Amahubo 48
1 Ingoma. Ihubo lamaDodana kaKhora. Umkhulu uThixo, ufanele ngokuphindiweyo ukudunyiswa, emzini kaNkulunkulu wethu, intaba yakhe engcwele.
Yahweh is great, and he deserves to be greatly praised in the city where he [lives], [which is built on Zion], his sacred hill.
2 Muhle kakhulu ngokuphakama kwakhe, uyintokozo yomhlaba wonke. Njengeziqongo zeZafoni injalo intaba iZiyoni, umuzi weNkosi eNkulu.
That city, on a high [hill], is beautiful; it is the city where the true [God], the great king, [lives], and it causes people all over the world to rejoice [when they see it].
3 UNkulunkulu usemithangaleni yawo; ubonisa ukuthi nguye oyinqaba yawo.
God is in the strong towers there, and he shows that he protects the people in that city.
4 Kwathi lapho amakhosi ehlanganisa izimpi zawo, lapho ehlasela kanyekanye,
Many kings gathered [with their armies] to attack [that city],
5 awubona umuzi lo ethuka aphaphatheka esetshaywa luvalo.
but when they saw it, they were amazed; they became terrified, and ran away.
6 Ahle athuthumela khonapho, ezwa ubuhlungu obuzwiwa ngowesifazane ehelelwa.
Because they were very afraid, they trembled like a woman who is about to give birth to a child;
7 Wena wabatshabalalisa njengemikhumbi yaseThashishi ibhidlizwa ngumoya wempumalanga.
they shook [like] ships sailing from Tarshish are shaken by a strong wind.
8 Lokho esikuzwileyo yikho esikubonileyo emzini kaThixo uSomandla, emzini kaNkulunkulu wethu: uNkulunkulu uzawuvikela lanini.
We had heard [that this city is glorious], and now we have seen that it is. It is the city in which Yahweh, the almighty one, [lives]. It is the city which God will preserve/protect forever.
9 Phakathi kwethempeli lakho, Oh Nkulunkulu, siyacabanga ngothando lwakho olungaphuthiyo.
God, [here] in your temple we think about how you faithfully love us.
10 Njengebizo lakho, Oh Nkulunkulu, udumo lwakho lufika emikhawulweni yomhlaba; isandla sakho sokunene sigcwele ukulunga.
You [MTY] are famous and (are praised/people praise you) all over the earth, because you rule powerfully [MTY] and justly.
11 Intaba iZiyoni iyathokoza, imizi yakoJuda iyathaba ngezahlulelo zakho.
The people who live near Zion Hill should be happy! The people in [all] the cities [MTY] in Judah should rejoice because you judge people fairly.
12 Hambahamba eZiyoni, ibhode, bala izilindo zayo eziphezulu,
[You Israeli people should] walk around Zion [Hill] and count the towers there;
13 nanzelela kuhle imithangala yayo, hlola izinqaba zayo, ukuze ukwazi ukulandisela isizukulwane esizayo.
notice the walls there and examine the forts in order that you can tell about them to your children.
14 Ngoba uNkulunkulu lo nguNkulunkulu wethu nini lanini; uzakuba ngumholi wethu lasekupheleni.
[Say to them], “This is [the city that belongs to] our God, [the one who lives] forever; he will guide us all of our lives.”
