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 with a simile my mouth, I bring forth hidden things of old,
3 esizizwileyo lesizaziyo, obaba abasitshela zona.
That we have heard and do 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, To a later generation recounting praises of Jehovah, And His strength, and His wonders that He hath done.
5 Ngoba wamisa ubufakazi koJakobe, wabeka umlayo koIsrayeli, awulaya obaba, ukuze bawazise abantwana babo,
And He raiseth up a testimony in Jacob, And a law hath placed 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 doth know, Sons who are born, do rise and recount to their sons,
7 ukuze babeke ithemba labo kuNkulunkulu, bangayikhohlwa imisebenzi kaNkulunkulu, kodwa bagcine imithetho yakhe;
And place in God their confidence, And forget not 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 apostate and rebellious, A generation! it hath not prepared its heart, Nor stedfast with God [is] its spirit.
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 in His law they have refused to walk,
11 Bakhohlwa izenzo zakhe lezimangaliso zakhe ayebatshengisa zona.
And they forget His doings, And His wonders that He shewed them.
12 Phambi kwaboyise wenza isimangaliso elizweni leGibhithe, egangeni leZowani.
Before their fathers He hath done wonders, In the land of Egypt — the field of Zoan.
13 Waqhekeza ulwandle, wabachaphisa, wenza amanzi ema njengenqumbi.
He cleft a sea, and causeth them to pass over, Yea, He causeth waters to stand as a heap.
14 Wabakhokhela ngeyezi emini, lebusuku bonke ngokukhanya komlilo.
And leadeth them with a cloud by day, And all the night with a light of fire.
15 Waqhekeza amadwala enkangala, wabanathisa kungathi kuvela ezinzikini ezinkulu.
He cleaveth rocks in a wilderness, And giveth drink — as the great deep.
16 Waseveza izifula edwaleni, wenza amanzi ehla njengemifula.
And bringeth out streams from a rock, And causeth waters to come down as rivers.
17 Kodwa baphinda futhi ukona kuye, ngokumvukela oPhezukonke enkangala.
And they add still 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?
Lo, He hath smitten a rock, And waters flow, yea, streams overflow. 'Also — bread [is] He able to give? Doth He prepare flesh for His people?'
21 Ngakho iNkosi yezwa yathukuthela; umlilo wasubaselwa uJakobe, njalo lolaka lwavukela uIsrayeli,
Therefore hath Jehovah heard, And He sheweth Himself wroth, And fire hath been kindled against Jacob, And anger also hath 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 commandeth clouds from above, Yea, doors of the heavens He hath opened.
24 wabanisela imana ukuthi badle, wabapha amabele amazulu.
And He raineth on them manna to eat, Yea, corn of heaven He hath given to them.
25 Umuntu wadla isinkwa sabalamandla; wabathumela ukudla ukuze basuthe.
Food of the mighty hath each eaten, Venison He sent to them to satiety.
26 Wenza umoya wempumalanga wavunguza emazulwini; langamandla akhe waqhuba umoya weningizimu.
He causeth an east wind to journey in the heavens, And leadeth by His strength a south wind,
27 Wasenisela phezu kwabo inyama njengothuli, lenyoni ezilempiko njengetshebetshebe lolwandle;
And He raineth on them flesh as dust, And as sand of the seas — winged fowl,
28 wazenza zawela phakathi kwenkamba yabo, zagombolozela indawo zabo zokuhlala.
And causeth [it] to fall in the midst of His camp, Round about His tabernacles.
29 Ngakho badla basutha kakhulu, ngoba wabalethela isiloyiso sabo.
And they eat, and are greatly satisfied, And their desire He bringeth to them.
30 Kabehlukananga lenkanuko yabo; ukudla kusesemlonyeni wabo,
They have not been estranged from their desire, Yet [is] their food in their mouth,
31 ulaka lukaNkulunkulu lwaselubavukela, wabulala kwabakhulupheleyo babo, watshaya abakhethiweyo bakoIsrayeli.
And the anger of God hath gone up against them, And He slayeth among their fat ones, And youths of Israel He caused 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 consumeth in vanity their days, And their years in trouble.
34 Lapho ebabulala, bamdinga, baphenduka, bamdingisisa uNkulunkulu.
If He slew them, then they sought Him, And turned back, and sought God earnestly,
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 with their tongue do lie to Him,
37 Ngoba inhliziyo yabo yayingaqondanga kuye, njalo bengathembekanga esivumelwaneni sakhe.
And their heart hath not been right with Him, And they have not been stedfast 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, Pardoneth iniquity, and destroyeth not, And hath often turned back His anger, And waketh not up all His fury.
39 Ngoba wakhumbula ukuthi bayinyama, umoya odlulayo, ongabuyiyo.
And He remembereth that they [are] flesh, A wind going on — and it returneth not.
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.
Yea, they turn back, and try God, And the Holy One of Israel have limited.
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 turneth to blood their streams, And their floods they drink not.
45 Wathumela phakathi kwabo umtshitshi wezibawu, ezabadlayo, lamaxoxo ababhubhisayo.
He sendeth among them the beetle, and it consumeth them, And the frog, and it destroyeth them,
46 Wasenika imihogoyi isivuno sabo, lomsebenzi wabo isikhonyane.
And giveth to the caterpillar their increase, And their labour to the locust.
47 Wabulala ivini labo ngesiqhotho, lemikhiwa yabo yesikhamore ngongqwaqwane.
He destroyeth with hail their vine, And their sycamores with frost,
48 Wasenikela izifuyo zabo esiqhothweni, lemihlambi yabo kuyo imibane.
And delivereth up to the hail their beasts, And their cattle to the burning flames.
49 Waphosela phezu kwabo ukuvutha kolaka lwakhe, ukuthukuthela, lokucunuka, lokuhlupheka, ngokuthuma izithunywa zobubi.
He sendeth 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 pondereth a path for His anger, He kept not back their soul from death, Yea, their life to the pestilence He delivered up.
51 Wasetshaya wonke amazibulo eGibhithe, okokuqala kwamandla emathenteni kaHamu.
And He smiteth every first-born in Egypt, The first-fruit of the strong in tents of Ham.
52 Wasebakhupha abantu bakhe njengezimvu, wabakhokhela enkangala njengomhlambi.
And causeth His people to journey as a flock, And guideth them as a drove in a wilderness,
53 Wasebakhokhela bephephile ukuze bangesabi; kodwa ulwandle lwasibekela izitha zabo.
And He leadeth them confidently, And they have not been afraid, And their enemies hath the sea covered.
54 Wasebafikisa emkhawulweni wendawo yakhe engcwele, le intaba, isandla sakhe sokunene esayizuzayo.
And He bringeth them in unto the border of His sanctuary, This mountain His right hand had got,
55 Wasebaxotsha abezizwe phambi kwabo; wababela ilifa ngomzila, wahlalisa izizwe zakoIsrayeli emathenteni azo.
And casteth out nations from before them, And causeth them to fall in the line of inheritance, And causeth 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 His testimonies have not kept.
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 with their graven images make Him zealous,
59 UNkulunkulu esizwa wathukuthela, wamenyanya kakhulu uIsrayeli.
God hath heard, and sheweth Himself wroth. And kicketh exceedingly against Israel.
60 Ngakho walitshiya ithabhanekele leShilo, ithente alimisa phakathi kwabantu.
And He leaveth the tabernacle of Shiloh, The tent He had placed among men,
61 Wasenikela amandla akhe ekuthunjweni, lenkazimulo yakhe esandleni sesitha.
And He giveth His strength to captivity, And His beauty into the hand of an adversary,
62 Wasenikela abantu bakhe enkembeni, waselithukuthelela ilifa lakhe.
And delivereth up to the sword His people, And with His inheritance shewed Himself angry.
63 Umlilo waqeda amajaha abo, lezintombi zabo kazihlatshelelwanga.
His young men hath fire consumed, And His virgins have not been praised.
64 Abapristi babo bawa ngenkemba, labafelokazi babo kabalilanga.
His priests by the sword have fallen, And their widows weep not.
65 Khona iNkosi yavuka njengobelele, njengeqhawe eliklabalala ngenxa yewayini.
And the Lord waketh as a sleeper, As a mighty one crying aloud from wine.
66 Yazitshaya izitha zayo emuva, yazithela ihlazo phakade.
And He smiteth His adversaries backward, A reproach age-during He hath put on them,
67 Yasilahla ithente likaJosefa, kayikhethanga isizwe sakoEfrayimi.
And He kicketh against the tent of Joseph, And on the tribe of Ephraim hath not fixed.
68 Kodwa yakhetha isizwe sakoJuda, intaba yeZiyoni eyithandayo.
And He chooseth the tribe of Judah, With mount Zion that He loved,
69 Yayakha indlu yayo engcwele njengezingqonga, njengomhlaba ewusekeleyo kuze kube nininini.
And buildeth His sanctuary as a high place, Like the earth, He founded it to the age.
70 Yasikhetha uDavida inceku yayo, yamthatha ezibayeni zezimvu;
And He fixeth on David His servant, And taketh him from the folds of a flock,
71 ekulandeleni izimvukazi ezenyisayo, yamletha ukwelusa uJakobe abantu bayo, loIsrayeli ilifa layo.
From behind suckling ones He hath brought him in, To rule over Jacob His people, And over Israel His inheritance.
72 Njalo wabelusa njengobuqotho benhliziyo yakhe, wabakhokhela ngobugabazi bezandla zakhe.
And he ruleth them according to the integrity of his heart, And by the skilfulness of his hands leadeth them!
