Amahubo 35
1 Phikisana, Nkosi, labaphikisana lami, ulwe labalwa lami.
A psalm of David. Oppose my opponents, Lord; fight those who are fighting against me.
2 Xhakalaza ihawu lesihlangu esikhulu, usukumele usizo lwami.
Put your armor on, and pick up your shield. Get ready, come and help me.
3 Hwatsha lomkhonto, uvimbe indlela umelane labangizingelayo; tshono emphefumulweni wami ukuthi: Ngilusindiso lwakho.
Draw your spear and your javelin, confront those who are chasing me. Tell me, “I am your salvation!”
4 Kabayangeke babe lehlazo labo abadinga umphefumulo wami. Kabahlehliselwe emuva babe lenhloni labo abaceba ububi ngami.
Shame them! Humiliate those who are trying to kill me! Turn them back! Disgrace those who are planning to hurt me!
5 Kababe njengamakhoba phambi komoya, lengilosi yeNkosi kayibadudule.
Let them be like chaff blown by the wind; let the angel of the Lord drive them away.
6 Indlela yabo kayibe mnyama itshelele, lengilosi yeNkosi ibaxotshe.
May their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord chasing them down.
7 Ngoba kungelasizatho bangifihlele imbule labo emgodini, kungelasizatho bawugebhele umphefumulo wami.
For no reason they set a net to catch me; for no reason they dug a pit to trap me.
8 Ukubhujiswa kakumjume, lembule lakhe alifihlileyo kalimbambe yena, awele kulo, ekubhujisweni.
Let disaster come on them suddenly; let the net they set catch them instead; let the pit they dug trap them instead.
9 Kodwa umphefumulo wami uzathokoza eNkosini, ujabule esindisweni lwayo.
Then I will be glad in the Lord; I will be happy in his salvation.
10 Wonke amathambo ami azakuthi: Nkosi, ngubani onjengawe, okhulula umyanga kulowo olamandla kulaye, yebo, umyanga loswelayo komphangayo?
Every part of me will say, Who can compare to you, Lord? You rescue the weak from the strong; the poor and needy from robbers.
11 Abafakazi bamanga basukuma, bangibuza engingakwaziyo.
Hostile witnesses stand up to testify against me, accusing me of crimes I don't know anything about.
12 Bangibuyisela okubi endaweni yokuhle, umphefumulo wami ulahlekelwa.
They pay me back with evil instead of good. I feel like giving up.
13 Kanti mina, ekuguleni kwabo isembatho sami sasilisaka, ngathobisa umphefumulo wami ngokuzila ukudla, lomkhuleko wami wabuyela esifubeni sami.
But when they were sick, I put on clothes of sackcloth in sympathy. I denied myself through fasting. May my prayer for them return to bless me too.
14 Ngahamba ngokungathi ungumngane ngokungathi ungumfowethu; ngikhotheme kwezimnyama njengolilela unina.
I was upset for them, as if they were my own friends or family; I bowed down in grief as if I was mourning my own mother.
15 Kodwa ekukhubekeni kwami bathokoza, babuthana ndawonye, abalahliweyo babuthana ndawonye bemelene lami, njalo ngangingakwazi; badabula kabemanga.
But when I was in trouble, they gathered around and laughed at me. Even strangers I don't know attacked me, constantly tearing me apart.
16 Kanye lababi abaklolodayo edilini, bangigedlela amazinyo abo.
Like irreligious people mocking a cripple they mock me and call me names, gnashing their teeth at me.
17 Nkosi, uzabukela kuze kube nini? Buyisa umphefumulo wami ekubhubhiseni kwabo, wona wodwa owami emabhongweni ezilwane.
How long, Lord, will you sit by and just watch? Save me from their vicious attacks; defend the only life I have from these lions.
18 Ngizakubonga ebandleni elikhulu, ngikudumise phakathi kwabantu abanengi.
Then I will thank you in front of the whole congregation and praise you in front of all the people.
19 Bangajabuli ngami abayizitha zami ngamanga, kabangangificeli ilihlo labo abangizonda ngeze.
Don't let my enemies take pleasure in my troubles, those people who hate me and tell lies about me, gloating over me for no reason.
20 Ngoba kabakhulumi ukuthula, kodwa baceba amazwi enkohliso bemelene labachumileyo emhlabeni.
They are not looking for peace; they invent malicious and deceptive schemes against innocent peace-loving people.
21 Kanti bangikhamisela kakhulu umlomo wabo bathi: Aha, aha, ilihlo lethu likubonile!
They open their mouths wide to make accusations against me, saying, “Look! Look! We saw it with our own eyes!”
22 Nkosi, usukubonile; ungathuli. Nkosi, ungabi khatshana lami.
But Lord, you've seen all this! Say something! Don't give up on me, Lord!
23 Zivuse, uvukele ilungelo lami, udaba lwami, Nkulunkulu wami leNkosi yami.
Wake up! Get up and defend me, my Lord and my God! Take up my case and make sure justice is done!
24 Ngahlulela, Nkosi Nkulunkulu wami, ngokulunga kwakho; kabangathokozi ngami.
Vindicate me, my Lord and my God, because you are just and right. Don't let them gloat over me.
25 Kabangatsho enhliziyweni yabo ukuthi: Hiya, yisifiso sethu! Bangatsho ukuthi: Simginyile.
Don't let them say to themselves, “Look! We got what we wanted!” Don't let them say, “We completely destroyed him!”
26 Kabayangeke babe lenhloni ndawonye abajabula ngosizi lwami; bembathiswe ngenhloni lehlazo labo abazikhukhumeza ngami.
Make them totally ashamed, all those who are happy for the trouble I'm in. Let those who are celebrating over me be covered with shame and dishonor.
27 Kabamemeze ngenjabulo bathabe abaloyisa ukulunga kwami, yebo kabatsho njalonjaloukuthi: Kayikhuliswe iNkosi ethokoza ngokuhlala kuhle kwenceku yayo.
Instead let those who are pleased I've been vindicated celebrate and shout for joy. Let them always say, “How great is the Lord! He is happy when his servants live in peace and have what they need.”
28 Lolimi lwami luzakhuluma ukulunga kwakho, usuku lonke indumiso yakho.
I will tell others about your character of truth and right, praising you all day long!
