Psalms 78
1 My friends, listen to what I am going to teach you; pay careful attention [IDM] to what I say.
Lalelani, bantu bami, umthetho wami, libeke indlebe yenu emazwini 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 ngomfanekiso, ngikhuphe izimfihlakalo zendulo,
3 things that we have heard and known previously, things that our parents and grandparents told us.
esizizwileyo lesizaziyo, obaba abasitshela zona.
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.
Kasiyikuzifihlela abantwana babo, kusizukulwana esilandelayo, silandisa izindumiso zeNkosi, lamandla ayo, lezimangaliso ezenzileyo.
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
Ngoba wamisa ubufakazi koJakobe, wabeka umlayo koIsrayeli, awulaya obaba, ukuze bawazise abantwana babo,
6 in order that their children would [also] know them and then they would teach them to their children.
ukuze isizukulwana esilandelayo sazi, abantwana abazazalwa, basukume batshele abantwana babo,
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.
ukuze babeke ithemba labo kuNkulunkulu, bangayikhohlwa imisebenzi kaNkulunkulu, kodwa bagcine imithetho 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.
njalo bangabi njengaboyise, isizukulwana esilenkani lesivukelayo, isizukulwana esingaqondisanga inhliziyo yaso, lesimoya waso ungathembekanga kuNkulunkulu.
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.
Abantwana bakoEfrayimi, behlomile betshoka ngamadandili, babuyela emuva mhla wempi.
10 They did not do what they had agreed with God that they would do; they refused to obey his laws.
Kabasilondolozanga isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu, bala ukuhamba emlayweni wakhe.
11 They forgot what he had done; they forgot about the miracles that they had seen him perform.
Bakhohlwa izenzo zakhe lezimangaliso zakhe ayebatshengisa zona.
12 While our ancestors were watching, God performed miracles in the area around Zoan [city] in Egypt.
Phambi kwaboyise wenza isimangaliso elizweni leGibhithe, egangeni leZowani.
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].
Waqhekeza ulwandle, wabachaphisa, wenza amanzi ema njengenqumbi.
14 He led them by a [bright] cloud during the day and by a fiery light during the night.
Wabakhokhela ngeyezi emini, lebusuku bonke ngokukhanya komlilo.
15 He split rocks open in the desert, giving to our ancestors plenty of water from deep inside the earth.
Waqhekeza amadwala enkangala, wabanathisa kungathi kuvela ezinzikini ezinkulu.
16 He caused a stream of water to flow from the rock; the water flowed like a river [DOU].
Waseveza izifula edwaleni, wenza amanzi ehla 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 baphinda futhi ukona kuye, ngokumvukela oPhezukonke enkangala.
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 enhliziyweni yabo ngokucela ukudla kwenkanuko yabo.
19 They insulted God by saying, “We don’t think he can supply food for us [here] in this desert!
Basebekhuluma bemelene loNkulunkulu bathi: UNkulunkulu angalungisa itafula enkangala yini?
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]
Khangela, watshaya idwala, kwampompoza amanzi, lezifula zagabha; anganika lesinkwa yini? angalungisela abantu bakhe inyama 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]
Ngakho iNkosi yezwa yathukuthela; umlilo wasubaselwa uJakobe, njalo lolaka lwavukela uIsrayeli,
22 [He did that] because they did not trust in him, and they did not believe that he would rescue them.
ngoba kabakholwanga kuNkulunkulu, kabathembanga esindisweni lwakhe.
23 But God spoke to the sky above them; he commanded it to open [like] a door,
Lanxa walaya amayezi 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).
wabanisela imana ukuthi badle, wabapha amabele amazulu.
25 [So] the people ate the food that angels eat, [and] God gave to them all the manna that they wanted.
Umuntu wadla isinkwa sabalamandla; wabathumela ukudla ukuze basuthe.
26 [Later], he caused the wind to blow from the east, and by his power he also sent wind from the south,
Wenza umoya wempumalanga wavunguza emazulwini; langamandla akhe waqhuba umoya weningizimu.
27 and the wind brought birds which were as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore.
Wasenisela phezu kwabo inyama njengothuli, lenyoni ezilempiko njengetshebetshebe 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 zawela phakathi kwenkamba yabo, zagombolozela indawo zabo zokuhlala.
29 [So] the people [cooked the birds and] ate the meat and their stomachs were full, because God had given them what they wanted.
Ngakho badla basutha kakhulu, ngoba wabalethela isiloyiso sabo.
30 But before they had eaten all that they wanted, and while they were still eating it,
Kabehlukananga lenkanuko yabo; ukudla kusesemlonyeni wabo,
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 lwaselubavukela, wabulala kwabakhulupheleyo babo, watshaya abakhethiweyo bakoIsrayeli.
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].
Kulokhu konke bajinga besona, njalo kabakholwanga ngenxa yezimangaliso zakhe.
33 So, he caused their lives to end as quickly as a puff of wind ends; they died when disasters suddenly struck them.
Ngakho waziqeda izinsuku zabo ngeze, leminyaka yabo ovalweni.
34 When God caused [some of] them to die, [the others] turned to God; they repented and earnestly asked God [to save them].
Lapho ebabulala, bamdinga, baphenduka, bamdingisisa uNkulunkulu.
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 ulidwala labo, loNkulunkulu oPhezukonke ungumhlengi wabo.
36 But they [tried to] deceive God by what they said [MTY]; their words [MTY] were [all] lies.
Kodwa bamyenga ngomlomo wabo, baqamba amanga kuye ngolimi lwabo.
37 They were not loyal to him; they disregarded/ignored the agreement that he had made with them.
Ngoba inhliziyo yabo yayingaqondanga kuye, njalo bengathembekanga 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 yena elesihawu wathethelela ububi babo, kababhubhisanga; yebo, kanengi walunqanda ulaka lwakhe, kakuvusanga 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.
Ngoba wakhumbula ukuthi bayinyama, umoya odlulayo, ongabuyiyo.
40 Many times our ancestors rebelled against God in the desert and caused him to become very sad.
Kanengi kangakanani bemvukela ehlane, bemdabukisa enkangala.
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.
Yebo baphenduka bamlinga uNkulunkulu, bamdabukisa oNgcwele kaIsrayeli.
42 They forgot about his [great] power, and they (forgot/did not think) about the time when he rescued them from their enemies.
Kabasikhumbulanga isandla sakhe, usuku abahlenga ngalo esitheni.
43 They forgot about when he performed many miracles in the area near Zoan [city] in Egypt.
Ukuthi wamisa njani izibonakaliso zakhe eGibhithe, lezimangaliso zakhe emmangweni weZowani,
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.
lokuthi waphendula imifula yabo yaba ligazi, lezifula zabo, ukuze banganathi.
45 He sent among the people of Egypt swarms of flies that bit them, and he sent frogs that ate up everything.
Wathumela phakathi kwabo umtshitshi wezibawu, ezabadlayo, lamaxoxo ababhubhisayo.
46 He sent locusts to eat their crops and the other things that grew in their fields.
Wasenika imihogoyi isivuno sabo, lomsebenzi wabo isikhonyane.
47 He sent hail that destroyed the grapevines, and sent frost that ruined the figs.
Wabulala ivini labo ngesiqhotho, lemikhiwa yabo yesikhamore ngongqwaqwane.
48 He sent hail that killed their cattle and sent lightning that killed their sheep and cows.
Wasenikela izifuyo zabo esiqhothweni, lemihlambi yabo kuyo imibane.
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].
Waphosela phezu kwabo ukuvutha kolaka lwakhe, ukuthukuthela, lokucunuka, lokuhlupheka, ngokuthuma izithunywa zobubi.
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.
Walungisela ulaka lwakhe indlela, kanqandanga umphefumulo wabo ekufeni, kodwa wanikela impilo yabo kumatshayabhuqe wesifo.
51 He also caused all the firstborn sons of the people of Egypt to die.
Wasetshaya wonke amazibulo eGibhithe, okokuqala kwamandla 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.
Wasebakhupha abantu bakhe njengezimvu, wabakhokhela enkangala njengomhlambi.
53 He led them safely, and they were not afraid, but their enemies were drowned in the sea.
Wasebakhokhela bephephile ukuze bangesabi; kodwa ulwandle lwasibekela 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].
Wasebafikisa emkhawulweni wendawo yakhe engcwele, le intaba, isandla sakhe sokunene esayizuzayo.
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.
Wasebaxotsha abezizwe phambi kwabo; wababela ilifa ngomzila, wahlalisa izizwe zakoIsrayeli emathenteni azo.
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.
Kanti bamlinga, bamvukela uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke, kabazigcinanga izifakazelo zakhe.
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].
Kodwa babuyela emuva, benza ngokungathembeki njengaboyise, baphanjulwa njengedandili elikhohlisayo.
58 Because they [worshiped] carved images of their gods on the tops of hills, they caused God to become angry [DOU].
Ngoba bamthukuthelisa ngezindawo zabo eziphakemeyo, bavusa umona wakhe ngezithombe zabo ezibaziweyo.
59 He saw what they were doing and became very angry, so he rejected the Israeli people.
UNkulunkulu esizwa wathukuthela, wamenyanya kakhulu uIsrayeli.
60 He no longer appeared to them at Shiloh in the tent where he had lived among them.
Ngakho walitshiya ithabhanekele leShilo, ithente alimisa phakathi kwabantu.
61 He allowed their enemies to capture [the sacred chest], [which was the symbol of] his power and his glory.
Wasenikela amandla akhe ekuthunjweni, lenkazimulo yakhe esandleni sesitha.
62 Because he was angry with his people, he allowed them to be killed [MTY] [by their enemies].
Wasenikela abantu bakhe enkembeni, waselithukuthelela ilifa lakhe.
63 Young men were killed in battles, with the result that the young women had no one to marry.
Umlilo waqeda amajaha abo, lezintombi zabo kazihlatshelelwanga.
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.
Abapristi babo bawa ngenkemba, labafelokazi babo kabalilanga.
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].
Khona iNkosi yavuka njengobelele, njengeqhawe eliklabalala ngenxa yewayini.
66 He pushed their enemies back and caused them to be [very] ashamed for a long time [HYP] [because they had been defeated].
Yazitshaya izitha zayo emuva, yazithela ihlazo phakade.
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].
Yasilahla ithente likaJosefa, kayikhethanga isizwe sakoEfrayimi.
68 Instead he chose [the area where] the tribe of Judah [lived]; he chose Zion Hill, which he loves.
Kodwa yakhetha isizwe sakoJuda, intaba yeZiyoni eyithandayo.
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.
Yayakha indlu yayo engcwele njengezingqonga, njengomhlaba ewusekeleyo kuze kube nininini.
70 He chose David, who served him [faithfully], and took him from the pastures
Yasikhetha uDavida inceku yayo, yamthatha ezibayeni 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.
ekulandeleni izimvukazi ezenyisayo, yamletha ukwelusa uJakobe abantu bayo, loIsrayeli ilifa layo.
72 David took care of the Israeli people sincerely and wholeheartedly, and guided them skillfully/wisely.
Njalo wabelusa njengobuqotho benhliziyo yakhe, wabakhokhela ngobugabazi bezandla zakhe.
