Amahubo 78
1 Ihubo ka-Asafu Zwanini imfundiso yami, bantu bami; lilalele amazwi omlomo wami.
The understanding of Asaph. O my people, attend to my law. Incline your ears 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 speak about concepts that are from the beginning.
3 esakuzwayo lesikwaziyo esakutshelwa ngokhokho bethu.
We have heard and known such great things, as our fathers have described to us.
4 Kasizukuzifihlela abantwana babo; sizasitshela isizukulwane esizayo ngemisebenzi emangalisayo kaThixo, amandla akhe, lemimangaliso aseyenzile.
These things have not been hidden from their sons in any generation: declaring the praises of the Lord, and his virtues, and the wonders that he has done.
5 Wamisela uJakhobe imithetho wabeka umlayo ko-Israyeli, walaya okhokho bethu ukuthi bawufundise abantwababo,
And he has received testimony with Jacob, and he has set a law within Israel. Such great things, he has commanded our fathers, so as to make these things known to their sons,
6 ukuze aziwe yisizukulwane esilandelayo, kanye labantwana abazazalwa, kuthi labo batshele abantwababo.
so that another generation might know them, and so that the sons, who will be born and who will grow up, shall describe them to their sons.
7 Yikho-ke bazabeka ithemba labo kuNkulunkulu njalo abasoze bakhohlwa izenzo zakhe kodwa bagcine imilayo yakhe.
So then, may they put their hope in God, and may they not forget the works of God, and may they seek his commandments.
8 Kabayikuba njengabokhokho babo ababeyisizukulwana esilobuqholo lesihlamukayo, onhliziyo zabo zazingazinikelanga kuNkulunkulu omoya yabo yayingathembekanga kuye.
May they not become like their fathers, a perverse and exasperating generation: a generation that does not straighten their heart and whose spirit is not trustworthy with God.
9 Amadoda ako-Efrayimi, loba ayehlomile ngemitshoko, afulathela mhla welanga lempi;
The sons of Ephraim, who bend and shoot the bow, have been turned back in the day of battle.
10 kabasigcinanga isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu, bala ukuphila ngomthetho wakhe.
They have not kept the covenant of God. And they were not willing to walk in his law.
11 Bakhohlwa lokho ayekwenzile, izimanga ayebatshengise zona.
And they have been forgetful of his benefits, and of his miracle, which he revealed to them.
12 Wenza imimangaliso oyise bekhangele elizweni laseGibhithe, esigodini saseZowani.
He performed miracles in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Tanis.
13 Walwahlukanisa ulwandle wabahola bachapha; wenza amanzi ema aqina saka njengomduli.
He broke the sea and he led them through. And he stationed the waters, as if in a vessel.
14 Wabahola ngeyezi emini njalo ngokukhanya komlilo ubusuku bonke.
And he led them with a cloud by day, and with illumination by fire throughout the night.
15 Wawaqhekeza amadwala enkangala wabapha amanzi amanengi njengolwandle;
He broke through the rock in the wasteland, and he gave them to drink, as if from the great abyss.
16 wantshazisa impophoma emadwaleni amawa wenza amanzi ageleza njengemifula.
He brought forth water from the rock, and he conducted the waters, as if they were rivers.
17 Kodwa baqhubeka besona phambi kwakhe, bamhlamukela enkangala yena oPhezukonke.
And yet, they continued to sin against him. In a waterless place, they provoked the Most High with resentment.
18 Bamlinga uNkulunkulu ngabomo ngokucela ukudla ababekutshisekela.
And they tempted God in their hearts, by asking for food according to their desires.
19 Bamchothoza uNkulunkulu besithi, “Kambe uNkulunkulu angendlala itafula lokudlela enkangala na?
And they spoke badly about God. They said, “Would God be able to prepare a table in the desert?
20 Wathi lapho etshaya idwala, amanzi antshantshaza, kwageleza amanzi amanengi. Kodwa angasipha njalo lokudla na? Angabalethela inyama abantu bakhe na?”
He struck the rock, and so waters flowed and the torrents flooded, but would even he be able to provide bread, or provide 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 he was dismayed, and a fire was kindled within Jacob, and an anger ascended into Israel.
22 ngoba kabamkholwanga uNkulunkulu njalo kabawathembanga amandla okuhlenga kwakhe.
For they neither put their trust in God, nor did they hope in his salvation.
23 Loba kunjalo walaya umkhathi ngaphezulu wavula iminyango yamazulu;
And he commanded the clouds from above, and he opened the doors of heaven.
24 wanisa imana ukuthi badle abantu, wabapha amabele asezulwini.
And he rained down manna upon them to eat, and he gave them the bread of heaven.
25 Abantu badla isinkwa sezingilosi; wabathumela konke ukudla ababengakudla.
Man ate the bread of Angels. He sent them provisions in abundance.
26 Wawukhulula umoya wempumalanga uvela emazulwini, wawukhulula umoya weningizimu ngamandla akhe.
He transferred the south wind from heaven, and, in his virtue, he brought in the Southwest wind.
27 Wanisela inyama kubo njengothuli, izinyoni eziphaphayo zaba njengetshebetshebe ogwini lolwandle.
And he rained down flesh upon them, as if it were dust, and feathered birds, as if they were the sand of the sea.
28 Wazenza zehlela phakathi kwezihonqo zabo, indawana yonke emathenteni abo.
And they fell down in the midst of their camp, encircling their tabernacles.
29 Bazitika baze bakhangela, ngoba wayebaphe ababekade bekukhalela.
And they ate until they were greatly satisfied, and he brought to them according to their desires.
30 Kodwa bengakakutshiyi lokho kudla ababekukhalela belokhu besakunambitha emilonyeni yabo,
They were not cheated out of what they wanted. Their food was still in their mouth,
31 ulaka lukaNkulunkulu lwavutha kubo; wabulala zona iziqwabalanda zabo, wawahemula amajaha ako-Israyeli.
and then the wrath of God came upon them. And he slew the fat ones among them, and he impeded the elect of Israel.
32 Phezu kwakho konke lokhu baqhubeka besona; phezu kwezimanga zakhe, kabazange bakholwe.
In all these things, they continued to sin, and they were not trustworthy with his miracles.
33 Ngakho wenza insuku zabo zaphelela ezeni njalo leminyaka yabo yagcwala ukwesaba.
And their days faded away into vanity, and their years with haste.
34 Kwakusithi uNkulunkulu angababulala, bamdinge; baphendukele kuye njalo ngokutshiseka.
When he slew them, then they sought him. And they returned, and they drew near to him in the early morning.
35 Bakhumbula ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayelidwala labo, ukuthi uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke wayenguMhlengi wabo.
And they were mindful that God is their helper and that the Most High God is their redeemer.
36 Kodwa-ke kwakuyikumyenga ngemilomo yabo, beqamba amanga kuye ngendimi zabo;
And they chose him with their mouth, and then they lied to him with their tongue.
37 inhliziyo zabo zazingabambelelanga kuye, babengathembekanga esivumelwaneni sakhe.
For their heart was not upright with him, nor have they been living faithfully in his covenant.
38 Kodwa wayelesihawu; wazithethelela izono zabo kaze ababhubhisa. Isikhathi ngesikhathi waluthoba ulaka lwakhe akaze akuqubula konke ukuthukuthela kwakhe.
Yet he is merciful, and he will pardon their sins. And he will not destroy them. And he has abundantly turned aside his own wrath. And he did not enflame his wrath entirely.
39 Wakhumbula ukuthi babeyinyama nje intshongolo eyedlulayo nje ingabe isabuya.
And he remembered that they are flesh: with a spirit that goes forth and does not return.
40 Kodwa ukuthi bamhlamukela kanengi njani enkangala, bamdabukisa egwaduleni!
How often did they provoke him in the desert and stir him to wrath in a waterless place?
41 Baphindaphinda ukulinga uNkulunkulu; bamthukuthelisa oNgcwele ka-Israyeli.
And they turned back and tempted God, and they exasperated the Holy One of Israel.
42 Kabawakhumbulanga amandla akhe usuku abakhulula ngalo kumncindezeli,
They did not remember his hand, in the day that he redeemed them from the hand of the one troubling them.
43 usuku lapho aveza khona izibonakaliso zakhe ezimangalisayo eGibhithe, izimanga zakhe esigodini saseZowani.
Thus, he positioned his signs in Egypt and his wonders in the field of Tanis.
44 Waguqula imifula yabo yaba ligazi; behluleka ukunatha ezifuleni zabo.
And he turned their rivers into blood, along with their rain showers, so that they could not drink.
45 Wathumela imihlambi yezibawu zabantinya, lamaxoxo ababhuqayo.
He sent among them the common fly, and it devoured them, and the frog, and it scattered them.
46 Amabele abo wawathela izintethe, izithelo zabo isikhongwane.
And he gave up their fruits to mold and their labors to the locust.
47 Wathintitha amavini abo ngesiqhotho lemikhiwa yabo yesikhamore wayitshazisa ngongqwaqwane.
And he slew their vineyards with hail and their mulberry trees with severe frost.
48 Inkomo zabo wazithela ngesiqhotho, izifuyo zabo zadliwa yizikhatha zombane.
And he delivered their cattle to the hail and their possessions to fire.
49 Wabathululela ulaka lwakhe oluvuthayo, intukuthelo yakhe, ukucunuka lenzondo ixuku lezingilosi ezibhubhisayo.
And he sent the wrath of his indignation among them: indignation and wrath and tribulation, sent forth by evil angels.
50 Wayilungisa indlela yolaka lwakhe; kabaphephisanga ekufeni kodwa wabanikela emikhuhlaneni.
He made way for the path of his anger. He did not spare their souls from death. And he enclosed their beasts of burden in death.
51 Wawabulala wonke amazibulo aseGibhithe, izithelo zabo zokuqala zokuba ngamadoda emathenteni kaHamu.
And he struck all the first-born in the land of Egypt: the first-fruits of all their labor in the tabernacles of Ham.
52 Kodwa wabakhupha abantu bakhe njengomhlambi wezimvu; wabahola njengezimvu bedabula inkangala.
And he took away his own people like sheep, and he led them through the wilderness like a flock.
53 Wabakhokhela ngonanzelelo, ngakho babengesabi; kodwa ulwandle lwazigubuzela izitha zabo.
And he led them out in hope, and they did not fear. And the sea covered their enemies.
54 Kanjalo wabaletha emngceleni welizwe lakhe elingcwele, elizweni lamaqaqa ayelithethe ngesandla sakhe sokunene.
And he led them to the mountain of his sanctification: the mountain that his right hand had acquired. And he cast out the Gentiles before their face. And he divided their land by lot to them, with a line of distribution.
55 Wazixotsha izizwe phambi kwabo wabahlukanisela ilizwe lazo laba yilifa; wahlalisa izizwana zako-Israyeli emizini yazo.
And he caused the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tabernacles.
56 Kodwa bamlinga uNkulunkulu, bamhlamukela oPhezukonke; kabayigcinanga imilayo yakhe.
Yet they tempted and aggravated God Most High, and they did not keep his testaments.
57 Njengabokhokho babo babengathembekanga bengakholwa, ungeke wathemba njengedandili elenziwe kubi.
And they turned themselves aside, and they did not serve the covenant. In the same manner as their fathers, they were turned backwards, like a crooked bow.
58 Bamvusa ulaka ngezindawo zabo eziphezulu; baqubula ubukhwele bakhe ngezithombe zabo.
They impelled him to anger on their hills, and they provoked him to rivalry with their graven images.
59 Wathi uNkulunkulu ngokukuzwa lokho, wathukuthela kakhulu; wamlahla qobo lokumlahla u-Israyeli.
God listened, and he spurned them, and he reduced Israel greatly, almost to nothing.
60 Walidela ithabanikeli lakhe eShilo, ithente ayelakhile phakathi kwabantu.
And he rejected the tabernacle of Shiloh, his tabernacle where he had dwelt among men.
61 Umphongolo wakhe wamandla wawusa ekuthunjweni, inkazimulo yakhe ezandleni zesitha.
And he delivered their virtue into captivity, and their beauty into the hands of the enemy.
62 Abantu bakhe wabanikela ukudliwa yinkemba; wayethukuthele kakhulu ngelifa lakhe.
And he enclosed his people with the sword, and he spurned his inheritance.
63 Umlilo waziqeda izinsizwa zabo, izintombi zabo zaswela izingoma zomtshado;
Fire consumed their young men, and their virgins were not lamented.
64 abaphristi babo babulawa ngenkemba, abafelokazi babo behluleka ukulila.
Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows did not weep.
65 INkosi yasivuka njengokade esebuthongweni, njengomuntu ephaphama ekudakweni yiwayini.
And the Lord was awakened, as if out of sleep, and like a powerful man impaired by wine.
66 Wazitshaya zahlehla izitha zakhe; waziyangisa okungapheliyo.
And he struck his enemies on the back. He gave them over to everlasting disgrace.
67 Khonapho-ke wawakhalala amathente kaJosefa, akaze asikhetha isizwana sika-Efrayimi;
And he rejected the tabernacle of Joseph, and he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim.
68 kodwa wakhetha isizwana sikaJuda, iNtaba iZiyoni ayeyithanda.
But he chose the tribe of Judah: mount Zion, which he loved.
69 Wakha indlu yakhe engcwele njengeziqongo, njengomhlaba awumisela ingunaphakade.
And he built up his sanctuary, like a single-horned beast, in the land that he founded for all ages.
70 Wakhetha uDavida inceku yakhe wamthatha ezilugwini zezimvu;
And he chose his servant David, and he took him from the flocks of the sheep: he received him from following the ewes with their young,
71 wamsusa ekweluseni izimvu wamletha ukuba ngumelusi wabantu bakhe uJakhobe, baka-Israyeli ilifa lakhe.
in order to pasture Jacob his servant and Israel his inheritance.
72 Njalo uDavida wabelusa ngobuqotho benhliziyo; wabakhokhela ngesandla sobungcitshi.
And he fed them with the innocence of his heart. And he led them with the understanding of his hands.
