< Amahubo 35 >

1 ElikaDavida. Xabana labo, Thixo abaxabana lami; lwana labo abalwa lami.
A psalm of David. Oppose my opponents, Lord; fight those who are fighting against me.
2 Thatha isihlangu lewisa; phakama uzongilamulela.
Put your armor on, and pick up your shield. Get ready, come and help me.
3 Phakamisa umkhonto lesijula, ukuqondise kwabangihlaselayo. Ngitshela ukuthi, “Ngiyikusindiswa kwakho.”
Draw your spear and your javelin, confront those who are chasing me. Tell me, “I am your salvation!”
4 Sengathi labo abazingela impilo yami bangayangiswa bathelwe ngehlazo; sengathi labo abazama ukungidiliza bangabuyiselwa emuva bedumazekile.
Shame them! Humiliate those who are trying to kill me! Turn them back! Disgrace those who are planning to hurt me!
5 Sengathi bangaba njengamakhoba emoyeni, ingilosi kaThixo ibe ibadudula ibaxotsha;
Let them be like chaff blown by the wind; let the angel of the Lord drive them away.
6 sengathi indlela yabo ingaba mnyama itshelele, ingilosi kaThixo ibe ibahlezi ezithendeni.
May their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord chasing them down.
7 Ngoba bangithiya ngamambule abo ngingonanga lutho, baphinda bangembela umgodi kungelasizatho,
For no reason they set a net to catch me; for no reason they dug a pit to trap me.
8 sengathi bangadilizwa belibele lawomambule abawathiyileyo abahilele, sengathi bangawela kulowomgodi babhidlizwe.
Let disaster come on them suddenly; let the net they set catch them instead; let the pit they dug trap them instead.
9 Lapho-ke umoya wami uzathokoza kuThixo ujabule ekusindiseni Kwakhe.
Then I will be glad in the Lord; I will be happy in his salvation.
10 Mina qobo lwami ngizamemeza ngithi, “Ngubani onjengawe, Oh Thixo? Uyabakhulula abahluphekayo kulabo abalamandla kulabo, abahluphekayo labaswelayo kulabo ababantshontshelayo.”
Every part of me will say, Who can compare to you, Lord? You rescue the weak from the strong; the poor and needy from robbers.
11 Ofakazi bolunya bayangivelela; bangibuza ngezinto engingazaziyo.
Hostile witnesses stand up to testify against me, accusing me of crimes I don't know anything about.
12 Bangiphindisela okuhle ngokubi umphefumulo wami usale usudabukile.
They pay me back with evil instead of good. I feel like giving up.
13 Ikanti kwathi bona begula ngembatha amasaka ngazithoba ngazila ukudla. Kwathi lapho imikhuleko yami ingaphendulwa
But when they were sick, I put on clothes of sackcloth in sympathy. I denied myself through fasting. May my prayer for them return to bless me too.
14 ngaba sesililweni kwangathi ngililela umngane wami loba umfowethu. Ngakhothamisa ikhanda lami ngokudabuka kwangathi ngililela umama.
I was upset for them, as if they were my own friends or family; I bowed down in grief as if I was mourning my own mother.
15 Kodwa ngathi sengikhubekile baqwebana bokha insini; abahlaseli bangihlanganyela ngilibele. Bangichothoza okungapheliyo.
But when I was in trouble, they gathered around and laughed at me. Even strangers I don't know attacked me, constantly tearing me apart.
16 Bakloloda ngomona njengabangakholwayo; bangigedlela amazinyo abo.
Like irreligious people mocking a cripple they mock me and call me names, gnashing their teeth at me.
17 Nkosi, uzakuma ubukele kuze kube nini na? Yenyula impilo yami ekungilimazeni kwabo, impilo yami eligugu kulezizilwane.
How long, Lord, will you sit by and just watch? Save me from their vicious attacks; defend the only life I have from these lions.
18 Ngizakubonga phakathi komhlangano omkhulu; ngikudumise ngiphakathi kwamaxuku abantu.
Then I will thank you in front of the whole congregation and praise you in front of all the people.
19 Ungabayekeli abayizitha zami ngingabonelanga lutho, bantele phezu kwami. Ungayekeli labo abangizondayo kungelasizatho, banginyonkoloze ngomona.
Don't let my enemies take pleasure in my troubles, those people who hate me and tell lies about me, gloating over me for no reason.
20 Kabakhulumi okuqondileyo kodwa babumba amacala amanga, ngalabo abaphila ngokuthula elizweni.
They are not looking for peace; they invent malicious and deceptive schemes against innocent peace-loving people.
21 Bangikhamisela imilomo bathi, “Hiya belo! Sizibonele ngawethu amehlo la.”
They open their mouths wide to make accusations against me, saying, “Look! Look! We saw it with our own eyes!”
22 Oh Thixo, usukubonile lokhu; ungathuli. Ungabi khatshana kwami, Oh Nkosi.
But Lord, you've seen all this! Say something! Don't give up on me, Lord!
23 Vuka, uphakame ungilamulele! Ngilwela, Nkulunkulu Thixo wami.
Wake up! Get up and defend me, my Lord and my God! Take up my case and make sure justice is done!
24 Ngigeza ngokulunga Kwakho, Thixo, Nkulunkulu wami; ungabayekeli bantele phezu kwami.
Vindicate me, my Lord and my God, because you are just and right. Don't let them gloat over me.
25 Ungabayekeli bacabange bathi, “Ehe, yikho ebesikufuna!” loba bathi, “Sesimginyile.”
Don't let them say to themselves, “Look! We got what we wanted!” Don't let them say, “We completely destroyed him!”
26 Sengathi bonke abantela ngokuhlupheka kwami bangathelwa ngehlazo basanganiseke; sengathi bonke abazikhukhumezayo phezu kwami bangembeswa ngokuyangeka langehlazo.
Make them totally ashamed, all those who are happy for the trouble I'm in. Let those who are celebrating over me be covered with shame and dishonor.
27 Sengathi labo abathokoza ngokugezwa kwami bangahalalisa ngentokozo lenjabulo; sengathi bangatsho kokuphela bathi, “Makaphakanyiswe uThixo othokoza ngokuhlala kuhle kwenceku yakhe.”
Instead let those who are pleased I've been vindicated celebrate and shout for joy. Let them always say, “How great is the Lord! He is happy when his servants live in peace and have what they need.”
28 Ulimi lwami luzakhuluma ngokulunga Kwakho langendumiso Yakho ilanga lonke.
I will tell others about your character of truth and right, praising you all day long!

< Amahubo 35 >