Amahubo 78
1 Ihubo ka-Asafu Zwanini imfundiso yami, bantu bami; lilalele amazwi omlomo wami.
[A Psalm] of instruction for Asaph. Give heed, O my people, to my law: incline your ear to the words of my mouth.
2 Ngizavula umlomo wami ngemifanekiso, ngizakutsho izinto ezifihlekileyo, izinto zekadeni,
I will open my mouth in parables: I will utter dark sayings [which have been] from the beginning.
3 esakuzwayo lesikwaziyo esakutshelwa ngokhokho bethu.
All which we have heard and known, and our fathers have declared to us.
4 Kasizukuzifihlela abantwana babo; sizasitshela isizukulwane esizayo ngemisebenzi emangalisayo kaThixo, amandla akhe, lemimangaliso aseyenzile.
They were not hid from their children to a second generations; [the fathers] declaring the praises of the Lord, and his mighty acts, and his wonders which he wrought.
5 Wamisela uJakhobe imithetho wabeka umlayo ko-Israyeli, walaya okhokho bethu ukuthi bawufundise abantwababo,
And he raised up a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, to make it known to their children:
6 ukuze aziwe yisizukulwane esilandelayo, kanye labantwana abazazalwa, kuthi labo batshele abantwababo.
that another generation might know, even the sons which should be born; and they should arise and declare them to their children.
7 Yikho-ke bazabeka ithemba labo kuNkulunkulu njalo abasoze bakhohlwa izenzo zakhe kodwa bagcine imilayo yakhe.
That they might set their hope on God, and not forget the works of God, but diligently seek his commandments.
8 Kabayikuba njengabokhokho babo ababeyisizukulwana esilobuqholo lesihlamukayo, onhliziyo zabo zazingazinikelanga kuNkulunkulu omoya yabo yayingathembekanga kuye.
That they should not be as their fathers, a perverse and provoking generation; a generation which set not its heart aright, and its spirit was not steadfast with God.
9 Amadoda ako-Efrayimi, loba ayehlomile ngemitshoko, afulathela mhla welanga lempi;
The children of Ephraim, bending and shooting [with] the bow, turned [back] in the day of battle.
10 kabasigcinanga isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu, bala ukuphila ngomthetho wakhe.
They kept not the covenant of God, and would not walk in his law.
11 Bakhohlwa lokho ayekwenzile, izimanga ayebatshengise zona.
And they forgot his benefits, and his miracles which he [had] showed them;
12 Wenza imimangaliso oyise bekhangele elizweni laseGibhithe, esigodini saseZowani.
the miracles which he wrought before their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the plain of Tanes.
13 Walwahlukanisa ulwandle wabahola bachapha; wenza amanzi ema aqina saka njengomduli.
He clave the sea, and led them through: he made the waters to stand as [in] a bottle.
14 Wabahola ngeyezi emini njalo ngokukhanya komlilo ubusuku bonke.
And he guided them with a cloud by day, and all the night with a light of fire.
15 Wawaqhekeza amadwala enkangala wabapha amanzi amanengi njengolwandle;
he clave a rock in the wilderness, and made them drink as in a great deep.
16 wantshazisa impophoma emadwaleni amawa wenza amanzi ageleza njengemifula.
And he brought water out of the rock, and caused waters to flow down as rivers.
17 Kodwa baqhubeka besona phambi kwakhe, bamhlamukela enkangala yena oPhezukonke.
And they sinned yet more against him; they provoked the Most High in the wilderness.
18 Bamlinga uNkulunkulu ngabomo ngokucela ukudla ababekutshisekela.
And they tempted God in their hearts, in asking meat for [the desire of] their souls.
19 Bamchothoza uNkulunkulu besithi, “Kambe uNkulunkulu angendlala itafula lokudlela enkangala na?
They spoke also against God, and said, Will God be able to prepare a table in the wilderness?
20 Wathi lapho etshaya idwala, amanzi antshantshaza, kwageleza amanzi amanengi. Kodwa angasipha njalo lokudla na? Angabalethela inyama abantu bakhe na?”
Forasmuch as he struck the rock, and the waters flowed, and the torrents ran abundantly; will he be able also to give bread, or prepare a table for his people?
21 UThixo wathi ebezwa wathukuthela kakhulu; umlilo wakhe wavuthela kuJakhobe, ulaka lwakhe lwaqina ku-Israyeli,
Therefore the Lord heard, and was provoked: and fire was kindled in Jacob, and wrath went up against Israel.
22 ngoba kabamkholwanga uNkulunkulu njalo kabawathembanga amandla okuhlenga kwakhe.
Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation.
23 Loba kunjalo walaya umkhathi ngaphezulu wavula iminyango yamazulu;
Yet he commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,
24 wanisa imana ukuthi badle abantu, wabapha amabele asezulwini.
and rained upon them manna to eat, and gave them the bread of heaven.
25 Abantu badla isinkwa sezingilosi; wabathumela konke ukudla ababengakudla.
Man ate angels' bread; he sent them provision to the full.
26 Wawukhulula umoya wempumalanga uvela emazulwini, wawukhulula umoya weningizimu ngamandla akhe.
He removed the south wind from heaven; and by his might he brought in the southwest wind.
27 Wanisela inyama kubo njengothuli, izinyoni eziphaphayo zaba njengetshebetshebe ogwini lolwandle.
And he rained upon them flesh like dust, and feathered birds like the sand of the seas.
28 Wazenza zehlela phakathi kwezihonqo zabo, indawana yonke emathenteni abo.
And they fell into the midst of their camp, round about their tents.
29 Bazitika baze bakhangela, ngoba wayebaphe ababekade bekukhalela.
So they ate, and were completely filled; and he gave them their desire.
30 Kodwa bengakakutshiyi lokho kudla ababekukhalela belokhu besakunambitha emilonyeni yabo,
They were not disappointed of their desire: [but] when their food was yet in their mouth,
31 ulaka lukaNkulunkulu lwavutha kubo; wabulala zona iziqwabalanda zabo, wawahemula amajaha ako-Israyeli.
then the indignation of God rose up against them, and killed the fattest of them, and overthrew the choice men of Israel.
32 Phezu kwakho konke lokhu baqhubeka besona; phezu kwezimanga zakhe, kabazange bakholwe.
In the midst of all this they sinned yet more, and believed not his miracles.
33 Ngakho wenza insuku zabo zaphelela ezeni njalo leminyaka yabo yagcwala ukwesaba.
And their days were consumed in vanity, and their years with anxiety.
34 Kwakusithi uNkulunkulu angababulala, bamdinge; baphendukele kuye njalo ngokutshiseka.
When he killed them, they sought him: and they returned and called betimes upon God.
35 Bakhumbula ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayelidwala labo, ukuthi uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke wayenguMhlengi wabo.
And they remembered that God was their helper, and the most high God was their redeemer.
36 Kodwa-ke kwakuyikumyenga ngemilomo yabo, beqamba amanga kuye ngendimi zabo;
Yet they loved him [only] with their mouth, and lied to him with their tongue.
37 inhliziyo zabo zazingabambelelanga kuye, babengathembekanga esivumelwaneni sakhe.
For their heart [was] not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant.
38 Kodwa wayelesihawu; wazithethelela izono zabo kaze ababhubhisa. Isikhathi ngesikhathi waluthoba ulaka lwakhe akaze akuqubula konke ukuthukuthela kwakhe.
But he is compassionate, and will forgive their sins, and will not destroy [them]: yes, he will frequently turn away his wrath, and will not kindle all his anger.
39 Wakhumbula ukuthi babeyinyama nje intshongolo eyedlulayo nje ingabe isabuya.
And he remembered that they are flesh; a wind that passes away, and returns not.
40 Kodwa ukuthi bamhlamukela kanengi njani enkangala, bamdabukisa egwaduleni!
How often did they provoke him in the wilderness, [and] anger him in a dry land!
41 Baphindaphinda ukulinga uNkulunkulu; bamthukuthelisa oNgcwele ka-Israyeli.
Yes, they turned back, and tempted God, and provoked the Holy One of Israel.
42 Kabawakhumbulanga amandla akhe usuku abakhulula ngalo kumncindezeli,
They remembered not his hand, the day in which he delivered them from the hand of the oppressor.
43 usuku lapho aveza khona izibonakaliso zakhe ezimangalisayo eGibhithe, izimanga zakhe esigodini saseZowani.
How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Tanes:
44 Waguqula imifula yabo yaba ligazi; behluleka ukunatha ezifuleni zabo.
and had changed their rivers into blood; and their streams, that they should not drink.
45 Wathumela imihlambi yezibawu zabantinya, lamaxoxo ababhuqayo.
He sent against them the dog-fly, and it devoured them; and the frog, and it spoiled them.
46 Amabele abo wawathela izintethe, izithelo zabo isikhongwane.
And he gave their fruit to the canker worm, and their labours to the locust.
47 Wathintitha amavini abo ngesiqhotho lemikhiwa yabo yesikhamore wayitshazisa ngongqwaqwane.
He killed their vines with hail, and their sycamores with frost.
48 Inkomo zabo wazithela ngesiqhotho, izifuyo zabo zadliwa yizikhatha zombane.
And he gave up their cattle to hail, and their substance to the fire.
49 Wabathululela ulaka lwakhe oluvuthayo, intukuthelo yakhe, ukucunuka lenzondo ixuku lezingilosi ezibhubhisayo.
He sent out against them the fury of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and affliction, a message by evil angels.
50 Wayilungisa indlela yolaka lwakhe; kabaphephisanga ekufeni kodwa wabanikela emikhuhlaneni.
He made a way for his wrath; he spared not their souls from death, but consigned their cattle to death;
51 Wawabulala wonke amazibulo aseGibhithe, izithelo zabo zokuqala zokuba ngamadoda emathenteni kaHamu.
and struck every firstborn in the land of Egypt; the first fruits of their labours in the tents of Cham.
52 Kodwa wabakhupha abantu bakhe njengomhlambi wezimvu; wabahola njengezimvu bedabula inkangala.
And he removed his people like sheep; he led them as a flock in the wilderness.
53 Wabakhokhela ngonanzelelo, ngakho babengesabi; kodwa ulwandle lwazigubuzela izitha zabo.
And he guided them with hope, and they feared not: but the sea covered their enemies.
54 Kanjalo wabaletha emngceleni welizwe lakhe elingcwele, elizweni lamaqaqa ayelithethe ngesandla sakhe sokunene.
And he brought them in to the mountain of his sanctuary, this mountain which his right hand had purchased.
55 Wazixotsha izizwe phambi kwabo wabahlukanisela ilizwe lazo laba yilifa; wahlalisa izizwana zako-Israyeli emizini yazo.
And he cast out the nations from before them, and made them to inherit by a line of inheritance, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
56 Kodwa bamlinga uNkulunkulu, bamhlamukela oPhezukonke; kabayigcinanga imilayo yakhe.
Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies.
57 Njengabokhokho babo babengathembekanga bengakholwa, ungeke wathemba njengedandili elenziwe kubi.
And they turned back, and broke covenant, even as also their fathers: they became like a crooked bow.
58 Bamvusa ulaka ngezindawo zabo eziphezulu; baqubula ubukhwele bakhe ngezithombe zabo.
And they provoked him with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.
59 Wathi uNkulunkulu ngokukuzwa lokho, wathukuthela kakhulu; wamlahla qobo lokumlahla u-Israyeli.
God heard and lightly regarded [them], and greatly despised Israel.
60 Walidela ithabanikeli lakhe eShilo, ithente ayelakhile phakathi kwabantu.
And he rejected the tabernacle of Selom, his tent where he lived amongst men.
61 Umphongolo wakhe wamandla wawusa ekuthunjweni, inkazimulo yakhe ezandleni zesitha.
And he gave their strength into captivity, and their beauty into the enemy's hand.
62 Abantu bakhe wabanikela ukudliwa yinkemba; wayethukuthele kakhulu ngelifa lakhe.
And he gave his people to the sword; and disdained his inheritance.
63 Umlilo waziqeda izinsizwa zabo, izintombi zabo zaswela izingoma zomtshado;
Fire devoured their young men; and their virgins mourned not.
64 abaphristi babo babulawa ngenkemba, abafelokazi babo behluleka ukulila.
Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows shall not be wept for.
65 INkosi yasivuka njengokade esebuthongweni, njengomuntu ephaphama ekudakweni yiwayini.
So the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, [and] as a mighty man who has been heated with wine.
66 Wazitshaya zahlehla izitha zakhe; waziyangisa okungapheliyo.
And he struck his enemies in the hinder parts: he brought on them a perpetual reproach.
67 Khonapho-ke wawakhalala amathente kaJosefa, akaze asikhetha isizwana sika-Efrayimi;
And he rejected the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim;
68 kodwa wakhetha isizwana sikaJuda, iNtaba iZiyoni ayeyithanda.
but chose the tribe of Juda, the mount Sion which he loved.
69 Wakha indlu yakhe engcwele njengeziqongo, njengomhlaba awumisela ingunaphakade.
And he built his sanctuary as [the place] of unicorns; he founded it for ever on the earth.
70 Wakhetha uDavida inceku yakhe wamthatha ezilugwini zezimvu;
He chose David also his servant, and took him up from the flocks of sheep.
71 wamsusa ekweluseni izimvu wamletha ukuba ngumelusi wabantu bakhe uJakhobe, baka-Israyeli ilifa lakhe.
He took him from following the ewes great with young, to be the shepherd of Jacob his servant, and Israel his inheritance.
72 Njalo uDavida wabelusa ngobuqotho benhliziyo; wabakhokhela ngesandla sobungcitshi.
So he tended them in the innocency of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.
