Amahubo 73
1 Qotho uNkulunkulu ulungile kuIsrayeli, kulabo abahlambulukileyo enhliziyweni.
A psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose minds are pure.
2 Kodwa mina inyawo zami zaphose zasuka, izinyathelo zami zaphose zatshelela.
But I was stumbling, my feet were starting to slide,
3 Ngoba ngaba lomhawu ngabazikhukhumezayo, ngibona ukuphumelela kwababi.
because I was jealous of self-important people—I saw how well the wicked were doing.
4 Ngoba kakulazibopho ekufeni kwabo, kodwa amandla abo aqinile.
They don't ever seem to get sick; they are strong and healthy.
5 Kabakho enhluphekweni njengabanye abantu, njalo kabahlutshwa njengabanye abantu.
They don't have problems like other people; they don't get hit by disasters like everybody else.
6 Ngakho-ke ukuzigqaja kuyabazungeza njengeketane, udlame luyabasibekela njengesembatho.
They wear their pride like a necklace; they clothe themselves with violence.
7 Amehlo abo aqumbile ngamafutha; iminakano yenhliziyo iyaphuphuma.
Their eyes bulge out because they're so fat; their minds are full of selfish vanity.
8 Bayakloloda, bakhulume ngobubi ngocindezelo; bakhuluma besekuphakameni.
They mock people, and speak maliciously; they arrogantly threaten cruelty.
9 Bamisa umlomo wabo umelene lamazulu, lolimi lwabo luhamba emhlabeni.
They talk irreverently against heaven above, and defame people here on earth.
10 Ngakho abantu bakhe bayaphendukela lapha, lamanzi enkezo egcweleyo akhanyelwa bona.
As a result people turn to them and drink in everything they say.
11 Njalo bathi: UNkulunkulu wazi njani? Kukhona ulwazi yini koPhezukonke?
“God won't find out,” they say. “The Most High doesn't even know what's going on!”
12 Khangela, laba ngabangelaNkulunkulu, kanti bayaphumelela elizweni, bandisa inotho.
Look at these wicked people! They don't have a care in the world, and they're always making money!
13 Isibili ngihlambulule inhliziyo yami ngeze, ngageza izandla zami ngokungelacala.
It's been pointless to keep my mind pure and my hands clean.
14 Ngoba ngihlutshiwe usuku lonke, lesijeziso sami sisekuseni yonke.
I'm cursed with suffering all day long; every morning I'm punished.
15 Uba bengingathi: Ngizakhuluma ngokunje, khangela, ngabe ngisikhohlisile isizukulwana sabantwana bakho.
If I'd talked like this to others, I would have betrayed your people.
16 Lapho nganakana ukwazi lokhu, kwakubuhlungu emehlweni ami,
So I thought about it and tried to understand, but it looked like a lot of hard work to me—
17 ngaze ngangena ezindlini ezingcwele zikaNkulunkulu; ngasengikuqedisisa ukuphela kwabo.
until I went into God's Temple. Then I understood what happens to the wicked in the end.
18 Isibili ubamisa endaweni ezitshelelayo, ubawisela ekubhujisweni.
For you send them on a slippery path; you throw them down to destruction.
19 Yeka ukuchitheka kwabo njengokucwayiza kwelihlo! Baphela baqedwe ngokwesabisayo.
How quickly they're destroyed! They come to a terrifying end.
20 Njengephupho ekuphaphameni, Nkosi, nxa uvuka uzadelela umfanekiso wabo.
Like waking up from a dream, Lord—when you get up you will forget all about them!
21 Ngakho inhliziyo yami yaba buhlungu, ngahlatshwa ezinsweni zami.
At that time my thoughts were bitter. I felt like I had been stabbed.
22 Njalo ngaba yisiphukuphuku esingaziyo, ngaba njengenyamazana kuwe.
I was stupid and ignorant. I was like a brute beast to you.
23 Kodwa mina ngihlezi ngilawe; ubambe isandla sami sokunene.
Yet I'm always with you; you hold me by the hand.
24 Uzangikhokhela ngeseluleko sakho, lemva kwalokho ungemukele enkazimulweni.
You tell me what to do; and ultimately you will welcome me in glory.
25 Ngilobani emazulwini ngaphandle kwakho? Njalo kakukho engikufisayo emhlabeni ngaphandle kwakho.
Who is there in heaven for me except you? And I want nothing on earth except you.
26 Inyama yami lenhliziyo yami kuyaphela; uNkulunkulu ulidwala lenhliziyo yami lesabelo sami kuze kube nininini.
My body and my mind may fail, but God is the foundation of my life. He is mine forever!
27 Ngoba khangela, abakhatshana lawe bazabhubha; ubachithile bonke abaphingayo ngokusuka kuwe.
Those people who are far from God will die. You destroy all those unfaithful to you.
28 Kodwa mina kungilungele ukusondela kuNkulunkulu; ngibeke isiphephelo sami eNkosini uJehova, ukutshumayela zonke izenzo zakho.
But I love to stay close to God! I have chosen the Lord God to protect me. I will share all that you have done.
