Sálmarnir 78
1 Þjóð mín, hlustaðu á kenningu mína. Gefðu gaum að því sem ég hef að segja.
“A Maskil of Assaph.” Give ear, O my people, to my instruction: incline thy ear to the words of my mouth.
2 Nú ætla ég að rifja upp fyrir þér liðna atburði,
I will open with a parable my mouth: I will utter riddles out of ancient times;
3 frásagnir sem varðveist hafa frá kynslóð til kynslóðar.
Which we have heard and know, and which our fathers have related unto us.
4 Ég birti ykkur sannleikann, svo að þið getið sagt börnum ykkar frá dásemdarverkum Drottins, öllum þeim undrum sem hann vann.
We will not conceal them from their children, relating to the latest generation the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful deeds which he hath done.
5 Lögmál sitt gaf hann Ísrael og bauð forfeðrunum að kenna það börnum sínum
Yea, he established a testimony in Jacob, and instituted a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:
6 sem síðan skyldu kenna það sínum afkomendum. Þannig skyldi lögmál hans berast frá einni kynslóðinni til annarrar.
In order that the latest generation might know them, even the children that are to be born; that they may arise and relate them to their children;
7 Því hefur sérhver kynslóð getað haldið lög Guðs, treyst honum og heyrt um hans dásemdarverk.
That they may place in God their hope, and not forget the doings of God, but observe his commandments;
8 Ný kynslóð skyldi ekki þurfa að fara að fordæmi feðra sinna sem voru þrjóskir, óhlýðnir og ótrúir og forhertu sig gegn Guði.
And that they may not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that had not directed their heart firmly, and whose spirit was not faithful to God.
9 Þótt íbúar Efraím væru alvopnaðir, þá flúðu þeir þegar að orustunni kom.
The children of Ephraim, like well-armed archers, that turn round on the day of battle,
10 Þannig rufu þeir sáttmálann við Guð og fóru sína eigin leið.
Kept not the covenant of God, and in his law they refused to walk;
11 Þeir gleymdu máttarverkum Drottins,
And they forgot his deeds, as also his wonders, which he had permitted them to see.
12 sem hann hafði fyrir þá gert og forfeður þeirra í Egyptalandi,
In the presence of their fathers did he do wonders, in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zo'an.
13 þegar hann klauf hafið og leiddi þá yfir þurrum fótum. Vatnið stóð eins og veggur til beggja handa!
He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters stand upright as a wall.
14 Að degi til leiddi hann þá með skýi, en eldstólpa um nætur.
And he led them with the cloud by day, and all the night with a light of fire.
15 Hann rauf gat á klettinn í eyðimörkinni. Vatnið streymdi fram og þeir svöluðu þorsta sínum.
He split rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the mighty deep.
16 Já, það flæddi frá klettinum, líkast rennandi á!
And he brought forth running streams out of the rock, and caused water to run down like rivers.
17 Samt héldu þeir fast við þrjósku sína og syndguðu gegn hinum hæsta Guði.
But they repeated to sin yet more against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert.
18 Þeir kvörtuðu og kveinuðu og heimtuðu annað að borða en það sem Guð gaf þeim.
And they tempted God in their heart, by asking food for their desire.
19 Þeir ásökuðu jafnvel sjálfan Guð og sögðu:
Yea, they spoke against God: they said, Will God be able to set in order a table in the wilderness?
20 „Hann gaf okkur vatn, en hvers vegna fáum við ekki brauð eða kjöt?!“
Behold, he smote the rock, so that waters gushed out, and streams overflowed: shall he also be able to give bread? or can he provide flesh for his people?
21 Drottinn hlustaði og honum rann í skap, reiði hans upptendraðist gegn Ísrael.
Therefore, when the Lord heard this, he became wroth: and a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also ascended against Israel,
22 Enda treystu þeir honum ekki, né trúðu forsjá hans.
Because they had not believed in God, and had not trusted in his salvation.
23 Jafnvel þótt hann lyki upp himninum – eins og glugga! –
Then he ordained the skies from above, and the doors of heaven he opened;
24 og léti manna rigna niður.
And he let rain down upon them manna to eat, and the corn of heaven gave he unto them.
25 Já, þeir átu englabrauð! – og urðu mettir.
Angels' bread did man eat: he sent them provision to satisfaction.
26 Þá lét hann austanvind blása og stýrði vestanvindinum með krafti sínum.
He caused an east wind to pass along the heavens; and he led forth by his strength the south wind.
27 Og viti menn, fuglum rigndi af himni, – þeir voru eins og sandur á sjávarströnd!
And he let rain upon them flesh [as plentiful] as the dust, and winged birds like the sand of the sea;
28 Af hans völdum féllu þeir til jarðar um allar tjaldbúðirnar.
And he let them fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.
29 Og fólkið át nægju sína. Hann mettaði hungur þeirra.
And they ate, and were greatly satisfied, and what they longed for he brought unto them.
30 En varla höfðu þeir lokið matnum – fæðan var enn í munni þeirra,
They were not estranged from their longing, yet was their food in their mouth:
31 þá reiddist Drottinn þeim og lagði að velli æskumenn Ísraels.
When the wrath of God ascended against them, and he slew some of the fattest of them, and the young men of Israel did he strike down.
32 En þeir sáu sig ekki um hönd, en héldu áfram að syndga og vildu ekki trúa kraftaverkum Drottins.
With all this they sinned again, and believed not in his wonders.
33 Þess vegna stytti hann ævi þeirra og sendi þeim miklar hörmungar.
Therefore he caused their days to come to an end in nought, and their years in dread.
34 En þegar neyðin var stærst, tóku þeir að leita Guðs. Þeir iðruðust og snéru sér til hans.
When he slew them, then did they seek him, and they returned and inquired earnestly after God.
35 Þeir viðurkenndu að Guð er eini grundvöllur lífsins – að hinn hæsti Guð væri frelsari þeirra.
And they remembered that God was their rock, and the most high God their redeemer.
36 En því miður fylgdu þeir honum aðeins í orði kveðnu, en ekki af heilum hug,
Nevertheless they prayed insincerely to him with their mouth, and with their tongue they lied unto him.
37 hjarta þeirra var langt frá honum. Þeir stóðu ekki við orð sín.
For their heart was not firm with him, and they were not faithful in his covenant.
38 Samt var hann þeim miskunnsamur, fyrirgaf syndir þeirra og tortímdi þeim ekki. Margoft hélt hann aftur af reiði sinni.
But he, being merciful, forgave the iniquity, and destroyed [them] not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not awaken all his fury.
39 Hann minntist þess að þeir voru dauðlegir menn, eins og andblær sem kemur og fer.
And he remembered that they are but flesh, a spirit that passeth away, and returneth not again.
40 Já, oft risu þeir gegn Guði í eyðimörkinni og ollu honum vonbrigðum.
How oft did they rebel against him in the wilderness, grieve him in the desert!
41 Aftur og aftur sneru þeir við honum baki og freistuðu hans.
Yea, they once more tempted God, and set limits to the Holy One of Israel.
42 Þeir gleymdu krafti hans og kærleika og hvernig hann hafði frelsað þá frá óvinum þeirra.
They remembered not his hand, the day when he ransomed them from the adversary;
43 Þeir gleymdu plágunum sem hann sendi Egyptum í Sóan
When he displayed in Egypt his signs, and his wonderful tokens in the fields of Zo'an.
44 þegar hann breytti fljótum þeirra í blóð, svo að enginn gat drukkið.
And he changed their rivers into blood; and their running streams, that they could not drink [of them].
45 Eða þegar hann fyllti landið af flugum og froskum!
He sent out among them various wild beasts, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.
46 Lirfurnar spilltu uppskerunni og engispretturnar átu allt, hvort tveggja var frá honum komið.
And he gave unto the cricket their products, and their labor unto the locust.
47 Hann eyddi vínviði þeirra með hagléli og mórberjatrjánum með frosti.
He slew with hail their vines, and their sycamore-trees with ice-bolts.
48 Búpeningurinn hrundi niður í haganum, haglið rotaði hann og sauðirnir drápust í eldingum.
And he surrendered to the hail their cattle, and their herds to the lightning's flashes.
49 Hann úthellti reiði sinni yfir þá, sendi þeim ógn og skelfingu. Hann leysti út sendiboða ógæfunnar – engla sem létu þá kenna á því!
He let loose against them the fierceness of his anger, wrath and indignation, and distress, a host of angels of misfortune.
50 Hann gaf reiðinni lausan tauminn. Og ekki hlífði hann Egyptunum. Þeir fengu vænan skerf af plágum og sjúkdómum.
He leveled a path for his anger; he withheld not from death their soul, and their life he surrendered to the pestilence;
51 Þá deyddi hann frumburði Egypta, efnilegan ungviðinn, sem vonirnar voru bundnar við.
And he smote all the first-born in Egypt; the first of their strength in the tents of Ham;
52 Sinn eigin lýð leiddi hann styrkri hendi gegnum eyðimörkina.
But he caused his own people to depart like flocks, and guided them like a drove in the wilderness.
53 Hann var skjól þeirra og vörn. Þeir þurftu ekkert að óttast, en hafið gleypti óvini þeirra.
And he led them in safety, so that they felt no dread; but the sea covered over their enemies.
54 Hann greiddi för þeirra til fyrirheitna landsins, til hæðanna sem hann hafði skapað.
And he brought them to his holy territory, even to this mount, which his right hand had acquired.
55 Íbúum landsins stökkti hann á flótta en gaf þar ættkvíslum Ísraels erfðahlut og skjól.
And he drove out from before them nations, and divided them by the measuring-line as an inheritance, and he caused to dwell in their tents the tribes of Israel.
56 En þótt þeir nytu gæsku Guðs, risu þeir gegn hinum hæsta og fyrirlitu boðorð hans.
Yet they tempted and rebelled against the most high God, and his testimonies they kept not;
57 Þeir sneru af leið og rufu trúnað rétt eins og feður þeirra. Eins og bogin ör misstu þeir marksins sem Guð hafði sett þeim.
But swerved aside, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers; they turned about like a deceitful bow.
58 Þeir tóku aðra guði, reistu þeim ölturu og egndu Drottin á móti sér.
And they provoked him to anger with their high-places, and with their graven images they moved him to jealousy.
59 Guð sá verk þeirra og reiddist – fékk viðbjóð á Ísrael.
God heard this, and he became wroth, and felt greatly disgusted with Israel;
60 Hann yfirgaf helgidóm sinn í Síló, bústað sinn meðal manna.
And he cast off the dwelling at Shiloh, the tabernacle where he had dwelt among men;
61 Örk sína lét hann falla í hendur óvinanna og vegsemd hans var óvirt af heiðingjum.
And he gave up his strength unto captivity, and his glory into the adversary's hand.
62 Hann reiddist lýð sínum og lét hann falla fyrir sverði óvinanna.
And he surrendered his people unto the sword; and with his inheritance was he wroth.
63 Æskumenn Ísraels fórust í eldi og ungu stúlkurnar upplifðu ekki sinn brúðkaupsdag.
His young men the fire devoured; and his virgins were not demanded in marriage.
64 Prestunum var slátrað og ekkjur þeirra dóu áður en þær gátu harmað þá.
His priests fell by the sword; and his widows did not weep.
65 Þá var sem Drottinn vaknaði af svefni, eins og hetja sem rís upp úr vímu,
Then awoke the Lord as one that sleepeth, like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.
66 og hann gaf þeim vænt spark í bakhlutann og sendi þá burt með skömm, sömu leið og þeir komu.
And he smote his enemies backward: a perpetual disgrace on them.
67 Hann hafnaði fjölskyldu Jósefs, ætt Efraíms,
Yet was he disgusted with the tent of Joseph, and of the tribe of Ephraim he made not choice;
68 en kaus Júdaættkvísl og Síonfjall, sem hann elskar.
But he chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.
69 Þar reisti hann musteri sitt – voldugt og traust rétt eins og himin og jörð.
And he built like high [mountains] his sanctuary, like the earth which he hath founded for ever.
70 Hann kaus Davíð sem þjón sinn, tók hann frá sauðunum,
And he made choice of David his servant, and took him from the sheep-folds:
71 úr smalamennskunni, til að verða leiðtogi og hirðir þjóðar sinnar.
From following the ewes with young he brought him, to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.
72 Og hann gætti hennar af öryggi og með hreinu hjarta.
And he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and by the skilfulness of his hands did he lead them.
