Amahubo 44
1 Kumqondisi wokuhlabela. Ihubo lamaDodana kaKhora. Sizizwele ngezethu indlebe, yebo Oh Nkulunkulu obaba basitshela owakwenzayo ensukwini zabo, ensukwini zekadeni.
For the leader. Of the Korahites. A maskil. O God, we have heard with our ears, all our ancestors have told us of the work that you wrought in their day, your wonders in days of old,
2 Ngezakho izandla wazixotsha izizwe wagxumeka obaba; wabahlifiza abantu wenza obaba baphumelela.
uprooting and crushing the nations, then planting and settling them. For it wasn’t their own sword that won them the land,
3 Kwakungasinkemba zabo ezathumba ilizwe, njalo kakusingalo yabo eyaletha ukunqoba; kwaba yisandla sakho sokunene, ingalo yakho, lokukhanya kobuso bakho, ngoba wawubathanda.
it was not their own arm that brought them the victory. Yours was the hand and the arm, yours was the face that shone on them with favor.
4 UyiNkosi yami loNkulunkulu wami, ophayo ukunqoba kuJakhobe.
It was you, my king and my God, that ordained the victories of Jacob.
5 Ngawe siyazihlehlisa izitha zethu; ngebizo lakho siyazigxobagxoba izitha zethu.
Through you we can thrust back our foes, and by your name tread down our assailants:
6 Angilithembi idandili lami, inkemba yami kayingiletheli ukunqoba;
for not in my bow do I trust, nor can my sword win me the victory.
7 kodwa wena usipha ukunqoba phezu kwezitha zethu, abalwa lathi ubathela ihlazo.
Our victory comes from you, and confusion to those who hate us.
8 Siyazincoma ngoNkulunkulu ilanga lonke, njalo sizalidumisa ibizo lakho nini lanini.
In God we boast all the day long, and your name will we praise forever. (Selah)
9 Kodwa manje ususilahlile wasiyangisa; kawusaphelekezeli izimpi zethu.
Yet you have spurned and disgraced us, in not going forth with our armies,
10 Wasenza sahlehla phambi kwesitha, abalwa lathi sebethethe impango.
and in making us flee from the foe, so that those who hated us plundered us.
11 Wasiyekela sadliwa njengezimvu wasichithachitha phakathi kwezizwe.
You have let us be eaten like sheep, you have scattered us over the world,
12 Wathengisa abantu bakho ngengcosana nje awazuza lutho ngalokho kuthengisa.
sold your people for a pittance, and getting no gain from their price.
13 Ususenze saba lihlazo kubomakhelwane, inhlekisa lendumazo kwesihlalisene labo.
You have made us the butt of our neighbors, the derision and scorn of all round us.
14 Ususenze saba yisiga phakathi kwezizwe; abantu banyikinya amakhanda ngathi.
O’er the world you have made us a byword, the nations at us shake their heads.
15 Ukuyangeka kwami kuyangilandela ilanga lonke, ubuso bami buhuqwe ngehlazo,
My disgrace is forever before me, my face is covered with shame,
16 ngokuhozwa yilabo abangisolayo njalo abangenyanyayo, ngenxa yesitha esijonge ukuphindisela.
at the words of blasphemer and scoffer, at the sight of the foe and the vengeful.
17 Konke lokhu kwenzakala kithi, lanxa sasingakulibalanga; asathembeka esivumelwaneni sakho.
All this has come upon us, yet we have not forgotten you nor falsely dealt with your covenant.
18 Inhliziyo zethu zazingabuyelanga emuva; inyawo zethu zazingaphambukanga endleleni yakho.
Our heart has not turned back, nor our steps declined from your way,
19 Kodwa wasichoboza saba yikudla kwamaganyane, wasembesa ngomnyama omkhulu.
that you thus should have crushed us down, and covered us over with gloom, in the place where the jackals roam.
20 Aluba sasesilikhohliwe ibizo likaNkulunkulu wethu loba saphakamisela izandla zethu kunkulunkulu wezizweni,
Had we forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a god that was strange,
21 kambe ngabe uNkulunkulu kakubonanga lokho na, njengoba esazi imfihlo zenhliziyo?
would God not have searched this out? For he knows the heart and its secrets.
22 Ikanti ngenxa yakho wena sikhangelane lokufa ilanga lonke; sithathwa njengezimvu ezizahlatshwa.
But in your cause it is we are killed all the day, and counted as sheep for the slaughter.
23 Vuka, Oh Thixo! Ulaleleni na? Ziphaphamise! Ungasilahli kokuphela.
Rouse yourself, why do you sleep Lord? Awake, cast us not off forever.
24 Ubufihlelani ubuso bakho na, ukhohlwe ukuhlupheka kwethu lokuncindezelwa?
Why do you hide your face, forgetting our stress and our misery?
25 Sesibhuqwe phansi othulini; imizimba yethu isinamathele phansi.
For we have sunk down to the dust, our bodies cling to the ground.
26 Phakama usisize; sihlenge ngenxa yothando lwakho olungaphuthiyo.
Arise, come to our help: for your love’s sake, ransom us.
