Amahubo 78
1 Lalelani, bantu bami, umthetho wami, libeke indlebe yenu emazwini omlomo wami.
A maschil of Asaph. Hear my teaching, my people, listen to the words of my mouth.
2 Ngizavula umlomo wami ngomfanekiso, ngikhuphe izimfihlakalo zendulo,
I will open my mouth in parables; I will sing about hidden things about the past.
3 esizizwileyo lesizaziyo, obaba abasitshela zona.
These are things that we have heard and learned, things that our ancestors have told us.
4 Kasiyikuzifihlela abantwana babo, kusizukulwana esilandelayo, silandisa izindumiso zeNkosi, lamandla ayo, lezimangaliso ezenzileyo.
We will not keep them from their descendants. We will tell the next generation about the praiseworthy deeds of Yahweh, his strength, and the wonders that he has done.
5 Ngoba wamisa ubufakazi koJakobe, wabeka umlayo koIsrayeli, awulaya obaba, ukuze bawazise abantwana babo,
For he established covenant decrees in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel. He commanded our ancestors that they were to teach them to their children.
6 ukuze isizukulwana esilandelayo sazi, abantwana abazazalwa, basukume batshele abantwana babo,
He commanded this so that the generation to come might know his decrees, the children not yet born, who should tell them in turn to their own children.
7 ukuze babeke ithemba labo kuNkulunkulu, bangayikhohlwa imisebenzi kaNkulunkulu, kodwa bagcine imithetho yakhe;
Then they would place their hope 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.
Then they would not be like their ancestors, who were a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose hearts were not right, and whose spirits were not committed and faithful to God.
9 Abantwana bakoEfrayimi, behlomile betshoka ngamadandili, babuyela emuva mhla wempi.
The Ephraimites were armed with bows, but they turned back on the day of battle.
10 Kabasilondolozanga isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu, bala ukuhamba emlayweni wakhe.
They did not keep the covenant with God, and they refused to obey his law.
11 Bakhohlwa izenzo zakhe lezimangaliso zakhe ayebatshengisa zona.
They forgot his deeds, the wonderful things that he had shown them.
12 Phambi kwaboyise wenza isimangaliso elizweni leGibhithe, egangeni leZowani.
They forgot the marvelous things he did in the sight of their ancestors in the land of Egypt, in the land of Zoan.
13 Waqhekeza ulwandle, wabachaphisa, wenza amanzi ema njengenqumbi.
He divided the sea and led them across it; he made the waters to stand like walls.
14 Wabakhokhela ngeyezi emini, lebusuku bonke ngokukhanya komlilo.
In the daytime he led them with a cloud and all the night with the light of fire.
15 Waqhekeza amadwala enkangala, wabanathisa kungathi kuvela ezinzikini ezinkulu.
He split the rocks in the wilderness, and he gave them water abundantly, enough to fill the depths of the sea.
16 Waseveza izifula edwaleni, wenza amanzi ehla njengemifula.
He made streams flow out of the rock and made the water flow like rivers.
17 Kodwa baphinda futhi ukona kuye, ngokumvukela oPhezukonke enkangala.
Yet they continued to sin against him, rebelling against the Most High in the wilderness.
18 Bamlinga uNkulunkulu enhliziyweni yabo ngokucela ukudla kwenkanuko yabo.
They challenged God in their hearts by asking for food to satisfy their appetites.
19 Basebekhuluma bemelene loNkulunkulu bathi: UNkulunkulu angalungisa itafula enkangala yini?
They spoke against God; they said, “Can God really lay out a table for us in the wilderness?
20 Khangela, watshaya idwala, kwampompoza amanzi, lezifula zagabha; anganika lesinkwa yini? angalungisela abantu bakhe inyama na?
See, when he struck the rock, waters gushed out and streams overflowed. But can he give bread also? Will he provide meat for his people?”
21 Ngakho iNkosi yezwa yathukuthela; umlilo wasubaselwa uJakobe, njalo lolaka lwavukela uIsrayeli,
When Yahweh heard this, he was angry; so his fire burned against Jacob, and his anger attacked Israel,
22 ngoba kabakholwanga kuNkulunkulu, kabathembanga esindisweni lwakhe.
because they did not believe in God and did not trust in his salvation.
23 Lanxa walaya amayezi ngaphezulu, wavula iminyango yamazulu,
Yet he commanded the skies above and opened the doors of the sky.
24 wabanisela imana ukuthi badle, wabapha amabele amazulu.
He rained down manna for them to eat, and gave them the grain from heaven.
25 Umuntu wadla isinkwa sabalamandla; wabathumela ukudla ukuze basuthe.
People ate the bread of angels. He sent them food in abundance.
26 Wenza umoya wempumalanga wavunguza emazulwini; langamandla akhe waqhuba umoya weningizimu.
He caused the east wind to blow in the sky, and by his power he guided the south wind.
27 Wasenisela phezu kwabo inyama njengothuli, lenyoni ezilempiko njengetshebetshebe lolwandle;
He rained down meat on them like dust, birds as numerous as the sands of the sea.
28 wazenza zawela phakathi kwenkamba yabo, zagombolozela indawo zabo zokuhlala.
They fell in the middle of their camp, all around their tents.
29 Ngakho badla basutha kakhulu, ngoba wabalethela isiloyiso sabo.
So they ate and were full. He gave them what they craved.
30 Kabehlukananga lenkanuko yabo; ukudla kusesemlonyeni wabo,
But they had not yet filled up; their food was still in their mouths.
31 ulaka lukaNkulunkulu lwaselubavukela, wabulala kwabakhulupheleyo babo, watshaya abakhethiweyo bakoIsrayeli.
Then God's anger attacked them and killed the strongest of them. He brought down the young men of Israel.
32 Kulokhu konke bajinga besona, njalo kabakholwanga ngenxa yezimangaliso zakhe.
Despite this, they continued to sin and did not believe his wonderful deeds.
33 Ngakho waziqeda izinsuku zabo ngeze, leminyaka yabo ovalweni.
Therefore God cut short their days; their years were filled with terror.
34 Lapho ebabulala, bamdinga, baphenduka, bamdingisisa uNkulunkulu.
Whenever God afflicted them, they would start to seek him, and they would return and look earnestly for him.
35 Bakhumbula ukuthi uNkulunkulu ulidwala labo, loNkulunkulu oPhezukonke ungumhlengi wabo.
They would call to mind that God was their rock and that the Most High God was their rescuer.
36 Kodwa bamyenga ngomlomo wabo, baqamba amanga kuye ngolimi lwabo.
But they would flatter him with their mouth and lie to him with their words.
37 Ngoba inhliziyo yabo yayingaqondanga kuye, njalo bengathembekanga esivumelwaneni sakhe.
For their hearts were not firmly fixed on him, and they were not faithful to his covenant.
38 Kodwa yena elesihawu wathethelela ububi babo, kababhubhisanga; yebo, kanengi walunqanda ulaka lwakhe, kakuvusanga konke ukuthukuthela kwakhe.
Yet he, being merciful, forgave their iniquity and did not destroy them. Yes, many times he held back his anger and did not stir up all his wrath.
39 Ngoba wakhumbula ukuthi bayinyama, umoya odlulayo, ongabuyiyo.
He called to mind that they were made of flesh, a wind that passes away and does not return.
40 Kanengi kangakanani bemvukela ehlane, bemdabukisa enkangala.
How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved him in the barren regions!
41 Yebo baphenduka bamlinga uNkulunkulu, bamdabukisa oNgcwele kaIsrayeli.
Again and again they challenged God and offended the Holy One of Israel.
42 Kabasikhumbulanga isandla sakhe, usuku abahlenga ngalo esitheni.
They did not think about his power, how he had rescued them from the enemy
43 Ukuthi wamisa njani izibonakaliso zakhe eGibhithe, lezimangaliso zakhe emmangweni weZowani,
when he performed his terrifying signs in Egypt and his wonders in the region of Zoan.
44 lokuthi waphendula imifula yabo yaba ligazi, lezifula zabo, ukuze banganathi.
He turned the Egyptians' rivers to blood so that they could not drink from their streams.
45 Wathumela phakathi kwabo umtshitshi wezibawu, ezabadlayo, lamaxoxo ababhubhisayo.
He sent swarms of flies that devoured them and frogs that overran their land.
46 Wasenika imihogoyi isivuno sabo, lomsebenzi wabo isikhonyane.
He gave their crops to the grasshopper 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 more hail.
48 Wasenikela izifuyo zabo esiqhothweni, lemihlambi yabo kuyo imibane.
He rained hail on their cattle and hurled lightning bolts at their livestock.
49 Waphosela phezu kwabo ukuvutha kolaka lwakhe, ukuthukuthela, lokucunuka, lokuhlupheka, ngokuthuma izithunywa zobubi.
The fierceness of his anger lashed out against them. He sent wrath, fury, and trouble like agents who bring disaster.
50 Walungisela ulaka lwakhe indlela, kanqandanga umphefumulo wabo ekufeni, kodwa wanikela impilo yabo kumatshayabhuqe wesifo.
He leveled a path for his anger; he did not spare them from death but gave them over to the plague.
51 Wasetshaya wonke amazibulo eGibhithe, okokuqala kwamandla emathenteni kaHamu.
He killed all the firstborn in Egypt, the firstborn of their strength in the tents of Ham.
52 Wasebakhupha abantu bakhe njengezimvu, wabakhokhela enkangala njengomhlambi.
He led his own people out like sheep and guided them through the wilderness like a flock.
53 Wasebakhokhela bephephile ukuze bangesabi; kodwa ulwandle lwasibekela izitha zabo.
He led them secure and unafraid, but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
54 Wasebafikisa emkhawulweni wendawo yakhe engcwele, le intaba, isandla sakhe sokunene esayizuzayo.
Then he brought them to the border of his holy land, to this mountain that his right hand acquired.
55 Wasebaxotsha abezizwe phambi kwabo; wababela ilifa ngomzila, wahlalisa izizwe zakoIsrayeli emathenteni azo.
He drove out the nations from before them and assigned them their inheritance. He settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.
56 Kanti bamlinga, bamvukela uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke, kabazigcinanga izifakazelo zakhe.
Yet they challenged and defied the Most High God and did not keep his solemn commands.
57 Kodwa babuyela emuva, benza ngokungathembeki njengaboyise, baphanjulwa njengedandili elikhohlisayo.
They were unfaithful and acted treacherously like their fathers; they were as undependable as a faulty bow.
58 Ngoba bamthukuthelisa ngezindawo zabo eziphakemeyo, bavusa umona wakhe ngezithombe zabo ezibaziweyo.
For they made him angry with their high places and provoked him to jealous anger with their idols.
59 UNkulunkulu esizwa wathukuthela, wamenyanya kakhulu uIsrayeli.
When God heard this, he was angry and completely rejected Israel.
60 Ngakho walitshiya ithabhanekele leShilo, ithente alimisa phakathi kwabantu.
He abandoned the sanctuary of Shiloh, the tent where he had lived among people.
61 Wasenikela amandla akhe ekuthunjweni, lenkazimulo yakhe esandleni sesitha.
He allowed his strength to be captured and gave his glory into the enemy's hand.
62 Wasenikela abantu bakhe enkembeni, waselithukuthelela ilifa lakhe.
He handed his people over to the sword, and he was angry with his heritage.
63 Umlilo waqeda amajaha abo, lezintombi zabo kazihlatshelelwanga.
Fire devoured their young men, and their young women had no wedding songs.
64 Abapristi babo bawa ngenkemba, labafelokazi babo kabalilanga.
Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows could not weep.
65 Khona iNkosi yavuka njengobelele, njengeqhawe eliklabalala ngenxa yewayini.
Then the Lord awakened as one from sleep, like a warrior who shouts because of wine.
66 Yazitshaya izitha zayo emuva, yazithela ihlazo phakade.
He drove his adversaries back; he put them to everlasting shame.
67 Yasilahla ithente likaJosefa, kayikhethanga isizwe sakoEfrayimi.
He rejected the tent of Joseph, and he did not chose the tribe of Ephraim.
68 Kodwa yakhetha isizwe sakoJuda, intaba yeZiyoni eyithandayo.
He chose the tribe of Judah and Mount Zion that he loved.
69 Yayakha indlu yayo engcwele njengezingqonga, njengomhlaba ewusekeleyo kuze kube nininini.
He built his sanctuary like the heavens, like the earth that he has established forever.
70 Yasikhetha uDavida inceku yayo, yamthatha ezibayeni zezimvu;
He chose David, his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds.
71 ekulandeleni izimvukazi ezenyisayo, yamletha ukwelusa uJakobe abantu bayo, loIsrayeli ilifa layo.
He took him from following the ewes with their young, and he brought him to be shepherd of Jacob, his people, and of Israel, his heritage.
72 Njalo wabelusa njengobuqotho benhliziyo yakhe, wabakhokhela ngobugabazi bezandla zakhe.
David shepherded them with the integrity of his heart, and he guided them with the skill of his hands.
