Amahubo 144
1 ElikaDavida. Udumo kalube kuThixo iDwala lami, yena ofundisa izandla zami ukulwa impi, leminwe yami ukuhlasela.
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 UnguNkulunkulu wami othandekayo lenqaba yami, inqaba yami lomkhululi wami, isihlangu sami engiphephela kuso, othobisa abantu bami ngaphansi kwami.
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 Kambe Thixo, umuntu uyini ungaze umnanze, indodana yomuntu ukuthi uyikhumbule na?
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 Umuntu unjengomphefumulo; insuku zakhe zinjengesithunzi esidlulayo masinyane.
[The time that we live is as short] as [SIM] a puff of wind; our time to live disappears like a shadow does.
5 Yahlukanisa izulu lakho, Oh Thixo, wehlele phansi; thinta izintaba, ukuze zithunqe intuthu.
Yahweh, (tear open/open up) the sky and come down! Touch the mountains in order that smoke will pour out from them!
6 Thumela umbane uzihlakaze izitha; phosa imitshoko yakho zichitheke.
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 Yelula isandla sakho sisuka phezulu; ngihlenga ungikhulule emanzini alamandla abezizweni
[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 omilomo yabo igcwele amanga, ozandla zabo zokunene zilenkohliso.
who [SYN] [always] tell lies. [Even in a courtroom where they swear to tell the truth] they tell lies.
9 Ngizakuhlabelela ingoma entsha, Oh Nkulunkulu; ngechacho lezintambo ezilitshumi ngizakutshayela ingoma,
God, I will sing a new song to you, and I will play my ten-stringed harp [while I sing] to you.
10 kuye yedwa onika amakhosi ukunqoba, ohlenga inceku yakhe uDavida enkembeni ebulalayo.
You enable kings to defeat [their enemies]; and you rescued me, your servant David, from [being killed by] my enemies’ swords.
11 Ngihlenge, ungikhulule ezandleni zabezizwe omilomo yabo igcwele amanga, ozandla zabo zokunene zilenkohliso.
[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 Kuzakuthi amadodana ethu ebutsheni bawo azakuba njengezihlahla ezikhuliswa kuhle, kuthi amadodakazi ethu abe njengezinsika ezibazelwe ukucecisa isigodlo.
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 Iziphala zethu zizagcwala ngemihlobo yonke yokudla. Izimvu zethu zizakwanda ngezinkulungwane, ngamatshumi ezinkulungwane emadlelweni ethu;
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 inkabi zethu zizadonsa imithwalo enzima. Akusayikuba khona ukubhidlizwa kwemiduli, ukuya ebugqilini, lokukhala kosizi emigwaqweni yakithi.
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 Babusisiwe labobantu lokhu okuzakwenzakala kubo; babusisiwe abantu oNkulunkulu wabo ngu Thixo.
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!
