Amahubo 74
1 Nkulunkulu, usilahleleni kokuphela? Ulaka lwakho luvuthelani ngakuzo izimvu zedlelo lakho?
God, why have you abandoned/rejected us? Will you keep rejecting us forever [RHQ]? Why are you angry with us, since we are like sheep in your pasture [and you are like our shepherd]? [MET, RHQ]
2 Khumbula ibandla lakho owalithenga endulo, intonga yelifa lakho owayihlengayo, le intaba yeZiyoni ohlala kuyo.
Do not forget your people whom you chose long ago, the people whom you freed [from being slaves in Egypt] and caused to become your tribe. Do not forget Jerusalem, which was (your home/where you dwelt) [on this earth].
3 Phakamisa inyawo zakho ezincithakalweni eziqhubekayo, konke okubi izitha ezikwenzileyo endaweni engcwele.
Walk along [and see] where everything has been totally ruined; our enemies have destroyed everything in the sacred temple.
4 Izitha zakho zibhongile phakathi kwezindawo zakho zokubuthanela, zamisa impawu zazo zibe zimpawu.
Your enemies shouted triumphantly in this sacred place; they erected their banners [to show they had defeated us].
5 Umuntu waziwa njengophakamisa amahloka eguswini lezihlahla.
They cut down all the [engraved objects in the temple] like woodsmen cut down trees.
6 Kodwa khathesi zitshaye okubaziweyo kwayo ndawonye ngamahloka lezando.
Then they smashed all the carved wood with their axes and hammers.
7 Zinikele indlu yakho engcwele emlilweni, zangcolisa indawo yokuhlala yebizo lakho ngokuyiwisela emhlabathini.
[Then] they burned your temple to the ground; they caused that place where you were worshiped to be unfit for people to worship in.
8 Zathi enhliziyweni yazo: Kasibachithe ndawonye. Zatshisa zonke indawo zokubuthanela zikaNkulunkulu elizweni.
They said to themselves, “We will destroy the Israelis completely,” and they [also] burned down all the other places where we gathered to worship God.
9 Impawu zethu kasiziboni; kakusekho mprofethi; kakho kithi owaziyo ukuthi koze kube nini.
All our sacred symbols (OR, miracles) are gone; there are no prophets now/any more, and no one knows how long [this situation will continue].
10 Koze kube nini, Nkulunkulu, umcindezeli edelela? Isitha sizahlambaza ibizo lakho kokuphela yini?
God, how long will our enemies make fun of you [RHQ]? Will they insult you [MTY] forever [RHQ]?
11 Usifinyezeleni isandla sakho, yebo isandla sakho sokunene? Sikhuphe phakathi kwesifuba sakho.
Why do you refuse to help [MTY, RHQ] us? Why do you keep your hand inside your cloak [instead of using it to destroy our enemies] [RHQ]?
12 Kanti uNkulunkulu uyiNkosi yami kusukela endulo, eyenza insindiso phakathi komhlaba.
God, you have been our king [all the time] since we came out of Egypt [HYP], and you have enabled us to defeat [our enemies] in the land [of Israel].
13 Nguwe owehlukanisa ulwandle ngamandla akho; wafohloza amakhanda emigobho emanzini.
By your power you caused the [Red] Sea to divide; [it was as though] you smashed the heads of the [rulers of Egypt who were like] huge sea dragons [MET].
14 Nguwe owachoboza amakhanda kaLeviyathani, wamnikela waba yikudla kwabantu enkangala.
[It was as though] you crushed the head of the king of Egypt [MET] and gave his body to the animals in the desert to eat.
15 Nguwe owaqhekeza umthombo lesifula, nguwe owomisa imifula egeleza njalo.
You caused springs and streams to flow, and you [also] dried up rivers that had never dried up previously.
16 Usuku ngolwakho, lobusuku ngobakho; nguwe owamisa ukukhanya lelanga.
You created the days and the nights, and you put the sun and the moon in their places.
17 Nguwe owamisa yonke imikhawulo yomhlaba; nguwe owenza ihlobo lobusika.
You determined where the oceans end and the land begins, and you created the summer/hot season and the winter/cold season.
18 Khumbula lokhu, isitha siyangisile, Nkosi, labantu abayizithutha bahlambazile ibizo lakho.
Yahweh, do not forget that your enemies laugh at you, and that it is foolish people who despise you [MTY].
19 Ungawunikeli umphefumulo wejuba lakho ezinyamazaneni zendle; ungakhohlwa ixuku lezihlupheki zakho phakade.
Do not let your helpless people [MET] fall into the hands of their cruel enemies; do not forget your suffering/persecuted people.
20 Nanzelela isivumelwano; ngoba indawo ezimnyama zomhlaba zigcwele indawo zokuhlala zesihluku.
Do not forget the agreement that you made with us; remember that there are violent people in every dark place on the earth.
21 Kangabuyeli eyangekile ocindezelweyo; ohluphekayo loswelayo kabalidumise ibizo lakho.
Do not allow your oppressed people to be disgraced; help those poor and needy people in order that they will [again] praise you [MTY].
22 Vuka, Nkulunkulu! Ulumele udaba lwakho, ukhumbule ihlazo lakho ngoyisiwula usuku lonke.
God, arise and defend yourself [by defending your people]! Do not forget that foolish people laugh at you (all day long/continually)!
23 Ungakhohlwa ilizwi lezitha zakho, ukuxokozela kwabakuvukelayo kwenyuka njalonjalo.
Do not forget that your enemies shout angrily [at you]; the uproar that they make [while they oppose you] never stops.
