Amahubo 144
1 Kayibongwe iNkosi, idwala lami, efundisela izandla zami impi, iminwe yami ukulwa;
I praise Yahweh, who is [like an overhanging] rock [under which I] ([get refuge/am protected])! He trains my hands so that I can use them to fight battles; he trains my fingers so that I can [shoot arrows in a war].
2 umusa wami, lenqaba yami, umphotshongo wami ophakemeyo, lomkhululi wami, isihlangu sami, lengiphephela kuyo, ethobisa abantu bami ngaphansi kwami.
He is the one who protects me; he is [like] a fortress [DOU] in which I am safe, he protects me [like] [protect soldiers] [MET], and he gives me refuge. He defeats [other] nations and [then] puts them under my power.
3 Nkosi, umuntu uyini ukuthi umazi? Indodana yomuntu ukuthi uyinanze?
Yahweh, [we] people are [very insignificant/unimportant], so why (are you concerned/do you care about us) [RHQ]? [It is amazing to me that] you pay attention to humans.
4 Umuntu unjengeze, insuku zakhe zinjengesithunzi esidlulayo.
[The time that we live is as short] as [SIM] a puff of wind; our time to live disappears like a shadow does.
5 Nkosi, khothamisa amazulu akho, wehle; thinta izintaba ukuze zithunqe.
Yahweh, (tear open/open up) the sky and come down! Touch the mountains in order that smoke will pour out from them!
6 Phazimisa umbane, ubachithe, uthumele imitshoko yakho, ubahlakaze.
Cause lightning to flash with the result that [your enemies] will run away! Shoot your arrows [at them] and cause them to (run away/scatter).
7 Yelula isandla sakho uphezulu, ungikhulule, ungophule emanzini amanengi, esandleni sabantwana besizwe,
[It is as though my enemies surround me like] a flood; reach your hand down from heaven and rescue me from them [SYN]. They are men from other countries
8 abamlomo wabo ukhuluma amanga, lesandla sabo sokunene singesokunene senkohliso.
who [SYN] [always] tell lies. [Even in a courtroom where they swear to tell the truth] they tell lies.
9 Ngizahlabelela kuwe ingoma entsha, Nkulunkulu; ngizahlabelela indumiso kuwe ngogubhu olulentambo ezilitshumi.
God, I will sing a new song to you, and I will play my ten-stringed harp [while I sing] to you.
10 Wena onika amakhosi usindiso, okhulula uDavida inceku yakho enkembeni embi.
You enable kings to defeat [their enemies]; and you rescued me, your servant David, from [being killed by] my enemies’ swords.
11 Ngophula, ungikhulule esandleni sabantwana besizwe, abamlomo wabo ukhuluma amanga, lesandla sabo sokunene singesokunene senkohliso.
[So I ask you to] save me from [being killed by] the swords [that those] evil [people carry]. Rescue me from the power [MTY] of those foreigners who [SYN] [always] tell lies, and [who raise] their right hands [in courtrooms when they solemnly declare that they will tell the truth].
12 Ukuthi amadodana ethu abe njengezilimo ezikhula ebutsheni bazo, amadodakazi ethu njengamatshe engonsi abazwe njengomfanekiso wesigodlo!
I wish/hope that our young sons will grow up to be like strong plants [SIM], and I wish/hope that our daughters will [grow up to] be [straight and tall] like the pillars [SIM] that stand in the corners of palaces.
13 Ukuthi iziphala zethu zigcwale ziveze uhlobo ngohlobo; izimvu zethu zizale izinkulungwane, yebo, izinkulungwane ezilitshumi emadlelweni ethu!
I wish/hope that our barns will be full of many different crops. I wish/hope that the sheep in our fields will give birth to tens of thousands of baby lambs.
14 Ukuthi inkabi zethu zingathwaliswa, kungabi lokufohlela phakathi, njalo kungabi lokuphuma, kumbe kungabi lesililo ezitaladeni zethu!
I wish/hope that our cows will give birth to many calves without having any miscarriages or deaths when they are born (OR, that no enemies will break through our city walls and take us (into exile/to their own countries)). I wish/hope that [there will not be a time when the people in] our streets cry out in distress [because foreign armies are invading].
15 Bayathaba abantu okunjalo kubo; bayathaba abantu abaNkulunkulu wabo yiNkosi.
If good things like that happen to a nation, the people will be very happy. The people whose God is Yahweh are the ones who will be happy!
