Amahubo 78
1 Lalelani, bantu bami, umthetho wami, libeke indlebe yenu emazwini omlomo wami.
AN INSTRUCTION OF ASAPH. Give ear, O my people, to my law, Incline your ear to sayings of my mouth.
2 Ngizavula umlomo wami ngomfanekiso, ngikhuphe izimfihlakalo zendulo,
I open my mouth with an allegory, I bring forth hidden things of old,
3 esizizwileyo lesizaziyo, obaba abasitshela zona.
That we have heard and know, And our fathers have recounted to us.
4 Kasiyikuzifihlela abantwana babo, kusizukulwana esilandelayo, silandisa izindumiso zeNkosi, lamandla ayo, lezimangaliso ezenzileyo.
We do not hide from their sons, Recounting praises of YHWH to a later generation, And His strength, and His wonders that He has done.
5 Ngoba wamisa ubufakazi koJakobe, wabeka umlayo koIsrayeli, awulaya obaba, ukuze bawazise abantwana babo,
And He raises up a testimony in Jacob, And has placed a law in Israel, That He commanded our fathers, To make them known to their sons.
6 ukuze isizukulwana esilandelayo sazi, abantwana abazazalwa, basukume batshele abantwana babo,
So that a later generation knows, Sons who are born, rise and recount to their sons,
7 ukuze babeke ithemba labo kuNkulunkulu, bangayikhohlwa imisebenzi kaNkulunkulu, kodwa bagcine imithetho yakhe;
And place their confidence in God, And do not forget the doings of God, But keep His commands.
8 njalo bangabi njengaboyise, isizukulwana esilenkani lesivukelayo, isizukulwana esingaqondisanga inhliziyo yaso, lesimoya waso ungathembekanga kuNkulunkulu.
And they are not like their fathers, A generation apostatizing and being rebellious, A generation—it has not prepared its heart, Nor [is] its spirit steadfast with God.
9 Abantwana bakoEfrayimi, behlomile betshoka ngamadandili, babuyela emuva mhla wempi.
Sons of Ephraim—armed bearers of bow, Have turned in a day of conflict.
10 Kabasilondolozanga isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu, bala ukuhamba emlayweni wakhe.
They have not kept the covenant of God, And they have refused to walk in His law,
11 Bakhohlwa izenzo zakhe lezimangaliso zakhe ayebatshengisa zona.
And they forget His doings, And His wonders that He showed them.
12 Phambi kwaboyise wenza isimangaliso elizweni leGibhithe, egangeni leZowani.
He has done wonders before their fathers, In the land of Egypt—the field of Zoan.
13 Waqhekeza ulwandle, wabachaphisa, wenza amanzi ema njengenqumbi.
He cleft a sea, and causes them to pass over, Indeed, He causes waters to stand as a heap.
14 Wabakhokhela ngeyezi emini, lebusuku bonke ngokukhanya komlilo.
And leads them with a cloud by day, And with a light of fire all the night.
15 Waqhekeza amadwala enkangala, wabanathisa kungathi kuvela ezinzikini ezinkulu.
He cleaves rocks in a wilderness, And gives drink—as the great deep.
16 Waseveza izifula edwaleni, wenza amanzi ehla njengemifula.
And brings out streams from a rock, And causes waters to come down as rivers.
17 Kodwa baphinda futhi ukona kuye, ngokumvukela oPhezukonke enkangala.
And they still add to sin against Him, To provoke the Most High in the dry place.
18 Bamlinga uNkulunkulu enhliziyweni yabo ngokucela ukudla kwenkanuko yabo.
And they try God in their heart, To ask food for their lust.
19 Basebekhuluma bemelene loNkulunkulu bathi: UNkulunkulu angalungisa itafula enkangala yini?
And they speak against God—they said: “Is God able to array a table in a wilderness?”
20 Khangela, watshaya idwala, kwampompoza amanzi, lezifula zagabha; anganika lesinkwa yini? angalungisela abantu bakhe inyama na?
Behold, He has struck a rock, And waters flow, indeed, streams overflow. “Also, [is] He able to give bread? Does He prepare flesh for His people?”
21 Ngakho iNkosi yezwa yathukuthela; umlilo wasubaselwa uJakobe, njalo lolaka lwavukela uIsrayeli,
Therefore YHWH has heard, And He shows Himself angry, And fire has been kindled against Jacob, And anger has also gone up against Israel,
22 ngoba kabakholwanga kuNkulunkulu, kabathembanga esindisweni lwakhe.
For they have not believed in God, Nor have they trusted in His salvation.
23 Lanxa walaya amayezi ngaphezulu, wavula iminyango yamazulu,
And He commands clouds from above, Indeed, He has opened doors of the heavens.
24 wabanisela imana ukuthi badle, wabapha amabele amazulu.
And He rains manna on them to eat, Indeed, He has given grain of the heavens to them.
25 Umuntu wadla isinkwa sabalamandla; wabathumela ukudla ukuze basuthe.
Each has eaten food of the mighty, He sent provision to them to satiety.
26 Wenza umoya wempumalanga wavunguza emazulwini; langamandla akhe waqhuba umoya weningizimu.
He causes an east wind to journey in the heavens, And leads a south wind by His strength,
27 Wasenisela phezu kwabo inyama njengothuli, lenyoni ezilempiko njengetshebetshebe lolwandle;
And He rains on them flesh as dust, And as sand of the seas—winged bird,
28 wazenza zawela phakathi kwenkamba yabo, zagombolozela indawo zabo zokuhlala.
And causes [it] to fall in the midst of His camp, Around His dwelling places.
29 Ngakho badla basutha kakhulu, ngoba wabalethela isiloyiso sabo.
And they eat, and are greatly satisfied, And He brings their desire to them.
30 Kabehlukananga lenkanuko yabo; ukudla kusesemlonyeni wabo,
They have not been estranged from their desire, Their food [is] yet in their mouth,
31 ulaka lukaNkulunkulu lwaselubavukela, wabulala kwabakhulupheleyo babo, watshaya abakhethiweyo bakoIsrayeli.
And the anger of God has gone up against them, And He slays among their fat ones, And He caused youths of Israel to bend.
32 Kulokhu konke bajinga besona, njalo kabakholwanga ngenxa yezimangaliso zakhe.
With all this they have sinned again, And have not believed in His wonders.
33 Ngakho waziqeda izinsuku zabo ngeze, leminyaka yabo ovalweni.
And He consumes their days in vanity, And their years in trouble.
34 Lapho ebabulala, bamdinga, baphenduka, bamdingisisa uNkulunkulu.
If He slew them, then they sought Him, And turned back, and earnestly sought God,
35 Bakhumbula ukuthi uNkulunkulu ulidwala labo, loNkulunkulu oPhezukonke ungumhlengi wabo.
And they remember that God [is] their rock, And God Most High their redeemer.
36 Kodwa bamyenga ngomlomo wabo, baqamba amanga kuye ngolimi lwabo.
And they deceive Him with their mouth, And lie to Him with their tongue,
37 Ngoba inhliziyo yabo yayingaqondanga kuye, njalo bengathembekanga esivumelwaneni sakhe.
And their heart has not been right with Him, And they have not been steadfast in His covenant.
38 Kodwa yena elesihawu wathethelela ububi babo, kababhubhisanga; yebo, kanengi walunqanda ulaka lwakhe, kakuvusanga konke ukuthukuthela kwakhe.
And He, the Merciful One, pardons iniquity, and does not destroy, And has often turned back His anger, And does not awaken all His fury.
39 Ngoba wakhumbula ukuthi bayinyama, umoya odlulayo, ongabuyiyo.
And He remembers that they [are] flesh, A wind going on—and it does not return.
40 Kanengi kangakanani bemvukela ehlane, bemdabukisa enkangala.
How often do they provoke Him in the wilderness, Grieve Him in the desolate place?
41 Yebo baphenduka bamlinga uNkulunkulu, bamdabukisa oNgcwele kaIsrayeli.
Indeed, they turn back, and try God, And have limited the Holy One of Israel.
42 Kabasikhumbulanga isandla sakhe, usuku abahlenga ngalo esitheni.
They have not remembered His hand The day He ransomed them from the adversary.
43 Ukuthi wamisa njani izibonakaliso zakhe eGibhithe, lezimangaliso zakhe emmangweni weZowani,
When 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 He turns their streams to blood, And they do not drink their floods.
45 Wathumela phakathi kwabo umtshitshi wezibawu, ezabadlayo, lamaxoxo ababhubhisayo.
He sends among them the beetle, and it consumes them, And the frog, and it destroys them,
46 Wasenika imihogoyi isivuno sabo, lomsebenzi wabo isikhonyane.
And gives their increase to the caterpillar, And their labor to the locust.
47 Wabulala ivini labo ngesiqhotho, lemikhiwa yabo yesikhamore ngongqwaqwane.
He destroys their vine with hail, And their sycamores with frost,
48 Wasenikela izifuyo zabo esiqhothweni, lemihlambi yabo kuyo imibane.
And delivers their beasts up to the hail, And their livestock to the burning flames.
49 Waphosela phezu kwabo ukuvutha kolaka lwakhe, ukuthukuthela, lokucunuka, lokuhlupheka, ngokuthuma izithunywa zobubi.
He sends on them the fury of His anger, Wrath, and indignation, and distress—A discharge of evil messengers.
50 Walungisela ulaka lwakhe indlela, kanqandanga umphefumulo wabo ekufeni, kodwa wanikela impilo yabo kumatshayabhuqe wesifo.
He ponders a path for His anger, He did not keep back their soul from death, Indeed, He delivered up their life to the pestilence.
51 Wasetshaya wonke amazibulo eGibhithe, okokuqala kwamandla emathenteni kaHamu.
And He strikes every firstborn in Egypt, The first-fruit of the strong in tents of Ham.
52 Wasebakhupha abantu bakhe njengezimvu, wabakhokhela enkangala njengomhlambi.
And causes His people to journey as a flock, And guides them as a drove in a wilderness,
53 Wasebakhokhela bephephile ukuze bangesabi; kodwa ulwandle lwasibekela izitha zabo.
And He leads them confidently, And they have not been afraid, And the sea has covered their enemies.
54 Wasebafikisa emkhawulweni wendawo yakhe engcwele, le intaba, isandla sakhe sokunene esayizuzayo.
And He brings them to the border of His sanctuary, This mountain His right hand had acquired,
55 Wasebaxotsha abezizwe phambi kwabo; wababela ilifa ngomzila, wahlalisa izizwe zakoIsrayeli emathenteni azo.
And casts out nations from before them, And causes them to fall in the line of inheritance, And causes the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents,
56 Kanti bamlinga, bamvukela uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke, kabazigcinanga izifakazelo zakhe.
And they tempt and provoke God Most High, And have not kept His testimonies.
57 Kodwa babuyela emuva, benza ngokungathembeki njengaboyise, baphanjulwa njengedandili elikhohlisayo.
And they turn back, And deal treacherously like their fathers, They have been turned like a deceitful bow,
58 Ngoba bamthukuthelisa ngezindawo zabo eziphakemeyo, bavusa umona wakhe ngezithombe zabo ezibaziweyo.
And make Him angry with their high places, And make Him zealous with their carved images,
59 UNkulunkulu esizwa wathukuthela, wamenyanya kakhulu uIsrayeli.
God has heard, and shows Himself angry. And kicks exceedingly against Israel.
60 Ngakho walitshiya ithabhanekele leShilo, ithente alimisa phakathi kwabantu.
And He leaves the Dwelling Place of Shiloh, The tent He had placed among men,
61 Wasenikela amandla akhe ekuthunjweni, lenkazimulo yakhe esandleni sesitha.
And He gives His strength to captivity, And His beauty into the hand of an adversary,
62 Wasenikela abantu bakhe enkembeni, waselithukuthelela ilifa lakhe.
And delivers His people up to the sword, And showed Himself angry with His inheritance.
63 Umlilo waqeda amajaha abo, lezintombi zabo kazihlatshelelwanga.
Fire has consumed His young men, And His virgins have not been praised.
64 Abapristi babo bawa ngenkemba, labafelokazi babo kabalilanga.
His priests have fallen by the sword, And their widows do not weep.
65 Khona iNkosi yavuka njengobelele, njengeqhawe eliklabalala ngenxa yewayini.
And the Lord wakes as a sleeper, As a mighty one crying aloud from wine.
66 Yazitshaya izitha zayo emuva, yazithela ihlazo phakade.
And He strikes His adversaries backward, He has put a continuous reproach on them,
67 Yasilahla ithente likaJosefa, kayikhethanga isizwe sakoEfrayimi.
And He kicks against the tent of Joseph, And has not fixed on the tribe of Ephraim.
68 Kodwa yakhetha isizwe sakoJuda, intaba yeZiyoni eyithandayo.
And He chooses the tribe of Judah, With Mount Zion that He loved,
69 Yayakha indlu yayo engcwele njengezingqonga, njengomhlaba ewusekeleyo kuze kube nininini.
And builds His sanctuary as a high place, Like the earth, He founded it for all time.
70 Yasikhetha uDavida inceku yayo, yamthatha ezibayeni zezimvu;
And He fixes on His servant David, And takes him from the folds of a flock,
71 ekulandeleni izimvukazi ezenyisayo, yamletha ukwelusa uJakobe abantu bayo, loIsrayeli ilifa layo.
He has brought him in from behind suckling ones, To rule over Jacob His people, And over Israel His inheritance.
72 Njalo wabelusa njengobuqotho benhliziyo yakhe, wabakhokhela ngobugabazi bezandla zakhe.
And he rules them according to the integrity of his heart, And leads them by the skillfulness of his hands!
