Amahubo 44
1 Nkulunkulu, sizwile ngendlebe zethu, obaba basitshelile, umsebenzi owawenza ensukwini zabo, ensukwini zendulo.
To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil. We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.
2 Wena ngesandla sakho wazixotsha izizwe elifeni, wabahlanyela bona; wazihlupha izizwe, kodwa wabasabalalisa bona.
How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and didst plant them; how thou didst afflict the people, 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 obtained not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thy arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour to them.
4 Wena uyiNkosi yami, Nkulunkulu; laya ukukhululwa kukaJakobe.
Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob.
5 Ngawe sizadudula izitha zethu; ngebizo lakho sizabanyathelela phansi abasivukelayo.
Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name we will tread them under that rise up against us.
6 Ngoba kangithembeli kulo idandili lami, lenkemba yami kayiyikungisindisa.
For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.
7 Kodwa usisindisile ezitheni zethu, wayangisa abasizondayo.
But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.
8 KuNkulunkulu siyazincoma usuku lonke; lebizo lakho sizalidumisa kuze kube nininini. (Sela)
In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. (Selah)
9 Kodwa ulahlile wasiyangisa, njalo kawuphumi lamabutho ethu.
But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies.
10 Usenze ukuthi sibuyele emuva sisuka esitheni; labasizondayo baziphangela.
Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy: and they who hate us have taken spoil for themselves.
11 Usinikele njengezimvu zokudliwa, wasichithachitha phakathi kwezizwe.
Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for food; and hast scattered us among the heathen.
12 Uthengisile abantu bakho ngokungelanotho, awuzuzanga lutho ngentengo yabo.
Thou sellest thy people for nothing, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price.
13 Usenze saba lihlazo kwabakhelene lathi, inhlekisa lendumazo kwabasiphahlileyo.
Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are around us.
14 Usenze saba yisiga phakathi kwezizwe, ukunikinwa kwekhanda phakathi kwabantu.
Thou makest us a by word among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people.
15 Usuku lonke ukudunyazwa kwami kuphambi kwami, lehlazo lobuso bami lingigubuzele,
My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me,
16 ngenxa yelizwi lomgconi lomhlambazi, ngenxa yesitha lomphindiseli.
For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and avenger.
17 Konke lokhu kusehlele, kube kanti kasikukhohlwanga, kasenzanga ngenkohliso esivumelwaneni sakho.
All this is come upon us; yet we have not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.
18 Inhliziyo yethu kayibuyelanga emuva, lezinyathelo zethu kaziphambukanga emkhondweni wakho,
Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way;
19 lanxa usichobozile endaweni yamaganyana, usembese ngethunzi lokufa.
Though thou hast greatly broke us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.
20 Uba besilikhohliwe ibizo likaNkulunkulu wethu, loba selulela izandla zethu kunkulunkulu wezizweni,
If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;
21 uNkulunkulu ubengayikukuhlola lokhu yini? Ngoba uyayazi imfihlo yenhliziyo.
Shall not God search out this? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.
22 Yebo, ngenxa yakho siyabulawa usuku lonke, kuthiwa sinjengezimvu zokuhlatshwa.
Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.
23 Phaphama, ulaleleni, Nkosi? Vuka, ungalahli kokuphela.
Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever.
24 Ufihlelani ubuso bakho, ukhohlwe ukuhlupheka kwethu locindezelo lwethu?
Why hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression?
25 Ngoba umphefumulo wethu ukhothamele othulini, isisu sethu sinamathela emhlabathini.
For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth to the earth.
26 Sukumela usizo lwethu, usihlenge ngenxa yomusa wakho.
Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies’ sake.
