Amahubo 78
1 Lalelani, bantu bami, umthetho wami, libeke indlebe yenu emazwini omlomo wami.
Maschil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 Ngizavula umlomo wami ngomfanekiso, ngikhuphe izimfihlakalo zendulo,
I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter dark sayings concerning days of old;
3 esizizwileyo lesizaziyo, obaba abasitshela zona.
That which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us,
4 Kasiyikuzifihlela abantwana babo, kusizukulwana esilandelayo, silandisa izindumiso zeNkosi, lamandla ayo, lezimangaliso ezenzileyo.
We will not hide from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and His strength, and His wondrous works that He hath done.
5 Ngoba wamisa ubufakazi koJakobe, wabeka umlayo koIsrayeli, awulaya obaba, ukuze bawazise abantwana babo,
For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children;
6 ukuze isizukulwana esilandelayo sazi, abantwana abazazalwa, basukume batshele abantwana babo,
That the generation to come might know them, even the children that should be born; who should arise and tell them to their children,
7 ukuze babeke ithemba labo kuNkulunkulu, bangayikhohlwa imisebenzi kaNkulunkulu, kodwa bagcine imithetho yakhe;
That they might put their confidence in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments;
8 njalo bangabi njengaboyise, isizukulwana esilenkani lesivukelayo, isizukulwana esingaqondisanga inhliziyo yaso, lesimoya waso ungathembekanga kuNkulunkulu.
And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.
9 Abantwana bakoEfrayimi, behlomile betshoka ngamadandili, babuyela emuva mhla wempi.
The children of Ephraim were as archers handling the bow, that turned back in the day of battle.
10 Kabasilondolozanga isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu, bala ukuhamba emlayweni wakhe.
They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in His law;
11 Bakhohlwa izenzo zakhe lezimangaliso zakhe ayebatshengisa zona.
And they forgot His doings, and His wondrous works that He had shown them.
12 Phambi kwaboyise wenza isimangaliso elizweni leGibhithe, egangeni leZowani.
Marvellous things did He in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
13 Waqhekeza ulwandle, wabachaphisa, wenza amanzi ema njengenqumbi.
He cleaved the sea, and caused them to pass through; and He made the waters to stand as a heap.
14 Wabakhokhela ngeyezi emini, lebusuku bonke ngokukhanya komlilo.
By day also He led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.
15 Waqhekeza amadwala enkangala, wabanathisa kungathi kuvela ezinzikini ezinkulu.
He cleaved rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink abundantly as out of the great deep.
16 Waseveza izifula edwaleni, wenza amanzi ehla njengemifula.
He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
17 Kodwa baphinda futhi ukona kuye, ngokumvukela oPhezukonke enkangala.
Yet went they on still to sin against Him, to rebel against the Most High in the desert.
18 Bamlinga uNkulunkulu enhliziyweni yabo ngokucela ukudla kwenkanuko yabo.
And they tried God in their heart by asking food for their craving.
19 Basebekhuluma bemelene loNkulunkulu bathi: UNkulunkulu angalungisa itafula enkangala yini?
Yea, they spoke against God; they said: 'Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?
20 Khangela, watshaya idwala, kwampompoza amanzi, lezifula zagabha; anganika lesinkwa yini? angalungisela abantu bakhe inyama na?
Behold, He smote the rock, that waters gushed out, and streams overflowed; can He give bread also? or will He provide flesh for His people?'
21 Ngakho iNkosi yezwa yathukuthela; umlilo wasubaselwa uJakobe, njalo lolaka lwavukela uIsrayeli,
Therefore the LORD heard, and was wroth; and a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also 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,
And He commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven;
24 wabanisela imana ukuthi badle, wabapha amabele amazulu.
And He caused manna to rain upon them for food, and gave them of the corn of heaven.
25 Umuntu wadla isinkwa sabalamandla; wabathumela ukudla ukuze basuthe.
Man did eat the bread of the mighty; He sent them provisions to the full.
26 Wenza umoya wempumalanga wavunguza emazulwini; langamandla akhe waqhuba umoya weningizimu.
He caused the east wind to set forth in heaven; and by His power He brought on the south wind.
27 Wasenisela phezu kwabo inyama njengothuli, lenyoni ezilempiko njengetshebetshebe lolwandle;
He caused flesh also to rain upon them as the dust, and winged fowl as the sand of the seas;
28 wazenza zawela phakathi kwenkamba yabo, zagombolozela indawo zabo zokuhlala.
And He let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their dwellings.
29 Ngakho badla basutha kakhulu, ngoba wabalethela isiloyiso sabo.
So they did eat, and were well filled; and He gave them that which they craved.
30 Kabehlukananga lenkanuko yabo; ukudla kusesemlonyeni wabo,
They were not estranged from their craving, their food was yet in their mouths,
31 ulaka lukaNkulunkulu lwaselubavukela, wabulala kwabakhulupheleyo babo, watshaya abakhethiweyo bakoIsrayeli.
When the anger of God went up against them, and slew of the lustieth among them, and smote down the young men of Israel.
32 Kulokhu konke bajinga besona, njalo kabakholwanga ngenxa yezimangaliso zakhe.
For all this they sinned still, and believed not in His wondrous works.
33 Ngakho waziqeda izinsuku zabo ngeze, leminyaka yabo ovalweni.
Therefore He ended their days as a breath, and their years in terror.
34 Lapho ebabulala, bamdinga, baphenduka, bamdingisisa uNkulunkulu.
When He slew them, then they would inquire after Him, and turn back and seek God earnestly.
35 Bakhumbula ukuthi uNkulunkulu ulidwala labo, loNkulunkulu oPhezukonke ungumhlengi wabo.
And they remembered that God was their Rock, and the Most High God their redeemer.
36 Kodwa bamyenga ngomlomo wabo, baqamba amanga kuye ngolimi lwabo.
But they beguiled Him with their mouth, and lied unto Him with their tongue.
37 Ngoba inhliziyo yabo yayingaqondanga kuye, njalo bengathembekanga esivumelwaneni sakhe.
For their heart was not stedfast with Him, neither were they faithful in His covenant.
38 Kodwa yena elesihawu wathethelela ububi babo, kababhubhisanga; yebo, kanengi walunqanda ulaka lwakhe, kakuvusanga konke ukuthukuthela kwakhe.
But He, being full of compassion, forgiveth iniquity, and destroyeth not; yea, many a time doth He turn His anger away, and doth not stir up all His wrath.
39 Ngoba wakhumbula ukuthi bayinyama, umoya odlulayo, ongabuyiyo.
So He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.
40 Kanengi kangakanani bemvukela ehlane, bemdabukisa enkangala.
How oft did they rebel against Him in the wilderness, and grieve Him in the desert!
41 Yebo baphenduka bamlinga uNkulunkulu, bamdabukisa oNgcwele kaIsrayeli.
And still again they tried God, and set bounds to the Holy One of Israel.
42 Kabasikhumbulanga isandla sakhe, usuku abahlenga ngalo esitheni.
They remembered not His hand, nor the day when He redeemed them from the adversary.
43 Ukuthi wamisa njani izibonakaliso zakhe eGibhithe, lezimangaliso zakhe emmangweni weZowani,
How He set His signs in Egypt, and His wonders in the field of Zoan;
44 lokuthi waphendula imifula yabo yaba ligazi, lezifula zabo, ukuze banganathi.
And turned their rivers into blood, so that they could not drink their streams.
45 Wathumela phakathi kwabo umtshitshi wezibawu, ezabadlayo, lamaxoxo ababhubhisayo.
He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.
46 Wasenika imihogoyi isivuno sabo, lomsebenzi wabo isikhonyane.
He gave also their increase unto the caterpillar, and their labour unto the locust.
47 Wabulala ivini labo ngesiqhotho, lemikhiwa yabo yesikhamore ngongqwaqwane.
He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycamore-trees with frost.
48 Wasenikela izifuyo zabo esiqhothweni, lemihlambi yabo kuyo imibane.
He gave over their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to fiery bolts.
49 Waphosela phezu kwabo ukuvutha kolaka lwakhe, ukuthukuthela, lokucunuka, lokuhlupheka, ngokuthuma izithunywa zobubi.
He sent forth upon them the fierceness of His anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, a sending of messengers of evil.
50 Walungisela ulaka lwakhe indlela, kanqandanga umphefumulo wabo ekufeni, kodwa wanikela impilo yabo kumatshayabhuqe wesifo.
He levelled a path for His anger; He spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;
51 Wasetshaya wonke amazibulo eGibhithe, okokuqala kwamandla emathenteni kaHamu.
And smote all the first-born in Egypt, the first-fruits of their strength in the tents of Ham;
52 Wasebakhupha abantu bakhe njengezimvu, wabakhokhela enkangala njengomhlambi.
But He made His own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
53 Wasebakhokhela bephephile ukuze bangesabi; kodwa ulwandle lwasibekela izitha zabo.
And He led them safely, and they feared not; but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
54 Wasebafikisa emkhawulweni wendawo yakhe engcwele, le intaba, isandla sakhe sokunene esayizuzayo.
And He brought them to His holy border, to the mountain, which His right hand had gotten.
55 Wasebaxotsha abezizwe phambi kwabo; wababela ilifa ngomzila, wahlalisa izizwe zakoIsrayeli emathenteni azo.
He drove out the nations also before them, and allotted them for an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
56 Kanti bamlinga, bamvukela uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke, kabazigcinanga izifakazelo zakhe.
Yet they tried and provoked God, the Most High, and kept not His testimonies;
57 Kodwa babuyela emuva, benza ngokungathembeki njengaboyise, baphanjulwa njengedandili elikhohlisayo.
But turned back, and dealt treacherously like their fathers; they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.
58 Ngoba bamthukuthelisa ngezindawo zabo eziphakemeyo, bavusa umona wakhe ngezithombe zabo ezibaziweyo.
For 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 was wroth, and He greatly abhorred Israel;
60 Ngakho walitshiya ithabhanekele leShilo, ithente alimisa phakathi kwabantu.
And He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which He had made to dwell among men;
61 Wasenikela amandla akhe ekuthunjweni, lenkazimulo yakhe esandleni sesitha.
And delivered His strength into captivity, and His glory into the adversary's hand.
62 Wasenikela abantu bakhe enkembeni, waselithukuthelela ilifa lakhe.
He gave His people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with His inheritance.
63 Umlilo waqeda amajaha abo, lezintombi zabo kazihlatshelelwanga.
Fire devoured their young men; and their virgins had no marriage-song.
64 Abapristi babo bawa ngenkemba, labafelokazi babo kabalilanga.
Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.
65 Khona iNkosi yavuka njengobelele, njengeqhawe eliklabalala ngenxa yewayini.
Then the Lord awaked as one asleep, like a mighty man recovering from wine.
66 Yazitshaya izitha zayo emuva, yazithela ihlazo phakade.
And He smote His adversaries backward; He put upon them a perpetual reproach.
67 Yasilahla ithente likaJosefa, kayikhethanga isizwe sakoEfrayimi.
Moreover He abhorred the tent of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim;
68 Kodwa yakhetha isizwe sakoJuda, intaba yeZiyoni eyithandayo.
But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which He loved.
69 Yayakha indlu yayo engcwele njengezingqonga, njengomhlaba ewusekeleyo kuze kube nininini.
And He built His sanctuary like the heights, like the earth which He hath founded for ever.
70 Yasikhetha uDavida inceku yayo, yamthatha ezibayeni zezimvu;
He chose David also His servant, and took him from the sheepfolds;
71 ekulandeleni izimvukazi ezenyisayo, yamletha ukwelusa uJakobe abantu bayo, loIsrayeli ilifa layo.
From following the ewes that give suck He brought him, to be shepherd over Jacob His people, and Israel His inheritance.
72 Njalo wabelusa njengobuqotho benhliziyo yakhe, wabakhokhela ngobugabazi bezandla zakhe.
So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart; and lead them by the skilfulness of his hands.
