Amahubo 73
1 Ihubo lika-Asafi. Ngempela uNkulunkulu ulungile ku-Israyeli, kulabo abahlanzekileyo enhliziyweni.
A psalm of Asaph. Yes, God is good to the upright, the Lord to the pure in heart.
2 Kodwa mina, inyawo zami zaphose zatshelela; ngaphose ngakhuthisa ukunyathela.
But my feet were almost gone, my steps had nearly slipped,
3 Ngasuka ngahawukela abaklolodayo ngibona ukuphumelela kwezigangi.
through envy of godless braggarts, when I saw how well they fared.
4 Kabalazo inhlungu; imizimba yabo iphilile iqinile.
For never a pang have they, their body is sound and sleek.
5 Kabalayo imithwalo enzima ejayelekileyo ebantwini; kabahlukuluzwa loba yini njengabanye abantu.
They have no trouble like mortals, no share in human pain.
6 Ngakho-ke ukuziqhenya kuyisigqizo sabo entanyeni; bazigqokisa ngokwenza isihluku.
So they wear their pride like a necklace, they put on the garment of wrong,
7 Ezinhliziyweni zabo ezingelazwelo kuphuma ububi; iminakano emibi yezingqondo zabo ayilamikhawulo.
their eyes stand out with fatness, their heart swells with riotous fancies.
8 Bayakloloda, bakhulume ngomona; bayaqholoza basongele ukuncindezela.
Their speech is mocking and evil, condescending and crooked their speech.
9 Imilomo yabo ithi izulu selingelabo, lezilimi zabo zihle ziwuthathe umhlaba.
They have set their mouth in the heavens, while their tongue struts about on the earth.
10 Yikho abantu bakibo bebakholwa, bawanathe amanzi kakhulukazi.
Small wonder that people resort to them, and drink deep draughts of their lore.
11 Bathi, “UNkulunkulu angakwazi kanjani? OPhezukonke ulalo ulwazi na?”
“How does God know?” they say, “And has the Most High any knowledge?”
12 Yikho lokhu abayikho khona ababi bavele kabananzi, iyanda eyabo inotho.
See! These are the godless, with wealth and ease ever increasing.
13 Ngempela bekuyize ukugcina inhliziyo yami ihlanzekile; kube yize ukugeza izandla zami ngokungelacala.
Yes, in vain have I kept my heart pure, and washed my hands in innocence;
14 Ilanga lonke ngitshona ngikhathazwa; ngiyajeziswa ekuseni zonke insuku.
for all the day long was I plagued not a morning but I was chastised.
15 Aluba ngangithe, “Ngizakhuluma ngitsho njalo,” ngabe ngangibakhohlisa abantwabakho.
But to resolve to speak like they do would be treachery to your children.
16 Ngathi ngizama ukukuzwisisa konke lokhu ngezwa kungisinda,
So I sought to understand it, but a wearisome task it seemed:
17 ngaze ngangena endlini engcwele kaNkulunkulu; lapho-ke ngasengizwisisa isiphetho sabo.
till I entered the holy world of God and saw clearly their destiny.
18 Ngempela uyababeka endaweni etshelelayo; ubalahlela phansi ekubhujisweni.
Yes, you set them on slippery places; down to destruction you hurl them.
19 Yeka, ukubhujiswa kwabo lula nje, bakhuculwe nje yikwesaba!
One moment and then what a horror of ruin! They are finished and ended in terrors.
20 Njengephupho nxa umuntu ephaphama kuzakuba njalo lapho usuvuka, Thixo, uzabeyisa njengemifanekiso yengqondo kuphela.
Like a dream, when one wakes, shall they be, whose phantoms the waker despises.
21 Lapho inhliziyo yami yayifuthelene lomoya wami uthukuthele,
So my bitterness of mind and the pain that stabbed my heart
22 ngangiyisithutha esingaziyo; ngangiyinyamazana yeganga kuwe.
show how dull I was and stupid just like a beast before you.
23 Ikanti ngihlezi ngilawe; uyangibamba ngesandla sami sokunene.
But I am always with you, you have hold of my right hand.
24 Uyangikhokhela ngokweluleka kwakho kuthi ngemva kwalokho uzangithatha ungise ebukhosini.
By a plan of yours you guide me and will afterward take me to glory.
25 Ngilobani na ezulwini ngaphandle kwakho? Lomhlaba kawulakho engikufisayo ngaphandle kwakho.
Whom have I in the heavens but you? And on earth there is none I desire beside you.
26 Inyama yami lenhliziyo yami kungehluleka kodwa uNkulunkulu ungamandla enhliziyo yami, uyisabelo sami laphakade.
Though flesh and heart waste away, yet God is the rock of my heart, yet God is my portion forever.
27 Labo abakhatshana lawe bazabhubha; uyababhidliza bonke abangathembekanga kuwe.
For see! Those who are far from you must perish, you destroy all who are false to you.
28 Kodwa mina kimi kuhle ukuba seduze loNkulunkulu. Sengenze uThixo Wobukhosi isiphephelo sami; ngizafakaza ngazozonke izenzo zakho.
But I am happy when close to God; the Lord my God I have made my refuge, that I may recount all the things you have done.
