Amahubo 37
1 Ungazikhathazi ngababi, ungabi lomhawu ngabenzi bobubi.
Do not be bothered/upset by what wicked [people do]. Do not desire to have the things that people who do wrong/evil have,
2 Ngoba bazaqunywa masinyane njengotshani, babune njengohlaza.
because they will soon disappear, like grass withers [in the hot sun] and dries up. Just like some green plants [come up but] die [during the hot summer], evil people will soon die also.
3 Themba eNkosini, wenze okuhle, uhlale elizweni, uzondle ngothembeko.
Trust in Yahweh, and do what is good; if you do that, you will live safely in the land [that he has given you], and you will live peacefully [MET].
4 Zithokozise eNkosini, njalo izakunika iziloyiso zenhliziyo yakho.
Be delighted with all that Yahweh [does for you]; if you do that, he will give you the things that you desire most.
5 Nikela indlela yakho eNkosini, uthembe kuyo; yona izakwenza.
Commit to Yahweh all the things that you plan to do; trust in him, and he will do [whatever is needed to help you].
6 Izaveza ukulunga kwakho njengokukhanya, lelungelo lakho njengemini enkulu.
He will show [as clearly] as the sunlight that you (are innocent/have done nothing that is wrong); he will show [as clearly] as [the sun at] noontime [SIM] that all the things that you have decided are just.
7 Thula eNkosini, uyilindele; ungazikhathazi ngophumelelayo ngendlela yakhe, ngomuntu owenza amacebo amabi.
Be quiet in Yahweh’s presence, and wait patiently for him [to do what you want him to do]. Do not be bothered/upset when what evil men do is successful, when they are able to do the wicked things that they plan.
8 Yekela intukuthelo, utshiye ulaka; ungazikhathazi langokwenza okubi.
Do not be angry [about what wicked people do]. Do not want to punish them yourself. Do not be envious of such people because you will only harm [yourself if you try to envy them].
9 Ngoba ababi bazaqunywa, kodwa labo abalindele iNkosi bona bazakudla ilifa lelizwe.
[Some day Yahweh] will get rid of wicked people, but those who trust in Yahweh will live [safely] in the land [that he has given to them].
10 Kuseyisikhatshana nje, omubi angabe esaba khona; loba uhlola indawo yakhe uyabe engasekho.
Soon the wicked will disappear. If you look for them, they will be gone.
11 Kodwa abamnene bazakudla ilifa lelizwe, bazithokozise ngobunengi bokuthula.
But those who are humble will live safely in their land. They will happily enjoy living peacefully and having the other good things [that Yahweh gives them].
12 Omubi uyaceba emelene lolungileyo, amgedlele amazinyo akhe.
Wicked people plan to harm righteous/godly people; they snarl at them [MET] [like wild animals].
13 INkosi izamhleka, ngoba iyabona ukuthi usuku lwakhe luyeza.
But Yahweh laughs [at them] because he knows that some day [MTY] [he will judge and punish] the wicked people.
14 Ababi sebehwatshe inkemba, bagobise idandili labo, ukumlahla phansi umyanga loswelayo, ukubulala abaqotho ngendlela.
Wicked people pull out their swords/daggers and they put strings on their bows, ready to kill people who are poor [DOU] and to slaughter those who live righteously.
15 Inkemba yabo izangena kweyabo inhliziyo, kwephulwe amadandili abo.
But they will be killed by their own swords/daggers, and their bows will be broken.
16 Okuncinyane alakho olungileyo kungcono kulenotho yababi abanengi.
It is good to be righteous/godly even if you do not have many possessions, but it is bad to be wicked, even if you are very wealthy,
17 Ngoba ingalo zababi zizakwephulwa, kodwa iNkosi iyabasekela abalungileyo.
because [Yahweh] will completely take away the strength of wicked people, but he will (sustain/take care of) people who live righteously.
18 INkosi iyazazi izinsuku zabaqotho, lelifa labo lizakuba sephakadeni.
Every day Yahweh cares about those who have not done any evil things; the things that Yahweh gives them will last forever.
19 Kabayikuyangeka ngesikhathi esibi, langensuku zendlala bazasutha.
They will survive when calamities occur; when there are famines, they will still have plenty to eat.
20 Kodwa ababi bazabhubha; lezitha zeNkosi zizanyamalala njengamafutha amawundlu, zinyamalale entuthwini.
But wicked people will die; [just] like the beautiful wild flowers in the fields [die under the hot sun] and disappear like smoke [MET], Yahweh [will cause] his enemies to suddenly disappear.
21 Omubi uyeboleka, angabuyiseli, kodwa olungileyo uyahawukela, aphe.
The wicked people borrow [money], but they are not able to repay it; righteous/godly people, [in contrast, have enough money that] they can give generously [to others].
22 Ngoba ababusiswe yiyo bazakudla ilifa lelizwe, kodwa abaqalekiswe yiyo bazaqunywa.
Those whom Yahweh has blessed will live safely in the land that he has given to them, but he will get rid of those people whom he has cursed.
23 Izinyathelo zomuntu olungileyo ziqondiswa yiNkosi, iyathokoza endleleni yakhe.
Yahweh protects those who do what is pleasing to him, and he will enable them to walk confidently, wherever they go;
24 Loba esiwa, kayikulahlwa phansi, ngoba iNkosi isekela isandla sakhe.
even if they stumble, they will not fall down, because Yahweh holds them by his hand.
25 Ngangimutsha, sengimdala, kanti kangibonanga olungileyo etshiyiwe, lenzalo yakhe idinga ukudla.
I was young [previously], and now I am an old man, but [in all those years], I have never seen righteous/godly people being abandoned by Yahweh, nor have I seen that their children [needed to] beg for food.
26 Usuku lonke ulomusa, uyeboleka, lenzalo yakhe iyisibusiso.
Righteous/Godly people are generous, and happily lend [money to others], and their children are a blessing to them.
27 Suka ebubini, wenze okuhle; uhlale kuze kube nininini.
Turn away from [doing] evil, and do what is good. If you do that, you [and your descendants] will live in your land forever.
28 Ngoba iNkosi ithanda isahlulelo, kayiyikubatshiya abangcwele bayo. Bazalondolozwa kuze kube nininini; kodwa inzalo yababi izaqunywa.
[That will happen] because Yahweh likes to see people doing what is just, and he will never forsake righteous/godly people. He will protect them forever; but he will get rid of the children of wicked people.
29 Abalungileyo bazakudla ilifa lelizwe, bahlale kulo kuze kube nininini.
Righteous/Godly people will own the land [that Yahweh promised to give to them], and they will live there forever.
30 Umlomo wolungileyo ukhuluma inhlakanipho, lolimi lwakhe lukhuluma isahlulelo.
Righteous people give wise [advice to others], and they [MTY] say what is just/fair.
31 Umlayo kaNkulunkulu wakhe usenhliziyweni yakhe; izinyathelo zakhe kazitsheleli.
They continually think about God’s laws; they do not stray from [God’s] path.
32 Omubi uyamqaphela olungileyo, udinga ukumbulala.
Those who are evil wait in ambush for righteous people in order to kill them [as they walk by].
33 INkosi kayiyikumyekela esandleni sakhe, kayiyikumlahla lapho esahlulelwa.
But Yahweh will not abandon righteous people, and allow (them to fall into their enemies’ hands/their enemies harm them). And he will not allow righteous people to be condemned when someone takes them to a judge [to be put on trial].
34 Lindela eNkosini, ugcine indlela yayo, izakuphakamisa ukuthi udle ilifa lelizwe; uzabona lapho ababi bequnywa.
Be patient and trust that Yahweh [will help you], and (walk on his paths/do what he wants you to do). [If you do that], he will honor you by giving you the land [that he promised], and when he gets rid of the wicked, you will see it happen.
35 Ngambona omubi elamandla amakhulu, eziqhelisa njengesihlahla semvelo esiluhlaza.
I have seen that wicked people who (act like tyrants/terrify people) [sometimes] prosper, like trees that grow well in fertile soil,
36 Kube kanti wedlula, khangela-ke, wayengasekho; yebo ngamdinga, kodwa katholakalanga.
when I looked [later], they were gone! I searched for them, but [Yahweh had caused] them to disappear.
37 Nanzelela opheleleyo, umbone oqotho, ngoba ukuphela kwalowomuntu kuyikuthula.
Notice the people who have not done evil things, those who act righteously: their descendants will have peace in their inner beings.
38 Kodwa abaphambukayo bazabhujiswa kanyekanye; ukuphela kwababi kuzaqunywa.
But Yahweh will get rid of the wicked; he will also get rid of their descendants (OR, as a result, they will not have any descendants).
39 Kodwa usindiso lwabalungileyo luvela eNkosini, inqaba yabo esikhathini sokuhlupheka.
Yahweh rescues righteous people; in times of trouble he protects them [MET].
40 Njalo iNkosi izabasiza ibakhulule; izabakhulula kwababi, ibasindise, ngoba baphephela kuyo.
Yahweh helps them and saves them; he rescues them from [being attacked/harmed by] wicked people because they go to him to be protected [MET].
