Amahubo 78
1 Lalelani, bantu bami, umthetho wami, libeke indlebe yenu emazwini omlomo wami.
“A Maskil of Assaph.” Give ear, O my people, to my instruction: incline thy ear to the words of my mouth.
2 Ngizavula umlomo wami ngomfanekiso, ngikhuphe izimfihlakalo zendulo,
I will open with a parable my mouth: I will utter riddles out of ancient times;
3 esizizwileyo lesizaziyo, obaba abasitshela zona.
Which we have heard and know, and which our fathers have related unto us.
4 Kasiyikuzifihlela abantwana babo, kusizukulwana esilandelayo, silandisa izindumiso zeNkosi, lamandla ayo, lezimangaliso ezenzileyo.
We will not conceal them from their children, relating to the latest generation the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful deeds which he hath done.
5 Ngoba wamisa ubufakazi koJakobe, wabeka umlayo koIsrayeli, awulaya obaba, ukuze bawazise abantwana babo,
Yea, he established a testimony in Jacob, and instituted 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,
In order that the latest generation might know them, even the children that are to be born; that they may arise and relate them to their children;
7 ukuze babeke ithemba labo kuNkulunkulu, bangayikhohlwa imisebenzi kaNkulunkulu, kodwa bagcine imithetho yakhe;
That they may place in God their hope, and not forget the doings of God, but observe his commandments;
8 njalo bangabi njengaboyise, isizukulwana esilenkani lesivukelayo, isizukulwana esingaqondisanga inhliziyo yaso, lesimoya waso ungathembekanga kuNkulunkulu.
And that they may not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that had not directed their heart firmly, and whose spirit was not faithful to God.
9 Abantwana bakoEfrayimi, behlomile betshoka ngamadandili, babuyela emuva mhla wempi.
The children of Ephraim, like well-armed archers, that turn round on the day of battle,
10 Kabasilondolozanga isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu, bala ukuhamba emlayweni wakhe.
Kept not the covenant of God, and in his law they refused to walk;
11 Bakhohlwa izenzo zakhe lezimangaliso zakhe ayebatshengisa zona.
And they forgot his deeds, as also his wonders, which he had permitted them to see.
12 Phambi kwaboyise wenza isimangaliso elizweni leGibhithe, egangeni leZowani.
In the presence of their fathers did he do wonders, in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zo'an.
13 Waqhekeza ulwandle, wabachaphisa, wenza amanzi ema njengenqumbi.
He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters stand upright as a wall.
14 Wabakhokhela ngeyezi emini, lebusuku bonke ngokukhanya komlilo.
And he led them with the cloud by day, and all the night with a light of fire.
15 Waqhekeza amadwala enkangala, wabanathisa kungathi kuvela ezinzikini ezinkulu.
He split rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the mighty deep.
16 Waseveza izifula edwaleni, wenza amanzi ehla njengemifula.
And he brought forth running streams out of the rock, and caused water to run down like rivers.
17 Kodwa baphinda futhi ukona kuye, ngokumvukela oPhezukonke enkangala.
But they repeated to sin yet more against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert.
18 Bamlinga uNkulunkulu enhliziyweni yabo ngokucela ukudla kwenkanuko yabo.
And they tempted God in their heart, by asking food for their desire.
19 Basebekhuluma bemelene loNkulunkulu bathi: UNkulunkulu angalungisa itafula enkangala yini?
Yea, they spoke against God: they said, Will God be able to set in order 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, so that waters gushed out, and streams overflowed: shall he also be able to give bread? or can he provide flesh for his people?
21 Ngakho iNkosi yezwa yathukuthela; umlilo wasubaselwa uJakobe, njalo lolaka lwavukela uIsrayeli,
Therefore, when the Lord heard this, he became wroth: and a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also ascended against Israel,
22 ngoba kabakholwanga kuNkulunkulu, kabathembanga esindisweni lwakhe.
Because they had not believed in God, and had not trusted in his salvation.
23 Lanxa walaya amayezi ngaphezulu, wavula iminyango yamazulu,
Then he ordained the skies from above, and the doors of heaven he opened;
24 wabanisela imana ukuthi badle, wabapha amabele amazulu.
And he let rain down upon them manna to eat, and the corn of heaven gave he unto them.
25 Umuntu wadla isinkwa sabalamandla; wabathumela ukudla ukuze basuthe.
Angels' bread did man eat: he sent them provision to satisfaction.
26 Wenza umoya wempumalanga wavunguza emazulwini; langamandla akhe waqhuba umoya weningizimu.
He caused an east wind to pass along the heavens; and he led forth by his strength the south wind.
27 Wasenisela phezu kwabo inyama njengothuli, lenyoni ezilempiko njengetshebetshebe lolwandle;
And he let rain upon them flesh [as plentiful] as the dust, and winged birds like the sand of the sea;
28 wazenza zawela phakathi kwenkamba yabo, zagombolozela indawo zabo zokuhlala.
And he let them fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.
29 Ngakho badla basutha kakhulu, ngoba wabalethela isiloyiso sabo.
And they ate, and were greatly satisfied, and what they longed for he brought unto them.
30 Kabehlukananga lenkanuko yabo; ukudla kusesemlonyeni wabo,
They were not estranged from their longing, yet was their food in their mouth:
31 ulaka lukaNkulunkulu lwaselubavukela, wabulala kwabakhulupheleyo babo, watshaya abakhethiweyo bakoIsrayeli.
When the wrath of God ascended against them, and he slew some of the fattest of them, and the young men of Israel did he strike down.
32 Kulokhu konke bajinga besona, njalo kabakholwanga ngenxa yezimangaliso zakhe.
With all this they sinned again, and believed not in his wonders.
33 Ngakho waziqeda izinsuku zabo ngeze, leminyaka yabo ovalweni.
Therefore he caused their days to come to an end in nought, and their years in dread.
34 Lapho ebabulala, bamdinga, baphenduka, bamdingisisa uNkulunkulu.
When he slew them, then did they seek him, and they returned and inquired earnestly after God.
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.
Nevertheless they prayed insincerely to him with their mouth, and with their tongue they lied unto him.
37 Ngoba inhliziyo yabo yayingaqondanga kuye, njalo bengathembekanga esivumelwaneni sakhe.
For their heart was not firm with him, and they were not faithful in his covenant.
38 Kodwa yena elesihawu wathethelela ububi babo, kababhubhisanga; yebo, kanengi walunqanda ulaka lwakhe, kakuvusanga konke ukuthukuthela kwakhe.
But he, being merciful, forgave the iniquity, and destroyed [them] not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not awaken all his fury.
39 Ngoba wakhumbula ukuthi bayinyama, umoya odlulayo, ongabuyiyo.
And he remembered that they are but flesh, a spirit that passeth away, and returneth not again.
40 Kanengi kangakanani bemvukela ehlane, bemdabukisa enkangala.
How oft did they rebel against him in the wilderness, grieve him in the desert!
41 Yebo baphenduka bamlinga uNkulunkulu, bamdabukisa oNgcwele kaIsrayeli.
Yea, they once more tempted God, and set limits to the Holy One of Israel.
42 Kabasikhumbulanga isandla sakhe, usuku abahlenga ngalo esitheni.
They remembered not his hand, the day when he ransomed them from the adversary;
43 Ukuthi wamisa njani izibonakaliso zakhe eGibhithe, lezimangaliso zakhe emmangweni weZowani,
When he displayed in Egypt his signs, and his wonderful tokens in the fields of Zo'an.
44 lokuthi waphendula imifula yabo yaba ligazi, lezifula zabo, ukuze banganathi.
And he changed their rivers into blood; and their running streams, that they could not drink [of them].
45 Wathumela phakathi kwabo umtshitshi wezibawu, ezabadlayo, lamaxoxo ababhubhisayo.
He sent out among them various wild beasts, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.
46 Wasenika imihogoyi isivuno sabo, lomsebenzi wabo isikhonyane.
And he gave unto the cricket their products, and their labor unto the locust.
47 Wabulala ivini labo ngesiqhotho, lemikhiwa yabo yesikhamore ngongqwaqwane.
He slew with hail their vines, and their sycamore-trees with ice-bolts.
48 Wasenikela izifuyo zabo esiqhothweni, lemihlambi yabo kuyo imibane.
And he surrendered to the hail their cattle, and their herds to the lightning's flashes.
49 Waphosela phezu kwabo ukuvutha kolaka lwakhe, ukuthukuthela, lokucunuka, lokuhlupheka, ngokuthuma izithunywa zobubi.
He let loose against them the fierceness of his anger, wrath and indignation, and distress, a host of angels of misfortune.
50 Walungisela ulaka lwakhe indlela, kanqandanga umphefumulo wabo ekufeni, kodwa wanikela impilo yabo kumatshayabhuqe wesifo.
He leveled a path for his anger; he withheld not from death their soul, and their life he surrendered to the pestilence;
51 Wasetshaya wonke amazibulo eGibhithe, okokuqala kwamandla emathenteni kaHamu.
And he smote all the first-born in Egypt; the first of their strength in the tents of Ham;
52 Wasebakhupha abantu bakhe njengezimvu, wabakhokhela enkangala njengomhlambi.
But he caused his own people to depart like flocks, and guided them like a drove in the wilderness.
53 Wasebakhokhela bephephile ukuze bangesabi; kodwa ulwandle lwasibekela izitha zabo.
And he led them in safety, so that they felt no dread; but the sea covered over their enemies.
54 Wasebafikisa emkhawulweni wendawo yakhe engcwele, le intaba, isandla sakhe sokunene esayizuzayo.
And he brought them to his holy territory, even to this mount, which his right hand had acquired.
55 Wasebaxotsha abezizwe phambi kwabo; wababela ilifa ngomzila, wahlalisa izizwe zakoIsrayeli emathenteni azo.
And he drove out from before them nations, and divided them by the measuring-line as an inheritance, and he caused to dwell in their tents the tribes of Israel.
56 Kanti bamlinga, bamvukela uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke, kabazigcinanga izifakazelo zakhe.
Yet they tempted and rebelled against the most high God, and his testimonies they kept not;
57 Kodwa babuyela emuva, benza ngokungathembeki njengaboyise, baphanjulwa njengedandili elikhohlisayo.
But swerved aside, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers; they turned about like a deceitful bow.
58 Ngoba bamthukuthelisa ngezindawo zabo eziphakemeyo, bavusa umona wakhe ngezithombe zabo ezibaziweyo.
And they provoked him to anger with their high-places, and with their graven images they moved him to jealousy.
59 UNkulunkulu esizwa wathukuthela, wamenyanya kakhulu uIsrayeli.
God heard this, and he became wroth, and felt greatly disgusted with Israel;
60 Ngakho walitshiya ithabhanekele leShilo, ithente alimisa phakathi kwabantu.
And he cast off the dwelling at Shiloh, the tabernacle where he had dwelt among men;
61 Wasenikela amandla akhe ekuthunjweni, lenkazimulo yakhe esandleni sesitha.
And he gave up his strength unto captivity, and his glory into the adversary's hand.
62 Wasenikela abantu bakhe enkembeni, waselithukuthelela ilifa lakhe.
And he surrendered his people unto the sword; and with his inheritance was he wroth.
63 Umlilo waqeda amajaha abo, lezintombi zabo kazihlatshelelwanga.
His young men the fire devoured; and his virgins were not demanded in marriage.
64 Abapristi babo bawa ngenkemba, labafelokazi babo kabalilanga.
His priests fell by the sword; and his widows did not weep.
65 Khona iNkosi yavuka njengobelele, njengeqhawe eliklabalala ngenxa yewayini.
Then awoke the Lord as one that sleepeth, like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.
66 Yazitshaya izitha zayo emuva, yazithela ihlazo phakade.
And he smote his enemies backward: a perpetual disgrace on them.
67 Yasilahla ithente likaJosefa, kayikhethanga isizwe sakoEfrayimi.
Yet was he disgusted with the tent of Joseph, and of the tribe of Ephraim he made not choice;
68 Kodwa yakhetha isizwe sakoJuda, intaba yeZiyoni eyithandayo.
But he 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 like high [mountains] his sanctuary, like the earth which he hath founded for ever.
70 Yasikhetha uDavida inceku yayo, yamthatha ezibayeni zezimvu;
And he made choice of David his servant, and took him from the sheep-folds:
71 ekulandeleni izimvukazi ezenyisayo, yamletha ukwelusa uJakobe abantu bayo, loIsrayeli ilifa layo.
From following the ewes with young he brought him, to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.
72 Njalo wabelusa njengobuqotho benhliziyo yakhe, wabakhokhela ngobugabazi bezandla zakhe.
And he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and by the skilfulness of his hands did he lead them.
