Amahubo 78
1 Ihubo ka-Asafu Zwanini imfundiso yami, bantu bami; lilalele amazwi omlomo wami.
Understanding for Asaph. Attend, O my people, 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 utter propositions from the beginning.
3 esakuzwayo lesikwaziyo esakutshelwa ngokhokho bethu.
How great things have we heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
4 Kasizukuzifihlela abantwana babo; sizasitshela isizukulwane esizayo ngemisebenzi emangalisayo kaThixo, amandla akhe, lemimangaliso aseyenzile.
They have not been hidden from their children, in another generation. Declaring the praises of the Lord, and his powers, and his wonders which he hath done.
5 Wamisela uJakhobe imithetho wabeka umlayo ko-Israyeli, walaya okhokho bethu ukuthi bawufundise abantwababo,
And he set up a testimony in Jacob: and made a law in Israel. How great things he commanded our fathers, that they should make the same known to their children:
6 ukuze aziwe yisizukulwane esilandelayo, kanye labantwana abazazalwa, kuthi labo batshele abantwababo.
That another generation might know them. The children that should be born and should rise up, and declare them to their children.
7 Yikho-ke bazabeka ithemba labo kuNkulunkulu njalo abasoze bakhohlwa izenzo zakhe kodwa bagcine imilayo yakhe.
That they may put their hope in God and may not forget the works of God: and may seek his commandments.
8 Kabayikuba njengabokhokho babo ababeyisizukulwana esilobuqholo lesihlamukayo, onhliziyo zabo zazingazinikelanga kuNkulunkulu omoya yabo yayingathembekanga kuye.
That they may not become like their fathers, a perverse and exasperating generation. A generation that set not their heart aright: and whose spirit was not faithful to God.
9 Amadoda ako-Efrayimi, loba ayehlomile ngemitshoko, afulathela mhla welanga lempi;
The sons of Ephraim who bend and shoot with the bow: they have turned back in the day of battle.
10 kabasigcinanga isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu, bala ukuphila ngomthetho wakhe.
They kept not the covenant of God: and in his law they would not walk.
11 Bakhohlwa lokho ayekwenzile, izimanga ayebatshengise zona.
And they forgot his benefits, and his wonders that he had shewn them.
12 Wenza imimangaliso oyise bekhangele elizweni laseGibhithe, esigodini saseZowani.
Wonderful things did he do 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 divided the sea and brought them through: and he made the waters to stand as in a vessel.
14 Wabahola ngeyezi emini njalo ngokukhanya komlilo ubusuku bonke.
And he conducted them with a cloud by day: and all the night with a light of fire.
15 Wawaqhekeza amadwala enkangala wabapha amanzi amanengi njengolwandle;
He struck the rock in the wilderness: and gave them to drink, as out of the great deep.
16 wantshazisa impophoma emadwaleni amawa wenza amanzi ageleza njengemifula.
He brought forth water out of the rock: and made streams run down as rivers.
17 Kodwa baqhubeka besona phambi kwakhe, bamhlamukela enkangala yena oPhezukonke.
And they added yet more sin against him: they provoked the most High to wrath in the place without water.
18 Bamlinga uNkulunkulu ngabomo ngokucela ukudla ababekutshisekela.
And they tempted God in their hearts, by asking meat for their desires.
19 Bamchothoza uNkulunkulu besithi, “Kambe uNkulunkulu angendlala itafula lokudlela enkangala na?
And they spoke ill of God: they said: Can God furnish 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?”
Because he struck the rock, and the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed. Can he also give 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 was angry: and a fire was kindled against Jacob, and wrath came 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;
And he had commanded the clouds from above, and had opened the doors of heaven.
24 wanisa imana ukuthi badle abantu, wabapha amabele asezulwini.
And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given 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 removed the south wind from heaven: and by his power brought in the southwest wind.
27 Wanisela inyama kubo njengothuli, izinyoni eziphaphayo zaba njengetshebetshebe ogwini lolwandle.
And he rained upon them flesh as dust: and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea.
28 Wazenza zehlela phakathi kwezihonqo zabo, indawana yonke emathenteni abo.
And they fell in the midst of their camp, round about their pavilions.
29 Bazitika baze bakhangela, ngoba wayebaphe ababekade bekukhalela.
So they did eat, and were filled exceedingly, and he gave them their desire:
30 Kodwa bengakakutshiyi lokho kudla ababekukhalela belokhu besakunambitha emilonyeni yabo,
They were not defrauded of that which they craved. As yet their meat was in their mouth:
31 ulaka lukaNkulunkulu lwavutha kubo; wabulala zona iziqwabalanda zabo, wawahemula amajaha ako-Israyeli.
And the wrath of God came upon them. And he slew the fat ones amongst them, and brought down the chosen men of Israel.
32 Phezu kwakho konke lokhu baqhubeka besona; phezu kwezimanga zakhe, kabazange bakholwe.
In all these things they sinned still: and they believed not for his wondrous works.
33 Ngakho wenza insuku zabo zaphelela ezeni njalo leminyaka yabo yagcwala ukwesaba.
And their days were consumed in vanity, and their years in haste.
34 Kwakusithi uNkulunkulu angababulala, bamdinge; baphendukele kuye njalo ngokutshiseka.
When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned, and came to him early in the morning.
35 Bakhumbula ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayelidwala labo, ukuthi uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke wayenguMhlengi wabo.
And they remembered that God was their helper: and the most high God their redeemer.
36 Kodwa-ke kwakuyikumyenga ngemilomo yabo, beqamba amanga kuye ngendimi zabo;
And they loved him with their mouth: and with their tongue they lied unto him:
37 inhliziyo zabo zazingabambelelanga kuye, babengathembekanga esivumelwaneni sakhe.
But their heart was not right with him: nor were they counted faithful in his covenant.
38 Kodwa wayelesihawu; wazithethelela izono zabo kaze ababhubhisa. Isikhathi ngesikhathi waluthoba ulaka lwakhe akaze akuqubula konke ukuthukuthela kwakhe.
But he is merciful, and will forgive their sins: and will not destroy them. And many a time did he turn away his anger: and did not kindle all his wrath.
39 Wakhumbula ukuthi babeyinyama nje intshongolo eyedlulayo nje ingabe isabuya.
And he remembered that they are flesh: a wind that goeth and returneth not.
40 Kodwa ukuthi bamhlamukela kanengi njani enkangala, bamdabukisa egwaduleni!
How often did they provoke him in the desert: and move him to wrath in the place without water?
41 Baphindaphinda ukulinga uNkulunkulu; bamthukuthelisa oNgcwele ka-Israyeli.
And they turned back and tempted God: and grieved the holy one of Israel.
42 Kabawakhumbulanga amandla akhe usuku abakhulula ngalo kumncindezeli,
They remembered not his hand, in the day that he redeemed them from the hand of him that afflicted them:
43 usuku lapho aveza khona izibonakaliso zakhe ezimangalisayo eGibhithe, izimanga zakhe esigodini saseZowani.
How he wrought 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, and their showers that they might, not drink.
45 Wathumela imihlambi yezibawu zabantinya, lamaxoxo ababhuqayo.
He sent amongst them divers sores of flies, which devoured them: and frogs which destroyed them.
46 Amabele abo wawathela izintethe, izithelo zabo isikhongwane.
And he gave up their fruits to the blast, and their labours to the locust.
47 Wathintitha amavini abo ngesiqhotho lemikhiwa yabo yesikhamore wayitshazisa ngongqwaqwane.
And he destroyed their vineyards with hail, and their mulberry trees with hoarfrost.
48 Inkomo zabo wazithela ngesiqhotho, izifuyo zabo zadliwa yizikhatha zombane.
And he gave up their cattle to the hail, and their stock to the fire.
49 Wabathululela ulaka lwakhe oluvuthayo, intukuthelo yakhe, ukucunuka lenzondo ixuku lezingilosi ezibhubhisayo.
And he sent upon them the wrath of his indignation: indignation and wrath and trouble, which he sent by evil angels.
50 Wayilungisa indlela yolaka lwakhe; kabaphephisanga ekufeni kodwa wabanikela emikhuhlaneni.
He made a way for a path to his anger: he spared not their souls from death, and their cattle he shut up in death.
51 Wawabulala wonke amazibulo aseGibhithe, izithelo zabo zokuqala zokuba ngamadoda emathenteni kaHamu.
And he killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt: the firstfruits of all their labour in the tabernacles of Cham.
52 Kodwa wabakhupha abantu bakhe njengomhlambi wezimvu; wabahola njengezimvu bedabula inkangala.
And he took away his own people as sheep: and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
53 Wabakhokhela ngonanzelelo, ngakho babengesabi; kodwa ulwandle lwazigubuzela izitha zabo.
And he brought them out in hope, and they feared not: band the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
54 Kanjalo wabaletha emngceleni welizwe lakhe elingcwele, elizweni lamaqaqa ayelithethe ngesandla sakhe sokunene.
And he brought them into the mountain of his sanctuary: the mountain which his right hand had purchased. And he cast out the Gentiles before them: and by lot divided to them their land by a line of distribution.
55 Wazixotsha izizwe phambi kwabo wabahlukanisela ilizwe lazo laba yilifa; wahlalisa izizwana zako-Israyeli emizini yazo.
And he made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tabernacles.
56 Kodwa bamlinga uNkulunkulu, bamhlamukela oPhezukonke; kabayigcinanga imilayo yakhe.
Yet they tempted, and provoked the most high God: and they kept not his testimonies.
57 Njengabokhokho babo babengathembekanga bengakholwa, ungeke wathemba njengedandili elenziwe kubi.
And they turned away, and kept not the covenant: even like their fathers they were turned aside as a crooked bow.
58 Bamvusa ulaka ngezindawo zabo eziphezulu; baqubula ubukhwele bakhe ngezithombe zabo.
They provoked him to anger on their hills: and moved him to jealousy with their graven things.
59 Wathi uNkulunkulu ngokukuzwa lokho, wathukuthela kakhulu; wamlahla qobo lokumlahla u-Israyeli.
God heard, and despised them, and he reduced Israel exceedingly as it were to nothing.
60 Walidela ithabanikeli lakhe eShilo, ithente ayelakhile phakathi kwabantu.
And he put away the tabernacle of Silo, his tabernacle where he dwelt among men.
61 Umphongolo wakhe wamandla wawusa ekuthunjweni, inkazimulo yakhe ezandleni zesitha.
And he delivered their strength into captivity: and their beauty into the hands of the enemy.
62 Abantu bakhe wabanikela ukudliwa yinkemba; wayethukuthele kakhulu ngelifa lakhe.
And he shut up his people under the sword: and he despised his inheritance.
63 Umlilo waziqeda izinsizwa zabo, izintombi zabo zaswela izingoma zomtshado;
Fire consumed their young men: and their maidens were not lamented.
64 abaphristi babo babulawa ngenkemba, abafelokazi babo behluleka ukulila.
Their priests fell by the sword: and their widows did not mourn.
65 INkosi yasivuka njengokade esebuthongweni, njengomuntu ephaphama ekudakweni yiwayini.
And the Lord was awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that hath been surfeited with wine.
66 Wazitshaya zahlehla izitha zakhe; waziyangisa okungapheliyo.
And he smote his enemies on the hinder parts: he put them to an everlasting 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 he chose the tribe of Juda, mount Sion which he loved.
69 Wakha indlu yakhe engcwele njengeziqongo, njengomhlaba awumisela ingunaphakade.
And he built his sanctuary as of unicorns, in the land which he founded for ever.
70 Wakhetha uDavida inceku yakhe wamthatha ezilugwini zezimvu;
And he chose his servant David, and took him from the hocks of sheep: he brought him from following the ewes great with young,
71 wamsusa ekweluseni izimvu wamletha ukuba ngumelusi wabantu bakhe uJakhobe, baka-Israyeli ilifa lakhe.
To feed Jacob his servant, and Israel his inheritance.
72 Njalo uDavida wabelusa ngobuqotho benhliziyo; wabakhokhela ngesandla sobungcitshi.
And he fed them in the innocence of his heart: and conducted them by the skillfulness of his hands.
