Amahubo 78
1 Lalelani, bantu bami, umthetho wami, libeke indlebe yenu emazwini omlomo wami.
Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 Ngizavula umlomo wami ngomfanekiso, ngikhuphe izimfihlakalo zendulo,
I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
3 esizizwileyo lesizaziyo, obaba abasitshela zona.
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 them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of YHWH, and his strength, and his wonderful 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 which should be born; who 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 in Elohim, and not forget the works of El, 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 El.
9 Abantwana bakoEfrayimi, behlomile betshoka ngamadandili, babuyela emuva mhla wempi.
The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.
10 Kabasilondolozanga isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu, bala ukuhamba emlayweni wakhe.
They kept not the covenant of Elohim, and refused to walk in his law;
11 Bakhohlwa izenzo zakhe lezimangaliso zakhe ayebatshengisa zona.
And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed 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 divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.
14 Wabakhokhela ngeyezi emini, lebusuku bonke ngokukhanya komlilo.
In the daytime 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 clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.
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.
And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.
18 Bamlinga uNkulunkulu enhliziyweni yabo ngokucela ukudla kwenkanuko yabo.
And they tempted El in their heart by asking meat for their lust.
19 Basebekhuluma bemelene loNkulunkulu bathi: UNkulunkulu angalungisa itafula enkangala yini?
Yea, they spake against Elohim; they said, Can El furnish 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 the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?
21 Ngakho iNkosi yezwa yathukuthela; umlilo wasubaselwa uJakobe, njalo lolaka lwavukela uIsrayeli,
Therefore YHWH heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;
22 ngoba kabakholwanga kuNkulunkulu, kabathembanga esindisweni lwakhe.
Because they believed not in Elohim, and trusted not in his salvation:
23 Lanxa walaya amayezi ngaphezulu, wavula iminyango yamazulu,
Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,
24 wabanisela imana ukuthi badle, wabapha amabele amazulu.
And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.
25 Umuntu wadla isinkwa sabalamandla; wabathumela ukudla ukuze basuthe.
Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full.
26 Wenza umoya wempumalanga wavunguza emazulwini; langamandla akhe waqhuba umoya weningizimu.
He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.
27 Wasenisela phezu kwabo inyama njengothuli, lenyoni ezilempiko njengetshebetshebe lolwandle;
He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:
28 wazenza zawela phakathi kwenkamba yabo, zagombolozela indawo zabo zokuhlala.
And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.
29 Ngakho badla basutha kakhulu, ngoba wabalethela isiloyiso sabo.
So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire;
30 Kabehlukananga lenkanuko yabo; ukudla kusesemlonyeni wabo,
They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths,
31 ulaka lukaNkulunkulu lwaselubavukela, wabulala kwabakhulupheleyo babo, watshaya abakhethiweyo bakoIsrayeli.
The wrath of Elohim came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.
32 Kulokhu konke bajinga besona, njalo kabakholwanga ngenxa yezimangaliso zakhe.
For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.
33 Ngakho waziqeda izinsuku zabo ngeze, leminyaka yabo ovalweni.
Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.
34 Lapho ebabulala, bamdinga, baphenduka, bamdingisisa uNkulunkulu.
When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and inquired early after El.
35 Bakhumbula ukuthi uNkulunkulu ulidwala labo, loNkulunkulu oPhezukonke ungumhlengi wabo.
And they remembered that Elohim was their rock, and El Elyon their redeemer.
36 Kodwa bamyenga ngomlomo wabo, baqamba amanga kuye ngolimi lwabo.
Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.
37 Ngoba inhliziyo yabo yayingaqondanga kuye, njalo bengathembekanga esivumelwaneni sakhe.
For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast 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, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.
39 Ngoba wakhumbula ukuthi bayinyama, umoya odlulayo, ongabuyiyo.
For 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 provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!
41 Yebo baphenduka bamlinga uNkulunkulu, bamdabukisa oNgcwele kaIsrayeli.
Yea, they turned back and tempted El, and limited the Holy One of Israel.
42 Kabasikhumbulanga isandla sakhe, usuku abahlenga ngalo esitheni.
They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.
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 Zoan:
44 lokuthi waphendula imifula yabo yaba ligazi, lezifula zabo, ukuze banganathi.
And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.
45 Wathumela phakathi kwabo umtshitshi wezibawu, ezabadlayo, lamaxoxo ababhubhisayo.
He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.
46 Wasenika imihogoyi isivuno sabo, lomsebenzi wabo isikhonyane.
He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust.
47 Wabulala ivini labo ngesiqhotho, lemikhiwa yabo yesikhamore ngongqwaqwane.
He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost.
48 Wasenikela izifuyo zabo esiqhothweni, lemihlambi yabo kuyo imibane.
He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.
49 Waphosela phezu kwabo ukuvutha kolaka lwakhe, ukuthukuthela, lokucunuka, lokuhlupheka, ngokuthuma izithunywa zobubi.
He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.
50 Walungisela ulaka lwakhe indlela, kanqandanga umphefumulo wabo ekufeni, kodwa wanikela impilo yabo kumatshayabhuqe wesifo.
He made a way to 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 firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:
52 Wasebakhupha abantu bakhe njengezimvu, wabakhokhela enkangala njengomhlambi.
But 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 on safely, so that 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 the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased.
55 Wasebaxotsha abezizwe phambi kwabo; wababela ilifa ngomzila, wahlalisa izizwe zakoIsrayeli emathenteni azo.
He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them 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 tempted and provoked the most high Elohim, and kept not his testimonies:
57 Kodwa babuyela emuva, benza ngokungathembeki njengaboyise, baphanjulwa njengedandili elikhohlisayo.
But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully 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 to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.
59 UNkulunkulu esizwa wathukuthela, wamenyanya kakhulu uIsrayeli.
When Elohim heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:
60 Ngakho walitshiya ithabhanekele leShilo, ithente alimisa phakathi kwabantu.
So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men;
61 Wasenikela amandla akhe ekuthunjweni, lenkazimulo yakhe esandleni sesitha.
And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy'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.
The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.
64 Abapristi babo bawa ngenkemba, labafelokazi babo kabalilanga.
Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lameintation.
65 Khona iNkosi yavuka njengobelele, njengeqhawe eliklabalala ngenxa yewayini.
Then YHWH awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.
66 Yazitshaya izitha zayo emuva, yazithela ihlazo phakade.
And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach.
67 Yasilahla ithente likaJosefa, kayikhethanga isizwe sakoEfrayimi.
Moreover he refused the tabernacle 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 high palaces, like the earth which he hath established 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 great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.
72 Njalo wabelusa njengobuqotho benhliziyo yakhe, wabakhokhela ngobugabazi bezandla zakhe.
So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.
