Psalmorum 78
1 Intellectus Asaph. Attendite, popule meus, legem meam; inclinate aurem vestram in verba oris mei.
“A Maskil of Assaph.” Give ear, O my people, to my instruction: incline thy ear to the words of my mouth.
2 Aperiam in parabolis os meum; loquar propositiones ab initio.
I will open with a parable my mouth: I will utter riddles out of ancient times;
3 Quanta audivimus, et cognovimus ea, et patres nostri narraverunt nobis.
Which we have heard and know, and which our fathers have related unto us.
4 Non sunt occultata a filiis eorum in generatione altera, narrantes laudes Domini et virtutes ejus, et mirabilia ejus quæ fecit.
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 Et suscitavit testimonium in Jacob, et legem posuit in Israël, quanta mandavit patribus nostris nota facere ea filiis suis:
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 ut cognoscat generatio altera: filii qui nascentur et exsurgent, et narrabunt filiis suis,
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 ut ponant in Deo spem suam, et non obliviscantur operum Dei, et mandata ejus exquirant:
That they may place in God their hope, and not forget the doings of God, but observe 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 ejus.
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 Filii Ephrem, intendentes et mittentes arcum, conversi sunt in die belli.
The children of Ephraim, like well-armed archers, that turn round on the day of battle,
10 Non custodierunt testamentum Dei, et in lege ejus noluerunt ambulare.
Kept not the covenant of God, and in his law they refused to walk;
11 Et obliti sunt benefactorum ejus, et mirabilium ejus quæ ostendit eis.
And they forgot his deeds, as also his wonders, which he had permitted them to see.
12 Coram patribus eorum fecit mirabilia in terra Ægypti, in campo Taneos.
In the presence of their fathers did he do wonders, in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zo'an.
13 Interrupit mare, et perduxit eos, et statuit aquas quasi in utre:
He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters stand upright as a wall.
14 et deduxit eos in nube diei, et tota nocte in illuminatione ignis.
And he led them with the cloud by day, and all the night with a light of fire.
15 Interrupit petram in eremo, et adaquavit eos velut in abysso multa.
He split rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the mighty deep.
16 Et eduxit aquam de petra, et deduxit tamquam flumina aquas.
And he brought forth running streams out of the rock, and caused water to run down like rivers.
17 Et apposuerunt adhuc peccare ei; in iram excitaverunt Excelsum in inaquoso.
But they repeated to sin yet more against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert.
18 Et tentaverunt Deum in cordibus suis, ut peterent escas animabus suis.
And they tempted God in their heart, by asking food for their desire.
19 Et male locuti sunt de Deo; dixerunt: Numquid poterit Deus parare mensam in deserto?
Yea, they spoke against God: they said, Will God be able to set in order 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, 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 Ideo audivit Dominus et distulit; et ignis accensus est in Jacob, et ira ascendit in Israël:
Therefore, when the Lord heard this, he became wroth: and a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also ascended against Israel,
22 quia non crediderunt in Deo, nec speraverunt in salutari ejus.
Because they had not believed in God, and had not trusted in his salvation.
23 Et mandavit nubibus desuper, et januas cæli aperuit.
Then he ordained the skies from above, and the doors of heaven he opened;
24 Et pluit illis manna ad manducandum, et panem cæli dedit eis.
And he let rain down upon them manna to eat, and the corn of heaven gave he unto them.
25 Panem angelorum manducavit homo; cibaria misit eis in abundantia.
Angels' bread did man eat: he sent them provision to satisfaction.
26 Transtulit austrum de cælo, et induxit in virtute sua africum.
He caused an east wind to pass along the heavens; and he led forth by his strength the south wind.
27 Et pluit super eos sicut pulverem carnes, et sicut arenam maris volatilia pennata.
And he let rain upon them flesh [as plentiful] as the dust, and winged birds like the sand of the sea;
28 Et ceciderunt in medio castrorum eorum, circa tabernacula eorum.
And he let them fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.
29 Et manducaverunt, et saturati sunt nimis, et desiderium eorum attulit eis:
And they ate, and were greatly satisfied, and what they longed for he brought unto them.
30 non sunt fraudati a desiderio suo. Adhuc escæ eorum erant in ore ipsorum,
They were not estranged from their longing, yet was their food in their mouth:
31 et ira Dei ascendit super eos: et occidit pingues eorum, et electos Israël impedivit.
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 In omnibus his peccaverunt adhuc, et non crediderunt in mirabilibus ejus.
With all this they sinned again, and believed not in his wonders.
33 Et defecerunt in vanitate dies eorum, et anni eorum cum festinatione.
Therefore he caused their days to come to an end in nought, and their years in dread.
34 Cum occideret eos, quærebant eum et revertebantur, et diluculo veniebant ad eum.
When he slew them, then did they seek him, and they returned and inquired earnestly after God.
35 Et rememorati sunt quia Deus adjutor est eorum, et Deus excelsus redemptor eorum est.
And they remembered that God was their rock, and the most high God their redeemer.
36 Et dilexerunt eum in ore suo, et lingua sua mentiti sunt ei;
Nevertheless they prayed insincerely to him with their mouth, and with their tongue they lied unto him.
37 cor autem eorum non erat rectum cum eo, nec fideles habiti sunt in testamento ejus.
For their heart was not firm with him, and they were not faithful 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.
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 Et recordatus est quia caro sunt, spiritus vadens et non rediens.
And he remembered that they are but flesh, a spirit that passeth away, and returneth not again.
40 Quoties exacerbaverunt eum in deserto; in iram concitaverunt eum in inaquoso?
How oft did they rebel against him in the wilderness, grieve him in the desert!
41 Et conversi sunt, et tentaverunt Deum, et sanctum Israël exacerbaverunt.
Yea, they once more tempted God, and set limits to the Holy One of Israel.
42 Non sunt recordati manus ejus, die qua redemit eos de manu tribulantis:
They remembered not his hand, the day when he ransomed them from the adversary;
43 sicut posuit in Ægypto signa sua, et prodigia sua in campo Taneos;
When he displayed in Egypt his signs, and his wonderful tokens in the fields of Zo'an.
44 et convertit in sanguinem flumina eorum, et imbres eorum, ne biberent.
And he changed their rivers into blood; and their running streams, that they could not drink [of them].
45 Misit in eos cœnomyiam, et comedit eos, et ranam, et disperdidit eos;
He sent out among them various wild beasts, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.
46 et dedit ærugini fructus eorum, et labores eorum locustæ;
And he gave unto the cricket their products, and their labor unto the locust.
47 et occidit in grandine vineas eorum, et moros eorum in pruina;
He slew with hail their vines, and their sycamore-trees with ice-bolts.
48 et tradidit grandini jumenta eorum, et possessionem eorum igni;
And he surrendered to the hail their cattle, and their herds to the lightning's flashes.
49 misit in eos iram indignationis suæ, indignationem, et iram, et tribulationem, immissiones per angelos malos.
He let loose against them the fierceness of his anger, wrath and indignation, and distress, a host of angels of misfortune.
50 Viam fecit semitæ iræ suæ: non pepercit a morte animabus eorum, et jumenta eorum in morte conclusit:
He leveled a path for his anger; he withheld not from death their soul, and their life he surrendered to the pestilence;
51 et percussit omne primogenitum in terra Ægypti; primitias omnis laboris eorum in tabernaculis Cham:
And he smote all the first-born in Egypt; the first of their strength in the tents of Ham;
52 et abstulit sicut oves populum suum, et perduxit eos tamquam gregem in deserto:
But he caused his own people to depart like flocks, and guided them like a drove in the wilderness.
53 et deduxit eos in spe, et non timuerunt, et inimicos eorum operuit mare.
And he led them in safety, so that they felt no dread; but the sea covered over their enemies.
54 Et induxit eos in montem sanctificationis suæ, montem quem acquisivit dextera ejus; et ejecit a facie eorum gentes, et sorte divisit eis terram in funiculo distributionis;
And he brought them to his holy territory, even to this mount, which his right hand had acquired.
55 et habitare fecit in tabernaculis eorum tribus Israël.
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 Et tentaverunt, et exacerbaverunt Deum excelsum, et testimonia ejus non custodierunt.
Yet they tempted and rebelled against the most high God, and his testimonies they kept not;
57 Et averterunt se, et non servaverunt pactum: quemadmodum patres eorum, conversi sunt in arcum pravum.
But swerved aside, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers; they turned about like a deceitful bow.
58 In iram concitaverunt eum in collibus suis, et in sculptilibus suis ad æmulationem eum provocaverunt.
And they provoked him to anger with their high-places, and with their graven images they moved him to jealousy.
59 Audivit Deus, et sprevit, et ad nihilum redegit valde Israël.
God heard this, and he became wroth, and felt greatly disgusted with Israel;
60 Et repulit tabernaculum Silo, tabernaculum suum, ubi habitavit in hominibus.
And he cast off the dwelling at Shiloh, the tabernacle where he had dwelt among men;
61 Et tradidit in captivitatem virtutem eorum, et pulchritudinem eorum in manus inimici.
And he gave up his strength unto captivity, and his glory into the adversary's hand.
62 Et conclusit in gladio populum suum, et hæreditatem suam sprevit.
And he surrendered his people unto the sword; and with his inheritance was he wroth.
63 Juvenes eorum comedit ignis, et virgines eorum non sunt lamentatæ.
His young men the fire devoured; and his virgins were not demanded in marriage.
64 Sacerdotes eorum in gladio ceciderunt, et viduæ eorum non plorabantur.
His priests fell by the sword; and his widows did not weep.
65 Et excitatus est tamquam dormiens Dominus, tamquam potens crapulatus a vino.
Then awoke the Lord as one that sleepeth, like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.
66 Et percussit inimicos suos in posteriora; opprobrium sempiternum dedit illis.
And he smote his enemies backward: a perpetual disgrace on them.
67 Et repulit tabernaculum Joseph, et tribum Ephraim non elegit:
Yet was he disgusted with the tent of Joseph, and of the tribe of Ephraim he made not choice;
68 sed elegit tribum Juda, montem Sion, quem dilexit.
But he chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.
69 Et ædificavit sicut unicornium sanctificium suum, in terra quam fundavit in sæcula.
And he built like high [mountains] his sanctuary, like the earth which he hath founded for ever.
70 Et elegit David, servum suum, et sustulit eum de gregibus ovium; de post fœtantes accepit eum:
And he made choice of David his servant, and took him from the sheep-folds:
71 pascere Jacob servum suum, et Israël hæreditatem suam.
From following the ewes with young 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.
And he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and by the skilfulness of his hands did he lead them.
