Amahubo 18
1 Ngizakuthanda, Nkosi, mandla ami.
I will love you, O LORD, my strength.
2 INkosi ilidwala lami, lenqaba yami, lomkhululi wami; uNkulunkulu wami, idwala lami, engizaphephela kulo, isihlangu sami, lophondo losindiso lwami, inqaba yami ephakemeyo.
The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
3 Ngizabiza iNkosi edumisekayo, ngakho ngizasindiswa ezitheni zami.
I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from my enemies.
4 Izibopho zokufa zangizingelezela, lezikhukhula zobubi zangethusa.
The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.
The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. (Sheol h7585)
6 Ekuhluphekeni kwami ngayibiza iNkosi, ngakhala kuNkulunkulu wami; walizwa ilizwi lami esethempelini lakhe, lokukhala kwami kweza phambi kwakhe, endlebeni zakhe.
In my distress I called on the LORD, and cried to my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.
7 Khona umhlaba wazamazama, wanyikinyeka, lezisekelo zezintaba zaqhaqhazela, zazamazama, ngoba wayethukuthele.
Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.
8 Kwenyuka intuthu emakhaleni akhe, lomlilo ophuma emlonyeni wakhe waqothula; amalahle avuthiswa yiwo.
There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
9 Wasekhothamisa amazulu, wehlela phansi, lomnyama onzima wawungaphansi kwenyawo zakhe.
He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.
10 Wasegada ikherubhi, waphapha, wandiza phezu kwempiko zomoya.
And he rode on a cherub, and did fly: yes, he did fly on the wings of the wind.
11 Wamisa umnyama waba yindawo yakhe yensitha, idumba lakhe inhlangothi zonke zakhe, amanzi amnyama, amayezi amnyama omkhathi.
He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
12 Ekukhazimuleni okuphambi kwakhe amayezi akhe amnyama edlula, isiqhotho lamalahle omlilo.
At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.
13 INkosi yasiduma emazulwini, oPhezukonke wazwakalisa ilizwi lakhe, isiqhotho lamalahle omlilo.
The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.
14 Yasithuma imitshoko yayo, yabachitha; lemibane eminengi, yabaphaphathekisa.
Yes, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightning, and discomfited them.
15 Khona kwabonakala imisele yamanzi, kwembulwa izisekelo zomhlaba ekusoleni kwakho, Nkosi, ekuvutheleni komoya wamakhala akho.
Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at your rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
16 Yathuma iphezulu, yangibamba, yangenyula emanzini amanengi.
He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.
17 Yangophula esitheni sami esilamandla, lakibo abangizondayo, ngoba babelamandla kulami.
He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.
18 Babephambi kwami osukwini lwenhlupheko yami, kodwa iNkosi yaba yisisekelo sami.
They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.
19 Yangikhuphela endaweni ebanzi, yangikhulula ngoba yayithokoza ngami.
He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
20 INkosi yangivuza njengokulunga kwami; yangibuyisela njengokuhlanzeka kwezandla zami.
The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands has he recompensed me.
21 Ngoba ngizilondolozile indlela zeNkosi, kangisukanga kuNkulunkulu wami ngenkohlakalo.
For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 Ngoba zonke izahlulelo zayo zaziphambi kwami, lezimiso zayo kangiziphambulanga kimi.
For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.
23 Njalo ngangiqondile kuyo, ngizinqandile ebubini bami.
I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from my iniquity.
24 Ngakho iNkosi ingibuyisele njengokulunga kwami, njengokuhlanzeka kwezandla zami phambi kwamehlo ayo.
Therefore has the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.
25 Kolesihawu uzaziveza ulesihawu; koqotho uzaziveza uqotho;
With the merciful you will show yourself merciful; with an upright man you will show yourself upright;
26 kohlanzekileyo uzaziveza uhlanzekile; lakophambukileyo uzaziveza uphambukile.
With the pure you will show yourself pure; and with the fraudulent you will show yourself devious.
27 Ngoba wena uzabasindisa abantu abahlutshwayo; kodwa amehlo aphakemeyo uzawehlisela phansi.
For you will save the afflicted people; but will bring down high looks.
28 Ngoba wena uzalumathisa isibane sami; iNkosi, uNkulunkulu wami, izakhanyisa ubumnyama bami.
For you will light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.
29 Ngoba ngawe ngigijimile ngadabula phakathi kwebutho, langoNkulunkulu wami ngeqe umthangala.
For by you I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.
30 UNkulunkulu, indlela yakhe iphelele; ilizwi leNkosi lihloliwe; uyisihlangu kubo bonke abaphephela kuye.
As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.
31 Ngoba ngubani onguNkulunkulu ngaphandle kweNkosi? Njalo ngubani olidwala ngaphandle kukaNkulunkulu wethu?
For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?
32 NguNkulunkulu ongibhincisa amandla, owenza indlela yami iphelele.
It is God that girds me with strength, and makes my way perfect.
33 Owenza inyawo zami zibe njengezezimpala, wangimisa ezingqongeni zami.
He makes my feet like hinds’ feet, and sets me on my high places.
34 Ofundisela izandla zami impi, ukuze idandili lethusi ligotshiswe zingalo zami.
He teaches my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by my arms.
35 Unginikile lesihlangu sosindiso lwakho, lesandla sakho sokunene singisekele, lobumnene bakho bungikhulisile.
You have also given me the shield of your salvation: and your right hand has held me up, and your gentleness has made me great.
36 Wenze zaba banzi izinyathelo zami ngaphansi kwami, ukuze inyawo zami zingatsheleli.
You have enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.
37 Ngixotshene lezitha zami, ngazifica, kangibuyanga ngaze ngaziqeda.
I have pursued my enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.
38 Ngazigwaza, zaze zehluleka ukuvuka, zawa ngaphansi kwenyawo zami.
I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.
39 Ngoba ungibhincise amandla kusenzelwa impi, wabakhothamisela phansi kwami abangivukelayo.
For you have girded me with strength to the battle: you have subdued under me those that rose up against me.
40 Unginike intamo yezitha zami, labo abangizondayo ngababhubhisa.
You have also given me the necks of my enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.
41 Bakhala, kodwa engekho umsindisi; eNkosini, kodwa kayibaphendulanga.
They cried, but there was none to save them: even to the LORD, but he answered them not.
42 Ngasengibacholisisa njengothuli phambi komoya, ngabachitha njengodaka lwezitalada.
Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.
43 Wangikhulula ekuphikiseni kwabantu, wangimisa ngaba yinhloko yezizwe; abantu engangingabazi bangisebenzela.
You have delivered me from the strivings of the people; and you have made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me.
44 Bangenela ukuzwa ngendlebe bazangilalela, abezizweni bazazithoba kimi ngokuzenzisa.
As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves to me.
45 Abezizweni bazabuna, baphume ezinqabeni zabo bethuthumela.
The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.
46 INkosi iyaphila; njalo kalidunyiswe idwala lami, kaphakanyiswe uNkulunkulu wosindiso lwami.
The LORD lives; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
47 UNkulunkulu onginika impindiselo, lowehlisela izizwe ngaphansi kwami;
It is God that avenges me, and subdues the people under me.
48 ongikhulula ezitheni zami; yebo, phezu kwabangivukelayo wangiphakamisa, emuntwini wodlakela wangikhulula.
He delivers me from my enemies: yes, you lift me up above those that rise up against me: you have delivered me from the violent man.
49 Ngenxa yalokhu ngizakudumisa, Nkosi, phakathi kwezizwe, ngihlabelele ibizo lakho indumiso.
Therefore will I give thanks to you, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises to your name.
50 Iyanika inkosi yayo usindiso olukhulu, isenzela ogcotshiweyo wayo umusa, kuDavida, lenzalweni yakhe kuze kube nininini.
Great deliverance gives he to his king; and shows mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for ever more.
