Psalmorum 78
1 Intellectus Asaph. Attendite popule meus legem meam: inclinate aurem vestram in verba oris mei.
“A psalm of Asaph.” Give ear, O my people, to my instruction! Incline your ears to the words of my mouth!
2 Aperiam in parabolis os meum: loquar propositiones ab initio.
I will open my mouth in a psalm; I will utter sayings of ancient times.
3 Quanta audivimus et cognovimus ea: et patres nostri narraverunt nobis.
What we have heard and learned, And our fathers have told us,
4 Non sunt occultata a filiis eorum, in generatione altera. Narrantes laudes Domini, et virtutes eius, et mirabilia eius quæ fecit.
We will not hide from their children; Showing to the generation to come the praises of Jehovah, His might, and the wonders he hath wrought.
5 Et suscitavit testimonium in Iacob: et legem posuit in Israel. Quanta mandavit patribus nostris nota facere ea filiis suis:
For he appointed statutes in Jacob, And established a law in Israel, Which he commanded our fathers To make known to their children;
6 ut cognoscat generatio altera. Filii qui nascentur, et exurgent, et narrabunt filiis suis,
So that the generation to come might know them; The children, which should be born, and rise up, Who should declare them to their children;
7 Ut ponant in Deo spem suam, et non obliviscantur operum Dei: et mandata eius exquirant.
That they might put their trust in God, And not forget his deeds, But keep his commandments;
8 Ne fiant sicut patres eorum: generatio prava et exasperans. Generatio, quæ non direxit cor suum: et non est creditus cum Deo spiritus eius.
And might not be, like their forefathers, A stubborn and rebellious generation, —A generation whose heart was not fixed upon God, And whose spirit was not steadfast toward the Almighty.
9 Filii Ephrem intendentes et mittentes arcum: conversi sunt in die belli.
The children of Ephraim were like armed bowmen, Who turn their backs in the day of battle.
10 Non custodierunt testamentum Dei, et in lege eius noluerunt ambulare.
They kept not the covenant of God, And refused to walk in his law;
11 Et obliti sunt benefactorum eius, et mirabilium eius quæ ostendit eis.
And forgot his mighty deeds, And the wonders he had shown them.
12 Coram patribus eorum fecit mirabilia in terra Ægypti, in campo Taneos.
Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, In the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
13 Interrupit mare, et perduxit eos: et statuit aquas quasi in utre.
He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; Yea, he made the waters to stand as a heap.
14 Et deduxit eos in nube diei: et tota nocte in illuminatione ignis.
By day he led them by a cloud, And all the night by a light of fire.
15 Interrupit petram in eremo: et adaquavit eos velut in abysso multa.
He clave the rocks in the wilderness, And gave them drink, as from the great deep.
16 Et eduxit aquam de petra: et deduxit tamquam flumina aquas.
From the rock he brought flowing streams, And made water to run down like rivers.
17 Et apposuerunt adhuc peccare ei: in iram excitaverunt Excelsum in inaquoso.
Yet still they sinned against him, And provoked the Most High in the desert.
18 Et tentaverunt Deum in cordibus suis: ut peterent escas animabus suis.
They tempted God in their hearts, By asking food for their delight.
19 Et male locuti sunt de Deo: dixerunt: Numquid poterit Deus parare mensam in deserto?
Yea, they spake against God, and said, “Can God spread a table in the wilderness?
20 Quoniam percussit petram, et fluxerunt aquæ, et torrentes inundaverunt. Numquid et panem poterit dare, aut parare mensam populo suo?
Behold! he smote the rock, and the water flowed, And streams gushed forth: Is he also able to give bread? Can he provide flesh for his people?”
21 Ideo audivit Dominus, et distulit: et ignis accensus est in Iacob, et ira ascendit in Israel:
When, therefore, the LORD heard this, he was wroth: So a fire was kindled against Jacob, And anger arose against Israel.
22 Quia non crediderunt in Deo, nec speraverunt in salutari eius:
Because they believed not in God, And trusted not in his aid.
23 Et mandavit nubibus desuper, et ianuas cæli aperuit.
Yet he had commanded the clouds above, And had opened the doors of heaven;
24 Et pluit illis manna ad manducandum, et panem cæli dedit eis.
And had rained down upon them manna for food, And had given them the corn of heaven.
25 Panem angelorum manducavit homo: cibaria misit eis in abundantia.
Every one ate the food of princes; He sent them bread to the full.
26 Transtulit Austrum de cælo: et induxit in virtute sua Africum.
Then he caused a strong wind to blow in the heavens, And by his power he brought a south wind;
27 Et pluit super eos sicut pulverem carnes, et sicut arenam maris volatilia pennata.
He rained down flesh upon them as dust, And feathered fowls as the sand of the sea.
28 Et ceciderunt in medio castrorum eorum: circa tabernacula eorum.
He caused them to fall in the midst of their camp, Round about their habitations.
29 Et manducaverunt et saturati sunt nimis, et desiderium eorum attulit eis:
So they did eat, and were filled; For he gave them their own desire.
30 non sunt fraudati a desiderio suo. Adhuc escæ eorum erant in ore ipsorum,
Their desire was not yet satisfied, And their meat was yet in their mouths,
31 et ira Dei ascendit super eos. Et occidit pingues eorum, et electos Israel impedivit.
When the wrath of God came upon them, And slew their strong men, And smote down the chosen men of Israel.
32 In omnibus his peccaverunt adhuc: et non crediderunt in mirabilibus eius.
For all this they sinned still, And put no trust in his wondrous works.
33 Et defecerunt in vanitate dies eorum: et anni eorum cum festinatione.
Therefore he consumed their days in vanity, And their years in sudden destruction.
34 Cum occideret eos, quærebant eum: et revertebantur, et diluculo veniebant ad eum.
When he slew them, they sought him; They returned, and sought earnestly for God;
35 Et rememorati sunt quia Deus adiutor est eorum: et Deus excelsus redemptor eorum est.
And remembered that God was their rock, And the Most High their redeemer.
36 Et dilexerunt eum in ore suo, et lingua sua mentiti sunt ei:
But they only flattered him with their mouths, And spake falsely to him with their tongues.
37 Cor autem eorum non erat rectum cum eo: nec fideles habiti sunt in testamento eius.
For their hearts were not true to him, Nor were they steadfast in his covenant.
38 Ipse autem est misericors, et propitius fiet peccatis eorum: et non disperdet eos. Et abundavit ut averteret iram suam: et non accendit omnem iram suam:
Yet, being full of compassion, he forgave their iniquity, And would not utterly destroy them; Often he restrained his indignation, And stirred not up all his anger.
39 Et recordatus est quia caro sunt: spiritus vadens, et non rediens.
He remembered that they were but flesh, —A breath, that passeth and cometh not back.
40 Quoties exacerbaverunt eum in deserto, in iram concitaverunt eum in inaquoso?
How often did they provoke him in the wilderness! How often did they anger him in the desert!
41 Et conversi sunt, et tentaverunt Deum: et sanctum Israel exacerbaverunt.
Again and again they tempted God, And offended the Holy One of Israel.
42 Non sunt recordati manus eius, die qua redemit eos de manu tribulantis,
They remembered not his hand, Nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy;
43 Sicut posuit in Ægypto signa sua, et prodigia sua in campo Taneos.
What signs he had wrought in Egypt, And what wonders in the fields of Zoan.
44 Et convertit in sanguinem flumina eorum, et imbres eorum, ne biberent.
He turned their rivers into blood, So that they could not drink of their streams.
45 Misit in eos cœnomyiam, et comedit eos: et ranam, et disperdidit eos.
He sent amongst them flies, which devoured them, And frogs, which destroyed them.
46 Et dedit ærugini fructus eorum: et labores eorum locustæ.
He gave also their fruits to the caterpillar, And their labor to the locust.
47 Et occidit in grandine vineas eorum: et moros eorum in pruina.
He destroyed their vines with hail, And their sycamore-trees with frost.
48 Et tradidit grandini iumenta eorum: et possessionem eorum igni.
He also gave up their cattle to hail, And their flocks to hot thunderbolts.
49 Misit in eos iram indignationis suæ: indignationem, et iram, et tribulationem: immissiones per angelos malos.
He sent against them the fierceness of his anger, Wrath, indignation, and woe, —A host of angels of evil.
50 Viam fecit semitæ iræ suæ, non pepercit a morte animabus eorum: et iumenta eorum in morte conclusit.
He made a way for his anger, He spared them not from death, But gave up their lives to the pestilence.
51 Et percussit omne primogenitum in terra Ægypti: primitias omnis laboris eorum in tabernaculis Cham.
He smote all the firstborn in Egypt; The first-fruits of their strength in the tents of Ham.
52 Et abstulit sicut oves populum suum: et perduxit eos tamquam gregem in deserto.
But he led forth his own people like sheep, And guided them like a flock in the wilderness.
53 Et deduxit eos in spe, et non timuerunt: et inimicos eorum operuit mare.
He led them on safely, so that they feared not, While the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
54 Et induxit eos in montem sanctificationis suæ, montem, quem acquisivit dextera eius. Et eiecit a facie eorum Gentes: et sorte divisit eis terram in funiculo distributionis.
He brought them to his own sacred border, Even to this mountain which his right hand had gained.
55 Et habitare fecit in tabernaculis eorum tribus Israel.
He cast out the nations before them, And divided their land by a measuring-line, as an inheritance, And caused the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
56 Et tentaverunt, et exacerbaverunt Deum excelsum: et testimonia eius non custodierunt.
Yet they tempted and provoked God, the Most High, And kept not his statutes;
57 Et averterunt se, et non servaverunt pactum: quemadmodum patres eorum, conversi sunt in arcum pravum.
Like their fathers they were faithless, and turned back; They turned aside, like a deceitful bow.
58 In iram concitaverunt eum in collibus suis: et in sculptilibus suis ad æmulationem eum provocaverunt.
They provoked his anger by their high places, And stirred up his jealousy by their graven images.
59 Audivit Deus, et sprevit: et ad nihilum redegit valde Israel.
God saw this, and was wroth, And greatly abhorred Israel;
60 Et repulit tabernaculum Silo, tabernaculum suum, ubi habitavit in hominibus.
So that he forsook the habitation at Shiloh, The tabernacle where he dwelt among men,
61 Et tradidit in captivitatem virtutem eorum: et pulchritudinem eorum in manus inimici.
And delivered his strength into captivity, And his glory into the hand of the enemy.
62 Et conclusit in gladio populum suum: et hereditatem suam sprevit.
His own people he gave up to the sword, And was wroth with his own inheritance.
63 Iuvenes eorum comedit ignis: et virgines eorum non sunt lamentatæ.
Fire consumed their young men, And their maidens did not bewail them.
64 Sacerdotes eorum in gladio ceciderunt: et viduæ eorum non plorabantur.
Their priests fell by the sword, And their widows made no lamentation.
65 Et excitatus est tamquam dormiens Dominus, tamquam potens crapulatus a vino.
But at length the Lord awaked as from sleep, As a hero who had been overpowered by wine;
66 Et percussit inimicos suos in posteriora: opprobrium sempiternum dedit illis.
He smote his enemies, and drove them back, And covered them with everlasting disgrace.
67 Et repulit tabernaculum Ioseph: et tribum Ephraim non elegit:
Yet he rejected the tents of Joseph, And chose not the tribe of Ephraim;
68 Sed elegit tribum Iuda, montem Sion quem dilexit.
But chose the tribe of Judah, The Mount Zion which he loved;
69 Et ædificavit sicut unicornium sanctificium suum in terra, quam fundavit in sæcula.
Where he built, like the heavens, his sanctuary; Like the earth, which he hath established for ever.
70 Et elegit David servum suum, et sustulit eum de gregibus ovium: de post fœtantes accepit eum.
And he chose David, his servant, And took him from the sheepfolds;
71 Pascere Iacob servum suum, et Israel hereditatem suam:
From tending the suckling ewes he brought him To feed Jacob his people, And Israel his inheritance.
72 Et pavit eos in innocentia cordis sui: et in intellectibus manuum suarum deduxit eos.
He fed them with an upright heart, And guided them with skilful hands.
