Amahubo 44
1 Nkulunkulu, sizwile ngendlebe zethu, obaba basitshelile, umsebenzi owawenza ensukwini zabo, ensukwini zendulo.
For the end, a Psalm for instruction, for the sons of Core. O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us, the work which thou wroughtest in their days, in the days of old.
2 Wena ngesandla sakho wazixotsha izizwe elifeni, wabahlanyela bona; wazihlupha izizwe, kodwa wabasabalalisa bona.
Thine hand utterly destroyed the heathen, and thou didst plant them: thou didst afflict the nations, 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 they inherited not the land by their [own] sword, and their [own] arm did not deliver them; but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou wert well pleased in them.
4 Wena uyiNkosi yami, Nkulunkulu; laya ukukhululwa kukaJakobe.
Thou art indeed my King and my God, who commandest deliverances for Jacob.
5 Ngawe sizadudula izitha zethu; ngebizo lakho sizabanyathelela phansi abasivukelayo.
In thee will we push down our enemies, and in thy name will we bring to nought them that rise up against us.
6 Ngoba kangithembeli kulo idandili lami, lenkemba yami kayiyikungisindisa.
For I will not trust in my bow, and my sword shall not save me.
7 Kodwa usisindisile ezitheni zethu, wayangisa abasizondayo.
For thou hast saved us from them that afflicted us, and hast put to shame them that hated us.
8 KuNkulunkulu siyazincoma usuku lonke; lebizo lakho sizalidumisa kuze kube nininini. (Sela)
In God will we make our boast all the day, and to thy name will we give thanks for ever. (Pause)
9 Kodwa ulahlile wasiyangisa, njalo kawuphumi lamabutho ethu.
But now thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and thou wilt not go forth with our hosts.
10 Usenze ukuthi sibuyele emuva sisuka esitheni; labasizondayo baziphangela.
Thou hast turned us back before our enemies; and they that hated us spoiled for themselves.
11 Usinikele njengezimvu zokudliwa, wasichithachitha phakathi kwezizwe.
Thou madest us as sheep for meat; and thou scatteredst us among the nations.
12 Uthengisile abantu bakho ngokungelanotho, awuzuzanga lutho ngentengo yabo.
Thou hast sold thy people without price, and there was no profit by their exchange.
13 Usenze saba lihlazo kwabakhelene lathi, inhlekisa lendumazo kwabasiphahlileyo.
Thou hast made us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision them that are round about us.
14 Usenze saba yisiga phakathi kwezizwe, ukunikinwa kwekhanda phakathi kwabantu.
Thou hast made us a proverb among the Gentiles, a shaking of the head among the nations.
15 Usuku lonke ukudunyazwa kwami kuphambi kwami, lehlazo lobuso bami lingigubuzele,
All the day my shame is before me, and the confusion of my face has covered me,
16 ngenxa yelizwi lomgconi lomhlambazi, ngenxa yesitha lomphindiseli.
because of the voice of the slanderer and reviler; because of the enemy and avenger.
17 Konke lokhu kusehlele, kube kanti kasikukhohlwanga, kasenzanga ngenkohliso esivumelwaneni sakho.
All these things are come upon us: but we have not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt unrighteously in thy covenant.
18 Inhliziyo yethu kayibuyelanga emuva, lezinyathelo zethu kaziphambukanga emkhondweni wakho,
And our heart has not gone back; but thou hast turned aside our paths from thy way.
19 lanxa usichobozile endaweni yamaganyana, usembese ngethunzi lokufa.
For thou hast laid us low in a place of affliction, and the shadow of death has covered us.
20 Uba besilikhohliwe ibizo likaNkulunkulu wethu, loba selulela izandla zethu kunkulunkulu wezizweni,
If we have forgotten the name of our God, and if we have spread out our hands to a strange god; shall not God search these things out?
21 uNkulunkulu ubengayikukuhlola lokhu yini? Ngoba uyayazi imfihlo yenhliziyo.
for he knows the secrets of the heart.
22 Yebo, ngenxa yakho siyabulawa usuku lonke, kuthiwa sinjengezimvu zokuhlatshwa.
For, for thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for slaughter.
23 Phaphama, ulaleleni, Nkosi? Vuka, ungalahli kokuphela.
Awake, wherefore sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, and do not cast [us] off for ever.
24 Ufihlelani ubuso bakho, ukhohlwe ukuhlupheka kwethu locindezelo lwethu?
Wherefore turnest thou thy face away, [and] forgettest our poverty and our affliction?
25 Ngoba umphefumulo wethu ukhothamele othulini, isisu sethu sinamathela emhlabathini.
For our soul has been brought down to the dust; our belly has cleaved to the earth.
26 Sukumela usizo lwethu, usihlenge ngenxa yomusa wakho.
Arise, O Lord, help us, and redeem us for thy name's sake.
