Salamo 144

1 Nataon’ i Davida.

I praise Yahweh, who is [like an overhanging] rock [under which I] ([get refuge/am protected])! He trains my hands so that I can use them to fight battles; he trains my fingers so that I can [shoot arrows in a war].

2 Izay Mpiantra sy batery fiarovana ho ahy sady fiarovana avo sy Mpanafaka ahy, Ary ampingako sy fialofako, Izay mahafolaka ny vahoakako hanoa ahy

He is the one who protects me; he is [like] a fortress [DOU] in which I am safe, he protects me [like] [protect soldiers] [MET], and he gives me refuge. He defeats [other] nations and [then] puts them under my power.

3 Jehovah ô, inona ny olona, no iahianao azy? Ary ny zanak’ olombelona, no iheveranao azy?

Yahweh, [we] people are [very insignificant/unimportant], so why (are you concerned/do you care about us) [RHQ]? [It is amazing to me that] you pay attention to humans.

4 Ny olona dia tahaka ny zava-poana, Ny androny dia tahaka ny aloka mihelina.

[The time that we live is as short] as [SIM] a puff of wind; our time to live disappears like a shadow does.

5 Jehovah ô, aondreho ny lanitrao, ka midìna; Tendreo ny tendrombohitra, dia hidonaka ireny.

Yahweh, (tear open/open up) the sky and come down! Touch the mountains in order that smoke will pour out from them!

6 Ampitselatselaro ny helatra, ka ampielezo ireo; Alefao ny zana-tsipìkanao, ka ampifanaritaho ireo;

Cause lightning to flash with the result that [your enemies] will run away! Shoot your arrows [at them] and cause them to (run away/scatter).

7 Ahinjiro avy any ambony ny tananao; Afaho aho, ka vonjeo amin’ ny rano be, Dia amin’ ny tanan’ ny hafa firenena,

[It is as though my enemies surround me like] a flood; reach your hand down from heaven and rescue me from them [SYN]. They are men from other countries

8 Izay miteny zava-poana amin’ ny vavany, Ary ny tànany ankavanana dia tanana ankavanana mamitaka.

who [SYN] [always] tell lies. [Even in a courtroom where they swear to tell the truth] they tell lies.

9 Andriamanitra ô, hihira fihiram-baovao ho Anao aho; Amin’ ny valiha tory folo no hankalazako Anao,

God, I will sing a new song to you, and I will play my ten-stringed harp [while I sing] to you.

10 Izay manome famonjena ho an’ ireo mpanjaka, Sady mamonjy an’ i Davida mpanompony tsy ho voan’ ny sabatra mandratra.

You enable kings to defeat [their enemies]; and you rescued me, your servant David, from [being killed by] my enemies’ swords.

11 Afaho aho, ka vonjeo amin’ ny tanan’ ny hafa firenena, Izay miteny zava-poana amin’ ny vavany, Ary ny tànany ankavanana dia tanana ankavanana mamitaka;

[So I ask you to] save me from [being killed by] the swords [that those] evil [people carry]. Rescue me from the power [MTY] of those foreigners who [SYN] [always] tell lies, and [who raise] their right hands [in courtrooms when they solemnly declare that they will tell the truth].

12 Mba ho tahaka ny zava-maniry maroroka ny zanakai-lahy, Ary ho tahaka ny vato fehizoro voasoratra tsara toy ny fomban’ ny lapan’ andriana ny zanakai-vavy.

I wish/hope that our young sons will grow up to be like strong plants [SIM], and I wish/hope that our daughters will [grow up to] be [straight and tall] like the pillars [SIM] that stand in the corners of palaces.

13 Ho feno ny trano fitehirizanay, ka hisy vokatra betsaka samy hafa karazana; Hiteraka arivoarivo sy alinalina ny ondrinay any an-tsahanay;

I wish/hope that our barns will be full of many different crops. I wish/hope that the sheep in our fields will give birth to tens of thousands of baby lambs.

14 Hahazaka be ny ombinay, Ary tsy hisy ho rava, na ho lasan-ko babo, Sady tsy hisy fitarainana any an-dalambenay.

I wish/hope that our cows will give birth to many calves without having any miscarriages or deaths when they are born (OR, that no enemies will break through our city walls and take us (into exile/to their own countries)). I wish/hope that [there will not be a time when the people in] our streets cry out in distress [because foreign armies are invading].

15 Sambatra ny firenena izay tahaka izany; Eny, sambatra ny firenena izay manana an’ i Jehovah ho Andriamaniny.

If good things like that happen to a nation, the people will be very happy. The people whose God is Yahweh are the ones who will be happy!