Amahubo 78
1 Lalelani, bantu bami, umthetho wami, libeke indlebe yenu emazwini omlomo wami.
A psalm (maskil) of Asaph. Listen to what I have to teach you, my people; hear what I have to say.
2 Ngizavula umlomo wami ngomfanekiso, ngikhuphe izimfihlakalo zendulo,
I will tell you wise sayings; I will explain mysteries from the past
3 esizizwileyo lesizaziyo, obaba abasitshela zona.
that we have heard before and reflected on; stories our forefathers passed down to us.
4 Kasiyikuzifihlela abantwana babo, kusizukulwana esilandelayo, silandisa izindumiso zeNkosi, lamandla ayo, lezimangaliso ezenzileyo.
We will not keep them from our children; we will tell the next generation about God's marvelous actions—about his power and the amazing things he has done.
5 Ngoba wamisa ubufakazi koJakobe, wabeka umlayo koIsrayeli, awulaya obaba, ukuze bawazise abantwana babo,
He gave his laws to the descendants of Jacob; his instructions to the people of Israel. He commanded our forefathers to teach them to their children,
6 ukuze isizukulwana esilandelayo sazi, abantwana abazazalwa, basukume batshele abantwana babo,
so that the next generation—children yet to be born—would understand and grow up to teach their children.
7 ukuze babeke ithemba labo kuNkulunkulu, bangayikhohlwa imisebenzi kaNkulunkulu, kodwa bagcine imithetho yakhe;
In this way they should place their trust in God and not forget what God has done, and keep his commandments.
8 njalo bangabi njengaboyise, isizukulwana esilenkani lesivukelayo, isizukulwana esingaqondisanga inhliziyo yaso, lesimoya waso ungathembekanga kuNkulunkulu.
Then they would not be like their forefathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation that was untrustworthy and unfaithful.
9 Abantwana bakoEfrayimi, behlomile betshoka ngamadandili, babuyela emuva mhla wempi.
The soldiers of Ephraim, though armed with bows, ran away on the day of battle.
10 Kabasilondolozanga isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu, bala ukuhamba emlayweni wakhe.
They did not keep God's agreement, and refused to follow his laws.
11 Bakhohlwa izenzo zakhe lezimangaliso zakhe ayebatshengisa zona.
They ignored what he had done, and the amazing things he had shown them—
12 Phambi kwaboyise wenza isimangaliso elizweni leGibhithe, egangeni leZowani.
the miracles he had performed for their forefathers near Zoan in Egypt.
13 Waqhekeza ulwandle, wabachaphisa, wenza amanzi ema njengenqumbi.
He split the sea in two and led them through, making the water stand like walls on either side.
14 Wabakhokhela ngeyezi emini, lebusuku bonke ngokukhanya komlilo.
He led them with a cloud by day, and by night with a light of fire.
15 Waqhekeza amadwala enkangala, wabanathisa kungathi kuvela ezinzikini ezinkulu.
He split open rocks in the desert to give his people plenty to drink, water as deep as the ocean.
16 Waseveza izifula edwaleni, wenza amanzi ehla njengemifula.
He made streams flow from the stone; water rushing down like rivers!
17 Kodwa baphinda futhi ukona kuye, ngokumvukela oPhezukonke enkangala.
But they repeatedly sinned against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert.
18 Bamlinga uNkulunkulu enhliziyweni yabo ngokucela ukudla kwenkanuko yabo.
They deliberately provoked God by demanding the foods they longed for.
19 Basebekhuluma bemelene loNkulunkulu bathi: UNkulunkulu angalungisa itafula enkangala yini?
They insulted God by saying, “Can God provide food here in the desert?
20 Khangela, watshaya idwala, kwampompoza amanzi, lezifula zagabha; anganika lesinkwa yini? angalungisela abantu bakhe inyama na?
Yes, he can strike a rock so that water gushes out like flowing rivers, but can he give us bread? Can he supply his people with meat?”
21 Ngakho iNkosi yezwa yathukuthela; umlilo wasubaselwa uJakobe, njalo lolaka lwavukela uIsrayeli,
When he heard this, the Lord became very angry, burning like fire against the descendants of Jacob, furious with the people of Israel,
22 ngoba kabakholwanga kuNkulunkulu, kabathembanga esindisweni lwakhe.
for they didn't believe in God and didn't trust him to take care of them.
23 Lanxa walaya amayezi ngaphezulu, wavula iminyango yamazulu,
Even so he commanded the skies above and the doors of heaven to open,
24 wabanisela imana ukuthi badle, wabapha amabele amazulu.
and he made manna rain down on them to eat, giving them bread from heaven.
25 Umuntu wadla isinkwa sabalamandla; wabathumela ukudla ukuze basuthe.
Human beings ate the bread of angels; he sent them more than enough food.
26 Wenza umoya wempumalanga wavunguza emazulwini; langamandla akhe waqhuba umoya weningizimu.
He sent the east wind blowing across the sky; by his power he drove the south wind.
27 Wasenisela phezu kwabo inyama njengothuli, lenyoni ezilempiko njengetshebetshebe lolwandle;
He rained down meat on them as plentiful as dust; birds as numerous as sand on a beach.
28 wazenza zawela phakathi kwenkamba yabo, zagombolozela indawo zabo zokuhlala.
He made them fall right in the middle of their camp, all around where they were living.
29 Ngakho badla basutha kakhulu, ngoba wabalethela isiloyiso sabo.
They ate until they were full. He gave them the food they longed for.
30 Kabehlukananga lenkanuko yabo; ukudla kusesemlonyeni wabo,
But before they satisfied their appetite, while the meat was still in their mouths,
31 ulaka lukaNkulunkulu lwaselubavukela, wabulala kwabakhulupheleyo babo, watshaya abakhethiweyo bakoIsrayeli.
God became angry with them and he killed their strongest men, striking them down in the prime of life.
32 Kulokhu konke bajinga besona, njalo kabakholwanga ngenxa yezimangaliso zakhe.
Despite all this they went right on sinning. Despite the miracles, they refused to trust him.
33 Ngakho waziqeda izinsuku zabo ngeze, leminyaka yabo ovalweni.
So he snuffed out their futile lives, bringing them to an end in terror.
34 Lapho ebabulala, bamdinga, baphenduka, bamdingisisa uNkulunkulu.
When he began killing them, the rest came back to God in repentance, praying to him.
35 Bakhumbula ukuthi uNkulunkulu ulidwala labo, loNkulunkulu oPhezukonke ungumhlengi wabo.
They remembered that God was their rock, that God Most High was their Savior.
36 Kodwa bamyenga ngomlomo wabo, baqamba amanga kuye ngolimi lwabo.
They flattered him by what they told him, but they were only lying.
37 Ngoba inhliziyo yabo yayingaqondanga kuye, njalo bengathembekanga esivumelwaneni sakhe.
Deep down they were not sincere, and did not keep the agreement they had with him.
38 Kodwa yena elesihawu wathethelela ububi babo, kababhubhisanga; yebo, kanengi walunqanda ulaka lwakhe, kakuvusanga konke ukuthukuthela kwakhe.
But being compassionate he pardoned their guilt and did not destroy all of them. He often held back his anger—he did not pour out all his fury.
39 Ngoba wakhumbula ukuthi bayinyama, umoya odlulayo, ongabuyiyo.
He remembered their mortality—that they were like a puff of wind that would not return.
40 Kanengi kangakanani bemvukela ehlane, bemdabukisa enkangala.
How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness, giving him grief in the desert!
41 Yebo baphenduka bamlinga uNkulunkulu, bamdabukisa oNgcwele kaIsrayeli.
Again and again they provoked God, causing pain to the Holy One of Israel.
42 Kabasikhumbulanga isandla sakhe, usuku abahlenga ngalo esitheni.
They did not remember his strength when he rescued them from their oppressors,
43 Ukuthi wamisa njani izibonakaliso zakhe eGibhithe, lezimangaliso zakhe emmangweni weZowani,
performing miracles in Egypt, doing wonderful things on the plain of Zoan.
44 lokuthi waphendula imifula yabo yaba ligazi, lezifula zabo, ukuze banganathi.
There he turned their rivers and their streams into blood so that no one could drink from them.
45 Wathumela phakathi kwabo umtshitshi wezibawu, ezabadlayo, lamaxoxo ababhubhisayo.
He sent flies among them to destroy them, and frogs to ruin everything.
46 Wasenika imihogoyi isivuno sabo, lomsebenzi wabo isikhonyane.
He gave their crops to locusts; everything they worked had for was taken by locusts.
47 Wabulala ivini labo ngesiqhotho, lemikhiwa yabo yesikhamore ngongqwaqwane.
He destroyed their vines with hail, and their fig trees with freezing rain.
48 Wasenikela izifuyo zabo esiqhothweni, lemihlambi yabo kuyo imibane.
He handed over their cattle to hail and their flocks to lightning bolts.
49 Waphosela phezu kwabo ukuvutha kolaka lwakhe, ukuthukuthela, lokucunuka, lokuhlupheka, ngokuthuma izithunywa zobubi.
He poured out on them his fierce anger—rage and hostility and anguish—sending a band of destroying angels against them.
50 Walungisela ulaka lwakhe indlela, kanqandanga umphefumulo wabo ekufeni, kodwa wanikela impilo yabo kumatshayabhuqe wesifo.
He sent his unrestrained anger against them; he did not spare them from death, handing them over to the plague.
51 Wasetshaya wonke amazibulo eGibhithe, okokuqala kwamandla emathenteni kaHamu.
He struck down all the firstborn of Egypt, the first to be conceived in the tents of Ham.
52 Wasebakhupha abantu bakhe njengezimvu, wabakhokhela enkangala njengomhlambi.
But he led out his people like sheep, and guided them like a flock in the wilderness.
53 Wasebakhokhela bephephile ukuze bangesabi; kodwa ulwandle lwasibekela izitha zabo.
He led them to safety, and they were not afraid. He drowned their enemies in the sea.
54 Wasebafikisa emkhawulweni wendawo yakhe engcwele, le intaba, isandla sakhe sokunene esayizuzayo.
He brought them to the border of his holy land, to this mountainous land that he had conquered for them.
55 Wasebaxotsha abezizwe phambi kwabo; wababela ilifa ngomzila, wahlalisa izizwe zakoIsrayeli emathenteni azo.
He drove out the heathen nations before them. He divided up the land for them to own. He settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.
56 Kanti bamlinga, bamvukela uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke, kabazigcinanga izifakazelo zakhe.
But they provoked God Most High, rebelling against him. They did not follow what he had told them.
57 Kodwa babuyela emuva, benza ngokungathembeki njengaboyise, baphanjulwa njengedandili elikhohlisayo.
Just like their forefathers they turned away from God and were unfaithful to him, as twisted as a defective bow.
58 Ngoba bamthukuthelisa ngezindawo zabo eziphakemeyo, bavusa umona wakhe ngezithombe zabo ezibaziweyo.
They made him angry with their pagan high places of worship; they made him jealous with their idols.
59 UNkulunkulu esizwa wathukuthela, wamenyanya kakhulu uIsrayeli.
When God heard their worship he became furious and he totally rejected Israel.
60 Ngakho walitshiya ithabhanekele leShilo, ithente alimisa phakathi kwabantu.
He abandoned his place at Shiloh, the Tabernacle where he lived among the people.
61 Wasenikela amandla akhe ekuthunjweni, lenkazimulo yakhe esandleni sesitha.
He surrendered the Ark of his power, allowing it to be captured; handing it over into enemy hands.
62 Wasenikela abantu bakhe enkembeni, waselithukuthelela ilifa lakhe.
He handed over his people to be slaughtered by the sword; he was furious with his chosen people.
63 Umlilo waqeda amajaha abo, lezintombi zabo kazihlatshelelwanga.
Their young men were destroyed by fire; their young women had no wedding songs.
64 Abapristi babo bawa ngenkemba, labafelokazi babo kabalilanga.
Their priests were killed by the sword; their widows were unable to mourn.
65 Khona iNkosi yavuka njengobelele, njengeqhawe eliklabalala ngenxa yewayini.
Then the Lord woke up as if from sleep, as a warrior sobering up from drinking wine.
66 Yazitshaya izitha zayo emuva, yazithela ihlazo phakade.
He defeated his enemies, striking them on the back, causing them everlasting shame.
67 Yasilahla ithente likaJosefa, kayikhethanga isizwe sakoEfrayimi.
He rejected the descendants of Joseph, and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim.
68 Kodwa yakhetha isizwe sakoJuda, intaba yeZiyoni eyithandayo.
Instead he chose the tribe of Judah, and Mount Zion which he loves.
69 Yayakha indlu yayo engcwele njengezingqonga, njengomhlaba ewusekeleyo kuze kube nininini.
There he built his sanctuary, high like the heavens, on earth that he made to last forever.
70 Yasikhetha uDavida inceku yayo, yamthatha ezibayeni zezimvu;
He chose his servant David, taking him from the sheep pens,
71 ekulandeleni izimvukazi ezenyisayo, yamletha ukwelusa uJakobe abantu bayo, loIsrayeli ilifa layo.
taking him from caring for the sheep and lambs to be a shepherd to the descendants of Jacob—God's special people, Israel.
72 Njalo wabelusa njengobuqotho benhliziyo yakhe, wabakhokhela ngobugabazi bezandla zakhe.
Like a shepherd, he took care of them with sincere devotion, leading them with skillful hands.
