-Israyeli, walaya okhokho bethu ukuthi bawufundise abantwababo,
6 in order that their children would [also] know them and then they would teach them to their children.
ukuze aziwe yisizukulwane esilandelayo, kanye labantwana abazazalwa, kuthi labo batshele abantwababo.
7 In that way, they also would trust in God, and not forget the things that he has done; instead, they would obey his commandments.
Yikho-ke bazabeka ithemba labo kuNkulunkulu njalo abasoze bakhohlwa izenzo zakhe kodwa bagcine imilayo yakhe.
8 They would not be like their ancestors, who were very stubborn and kept rebelling [against God]; they did not continue firmly trusting in God, and they did not worship only him.
Kabayikuba njengabokhokho babo ababeyisizukulwana esilobuqholo lesihlamukayo, onhliziyo zabo zazingazinikelanga kuNkulunkulu omoya yabo yayingathembekanga kuye.
9 [The soldiers of] the tribe of Ephraim had bows [and arrows] but they ran away [from their enemies] on the day that they fought a battle with their enemies.
Amadoda ako-Efrayimi, loba ayehlomile ngemitshoko, afulathela mhla welanga lempi;
10 They did not do what they had agreed with God that they would do; they refused to obey his laws.
kabasigcinanga isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu, bala ukuphila ngomthetho wakhe.
11 They forgot what he had done; they forgot about the miracles that they had seen him perform.
Bakhohlwa lokho ayekwenzile, izimanga ayebatshengise zona.
12 While our ancestors were watching, God performed miracles in the area around Zoan [city] in Egypt.
Wenza imimangaliso oyise bekhangele elizweni laseGibhithe, esigodini saseZowani.
13 [Then] he caused the [Red] Sea to divide, causing the water [on each side] to pile up like a wall, with the result that [our ancestors] walked through it [on dry ground].
Walwahlukanisa ulwandle wabahola bachapha; wenza amanzi ema aqina saka njengomduli.
14 He led them by a [bright] cloud during the day and by a fiery light during the night.
Wabahola ngeyezi emini njalo ngokukhanya komlilo ubusuku bonke.
15 He split rocks open in the desert, giving to our ancestors plenty of water from deep inside the earth.
Wawaqhekeza amadwala enkangala wabapha amanzi amanengi njengolwandle;
16 He caused a stream of water to flow from the rock; the water flowed like a river [DOU].
wantshazisa impophoma emadwaleni amawa wenza amanzi ageleza njengemifula.
17 But [our ancestors] continued to sin against God; in the desert they rebelled against the one who is greater than any other god.
Kodwa baqhubeka besona phambi kwakhe, bamhlamukela enkangala yena oPhezukonke.
18 By demanding that God give them the food that they desired, they tried to find out if he would always do what they requested him to do.
Bamlinga uNkulunkulu ngabomo ngokucela ukudla ababekutshisekela.
19 They insulted God by saying, “We don’t think he can supply food for us [here] in this desert!
Bamchothoza uNkulunkulu besithi, “Kambe uNkulunkulu angendlala itafula lokudlela enkangala na?
20 [It is true that] he struck the rock, with the result that water gushed/flowed out, [but] (can he also provide bread and meat for [us], his people?/we doubt that he can also provide bread and meat for us, his people.)” [RHQ]
Wathi lapho etshaya idwala, amanzi antshantshaza, kwageleza amanzi amanengi. Kodwa angasipha njalo lokudla na? Angabalethela inyama abantu bakhe na?”
21 So, when Yahweh heard that, he became very angry, and he sent a fire to burn up [some of] his Israeli [people]. [MTY, DOU]
UThixo wathi ebezwa wathukuthela kakhulu; umlilo wakhe wavuthela kuJakhobe, ulaka lwakhe lwaqina ku-Israyeli,
22 [He did that] because they did not trust in him, and they did not believe that he would rescue them.
ngoba kabamkholwanga uNkulunkulu njalo kabawathembanga amandla okuhlenga kwakhe.
23 But God spoke to the sky above them; he commanded it to open [like] a door,
Loba kunjalo walaya umkhathi ngaphezulu wavula iminyango yamazulu;
24 and [then food] fell down like rain, [food which they named] ‘manna’; God gave them grain from (heaven/the sky).
wanisa imana ukuthi badle abantu, wabapha amabele asezulwini.
25 [So] the people ate the food that angels eat, [and] God gave to them all the manna that they wanted.
Abantu badla isinkwa sezingilosi; wabathumela konke ukudla ababengakudla.
26 [Later], he caused the wind to blow from the east, and by his power he also sent wind from the south,
Wawukhulula umoya wempumalanga uvela emazulwini, wawukhulula umoya weningizimu ngamandla akhe.
27 and the wind brought birds which were as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore.
Wanisela inyama kubo njengothuli, izinyoni eziphaphayo zaba njengetshebetshebe ogwini lolwandle.
28 God caused those birds to fall [dead] in the middle of (their camp)/the area where the people had put up their tents. [There were dead birds] all around their tents.
Wazenza zehlela phakathi kwezihonqo zabo, indawana yonke emathenteni abo.
29 [So] the people [cooked the birds and] ate the meat and their stomachs were full, because God had given them what they wanted.
Bazitika baze bakhangela, ngoba wayebaphe ababekade bekukhalela.
30 But before they had eaten all that they wanted, and while they were still eating it,
Kodwa bengakakutshiyi lokho kudla ababekukhalela belokhu besakunambitha emilonyeni yabo,
31 God was [still] very angry with them, and he caused their strongest men to die; he got rid of [many of] the finest [young] Israeli men.
ulaka lukaNkulunkulu lwavutha kubo; wabulala zona iziqwabalanda zabo, wawahemula amajaha ako-Israyeli.
32 In spite of all that, the people continued to sin; in spite of all the miracles that God had performed, they still did not trust that he [would take care of them].
Phezu kwakho konke lokhu baqhubeka besona; phezu kwezimanga zakhe, kabazange bakholwe.
33 So, he caused their lives to end as quickly as a puff of wind ends; they died when disasters suddenly struck them.
Ngakho wenza insuku zabo zaphelela ezeni njalo leminyaka yabo yagcwala ukwesaba.
34 When God caused [some of] them to die, [the others] turned to God; they repented and earnestly asked God [to save them].
Kwakusithi uNkulunkulu angababulala, bamdinge; baphendukele kuye njalo ngokutshiseka.
35 They remembered that God is [like] a huge rock ledge [under which they would be safe] [MET], and that he, who was greater than any other god, is the one who protected/rescued them.
Bakhumbula ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayelidwala labo, ukuthi uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke wayenguMhlengi wabo.
36 But they [tried to] deceive God by what they said [MTY]; their words [MTY] were [all] lies.
Kodwa-ke kwakuyikumyenga ngemilomo yabo, beqamba amanga kuye ngendimi zabo;
37 They were not loyal to him; they disregarded/ignored the agreement that he had made with them.
inhliziyo zabo zazingabambelelanga kuye, babengathembekanga esivumelwaneni sakhe.
38 But God was merciful to his people. He forgave them for having sinned and did not get rid of them. Many times he refrained from becoming angry [with them] and restrained from furiously/severely [punishing them] [MTY].
Kodwa wayelesihawu; wazithethelela izono zabo kaze ababhubhisa. Isikhathi ngesikhathi waluthoba ulaka lwakhe akaze akuqubula konke ukuthukuthela kwakhe.
39 He remembered/considered that they were only humans who die; they [disappear quickly] [SIM], like a wind that blows by and then is gone.
Wakhumbula ukuthi babeyinyama nje intshongolo eyedlulayo nje ingabe isabuya.
40 Many times our ancestors rebelled against God in the desert and caused him to become very sad.
Kodwa ukuthi bamhlamukela kanengi njani enkangala, bamdabukisa egwaduleni!
41 Many times they did evil things, to find out [if they could do those things without God punishing them]. They frequently caused the holy God of Israel to become disgusted/sad.
Baphindaphinda ukulinga uNkulunkulu; bamthukuthelisa oNgcwele ka-Israyeli.
42 They forgot about his [great] power, and they (forgot/did not think) about the time when he rescued them from their enemies.
Kabawakhumbulanga amandla akhe usuku abakhulula ngalo kumncindezeli,
43 They forgot about when he performed many miracles in the area near Zoan [city] in Egypt.
usuku lapho aveza khona izibonakaliso zakhe ezimangalisayo eGibhithe, izimanga zakhe esigodini saseZowani.
44 He caused the [Nile] River (OR, their sources of water) to become [red like] blood, with the result that the people of Egypt had no water to drink.
Waguqula imifula yabo yaba ligazi; behluleka ukunatha ezifuleni zabo.
45 He sent among the people of Egypt swarms of flies that bit them, and he sent frogs that ate up everything.
Wathumela imihlambi yezibawu zabantinya, lamaxoxo ababhuqayo.
46 He sent locusts to eat their crops and the other things that grew in their fields.
Amabele abo wawathela izintethe, izithelo zabo isikhongwane.
47 He sent hail that destroyed the grapevines, and sent frost that ruined the figs.
Wathintitha amavini abo ngesiqhotho lemikhiwa yabo yesikhamore wayitshazisa ngongqwaqwane.
48 He sent hail that killed their cattle and sent lightning that killed their sheep and cows.
Inkomo zabo wazithela ngesiqhotho, izifuyo zabo zadliwa yizikhatha zombane.
49 Because God was fiercely angry with the people of Egypt, he caused them to be very distressed. The disasters that struck them were like a group of angels that destroyed [everything].
Wabathululela ulaka lwakhe oluvuthayo, intukuthelo yakhe, ukucunuka lenzondo ixuku lezingilosi ezibhubhisayo.
50 He did not lessen his being angry [with them], and he did not (spare their lives/prevent them from dying); he sent a (plague/serious illness) that killed [many of] them.
Wayilungisa indlela yolaka lwakhe; kabaphephisanga ekufeni kodwa wabanikela emikhuhlaneni.
51 He also caused all the firstborn sons of the people of Egypt to die.
Wawabulala wonke amazibulo aseGibhithe, izithelo zabo zokuqala zokuba ngamadoda emathenteni kaHamu.
52 Then he led his people out [of Egypt] like [a shepherd leads] his sheep [SIM], and he guided them [while they walked] through the desert.
Kodwa wabakhupha abantu bakhe njengomhlambi wezimvu; wabahola njengezimvu bedabula inkangala.
53 He led them safely, and they were not afraid, but their enemies were drowned in the sea.
Wabakhokhela ngonanzelelo, ngakho babengesabi; kodwa ulwandle lwazigubuzela izitha zabo.
54 [Later] he brought them to [Canaan], his sacred land, to [Zion] Hill (OR, the hilly area) and by his power [MTY] he enabled them to conquer [the people who were living there].
Kanjalo wabaletha emngceleni welizwe lakhe elingcwele, elizweni lamaqaqa ayelithethe ngesandla sakhe sokunene.
55 He expelled the people-groups while his people were advancing; he allotted part of the land for [each tribe] to possess, and he gave to the Israeli people the houses of those people who had been expelled.
Wazixotsha izizwe phambi kwabo wabahlukanisela ilizwe lazo laba yilifa; wahlalisa izizwana zako-Israyeli emizini yazo.
56 However, the Israeli people rebelled against God, who is greater than any other god, and they did many evil things to see if they could do those things without God punishing them, and they did not obey his commandments.
Kodwa bamlinga uNkulunkulu, bamhlamukela oPhezukonke; kabayigcinanga imilayo yakhe.
57 Instead, like their ancestors did, they rebelled against God and (were not loyal to/did not faithfully [obey]) him; they were as [unreliable as] a crooked arrow [that does not go straight] [SIM].
Njengabokhokho babo babengathembekanga bengakholwa, ungeke wathemba njengedandili elenziwe kubi.
58 Because they [worshiped] carved images of their gods on the tops of hills, they caused God to become angry [DOU].
Bamvusa ulaka ngezindawo zabo eziphezulu; baqubula ubukhwele bakhe ngezithombe zabo.
59 He saw what they were doing and became very angry, so he rejected the Israeli people.
Wathi uNkulunkulu ngokukuzwa lokho, wathukuthela kakhulu; wamlahla qobo lokumlahla u-Israyeli.
60 He no longer appeared to them at Shiloh in the tent where he had lived among them.
Walidela ithabanikeli lakhe eShilo, ithente ayelakhile phakathi kwabantu.
61 He allowed their enemies to capture [the sacred chest], [which was the symbol of] his power and his glory.
Umphongolo wakhe wamandla wawusa ekuthunjweni, inkazimulo yakhe ezandleni zesitha.
62 Because he was angry with his people, he allowed them to be killed [MTY] [by their enemies].
Abantu bakhe wabanikela ukudliwa yinkemba; wayethukuthele kakhulu ngelifa lakhe.
63 Young men were killed in battles, with the result that the young women had no one to marry.
Umlilo waziqeda izinsizwa zabo, izintombi zabo zaswela izingoma zomtshado;
64 [Many] priests were killed by [their enemies’] swords, and (the people did not allow the priests’ widows/the priests’ widows were not allowed) to mourn.
abaphristi babo babulawa ngenkemba, abafelokazi babo behluleka ukulila.
65 Later, [it was as though] the Lord awoke from sleeping; he was like a strong man who (became stimulated/felt that he was strong) by (OR, became sober after) [drinking] a lot of wine [SIM].
INkosi yasivuka njengokade esebuthongweni, njengomuntu ephaphama ekudakweni yiwayini.
66 He pushed their enemies back and caused them to be [very] ashamed for a long time [HYP] [because they had been defeated].
Wazitshaya zahlehla izitha zakhe; waziyangisa okungapheliyo.
67 [But] he did not set up his tent where [the people of] the tribe of Ephraim lived; he did not choose their area [to do that].
Khonapho-ke wawakhalala amathente kaJosefa, akaze asikhetha isizwana sika-Efrayimi;
68 Instead he chose [the area where] the tribe of Judah [lived]; he chose Zion Hill, which he loves.
kodwa wakhetha isizwana sikaJuda, iNtaba iZiyoni ayeyithanda.
69 He [decided to have] his temple built [there], high up, like [his home in] heaven; he caused it to be firm, [and intended that] his temple would last forever, like the earth.
Wakha indlu yakhe engcwele njengeziqongo, njengomhlaba awumisela ingunaphakade.
70 He chose David, who served him [faithfully], and took him from the pastures
Wakhetha uDavida inceku yakhe wamthatha ezilugwini zezimvu;
71 where he was taking care of his [father’s] sheep, and appointed him to be the leader [MET] of the Israeli people, the people who belong to God.
wamsusa ekweluseni izimvu wamletha ukuba ngumelusi wabantu bakhe uJakhobe, baka-Israyeli ilifa lakhe.
72 David took care of the Israeli people sincerely and wholeheartedly, and guided them skillfully/wisely.
Njalo uDavida wabelusa ngobuqotho benhliziyo; wabakhokhela ngesandla sobungcitshi.
