Salamo 78
1 Maskila nataon’ i Asafa.
My friends, listen to what I am going to teach you; pay careful attention [IDM] to what I say.
2 Hiloa-bava hilaza fanoharana aho; hanonona teny saro-pantarina fony taloha aho.
I am going to give you some sayings that wise people have said. They will be sayings about things that happened long ago, things that were difficult to understand [MET],
3 Izay efa rentsika sy fantatsika, ary nambaran’ ny razantsika tamintsika,
things that we have heard and known previously, things that our parents and grandparents told us.
4 Dia tsy mba hafenintsika amin’ ny zanany; fa hambarantsika amin’ ny taranaka ho avy ny fiderana an’ i Jehovah sy ny heriny ary ny fahagagana izay efa nataony.
We will tell these things to our children [LIT], and we will also tell to our grandchildren [about] Yahweh’s power and the glorious/great things that he has done.
5 Fa nanorina teni-vavolombelona teo amin’ i Jakoba Izy, ary teo amin’ Isiraely no nametrahany lalàna, izay nandidiany ny razantsika, hampahafantariny ny zanany;
He gave laws and commandments to the Israeli people, [those who are the descendants of] Jacob [DOU], and he told our ancestors to teach them to their children
6 Mba hahafantatra izany ny taranaka ho avy ― dia ny zaza mbola hateraka ― ka hitsangana hitory izany amin’ ny zanany kosa,
in order that their children would [also] know them and then they would teach them to their children.
7 Mba hametraka ny fanantenany amin’ Andriamanitra, ka tsy hanadino ny asany, fa hitandrina ny didiny;
In that way, they also would trust in God, and not forget the things that he has done; instead, they would obey his commandments.
8 Mba tsy ho tahaka ny razany, izay taranaka maditra sy miodina, izy, dia taranaka izay tsy nampiomana ny fony, sady tsy marina tamin’ Andriamanitra ny fanahiny.
They would not be like their ancestors, who were very stubborn and kept rebelling [against God]; they did not continue firmly trusting in God, and they did not worship only him.
9 Ny zanak’ i Efraima, izay nitondra tsipìka hitifirany, dia niamboho tamin’ ny andro fiadiana.
[The soldiers of] the tribe of Ephraim had bows [and arrows] but they ran away [from their enemies] on the day that they fought a battle with their enemies.
10 Tsy nitandrina ny fanekena amin’ Andriamanitra izy, ary tsy nety nandeha araka ny lalàny;
They did not do what they had agreed with God that they would do; they refused to obey his laws.
11 Nanadino ny asany izy sy ny fahagagana izay nampahitàny azy.
They forgot what he had done; they forgot about the miracles that they had seen him perform.
12 Teo anatrehan’ ny razany no nanaovany fahagagana tany amin’ ny tany Egypta, dia tany amin’ ny tany lemak’ i Zoana.
While our ancestors were watching, God performed miracles in the area around Zoan [city] in Egypt.
13 Nampisaraka ny ranomasina Izy ka nitondra azy nita, dia nampijanona ny rano ho toy ny antontan-javatra.
[Then] he caused the [Red] Sea to divide, causing the water [on each side] to pile up like a wall, with the result that [our ancestors] walked through it [on dry ground].
14 Ary ny rahona no nitondrany azy raha antoandro, sy afo mahazava nony alina.
He led them by a [bright] cloud during the day and by a fiery light during the night.
15 Namaky vatolampy tany an-efitra Izy, ka nampisotro azy nanaram-po tahaka ny amin’ ny rano lalina.
He split rocks open in the desert, giving to our ancestors plenty of water from deep inside the earth.
16 Ary nampivoaka rano mandriaka avy tamin’ ny harambato Izy ka nampirotsaka rano ho tahaka ny ony.
He caused a stream of water to flow from the rock; the water flowed like a river [DOU].
17 Kanjo mbola nandroso nanota taminy ihany izy ireo, ka nampahatezitra ny Avo Indrindra tany an-efitra.
But [our ancestors] continued to sin against God; in the desert they rebelled against the one who is greater than any other god.
18 Dia naka fanahy an’ Andriamanitra tam-pony izy, tamin’ ny nilàny hanina araka ny nahaliana azy.
By demanding that God give them the food that they desired, they tried to find out if he would always do what they requested him to do.
19 Dia niteny nanohitra an’ Andriamanitra izy ka nanao hoe: mahavelatra latabatra atỳ an-efitra va Andriamanitra?
They insulted God by saying, “We don’t think he can supply food for us [here] in this desert!
20 Indro, namely ny vatolampy Izy, dia nigororoana ny rano ka nandriaka; mahay manome mofo koa va Izy? Mahatonga hena ho an’ ny olony va Izy?
[It is true that] he struck the rock, with the result that water gushed/flowed out, [but] (can he also provide bread and meat for [us], his people?/we doubt that he can also provide bread and meat for us, his people.)” [RHQ]
21 Koa nony ren’ i Jehovah izany, dia tezitra Izy; ary nisy afo nirehitra tamin’ i Jakoba, sady nisy fahatezerana namely ny Isiraely,
So, when Yahweh heard that, he became very angry, and he sent a fire to burn up [some of] his Israeli [people]. [MTY, DOU]
22 Satria tsy nino an’ Andriamanitra izy ireo ka tsy natoky ny famonjeny.
[He did that] because they did not trust in him, and they did not believe that he would rescue them.
23 Kanefa nandidy ny rahona tany ambony Izy, ary ny varavaran’ ny lanitra no novohàny,
But God spoke to the sky above them; he commanded it to open [like] a door,
24 Dia nandatsaka mana teny aminy hohaniny Izy, ary varin’ ny lanitra no nomeny azy.
and [then food] fell down like rain, [food which they named] ‘manna’; God gave them grain from (heaven/the sky).
25 Ny fihinan’ ny mahery no nohanin’ ny olona; nanaterany hanina hahavoky azy izy.
[So] the people ate the food that angels eat, [and] God gave to them all the manna that they wanted.
26 Nampandeha ny rivotra avy any atsinanana teny amin’ ny lanitra Izy ary ny heriny no nitondrany ny rivotra avy any atsimo.
[Later], he caused the wind to blow from the east, and by his power he also sent wind from the south,
27 Dia nampilatsahany hena betsaka hoatra ny vovoka izy sy voro-manidina hoatra ny fasiky ny ranomasina,
and the wind brought birds which were as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore.
28 Ka nalatsany teny afovoan’ ny tobiny, manodidina ny fitoerany.
God caused those birds to fall [dead] in the middle of (their camp)/the area where the people had put up their tents. [There were dead birds] all around their tents.
29 Dia nihinana izy ireo ka voky tsara, ary izay nilainy dia nomeny azy.
[So] the people [cooked the birds and] ate the meat and their stomachs were full, because God had given them what they wanted.
30 Nefa tsy niala tamin’ ny filàny izy, ary mbola teo am-bavany ihany ny haniny;
But before they had eaten all that they wanted, and while they were still eating it,
31 Dia nirehitra taminy ny fahatezeran’ Andriamanitra, ka nahafatesany ny tremalahy teo aminy, ary naripany ny zatovolahin’ ny Isiraely.
God was [still] very angry with them, and he caused their strongest men to die; he got rid of [many of] the finest [young] Israeli men.
32 Fa na dia izany rehetra izany aza, dia mbola nanota ihany izy ireo ka tsy nino ny fahagagana nataony.
In spite of all that, the people continued to sin; in spite of all the miracles that God had performed, they still did not trust that he [would take care of them].
33 Dia nampahalevona ny androny toy ny fofonaina Izy, ary ny taonany tamin’ ny fampitahorana.
So, he caused their lives to end as quickly as a puff of wind ends; they died when disasters suddenly struck them.
34 Raha novonoiny izy ireo, dia nitady hahalala an’ Andriamanitra izy, ary niverina nikatsaka Azy.
When God caused [some of] them to die, [the others] turned to God; they repented and earnestly asked God [to save them].
35 Dia nahatsiaro izy fa Andriamanitra no Vatolampiny, ary Andriamanitra Avo Indrindra no Mpanavotra azy.
They remembered that God is [like] a huge rock ledge [under which they would be safe] [MET], and that he, who was greater than any other god, is the one who protected/rescued them.
36 Kanefa nanao vava malefaka taminy ireo, ary ny lelany no nandaingàny taminy.
But they [tried to] deceive God by what they said [MTY]; their words [MTY] were [all] lies.
37 Ary ny fony tsy niorina taminy; eny tsy nitana ny fanekeny izy.
They were not loyal to him; they disregarded/ignored the agreement that he had made with them.
38 Nefa Andriamanitra kosa be famindram-po, dia mamela heloka ka tsy mandringana; eny nahatsindry fo tokoa Izy, ka tsy nofohaziny avokoa ny fahavinirany,
But God was merciful to his people. He forgave them for having sinned and did not get rid of them. Many times he refrained from becoming angry [with them] and restrained from furiously/severely [punishing them] [MTY].
39 Fa nahatsiaro Izy fa nofo ihany ireo, dia rivotra izay mandalo ka tsy miverina intsony.
He remembered/considered that they were only humans who die; they [disappear quickly] [SIM], like a wind that blows by and then is gone.
40 Impiry akory izy ireo no efa niodina taminy tany an-efitra, ka nampalahelo Azy tany amin’ ny tany foana!
Many times our ancestors rebelled against God in the desert and caused him to become very sad.
41 Naka fanahy an’ Andriamanitra mandrakariva izy, ka nampalahelo ny Iray Masin’ ny Isiraely.
Many times they did evil things, to find out [if they could do those things without God punishing them]. They frequently caused the holy God of Israel to become disgusted/sad.
42 Tsy mba nahatsiaro ny tànany izy, dia ny andro izay nanavotany azy tamin’ ny fahavalo,
They forgot about his [great] power, and they (forgot/did not think) about the time when he rescued them from their enemies.
43 Izay nanaovany famantarana tany Egypta, sy fahagagana tany an-tany lemak’ i Zoana:
They forgot about when he performed many miracles in the area near Zoan [city] in Egypt.
44 Nampody ny oniny ho rà Izy, ary ny reniranony tsy azony nisotroana.
He caused the [Nile] River (OR, their sources of water) to become [red like] blood, with the result that the people of Egypt had no water to drink.
45 Nandefa lalitra betsaka hamely azy Izy, ka nandany azy ireny, ary sahona, ka nanimba azy ireny.
He sent among the people of Egypt swarms of flies that bit them, and he sent frogs that ate up everything.
46 Dia nanome ny vokatry ny taniny ho an’ ny sompanga Izy, ary ny sasany ho an’ ny valala.
He sent locusts to eat their crops and the other things that grew in their fields.
47 Namono ny voalobony tamin’ ny havandra Izy, ary ny aviaviny tamin’ ny havandra vaventy.
He sent hail that destroyed the grapevines, and sent frost that ruined the figs.
48 Dia nanolotra ny biby fiompiny ho an’ ny havandra Izy, ary ny omby aman’ ondriny ho an’ ny varatra.
He sent hail that killed their cattle and sent lightning that killed their sheep and cows.
49 Nandatsaka ny fahatezerany mirehitra taminy Izy: eny, fahavinirana sy fahatezerana ary fampahoriana, dia anjely andiany mitondra loza.
Because God was fiercely angry with the people of Egypt, he caused them to be very distressed. The disasters that struck them were like a group of angels that destroyed [everything].
50 Namboatra lalana ho an’ ny fahatezerany Izy, ary tsy niaro ny fanahin’ ireo tamin’ ny fahafatesana, fa nanolotra ny ainy ho lanin’ ny areti-mandringana;
He did not lessen his being angry [with them], and he did not (spare their lives/prevent them from dying); he sent a (plague/serious illness) that killed [many of] them.
51 Ary namely ny lahimatoa rehetra tany Egypta Izy, dia ny voalohan’ ainy tany an-dain’ i Hama;
He also caused all the firstborn sons of the people of Egypt to die.
52 Fa namindra toerana ny olony toy ny ondry Izy, ary nitondra azy tany an-efitra toy ny ondry andiany.
Then he led his people out [of Egypt] like [a shepherd leads] his sheep [SIM], and he guided them [while they walked] through the desert.
53 Nentiny soa aman-tsara izy ireo ka tsy mba natahotra; fa ny fahavalony kosa voasaron’ ny ranomasina.
He led them safely, and they were not afraid, but their enemies were drowned in the sea.
54 Ary nitondra azy ho any amin’ ny tany misy ny fitoerany masìna Izy, dia ny tendrombohitra izay azon’ ny tànany ankavanana.
[Later] he brought them to [Canaan], his sacred land, to [Zion] Hill (OR, the hilly area) and by his power [MTY] he enabled them to conquer [the people who were living there].
55 Ary nandroaka ny jentilisa teo anoloany Izy, ka nanome ny tanin’ ireny ho lova nozaraina tamin’ ny famolaina, dia nampitoetra ny firenen’ Isiraely tao an-dainy.
He expelled the people-groups while his people were advancing; he allotted part of the land for [each tribe] to possess, and he gave to the Israeli people the houses of those people who had been expelled.
56 Nefa naka fanahy an’ Andriamanitra Avo Indrindra izy ka niodina taminy, ary ny teni-vavolombelony tsy notandremany.
However, the Israeli people rebelled against God, who is greater than any other god, and they did many evil things to see if they could do those things without God punishing them, and they did not obey his commandments.
57 Ary nihemotra izy ka nivadika tahaka ny razany. Dia nania tahaka ny tsipìka manjiona.
Instead, like their ancestors did, they rebelled against God and (were not loyal to/did not faithfully [obey]) him; they were as [unreliable as] a crooked arrow [that does not go straight] [SIM].
58 Ary nampahatezitra Azy tamin’ ny fitoerana avony izy, sady nahasaro-piaro Azy tamin’ ny sarin-javatra voasokitra.
Because they [worshiped] carved images of their gods on the tops of hills, they caused God to become angry [DOU].
59 Ary nandre izany Andriamanitra, dia tezitra Izy ka nolaviny mihitsy ny Isiraely,
He saw what they were doing and became very angry, so he rejected the Israeli people.
60 Sady nahafoy ny tabernakeliny tao Silo Izy, dia ny lay izay naoriny teo amin’ ny olona;
He no longer appeared to them at Shiloh in the tent where he had lived among them.
61 Dia natolony ho babo ny heriny ary ny voninahiny ho eo an-tànan’ ny fahavalo.
He allowed their enemies to capture [the sacred chest], [which was the symbol of] his power and his glory.
62 Dia nanolotra ny olony ho an’ ny sabatra Izy; ary tezitra Indrindra tamin’ ny lovany Izy.
Because he was angry with his people, he allowed them to be killed [MTY] [by their enemies].
63 Ny zatovolahiny dia lanin’ ny afo; ary ny zatovovaviny tsy mba nanaovana hiram-panambadiana.
Young men were killed in battles, with the result that the young women had no one to marry.
64 Ny mpisorony lavon-tsabatra, nefa ny mpitondratenan’ ireo tsy nisaona.
[Many] priests were killed by [their enemies’] swords, and (the people did not allow the priests’ widows/the priests’ widows were not allowed) to mourn.
65 Dia nifoha ny Tompo tahaka ny anankiray avy natory, tahaka ny lehilahy mahery izay miantsoantso azon’ ny divay.
Later, [it was as though] the Lord awoke from sleeping; he was like a strong man who (became stimulated/felt that he was strong) by (OR, became sober after) [drinking] a lot of wine [SIM].
66 Dia namely ny fahavalony hiamboho Izy ka nahafa-baraka azy mandrakizay.
He pushed their enemies back and caused them to be [very] ashamed for a long time [HYP] [because they had been defeated].
67 Dia nanary ny lain’ i Josefa Izy, ary ny firenen’ i Efraima tsy nofidiny.
[But] he did not set up his tent where [the people of] the tribe of Ephraim lived; he did not choose their area [to do that].
68 Fa nifidy ny firenen’ i Joda kosa Izy, dia ny tendrombohitra Ziona izay tiany.
Instead he chose [the area where] the tribe of Judah [lived]; he chose Zion Hill, which he loves.
69 Dia nanao ny fitoerany masìna ho tahaka ny havoana Izy, tahaka ny tany izay naoriny ho mandrakizay.
He [decided to have] his temple built [there], high up, like [his home in] heaven; he caused it to be firm, [and intended that] his temple would last forever, like the earth.
70 Dia nifidy an’ i Davida mpanompony ka naka azy avy tany am-balan’ ondry;
He chose David, who served him [faithfully], and took him from the pastures
71 Tany amin’ ny fiandrasany ny ondry ampianahana no nakàny azy, mba hiandry an’ i Jakoba olony sy Isiraely lovany;
where he was taking care of his [father’s] sheep, and appointed him to be the leader [MET] of the Israeli people, the people who belong to God.
72 Dia niandry ireo araka ny hitsin’ ny fony izy, ka nitondra azy araka ny fahaizan’ ny tànany.
David took care of the Israeli people sincerely and wholeheartedly, and guided them skillfully/wisely.
