Amahubo 74
1 Ihubo lika-Asafu Kungani ususilahlile kokuphela na, awu Nkulunkulu? Kungani ulaka lwakho luvutha phezu kwezimvu zedlelo lakho na?
A maskil of Asaph. Why, O God, have you spurned us forever? Why smokes your wrath against the sheep of your pasture?
2 Khumbula abantu owabathengayo ekadeni, isizwe selifa lakho owasihlengayo iNtaba iZiyoni, owawuhlala khona.
Remember the community you purchased of old to become by redemption the tribe of your heritage, Zion, the mountain you made your home.
3 Phenduka ungene emanxiweni aphakade la, incithakalo yonke le yenziwe yisitha endlini engcwele.
Rouse yourself, visit its ruins complete. In the temple the foe has made havoc of all things.
4 Izitha zakho zazibhonga endaweni owawuhlangana lathi kuyo; zamisa impawu zazo njengeziboniso.
Like lions your enemies roared through your house, replacing our symbols by signs of their own,
5 Zenza njengabantu abaphakamise amahloka ukuphendla indlela yabo eguswini.
hacking, like woodsmen who lift axes on thickets of trees,
6 Zafohloza konke okubaziweyo ngamahloka azo langezando.
smashing with hatchets and hammers all of its carved work together.
7 Zatshisa indlu yakho engcwele yaphela nya; zangcolisa indawo ehlala iBizo lakho.
They have set your temple on fire, to the very ground they have outraged the place where lives your name.
8 Zathi ngezinhliziyo zazo, “Sizababhuqa baphele nya!” Zatshisa zonke izindawo zokukhonzela uNkulunkulu elizweni.
They have said in their heart, “Let us utterly crush them.” They have burned all the houses of God in the land.
9 Kasisaboniswa mimangaliso; kakuselabuphrofethi, kakho kithi owaziyo ukuthi kuzaze kube nini kunjalo.
No symbol of ours do we see any more: no prophet is there any more, none is with us who knows how long.
10 Koze kube nini isitha sikuklolodela na, awu Nkulunkulu? Izitha zizalithuka kokuphela ibizo lakho na?
How long, O God, is the foe to insult? Shall the enemy spurn your name forever?
11 Kungani ufinyeza isandla sakho sokunene na? Sikhuphe ezingoxweni zezembatho zakho ubabhubhise.
Why, O Lord, do you hold back your hand, why keep your right hand in the folds of your robe?
12 Kodwa wena Nkulunkulu uyiNkosi yami kwasekadeni; uletha insindiso emhlabeni.
Yet God is our king from the ancient days, in the midst of the earth working deeds of salvation.
13 Kwakunguwe owaqhekeza ulwandle ngamandla akho; wafohloza amakhanda esilo phakathi kwamanzi.
It was you who did cleave the sea by your might, and shatter the heads of the ocean monsters.
14 Kwakunguwe owachoboza amakhanda kaLeviyathani waba yikudla kwezidalwa zasenkangala.
It was you who did crush many-headed Leviathan, and give him as food to the beasts of the wilderness.
15 Kwakunguwe owavula imithombo lemifula; womisa qha imifula eyayihlala igeleza.
It was you who did cleave the fountains and torrents; it was you who did dry the perennial streams.
16 Imini ngeyakho, ngobakho njalo lobusuku; walimisa ilanga kanye lenyanga.
Yours is the day; yours, too, is the night, it was you who did establish the sun and the star.
17 Kwakunguwe owamisa imingcele yonke yomhlaba; wenza ihlobo kanye lobusika.
It was you who did fix all the borders of earth: summer and winter it’s you who have made them.
18 Khumbula ukuthi isitha besikuklolodela, Thixo, ukuthi iziwula bezihlambaza ibizo lakho.
Yet, for all this, the foe has insulted you, Lord, and a nation of fools has reviled your name.
19 Ungaqhubeli umphefumulo wejuba lakho ezinyamazaneni; ungaze wakhohlwa kokuphela impilo yabantu bakho abahluphekayo.
Do not give your dove to the beasts, do not forget your afflicted forever.
20 Nanzelela isivumelwano sakho, ngoba izikhundla zobugebenga zigcwele kulolonke ilizwe ezindaweni ezilamathunzi.
Look to the sleek ones – how full they are: the dark places of earth are the dwellings of violence.
21 Ungayekeli abancindezelweyo babuyele beyangekile; sengathi abayanga labaswelayo bangalidumisa ibizo lakho.
O let not the downtrodden turn back ashamed: let the poor and the needy sing praise to your name.
22 Phakama, awu Nkulunkulu, vikela okungokwakho; khumbula ukuthi iziwula zikuhleka njani ilanga lonke.
Arise, God, and defend your cause: remember how fools all the day insult you.
23 Ungakulibali ukuvungama kwalabo abalwa lawe, ukuxokozela kwezitha zakho, okuzwakala kokuphela.
Do not forget the uproar of your enemies, the din of your foes that ascends evermore.
