Amahubo 73
1 Qotho uNkulunkulu ulungile kuIsrayeli, kulabo abahlambulukileyo enhliziyweni.
A Melody of Asaph. Nothing but good, is God, Unto Israel, Unto the pure in heart.
2 Kodwa mina inyawo zami zaphose zasuka, izinyathelo zami zaphose zatshelela.
But, as for me, —My feet had, almost stumbled, My steps had, well-nigh slipped;
3 Ngoba ngaba lomhawu ngabazikhukhumezayo, ngibona ukuphumelela kwababi.
For I was envious of the boasters, At the prosperity of the lawless, used I to look.
4 Ngoba kakulazibopho ekufeni kwabo, kodwa amandla abo aqinile.
For they have no pangs in their death, And vigorous is their body;
5 Kabakho enhluphekweni njengabanye abantu, njalo kabahlutshwa njengabanye abantu.
Of the toil of weak mortals, have they none, Nor, with the sons of earth, are they hard smitten.
6 Ngakho-ke ukuzigqaja kuyabazungeza njengeketane, udlame luyabasibekela njengesembatho.
For this cause, doth arrogance deck them as a neck-chain, And a garment of wrong is their attire;
7 Amehlo abo aqumbile ngamafutha; iminakano yenhliziyo iyaphuphuma.
Their iniquity, hath proceeded from fatness, They have surpassed the imaginations of the heart;
8 Bayakloloda, bakhulume ngobubi ngocindezelo; bakhuluma besekuphakameni.
They mock, and wickedly command oppression, From on high, they command;
9 Bamisa umlomo wabo umelene lamazulu, lolimi lwabo luhamba emhlabeni.
They have set, in the heavens, their mouth, And, their tongue, marcheth through the earth.
10 Ngakho abantu bakhe bayaphendukela lapha, lamanzi enkezo egcweleyo akhanyelwa bona.
Therefore must his people return thither, And, the waters of abundance, are drained by them;
11 Njalo bathi: UNkulunkulu wazi njani? Kukhona ulwazi yini koPhezukonke?
And they say—How doth GOD know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?
12 Khangela, laba ngabangelaNkulunkulu, kanti bayaphumelela elizweni, bandisa inotho.
Lo! these, are the lawless, Who are secure for an age, They have attained unto wealth.
13 Isibili ngihlambulule inhliziyo yami ngeze, ngageza izandla zami ngokungelacala.
Altogether in vain, Have I cleansed my heart, And bathed in pureness, my hands;
14 Ngoba ngihlutshiwe usuku lonke, lesijeziso sami sisekuseni yonke.
And yet been smitten all the day, And been rebuked morning by morning!
15 Uba bengingathi: Ngizakhuluma ngokunje, khangela, ngabe ngisikhohlisile isizukulwana sabantwana bakho.
If I had thought, I will relate it thus, Lo! the circle of thy sons, had I betrayed.
16 Lapho nganakana ukwazi lokhu, kwakubuhlungu emehlweni ami,
When I reasoned, that I might understand this, A vexation, it was in mine eyes:
17 ngaze ngangena ezindlini ezingcwele zikaNkulunkulu; ngasengikuqedisisa ukuphela kwabo.
Until I could enter the holy places of God, —Could give heed to their hereafter: —
18 Isibili ubamisa endaweni ezitshelelayo, ubawisela ekubhujisweni.
Surely, in slippery places, dost thou set them, —Thou hast suffered them to fall into places of danger.
19 Yeka ukuchitheka kwabo njengokucwayiza kwelihlo! Baphela baqedwe ngokwesabisayo.
How have they become desolate, as in a moment! They have ceased—come to an end, by reason of calamities.
20 Njengephupho ekuphaphameni, Nkosi, nxa uvuka uzadelela umfanekiso wabo.
As the dream of him that waketh, O my Lord! when rousing thyself up, their shadowy being, wilt thou despise.
21 Ngakho inhliziyo yami yaba buhlungu, ngahlatshwa ezinsweni zami.
But my heart had grown embittered, And, in my reins, had I received wounds;
22 Njalo ngaba yisiphukuphuku esingaziyo, ngaba njengenyamazana kuwe.
But, I, was brutish, and could not perceive, Like the beasts, had I become before thee.
23 Kodwa mina ngihlezi ngilawe; ubambe isandla sami sokunene.
Nevertheless, I, am continually before thee, Thou hast taken hold of my right hand;
24 Uzangikhokhela ngeseluleko sakho, lemva kwalokho ungemukele enkazimulweni.
By thy counsel, wilt thou guide me, And, afterwards, unto glory, wilt thou take me.
25 Ngilobani emazulwini ngaphandle kwakho? Njalo kakukho engikufisayo emhlabeni ngaphandle kwakho.
Whom have I in the heavens? And, compared with thee, there is nothing I desire on earth.
26 Inyama yami lenhliziyo yami kuyaphela; uNkulunkulu ulidwala lenhliziyo yami lesabelo sami kuze kube nininini.
Failed have my flesh and my heart, The rock of my heart—and my portion, is God unto times age-abiding.
27 Ngoba khangela, abakhatshana lawe bazabhubha; ubachithile bonke abaphingayo ngokusuka kuwe.
For lo! they who are far from thee, shall perish, Thou hast put an end to every one who wandered unchastely from thee.
28 Kodwa mina kungilungele ukusondela kuNkulunkulu; ngibeke isiphephelo sami eNkosini uJehova, ukutshumayela zonke izenzo zakho.
But, as for me, the drawing near of God, is my blessedness, —I have made, of My Lord Yahweh, my refuge, —That I may recount all thy works.
