Amahubo 78
1 Lalelani, bantu bami, umthetho wami, libeke indlebe yenu emazwini omlomo wami.
“A psalm of Asaph.” Give ear, O my people, to my instruction! Incline your ears to the words of my mouth!
2 Ngizavula umlomo wami ngomfanekiso, ngikhuphe izimfihlakalo zendulo,
I will open my mouth in a psalm; I will utter sayings of ancient times.
3 esizizwileyo lesizaziyo, obaba abasitshela zona.
What we have heard and learned, 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; Showing to the generation to come the praises of Jehovah, His might, and the wonders he hath wrought.
5 Ngoba wamisa ubufakazi koJakobe, wabeka umlayo koIsrayeli, awulaya obaba, ukuze bawazise abantwana babo,
For he appointed statutes in Jacob, And established a law in Israel, Which he commanded our fathers To make known to their children;
6 ukuze isizukulwana esilandelayo sazi, abantwana abazazalwa, basukume batshele abantwana babo,
So that the generation to come might know them; The children, which should be born, and rise up, Who should declare them to their children;
7 ukuze babeke ithemba labo kuNkulunkulu, bangayikhohlwa imisebenzi kaNkulunkulu, kodwa bagcine imithetho yakhe;
That they might put their trust in God, And not forget his deeds, But keep his commandments;
8 njalo bangabi njengaboyise, isizukulwana esilenkani lesivukelayo, isizukulwana esingaqondisanga inhliziyo yaso, lesimoya waso ungathembekanga kuNkulunkulu.
And might not be, like their forefathers, A stubborn and rebellious generation, —A generation whose heart was not fixed upon God, And whose spirit was not steadfast toward the Almighty.
9 Abantwana bakoEfrayimi, behlomile betshoka ngamadandili, babuyela emuva mhla wempi.
The children of Ephraim were like armed bowmen, Who turn their backs 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 forgot his mighty deeds, And the wonders 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 divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; Yea, he made the waters to stand as a heap.
14 Wabakhokhela ngeyezi emini, lebusuku bonke ngokukhanya komlilo.
By day he led them by a cloud, And all the night by 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 from the great deep.
16 Waseveza izifula edwaleni, wenza amanzi ehla njengemifula.
From the rock he brought flowing streams, And made water to run down like rivers.
17 Kodwa baphinda futhi ukona kuye, ngokumvukela oPhezukonke enkangala.
Yet still they sinned against him, And provoked the Most High in the desert.
18 Bamlinga uNkulunkulu enhliziyweni yabo ngokucela ukudla kwenkanuko yabo.
They tempted God in their hearts, By asking food for their delight.
19 Basebekhuluma bemelene loNkulunkulu bathi: UNkulunkulu angalungisa itafula enkangala yini?
Yea, they spake against God, and said, “Can God spread 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, and the water flowed, And streams gushed forth: Is he also able to give bread? Can he provide flesh for his people?”
21 Ngakho iNkosi yezwa yathukuthela; umlilo wasubaselwa uJakobe, njalo lolaka lwavukela uIsrayeli,
When, therefore, the LORD heard this, he was wroth: So a fire was kindled against Jacob, And anger arose against Israel.
22 ngoba kabakholwanga kuNkulunkulu, kabathembanga esindisweni lwakhe.
Because they believed not in God, And trusted not in his aid.
23 Lanxa walaya amayezi ngaphezulu, wavula iminyango yamazulu,
Yet he had commanded the clouds above, And had opened the doors of heaven;
24 wabanisela imana ukuthi badle, wabapha amabele amazulu.
And had rained down upon them manna for food, And had given them the corn of heaven.
25 Umuntu wadla isinkwa sabalamandla; wabathumela ukudla ukuze basuthe.
Every one ate the food of princes; He sent them bread to the full.
26 Wenza umoya wempumalanga wavunguza emazulwini; langamandla akhe waqhuba umoya weningizimu.
Then he caused a strong wind to blow in the heavens, And by his power he brought a south wind;
27 Wasenisela phezu kwabo inyama njengothuli, lenyoni ezilempiko njengetshebetshebe lolwandle;
He rained down flesh upon them as dust, And feathered fowls as the sand of the sea.
28 wazenza zawela phakathi kwenkamba yabo, zagombolozela indawo zabo zokuhlala.
He caused them to 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 filled; For he gave them their own desire.
30 Kabehlukananga lenkanuko yabo; ukudla kusesemlonyeni wabo,
Their desire was not yet satisfied, And their meat was yet in their mouths,
31 ulaka lukaNkulunkulu lwaselubavukela, wabulala kwabakhulupheleyo babo, watshaya abakhethiweyo bakoIsrayeli.
When the wrath of God came upon them, And slew their strong men, 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 put no trust in his wondrous works.
33 Ngakho waziqeda izinsuku zabo ngeze, leminyaka yabo ovalweni.
Therefore he consumed their days in vanity, And their years in sudden destruction.
34 Lapho ebabulala, bamdinga, baphenduka, bamdingisisa uNkulunkulu.
When he slew them, they sought him; They returned, and sought earnestly for God;
35 Bakhumbula ukuthi uNkulunkulu ulidwala labo, loNkulunkulu oPhezukonke ungumhlengi wabo.
And remembered that God was their rock, And the Most High their redeemer.
36 Kodwa bamyenga ngomlomo wabo, baqamba amanga kuye ngolimi lwabo.
But they only flattered him with their mouths, And spake falsely to him with their tongues.
37 Ngoba inhliziyo yabo yayingaqondanga kuye, njalo bengathembekanga esivumelwaneni sakhe.
For their hearts were not true to him, Nor were they steadfast in his covenant.
38 Kodwa yena elesihawu wathethelela ububi babo, kababhubhisanga; yebo, kanengi walunqanda ulaka lwakhe, kakuvusanga konke ukuthukuthela kwakhe.
Yet, being full of compassion, he forgave their iniquity, And would not utterly destroy them; Often he restrained his indignation, And stirred not up all his anger.
39 Ngoba wakhumbula ukuthi bayinyama, umoya odlulayo, ongabuyiyo.
He remembered that they were but flesh, —A breath, that passeth and cometh not back.
40 Kanengi kangakanani bemvukela ehlane, bemdabukisa enkangala.
How often did they provoke him in the wilderness! How often did they anger him in the desert!
41 Yebo baphenduka bamlinga uNkulunkulu, bamdabukisa oNgcwele kaIsrayeli.
Again and again they tempted God, And offended 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,
What signs he had wrought in Egypt, And what wonders in the fields of Zoan.
44 lokuthi waphendula imifula yabo yaba ligazi, lezifula zabo, ukuze banganathi.
He turned their rivers into blood, So that they could not drink of their streams.
45 Wathumela phakathi kwabo umtshitshi wezibawu, ezabadlayo, lamaxoxo ababhubhisayo.
He sent amongst them flies, which devoured them, And frogs, which destroyed them.
46 Wasenika imihogoyi isivuno sabo, lomsebenzi wabo isikhonyane.
He gave also their fruits to the caterpillar, And their labor to 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 also gave up their cattle to hail, And their flocks to hot thunderbolts.
49 Waphosela phezu kwabo ukuvutha kolaka lwakhe, ukuthukuthela, lokucunuka, lokuhlupheka, ngokuthuma izithunywa zobubi.
He sent against them the fierceness of his anger, Wrath, indignation, and woe, —A host of angels of evil.
50 Walungisela ulaka lwakhe indlela, kanqandanga umphefumulo wabo ekufeni, kodwa wanikela impilo yabo kumatshayabhuqe wesifo.
He made a way for his anger, He spared them not from death, But gave up their lives to the pestilence.
51 Wasetshaya wonke amazibulo eGibhithe, okokuqala kwamandla emathenteni kaHamu.
He smote all the firstborn in Egypt; The first-fruits of their strength in the tents of Ham.
52 Wasebakhupha abantu bakhe njengezimvu, wabakhokhela enkangala njengomhlambi.
But he led forth his own 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 on safely, so that they feared not, While the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
54 Wasebafikisa emkhawulweni wendawo yakhe engcwele, le intaba, isandla sakhe sokunene esayizuzayo.
He brought them to his own sacred border, Even to this mountain which his right hand had gained.
55 Wasebaxotsha abezizwe phambi kwabo; wababela ilifa ngomzila, wahlalisa izizwe zakoIsrayeli emathenteni azo.
He cast out the nations before them, And divided their land by a measuring-line, as an inheritance, And caused the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
56 Kanti bamlinga, bamvukela uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke, kabazigcinanga izifakazelo zakhe.
Yet they tempted and provoked God, the Most High, And kept not his statutes;
57 Kodwa babuyela emuva, benza ngokungathembeki njengaboyise, baphanjulwa njengedandili elikhohlisayo.
Like their fathers they were faithless, and turned back; They turned aside, like a deceitful bow.
58 Ngoba bamthukuthelisa ngezindawo zabo eziphakemeyo, bavusa umona wakhe ngezithombe zabo ezibaziweyo.
They provoked his anger by their high places, And stirred up his jealousy by their graven images.
59 UNkulunkulu esizwa wathukuthela, wamenyanya kakhulu uIsrayeli.
God saw this, and was wroth, And greatly abhorred Israel;
60 Ngakho walitshiya ithabhanekele leShilo, ithente alimisa phakathi kwabantu.
So that he forsook the habitation at Shiloh, The tabernacle where he dwelt among men,
61 Wasenikela amandla akhe ekuthunjweni, lenkazimulo yakhe esandleni sesitha.
And delivered his strength into captivity, And his glory into the hand of the enemy.
62 Wasenikela abantu bakhe enkembeni, waselithukuthelela ilifa lakhe.
His own people he gave up to the sword, And was wroth with his own inheritance.
63 Umlilo waqeda amajaha abo, lezintombi zabo kazihlatshelelwanga.
Fire consumed their young men, And their maidens did not bewail them.
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.
But at length the Lord awaked as from sleep, As a hero who had been overpowered by wine;
66 Yazitshaya izitha zayo emuva, yazithela ihlazo phakade.
He smote his enemies, and drove them back, And covered them with everlasting disgrace.
67 Yasilahla ithente likaJosefa, kayikhethanga isizwe sakoEfrayimi.
Yet he rejected the tents 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.
Where he built, like the heavens, his sanctuary; Like the earth, which he hath established for ever.
70 Yasikhetha uDavida inceku yayo, yamthatha ezibayeni zezimvu;
And he chose David, his servant, And took him from the sheepfolds;
71 ekulandeleni izimvukazi ezenyisayo, yamletha ukwelusa uJakobe abantu bayo, loIsrayeli ilifa layo.
From tending the suckling ewes he brought him To feed Jacob his people, And Israel his inheritance.
72 Njalo wabelusa njengobuqotho benhliziyo yakhe, wabakhokhela ngobugabazi bezandla zakhe.
He fed them with an upright heart, And guided them with skilful hands.
