Amahubo 44
1 Nkulunkulu, sizwile ngendlebe zethu, obaba basitshelile, umsebenzi owawenza ensukwini zabo, ensukwini zendulo.
For the choirmaster. A Maskil of the sons of Korah. We have heard with our ears, O God; our fathers have told us the work You did in their days, in the days of old.
2 Wena ngesandla sakho wazixotsha izizwe elifeni, wabahlanyela bona; wazihlupha izizwe, kodwa wabasabalalisa bona.
With Your hand You drove out the nations and planted our fathers there; You crushed the peoples and cast them out.
3 Ngoba kabadlanga ilifa lelizwe ngenkemba yabo, lengalo yabo kayibasindisanga, kodwa isandla sakho sokunene, lengalo yakho, lokukhanya kobuso bakho, ngoba wawubathanda.
For it was not by their sword that they took the land; their arm did not bring them victory. It was by Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your face, because You favored them.
4 Wena uyiNkosi yami, Nkulunkulu; laya ukukhululwa kukaJakobe.
You are my King, O God, who ordains victories for Jacob.
5 Ngawe sizadudula izitha zethu; ngebizo lakho sizabanyathelela phansi abasivukelayo.
Through You we repel our foes; through Your name we trample our enemies.
6 Ngoba kangithembeli kulo idandili lami, lenkemba yami kayiyikungisindisa.
For I do not trust in my bow, nor does my sword save me.
7 Kodwa usisindisile ezitheni zethu, wayangisa abasizondayo.
For You save us from our enemies; You put those who hate us to shame.
8 KuNkulunkulu siyazincoma usuku lonke; lebizo lakho sizalidumisa kuze kube nininini. (Sela)
In God we have boasted all day long, and Your name we will praise forever.
9 Kodwa ulahlile wasiyangisa, njalo kawuphumi lamabutho ethu.
But You have rejected and humbled us; You no longer go forth with our armies.
10 Usenze ukuthi sibuyele emuva sisuka esitheni; labasizondayo baziphangela.
You have made us retreat from the foe, and those who hate us have plundered us.
11 Usinikele njengezimvu zokudliwa, wasichithachitha phakathi kwezizwe.
You have given us up as sheep to be devoured; You have scattered us among the nations.
12 Uthengisile abantu bakho ngokungelanotho, awuzuzanga lutho ngentengo yabo.
You sell Your people for nothing; no profit do You gain from their sale.
13 Usenze saba lihlazo kwabakhelene lathi, inhlekisa lendumazo kwabasiphahlileyo.
You have made us a reproach to our neighbors, a mockery and derision to those around us.
14 Usenze saba yisiga phakathi kwezizwe, ukunikinwa kwekhanda phakathi kwabantu.
You have made us a byword among the nations, a laughingstock among the peoples.
15 Usuku lonke ukudunyazwa kwami kuphambi kwami, lehlazo lobuso bami lingigubuzele,
All day long my disgrace is before me, and shame has covered my face,
16 ngenxa yelizwi lomgconi lomhlambazi, ngenxa yesitha lomphindiseli.
at the voice of the scorner and reviler, because of the enemy, bent on revenge.
17 Konke lokhu kusehlele, kube kanti kasikukhohlwanga, kasenzanga ngenkohliso esivumelwaneni sakho.
All this has come upon us, though we have not forgotten You or betrayed Your covenant.
18 Inhliziyo yethu kayibuyelanga emuva, lezinyathelo zethu kaziphambukanga emkhondweni wakho,
Our hearts have not turned back; our steps have not strayed from Your path.
19 lanxa usichobozile endaweni yamaganyana, usembese ngethunzi lokufa.
But You have crushed us in the lair of jackals; You have covered us with deepest darkness.
20 Uba besilikhohliwe ibizo likaNkulunkulu wethu, loba selulela izandla zethu kunkulunkulu wezizweni,
If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god,
21 uNkulunkulu ubengayikukuhlola lokhu yini? Ngoba uyayazi imfihlo yenhliziyo.
would not God have discovered, since He knows the secrets of the heart?
22 Yebo, ngenxa yakho siyabulawa usuku lonke, kuthiwa sinjengezimvu zokuhlatshwa.
Yet for Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.
23 Phaphama, ulaleleni, Nkosi? Vuka, ungalahli kokuphela.
Wake up, O Lord! Why are You sleeping? Arise! Do not reject us forever.
24 Ufihlelani ubuso bakho, ukhohlwe ukuhlupheka kwethu locindezelo lwethu?
Why do You hide Your face and forget our affliction and oppression?
25 Ngoba umphefumulo wethu ukhothamele othulini, isisu sethu sinamathela emhlabathini.
For our soul has sunk to the dust; our bodies cling to the earth.
26 Sukumela usizo lwethu, usihlenge ngenxa yomusa wakho.
Rise up; be our help! Redeem us on account of Your loving devotion.
