Amahubo 74
1 Nkulunkulu, usilahleleni kokuphela? Ulaka lwakho luvuthelani ngakuzo izimvu zedlelo lakho?
A maskil of Asaph. Why, O God, have you spurned us forever? Why smokes your wrath against the sheep of your pasture?
2 Khumbula ibandla lakho owalithenga endulo, intonga yelifa lakho owayihlengayo, le intaba yeZiyoni ohlala kuyo.
Remember the community you purchased of old to become by redemption the tribe of your heritage, Zion, the mountain you made your home.
3 Phakamisa inyawo zakho ezincithakalweni eziqhubekayo, konke okubi izitha ezikwenzileyo endaweni engcwele.
Rouse yourself, visit its ruins complete. In the temple the foe has made havoc of all things.
4 Izitha zakho zibhongile phakathi kwezindawo zakho zokubuthanela, zamisa impawu zazo zibe zimpawu.
Like lions your enemies roared through your house, replacing our symbols by signs of their own,
5 Umuntu waziwa njengophakamisa amahloka eguswini lezihlahla.
hacking, like woodsmen who lift axes on thickets of trees,
6 Kodwa khathesi zitshaye okubaziweyo kwayo ndawonye ngamahloka lezando.
smashing with hatchets and hammers all of its carved work together.
7 Zinikele indlu yakho engcwele emlilweni, zangcolisa indawo yokuhlala yebizo lakho ngokuyiwisela emhlabathini.
They have set your temple on fire, to the very ground they have outraged the place where lives your name.
8 Zathi enhliziyweni yazo: Kasibachithe ndawonye. Zatshisa zonke indawo zokubuthanela zikaNkulunkulu elizweni.
They have said in their heart, “Let us utterly crush them.” They have burned all the houses of God in the land.
9 Impawu zethu kasiziboni; kakusekho mprofethi; kakho kithi owaziyo ukuthi koze kube nini.
No symbol of ours do we see any more: no prophet is there any more, none is with us who knows how long.
10 Koze kube nini, Nkulunkulu, umcindezeli edelela? Isitha sizahlambaza ibizo lakho kokuphela yini?
How long, O God, is the foe to insult? Shall the enemy spurn your name forever?
11 Usifinyezeleni isandla sakho, yebo isandla sakho sokunene? Sikhuphe phakathi kwesifuba sakho.
Why, O Lord, do you hold back your hand, why keep your right hand in the folds of your robe?
12 Kanti uNkulunkulu uyiNkosi yami kusukela endulo, eyenza insindiso phakathi komhlaba.
Yet God is our king from the ancient days, in the midst of the earth working deeds of salvation.
13 Nguwe owehlukanisa ulwandle ngamandla akho; wafohloza amakhanda emigobho emanzini.
It was you who did cleave the sea by your might, and shatter the heads of the ocean monsters.
14 Nguwe owachoboza amakhanda kaLeviyathani, wamnikela waba yikudla kwabantu enkangala.
It was you who did crush many-headed Leviathan, and give him as food to the beasts of the wilderness.
15 Nguwe owaqhekeza umthombo lesifula, nguwe owomisa imifula egeleza njalo.
It was you who did cleave the fountains and torrents; it was you who did dry the perennial streams.
16 Usuku ngolwakho, lobusuku ngobakho; nguwe owamisa ukukhanya lelanga.
Yours is the day; yours, too, is the night, it was you who did establish the sun and the star.
17 Nguwe owamisa yonke imikhawulo yomhlaba; nguwe owenza ihlobo lobusika.
It was you who did fix all the borders of earth: summer and winter it’s you who have made them.
18 Khumbula lokhu, isitha siyangisile, Nkosi, labantu abayizithutha bahlambazile ibizo lakho.
Yet, for all this, the foe has insulted you, Lord, and a nation of fools has reviled your name.
19 Ungawunikeli umphefumulo wejuba lakho ezinyamazaneni zendle; ungakhohlwa ixuku lezihlupheki zakho phakade.
Do not give your dove to the beasts, do not forget your afflicted forever.
20 Nanzelela isivumelwano; ngoba indawo ezimnyama zomhlaba zigcwele indawo zokuhlala zesihluku.
Look to the sleek ones – how full they are: the dark places of earth are the dwellings of violence.
21 Kangabuyeli eyangekile ocindezelweyo; ohluphekayo loswelayo kabalidumise ibizo lakho.
O let not the downtrodden turn back ashamed: let the poor and the needy sing praise to your name.
22 Vuka, Nkulunkulu! Ulumele udaba lwakho, ukhumbule ihlazo lakho ngoyisiwula usuku lonke.
Arise, God, and defend your cause: remember how fools all the day insult you.
23 Ungakhohlwa ilizwi lezitha zakho, ukuxokozela kwabakuvukelayo kwenyuka njalonjalo.
Do not forget the uproar of your enemies, the din of your foes that ascends evermore.
