Psalmowo 18
1 David, Yehowa ƒe dɔla, ƒe ha na hɛnɔ la. David dzi ha sia na Yehowa le esime wòɖee tso Saul kple eƒe futɔ bubuawo ƒe asi me. David gblɔ be: O! Yehowa, nye ŋusẽ, melɔ̃ wò.
Yahweh, I love you, the one who enables me to be strong.
2 Yehowa nye nye agakpe, nye mɔ kple nye xɔnametɔ. Nye Mawu nye nye agakpe, eyae mesi tso. Eyae nye nye akpoxɔnu kple ɖeɖe ƒe ŋusẽ kple nye mɔ sesẽ.
Yahweh is like an [overhanging] rock [DOU, MET] [under which I can hide from my enemies]; he is like a strong fortress, the one who protects me; he protects me like a shield [MET] [protects a soldier]; he is the one to whom I go (for refuge/to be protected/safe), and he defends me by his great power [IDM].
3 Meyɔ Yehowa, ame si dze na kafukafu, eɖem tso nye futɔwo katã ƒe asi me.
I called out to Yahweh, who deserves to be praised, and he rescued me from my enemies.
4 Ku ƒe kawo blam, eye nu siwo gblẽa ame la ƒo ɖe dzinye abe tɔʋu ene.
All around me were dangerous situations in which I might be killed [PRS]; it was as though there were huge waves [MET] that almost crashed on me and killed me.
[It was as though] the place where dead people are had ropes that were wrapped around me, or [it was as though] there was a trap [MET] that would [seize and] kill me. (Sheol h7585)
6 Meyɔ Yehowa le nye xaxa me; medo ɣli na nye Mawu be wòaɖem. Ese nye gbe tso eƒe gbedoxɔ me ke, eye nye ɣlidodo ɖo egbɔ, ge ɖe eƒe to me.
But when I was very distressed, I called out to Yahweh, and from his temple he heard me. He listened to me when I cried out [for help].
7 Tete anyigba dzo nyanyanya, eye wòʋuʋu; towo ƒe agunuwo ke hã ʋuʋu heyeheye, eye wodzo kpekpekpe, elabena dzi kui.
Then the earth quaked/shook strongly [DOU]; the mountains shook very strongly from their centers [DOU] because Yahweh was angry.
8 Dzudzɔ do tso eƒe ŋɔtime; dzo ƒe aɖewo do tso eƒe nu me eye dzoka xɔxɔwo kplɔe ɖo.
[It was as though] smoke poured out from his nostrils, and [as though] burning coals came out of his mouth.
9 Ema dziŋgɔli ɖe eve, wòto eme ɖi va anyi, eye lilikpo do blukɔ le eƒe afɔ te.
He opened the sky and came down with a black cloud under his feet.
10 Ede kerubiwo dzi, eye wòdzo dzo. Eɖo asagba ɖe ya ƒe aʋalawo dzi.
He flew, riding on the back of a creature that had wings, traveling [fast], blown along by the wind.
11 Viviti nye avɔ si wòtsyɔ, eye lilikpo yibɔ si dzaa tsi lae nye agbadɔ si ƒo xlãe.
Darkness was all around him [like a blanket] [MET]; dark clouds, full of moisture, covered him [MET].
12 Lilikpo, kpetsi kple dzikedzo do tso eƒe mo ƒe keklẽ la me.
Hailstones and flashes of lightning were around him; hail and burning coals fell from the sky.
13 Yehowa ɖe gbe tso dziƒo, eye Dziƒoʋĩtɔ la na wose eƒe gbe.
Then Yahweh [spoke in a loud voice] from the sky, and [his enemies] heard his voice that sounded like thunder.
14 Eda eƒe aŋutrɔ, eye wòkaka eƒe futɔwo, eɖo dzikedzo ɖa, eye wòtɔtɔ wo.
He shot his arrows at them and caused them to scatter; His flashes of lightning caused them to become very confused (OR, to run away).
15 Atsiaƒu ƒe balimewo dze gaglã, eye anyigba ƒe gɔmeɖoɖo tsi ƒuƒlu. Le Yehowa ƒe nyaheɖeameŋu kple gbɔgbɔ si do tso eƒe ŋɔtime ta.
The bottom of the ocean became visible, and the foundations of the earth were uncovered, when Yahweh rebuked his enemies when he snorted.
16 Edo asi ɖa tso dziƒo lém, Heɖem tso tɔ goglowo me.
[It was as though] he reached down from heaven and grabbed me and pulled me up out of the deep ocean.
17 Eɖem tso nye futɔ ŋusẽtɔwo ƒe asi me, tso nye ketɔwo ƒe asi me, ame siwo sesẽ wum akpa la ƒe asi me.
He rescued me from my strong enemies who hated me; they were very strong, with the result that I [could not defeat them].
18 Woƒo ɖe dzinye le nye dzɔgbevɔ̃egbe, gake Yehowa nye nye kpeɖeŋutɔ.
When I (was distressed/had troubles), they attacked me, but Yahweh defended/protected me.
19 Eɖem tsɔ da ɖe teƒe gbadzaa; eɖem, elabena nye nu nyo eŋu.
He led me to a place where I was safe; he rescued me because he was pleased with me.
20 Yehowa nɔ kplim le nye dzɔdzɔenyenye nu, eye wòwɔ nyui nam le esi nye asi me dza la ta.
Yahweh has rewarded me because I do what is right; he has blessed me because I (am innocent/have not done things that are wrong).
21 Elabena melé Yehowa ƒe mɔwo me ɖe asi; nyemewɔ vɔ̃ hetrɔ le nye Mawu yome o.
I have obeyed Yahweh’s laws; I have not abandoned him.
22 Eƒe sewo katã le ŋkunye me; eye nyemetrɔ le eƒe ɖoɖowo yome o.
My behavior was directed by his rules; I have not stopped obeying them.
23 Nyemeɖi fɔ le eŋkume o, eye mete ɖokuinye ɖa tso nu vɔ̃ gbɔ.
He knows that I have not done what is wrong; I have kept myself from sinning.
24 Yehowa wɔ nyui nam le nye dzɔdzɔenyenye kple esi nye asi me dza le eŋkume la ta.
So he rewards me because I do what is right; he knows that I [SYN] have not committed sins.
25 Èwɔa nuteƒe na nuteƒewɔla, eye nèfiaa ɖokuiwò fɔmaɖilae na ame si ŋu fɔɖiɖi mele o.
Yahweh, you are faithful to those who faithfully [do what you tell them to do]; you always do what is good/right to those who do what you want them to do.
26 Ame si dza le eƒe dzi me la, èɖea ɖokuiwò fianɛ be èdza, eye nèfiaa ɖokuiwò ayetɔe ɖe ayetɔ la ŋu.
You are kind to those who are kind to others, but you act wisely toward those who (act perversely/do bad things).
27 Èɖea ame siwo bɔbɔa wo ɖokui, ke ame siwo si dadaŋku le la, èɖiɖia wo ɖe anyi.
You save those who are humble, but you cause those who are proud to be humiliated/ashamed.
28 Wò, O! Yehowae na nye akaɖi le bibim, eye nye Mawu trɔ nye viviti wòzu kekeli.
You give light to my [soul/spirit]; you take away the darkness of my soul.
29 Mate ŋu alũ ɖe aʋakɔ dzi to wò kpekpeɖeŋu me, eye le nye Mawu ta mate ŋu ati kpo aflɔ gli.
You enable me to be strong, with the result that I can run and attack a line of enemy soldiers; with your help I can (scale/climb up) the walls [that surround my enemies’ cities].
30 Mawu ya ƒe mɔwo de blibo, Yehowa ƒe nya nye nyateƒe sɔŋ. Enye akpoxɔnu na ame siwo tsɔe wɔ sitsoƒee.
Everything that Yahweh my God does is perfect. We can depend on him to do what he promises. He is like a shield [MET] to protect all those who go to him for refuge.
31 Elabena ame kae ganye Mawu kpe ɖe Yehowa ŋu? Ame kae ganye Agakpe, ɖe menye míaƒe Mawu la koe oa?
Yahweh is [RHQ] the only one who is God; only he is like an [overhanging] rock [under which we can be safe].
32 Mawue nye nye mɔ sesẽ, Eyae na nye mɔ zu gbadzaa.
God is the one who enables me to be strong and who keeps me safe on the roads that I walk on.
33 Ewɔ nye afɔwo abe zi tɔwo ene, eye wòna metea ŋu tsia tsitre ɖe teƒe kɔkɔwo.
He enables me to [walk swiftly without stumbling], like a deer walks/runs in the mountains.
34 Efia aʋawɔwɔ nye asiwo, eye nye asiwo ate ŋu abɔ dati si wowɔ kple akɔbli.
He teaches me how to use a strong/metal bow in order that I can use it to fight in battles.
35 Ètsɔ wò dziɖuɖu ƒe akpoxɔnu la nam, eye wò nuɖusi lém ɖe te. Èbɔbɔ ɖokuiwò be nàdo kɔkɔm.
Yahweh, you protect and save me with your shield; you have made me safe by your power [MTY]. I have become (strong/a great [king]) because you have helped me.
36 Èkeke mɔ le tenye, be nye klowo magli le tenye o.
You have cleared the road for me, with the result that now I do not slip/stumble.
37 Meti nye futɔwo yome, eye metu wo. Nyemetrɔ le wo yome o, va se ɖe esime wotsrɔ̃.
I have pursued my enemies and caught them; I did not stop until I had defeated/killed them all.
38 Metsrɔ̃ wo be womagate ŋu afɔ gbeɖe o, ale wodze anyi ɖe nye afɔ nu.
When I strike them, they are not able to get up again; they lie on the ground, defeated.
39 Wòe na ŋusẽm hena aʋa la wɔwɔ, Èna mebɔbɔ ame siwo katã tso ɖe ŋunye la ɖe anyi.
You have enabled me to be strong in order that I can fight battles and defeat my enemies.
40 Èna nye futɔwo trɔ megbe dem helé du tsɔ, eye metsrɔ̃ nye futɔwo.
You caused my enemies to run away (OR, you enabled me to put my foot on my enemies’ necks [after I captured them and forced them to lie on the ground]); I have gotten rid of all those who hated me.
41 Wodo ɣli be Yehowa naxɔ na yewo, gake ame aɖeke mexɔ na wo o, elabena Yehowa metɔ na wo o.
They called out for someone to help them, but no one saved them.
42 Metu wo memie abe ʋuʋudedi si ya lɔ ɖe nu la ene, eye metrɔ wo ɖe mɔtata dzi abe anyi ene.
I pulverize them, with the result that they become like [MET] the dust that the wind [blows away]; I throw them out like [SIM] [people throw] dirt out into the streets.
43 Èɖem tso ame siwo va dze dzinye la ƒe asi me, ètsɔm ɖo dukɔwo nu, eye ame siwo nyemenya o la dzie meɖu fia ɖo.
You enabled me to defeat those who fought against me, and appointed me to be the ruler of [many]; people whom I did not know about previously are now slaves [in my kingdom].
44 Ne wose ŋkɔnye ko la, woɖoa tom, eye du bubu me tɔwo gɔ̃ hã dzona nyanyanya le nye ŋkume.
When foreigners hear about me, they (cringe/bow low before me) and they obey me.
45 Dzi ɖena le wo katã ƒo, eye wotsɔa dzodzo nyanyanya hedoa goe le woƒe mɔ sesẽwo me.
They are no longer courageous, and from their forts [where they were hiding] they come [to me] trembling.
46 Yehowa li tegbee! Woakafu nye Agakpe la! Woado Mawu, nye Xɔla la, ɖe dzi bobobo!
Yahweh is alive! Praise the one who is like an [overhanging] rock [MET] [under which I am safe] Exalt the God who saves me!
47 Eyae nye Mawu si biaa hlɔ̃ nam, eye wòbɔbɔa dukɔwo ɖe nye afɔ te,
He enables me to get revenge on my enemies; he causes me to defeat nations and to rule over them,
48 ame si ɖeam tso nye futɔwo ƒe asi me. Èkɔm ɖe dzi gbɔ nye futɔwo ta, eye nèɖem tso ŋutasẽlawo ƒe asi me.
and he rescues me from my enemies. He has lifted me up high so that violent men could not reach me [and harm me].
49 O! Yehowa, makafu wò le dukɔwo dome le esia ta, eye madzi kafukafuha na wò ŋkɔ.
So I praise him [and I tell] the nations [the great things that he has done].
50 Ena dziɖuɖu gãwo eƒe fia la; eɖe amenuveve si nu meyi o la fia David, eƒe amesiamina la kple eƒe dzidzimeviwo tegbee.
He has enabled me, his king, to powerfully defeat my enemies; he faithfully loves me, David, the one he has chosen [to be king], and he will faithfully love my descendants forever.
