Amahubo 78
1 Lalelani, bantu bami, umthetho wami, libeke indlebe yenu emazwini omlomo wami.
[A Psalm] of instruction for Asaph. Give heed, O my people, to my law: incline your ear to the words of my mouth.
2 Ngizavula umlomo wami ngomfanekiso, ngikhuphe izimfihlakalo zendulo,
I will open my mouth in parables: I will utter dark sayings [which have been] from the beginning.
3 esizizwileyo lesizaziyo, obaba abasitshela zona.
All which we have heard and known, and our fathers have declared to us.
4 Kasiyikuzifihlela abantwana babo, kusizukulwana esilandelayo, silandisa izindumiso zeNkosi, lamandla ayo, lezimangaliso ezenzileyo.
They were not hid from their children to a second generations; [the fathers] declaring the praises of the Lord, and his mighty acts, and his wonders which he wrought.
5 Ngoba wamisa ubufakazi koJakobe, wabeka umlayo koIsrayeli, awulaya obaba, ukuze bawazise abantwana babo,
And he raised up a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, to make it known to their children:
6 ukuze isizukulwana esilandelayo sazi, abantwana abazazalwa, basukume batshele abantwana babo,
that another generation might know, even the sons which should be born; and they should arise and declare them to their children.
7 ukuze babeke ithemba labo kuNkulunkulu, bangayikhohlwa imisebenzi kaNkulunkulu, kodwa bagcine imithetho yakhe;
That they might set their hope on God, and not forget the works of God, but diligently seek his commandments.
8 njalo bangabi njengaboyise, isizukulwana esilenkani lesivukelayo, isizukulwana esingaqondisanga inhliziyo yaso, lesimoya waso ungathembekanga kuNkulunkulu.
That they should not be as their fathers, a perverse and provoking generation; a generation which set not its heart aright, and its spirit was not steadfast with God.
9 Abantwana bakoEfrayimi, behlomile betshoka ngamadandili, babuyela emuva mhla wempi.
The children of Ephraim, bending and shooting [with] the bow, turned [back] in the day of battle.
10 Kabasilondolozanga isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu, bala ukuhamba emlayweni wakhe.
They kept not the covenant of God, and would not walk in his law.
11 Bakhohlwa izenzo zakhe lezimangaliso zakhe ayebatshengisa zona.
And they forgot his benefits, and his miracles which he [had] showed them;
12 Phambi kwaboyise wenza isimangaliso elizweni leGibhithe, egangeni leZowani.
the miracles which he wrought before their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the plain of Tanes.
13 Waqhekeza ulwandle, wabachaphisa, wenza amanzi ema njengenqumbi.
He clave the sea, and led them through: he made the waters to stand as [in] a bottle.
14 Wabakhokhela ngeyezi emini, lebusuku bonke ngokukhanya komlilo.
And he guided them with a cloud by day, and all the night with a light of fire.
15 Waqhekeza amadwala enkangala, wabanathisa kungathi kuvela ezinzikini ezinkulu.
he clave a rock in the wilderness, and made them drink as in a great deep.
16 Waseveza izifula edwaleni, wenza amanzi ehla njengemifula.
And he brought water out of the rock, and caused waters to flow down as rivers.
17 Kodwa baphinda futhi ukona kuye, ngokumvukela oPhezukonke enkangala.
And they sinned yet more against him; they provoked the Most High in the wilderness.
18 Bamlinga uNkulunkulu enhliziyweni yabo ngokucela ukudla kwenkanuko yabo.
And they tempted God in their hearts, in asking meat for [the desire of] their souls.
19 Basebekhuluma bemelene loNkulunkulu bathi: UNkulunkulu angalungisa itafula enkangala yini?
They spoke also against God, and said, Will God be able to prepare a table in the wilderness?
20 Khangela, watshaya idwala, kwampompoza amanzi, lezifula zagabha; anganika lesinkwa yini? angalungisela abantu bakhe inyama na?
Forasmuch as he struck the rock, and the waters flowed, and the torrents ran abundantly; will he be able also to give bread, or prepare a table for his people?
21 Ngakho iNkosi yezwa yathukuthela; umlilo wasubaselwa uJakobe, njalo lolaka lwavukela uIsrayeli,
Therefore the Lord heard, and was provoked: and fire was kindled in Jacob, and wrath went up against Israel.
22 ngoba kabakholwanga kuNkulunkulu, kabathembanga esindisweni lwakhe.
Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation.
23 Lanxa walaya amayezi ngaphezulu, wavula iminyango yamazulu,
Yet he commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,
24 wabanisela imana ukuthi badle, wabapha amabele amazulu.
and rained upon them manna to eat, and gave them the bread of heaven.
25 Umuntu wadla isinkwa sabalamandla; wabathumela ukudla ukuze basuthe.
Man ate angels' bread; he sent them provision to the full.
26 Wenza umoya wempumalanga wavunguza emazulwini; langamandla akhe waqhuba umoya weningizimu.
He removed the south wind from heaven; and by his might he brought in the southwest wind.
27 Wasenisela phezu kwabo inyama njengothuli, lenyoni ezilempiko njengetshebetshebe lolwandle;
And he rained upon them flesh like dust, and feathered birds like the sand of the seas.
28 wazenza zawela phakathi kwenkamba yabo, zagombolozela indawo zabo zokuhlala.
And they fell into the midst of their camp, round about their tents.
29 Ngakho badla basutha kakhulu, ngoba wabalethela isiloyiso sabo.
So they ate, and were completely filled; and he gave them their desire.
30 Kabehlukananga lenkanuko yabo; ukudla kusesemlonyeni wabo,
They were not disappointed of their desire: [but] when their food was yet in their mouth,
31 ulaka lukaNkulunkulu lwaselubavukela, wabulala kwabakhulupheleyo babo, watshaya abakhethiweyo bakoIsrayeli.
then the indignation of God rose up against them, and killed the fattest of them, and overthrew the choice men of Israel.
32 Kulokhu konke bajinga besona, njalo kabakholwanga ngenxa yezimangaliso zakhe.
In the midst of all this they sinned yet more, and believed not his miracles.
33 Ngakho waziqeda izinsuku zabo ngeze, leminyaka yabo ovalweni.
And their days were consumed in vanity, and their years with anxiety.
34 Lapho ebabulala, bamdinga, baphenduka, bamdingisisa uNkulunkulu.
When he killed them, they sought him: and they returned and called betimes upon God.
35 Bakhumbula ukuthi uNkulunkulu ulidwala labo, loNkulunkulu oPhezukonke ungumhlengi wabo.
And they remembered that God was their helper, and the most high God was their redeemer.
36 Kodwa bamyenga ngomlomo wabo, baqamba amanga kuye ngolimi lwabo.
Yet they loved him [only] with their mouth, and lied to him with their tongue.
37 Ngoba inhliziyo yabo yayingaqondanga kuye, njalo bengathembekanga esivumelwaneni sakhe.
For their heart [was] not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant.
38 Kodwa yena elesihawu wathethelela ububi babo, kababhubhisanga; yebo, kanengi walunqanda ulaka lwakhe, kakuvusanga konke ukuthukuthela kwakhe.
But he is compassionate, and will forgive their sins, and will not destroy [them]: yes, he will frequently turn away his wrath, and will not kindle all his anger.
39 Ngoba wakhumbula ukuthi bayinyama, umoya odlulayo, ongabuyiyo.
And he remembered that they are flesh; a wind that passes away, and returns not.
40 Kanengi kangakanani bemvukela ehlane, bemdabukisa enkangala.
How often did they provoke him in the wilderness, [and] anger him in a dry land!
41 Yebo baphenduka bamlinga uNkulunkulu, bamdabukisa oNgcwele kaIsrayeli.
Yes, they turned back, and tempted God, and provoked the Holy One of Israel.
42 Kabasikhumbulanga isandla sakhe, usuku abahlenga ngalo esitheni.
They remembered not his hand, the day in which he delivered them from the hand of the oppressor.
43 Ukuthi wamisa njani izibonakaliso zakhe eGibhithe, lezimangaliso zakhe emmangweni weZowani,
How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Tanes:
44 lokuthi waphendula imifula yabo yaba ligazi, lezifula zabo, ukuze banganathi.
and had changed their rivers into blood; and their streams, that they should not drink.
45 Wathumela phakathi kwabo umtshitshi wezibawu, ezabadlayo, lamaxoxo ababhubhisayo.
He sent against them the dog-fly, and it devoured them; and the frog, and it spoiled them.
46 Wasenika imihogoyi isivuno sabo, lomsebenzi wabo isikhonyane.
And he gave their fruit to the canker worm, and their labours to the locust.
47 Wabulala ivini labo ngesiqhotho, lemikhiwa yabo yesikhamore ngongqwaqwane.
He killed their vines with hail, and their sycamores with frost.
48 Wasenikela izifuyo zabo esiqhothweni, lemihlambi yabo kuyo imibane.
And he gave up their cattle to hail, and their substance to the fire.
49 Waphosela phezu kwabo ukuvutha kolaka lwakhe, ukuthukuthela, lokucunuka, lokuhlupheka, ngokuthuma izithunywa zobubi.
He sent out against them the fury of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and affliction, a message by evil angels.
50 Walungisela ulaka lwakhe indlela, kanqandanga umphefumulo wabo ekufeni, kodwa wanikela impilo yabo kumatshayabhuqe wesifo.
He made a way for his wrath; he spared not their souls from death, but consigned their cattle to death;
51 Wasetshaya wonke amazibulo eGibhithe, okokuqala kwamandla emathenteni kaHamu.
and struck every firstborn in the land of Egypt; the first fruits of their labours in the tents of Cham.
52 Wasebakhupha abantu bakhe njengezimvu, wabakhokhela enkangala njengomhlambi.
And he removed his people like sheep; he led them as a flock in the wilderness.
53 Wasebakhokhela bephephile ukuze bangesabi; kodwa ulwandle lwasibekela izitha zabo.
And he guided them with hope, and they feared not: but the sea covered their enemies.
54 Wasebafikisa emkhawulweni wendawo yakhe engcwele, le intaba, isandla sakhe sokunene esayizuzayo.
And he brought them in to the mountain of his sanctuary, this mountain which his right hand had purchased.
55 Wasebaxotsha abezizwe phambi kwabo; wababela ilifa ngomzila, wahlalisa izizwe zakoIsrayeli emathenteni azo.
And he cast out the nations from before them, and made them to inherit by a line of inheritance, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
56 Kanti bamlinga, bamvukela uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke, kabazigcinanga izifakazelo zakhe.
Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies.
57 Kodwa babuyela emuva, benza ngokungathembeki njengaboyise, baphanjulwa njengedandili elikhohlisayo.
And they turned back, and broke covenant, even as also their fathers: they became like a crooked bow.
58 Ngoba bamthukuthelisa ngezindawo zabo eziphakemeyo, bavusa umona wakhe ngezithombe zabo ezibaziweyo.
And they provoked him with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.
59 UNkulunkulu esizwa wathukuthela, wamenyanya kakhulu uIsrayeli.
God heard and lightly regarded [them], and greatly despised Israel.
60 Ngakho walitshiya ithabhanekele leShilo, ithente alimisa phakathi kwabantu.
And he rejected the tabernacle of Selom, his tent where he lived amongst men.
61 Wasenikela amandla akhe ekuthunjweni, lenkazimulo yakhe esandleni sesitha.
And he gave their strength into captivity, and their beauty into the enemy's hand.
62 Wasenikela abantu bakhe enkembeni, waselithukuthelela ilifa lakhe.
And he gave his people to the sword; and disdained his inheritance.
63 Umlilo waqeda amajaha abo, lezintombi zabo kazihlatshelelwanga.
Fire devoured their young men; and their virgins mourned not.
64 Abapristi babo bawa ngenkemba, labafelokazi babo kabalilanga.
Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows shall not be wept for.
65 Khona iNkosi yavuka njengobelele, njengeqhawe eliklabalala ngenxa yewayini.
So the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, [and] as a mighty man who has been heated with wine.
66 Yazitshaya izitha zayo emuva, yazithela ihlazo phakade.
And he struck his enemies in the hinder parts: he brought on them a perpetual reproach.
67 Yasilahla ithente likaJosefa, kayikhethanga isizwe sakoEfrayimi.
And he rejected the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim;
68 Kodwa yakhetha isizwe sakoJuda, intaba yeZiyoni eyithandayo.
but chose the tribe of Juda, the mount Sion which he loved.
69 Yayakha indlu yayo engcwele njengezingqonga, njengomhlaba ewusekeleyo kuze kube nininini.
And he built his sanctuary as [the place] of unicorns; he founded it for ever on the earth.
70 Yasikhetha uDavida inceku yayo, yamthatha ezibayeni zezimvu;
He chose David also his servant, and took him up from the flocks of sheep.
71 ekulandeleni izimvukazi ezenyisayo, yamletha ukwelusa uJakobe abantu bayo, loIsrayeli ilifa layo.
He took him from following the ewes great with young, to be the shepherd of Jacob his servant, and Israel his inheritance.
72 Njalo wabelusa njengobuqotho benhliziyo yakhe, wabakhokhela ngobugabazi bezandla zakhe.
So he tended them in the innocency of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.
