Amahubo 88
1 Nkosi Nkulunkulu wosindiso lwami, emini, ebusuku ngakhala phambi kwakho.
A canticle of a psalm for the sons of Core: unto the end, for Maheleth, to answer understanding of Eman the Ezrahite. O Lord, the God of my salvation: I have cried in the day, and in the night before thee.
2 Umkhuleko wami kawuze phambi kwakho; beka indlebe yakho ekukhaleni kwami.
Let my prayer come in before thee: incline thy ear to my petition.
For my soul is filled with evils: and my life hath drawn nigh to hell. (Sheol h7585)
4 Ngibalwa lalabo abehlela emgodini; nginjengomuntu ongelamandla.
I am counted among them that go down to the pit: I am become as a man without help,
5 Ngikhululwe phakathi kwabafileyo, nginjengababuleweyo abalele engcwabeni, ongasabakhumbuliyo; ngoba bequnyiwe basuswa esandleni sakho.
Free among the dead. Like the slain sleeping in the sepulchres, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cast off from thy hand.
6 Ungifakile emgodini ongaphansi kakhulu, emnyameni, ekujuleni.
They have laid me in the lower pit: in the dark places, and in the shadow of death.
7 Intukuthelo yakho iyangeleka, langawo wonke amagagasi akho ungihluphile. (Sela)
Thy wrath is strong over me: and all thy waves thou hast brought in upon me.
8 Ususele khatshana lami abejwayelene lami; wangenza ngibe yisinengiso kubo; ngivalelwe, ngingephume.
Thou hast put away my acquaintance far from me: they have set me an abomination to themselves. I was delivered up, and came not forth:
9 Ilihlo lami liyaphela ngenxa yosizi. Ngikubizile lonke usuku, Nkosi, ngelulele izandla zami kuwe.
My eyes languished through poverty. All the day I cried to thee, O Lord: I stretched out my hands to thee.
10 Abafileyo uyabenzela izimangaliso yini? Imimoya efileyo izavuka yini ikudumise? (Sela)
Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? or shall physicians raise to life, and give praise to thee?
11 Uthando lwakho luzalandiswa yini engcwabeni? Ukuthembeka kwakho encithakalweni yini?
Shall any one in the sepulchre declare thy mercy: and thy truth in destruction?
12 Izimangaliso zakho zizakwaziwa yini emnyameni? Lokulunga kwakho elizweni lokukhohlwa yini?
Shall thy wonders be known in the dark; and thy justice in the land of forgetfulness?
13 Kodwa mina, Nkosi, ngikhalile kuwe, lekuseni umkhuleko wami uzakuza phambi kwakho.
But I, O Lord, have cried to thee: and in the morning my prayer shall prevent thee.
14 Nkosi, ulahlelani umphefumulo wami? Ubufihlelani ubuso bakho kimi?
Lord, why castest thou off my prayer: why turnest thou away thy face from me?
15 Ngihluphekile ngingofayo kusukela ebutsheni, ngithwele ukwesabeka kwakho, ngikhathazekile.
I am poor, and in labours from my youth: and being exalted have been humbled and troubled.
16 Ulaka lwakho olutshisayo ludlulile phezu kwami, okwesabekayo kwakho kungiqedile.
Thy wrath hath come upon me: and thy terrors have troubled me.
17 Kungizingelezile njengamanzi usuku lonke, kungihanqile kanyekanye.
They have come round about me like water all the day: they have compassed me about together.
18 Ususele khatshana lami othandayo lomngane, abejwayelene lami basemnyameni.
Friend and neighbour thou hast put far from me: and my acquaintance, because of misery.
