Amahubo 73
1 Ihubo lika-Asafi. Ngempela uNkulunkulu ulungile ku-Israyeli, kulabo abahlanzekileyo enhliziyweni.
A psalm for Asaph. How good is God to Israel, to them that are of a right heart!
2 Kodwa mina, inyawo zami zaphose zatshelela; ngaphose ngakhuthisa ukunyathela.
But my feet were almost moved; my steps had well nigh slipped.
3 Ngasuka ngahawukela abaklolodayo ngibona ukuphumelela kwezigangi.
Because I had a zeal on occasion of the wicked, seeing the prosperity of sinners.
4 Kabalazo inhlungu; imizimba yabo iphilile iqinile.
For there is no regard to their death, nor is there strength in their stripes.
5 Kabalayo imithwalo enzima ejayelekileyo ebantwini; kabahlukuluzwa loba yini njengabanye abantu.
They are not in the labour of men: neither shall they be scourged like other men.
6 Ngakho-ke ukuziqhenya kuyisigqizo sabo entanyeni; bazigqokisa ngokwenza isihluku.
Therefore pride hath held them fast: they are covered with their iniquity and their wickedness.
7 Ezinhliziyweni zabo ezingelazwelo kuphuma ububi; iminakano emibi yezingqondo zabo ayilamikhawulo.
Their iniquity hath come forth, as it were from fatness: they have passed into the affection of the heart.
8 Bayakloloda, bakhulume ngomona; bayaqholoza basongele ukuncindezela.
They have thought and spoken wickedness: they have spoken iniquity on high.
9 Imilomo yabo ithi izulu selingelabo, lezilimi zabo zihle ziwuthathe umhlaba.
They have set their mouth against heaven: and their tongue hath passed through the earth.
10 Yikho abantu bakibo bebakholwa, bawanathe amanzi kakhulukazi.
Therefore will my people return here and full days shall be found in them.
11 Bathi, “UNkulunkulu angakwazi kanjani? OPhezukonke ulalo ulwazi na?”
And they said: How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?
12 Yikho lokhu abayikho khona ababi bavele kabananzi, iyanda eyabo inotho.
Behold these are sinners; and yet abounding in the world they have obtained riches.
13 Ngempela bekuyize ukugcina inhliziyo yami ihlanzekile; kube yize ukugeza izandla zami ngokungelacala.
And I said: Then have I in vain justified my heart, and washed my hands among the innocent.
14 Ilanga lonke ngitshona ngikhathazwa; ngiyajeziswa ekuseni zonke insuku.
And I have been scourged all the day; and my chastisement hath been in the mornings.
15 Aluba ngangithe, “Ngizakhuluma ngitsho njalo,” ngabe ngangibakhohlisa abantwabakho.
If I said: I will speak thus; behold I should condemn the generation of thy children.
16 Ngathi ngizama ukukuzwisisa konke lokhu ngezwa kungisinda,
I studied that I might know this thing, it is a labour in my sight:
17 ngaze ngangena endlini engcwele kaNkulunkulu; lapho-ke ngasengizwisisa isiphetho sabo.
Until I go into the sanctuary of God, and understand concerning their last ends.
18 Ngempela uyababeka endaweni etshelelayo; ubalahlela phansi ekubhujisweni.
But indeed for deceits thou hast put it to them: when they were lifted up thou hast cast them down.
19 Yeka, ukubhujiswa kwabo lula nje, bakhuculwe nje yikwesaba!
How are they brought to desolation? they have suddenly ceased to be: they have perished by reason of their iniquity.
20 Njengephupho nxa umuntu ephaphama kuzakuba njalo lapho usuvuka, Thixo, uzabeyisa njengemifanekiso yengqondo kuphela.
As the dream of them that awake, O Lord; so in thy city thou shalt bring their image to nothing.
21 Lapho inhliziyo yami yayifuthelene lomoya wami uthukuthele,
For my heart hath been inflamed, and my reins have been changed:
22 ngangiyisithutha esingaziyo; ngangiyinyamazana yeganga kuwe.
And I am brought to nothing, and I knew not.
23 Ikanti ngihlezi ngilawe; uyangibamba ngesandla sami sokunene.
I am become as a beast before thee: and I am always with thee.
24 Uyangikhokhela ngokweluleka kwakho kuthi ngemva kwalokho uzangithatha ungise ebukhosini.
Thou hast held me by my right hand; and by thy will thou hast conducted me, and with thy glory thou hast received me.
25 Ngilobani na ezulwini ngaphandle kwakho? Lomhlaba kawulakho engikufisayo ngaphandle kwakho.
For what have I in heaven? and besides thee what do I desire upon earth?
26 Inyama yami lenhliziyo yami kungehluleka kodwa uNkulunkulu ungamandla enhliziyo yami, uyisabelo sami laphakade.
For thee my flesh and my heart hath fainted away: thou art the God of my heart, and the God that is my portion for ever.
27 Labo abakhatshana lawe bazabhubha; uyababhidliza bonke abangathembekanga kuwe.
For behold they that go far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that are disloyal to thee.
28 Kodwa mina kimi kuhle ukuba seduze loNkulunkulu. Sengenze uThixo Wobukhosi isiphephelo sami; ngizafakaza ngazozonke izenzo zakho.
But it is good for me to adhere to my God, to put my hope in the Lord God: That I may declare all thy praises, in the gates of the daughter of Sion.
