Amahubo 18
1 Ngizakuthanda, Nkosi, mandla ami.
I will love thee, O YHWH, my strength.
2 INkosi ilidwala lami, lenqaba yami, lomkhululi wami; uNkulunkulu wami, idwala lami, engizaphephela kulo, isihlangu sami, lophondo losindiso lwami, inqaba yami ephakemeyo.
YHWH is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my El, 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 upon YHWH, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
4 Izibopho zokufa zangizingelezela, lezikhukhula zobubi zangethusa.
The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of destruction 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 upon YHWH, and cried unto my Elohim: 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 upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon 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.
YHWH 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.
Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, 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 thy rebuke, O YHWH, at the blast of the breath of thy 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 YHWH 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.
YHWH rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
21 Ngoba ngizilondolozile indlela zeNkosi, kangisukanga kuNkulunkulu wami ngenkohlakalo.
For I have kept the ways of YHWH, and have not wickedly departed from my Elohim.
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 mine iniquity.
24 Ngakho iNkosi ingibuyisele njengokulunga kwami, njengokuhlanzeka kwezandla zami phambi kwamehlo ayo.
Therefore hath YHWH 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 thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;
26 kohlanzekileyo uzaziveza uhlanzekile; lakophambukileyo uzaziveza uphambukile.
With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.
27 Ngoba wena uzabasindisa abantu abahlutshwayo; kodwa amehlo aphakemeyo uzawehlisela phansi.
For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.
28 Ngoba wena uzalumathisa isibane sami; iNkosi, uNkulunkulu wami, izakhanyisa ubumnyama bami.
For thou wilt light my candle: YHWH my Elohim will enlighten my darkness.
29 Ngoba ngawe ngigijimile ngadabula phakathi kwebutho, langoNkulunkulu wami ngeqe umthangala.
For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my Elohim have I leaped over a wall.
30 UNkulunkulu, indlela yakhe iphelele; ilizwi leNkosi lihloliwe; uyisihlangu kubo bonke abaphephela kuye.
As for El, his way is perfect: the word of YHWH 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 Eloah save YHWH? or who is a rock save our Elohim?
32 NguNkulunkulu ongibhincisa amandla, owenza indlela yami iphelele.
It is El that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
33 Owenza inyawo zami zibe njengezezimpala, wangimisa ezingqongeni zami.
He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.
34 Ofundisela izandla zami impi, ukuze idandili lethusi ligotshiswe zingalo zami.
He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
35 Unginikile lesihlangu sosindiso lwakho, lesandla sakho sokunene singisekele, lobumnene bakho bungikhulisile.
Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.
36 Wenze zaba banzi izinyathelo zami ngaphansi kwami, ukuze inyawo zami zingatsheleli.
Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.
37 Ngixotshene lezitha zami, ngazifica, kangibuyanga ngaze ngaziqeda.
I have pursued mine 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 thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.
40 Unginike intamo yezitha zami, labo abangizondayo ngababhubhisa.
Thou hast also given me the necks of mine 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 unto YHWH, 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.
Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast 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 unto 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.
YHWH liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the Elohim of my salvation be exalted.
47 UNkulunkulu onginika impindiselo, lowehlisela izizwe ngaphansi kwami;
It is El that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.
48 ongikhulula ezitheni zami; yebo, phezu kwabangivukelayo wangiphakamisa, emuntwini wodlakela wangikhulula.
He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.
49 Ngenxa yalokhu ngizakudumisa, Nkosi, phakathi kwezizwe, ngihlabelele ibizo lakho indumiso.
Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O YHWH, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.
50 Iyanika inkosi yayo usindiso olukhulu, isenzela ogcotshiweyo wayo umusa, kuDavida, lenzalweni yakhe kuze kube nininini.
Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.
