Amahubo 89
1 Ngizahlabela ngezisa zeNkosi, kuze kube nininini; ngomlomo wami ngizakwazisa ukuthembeka kwakho kusizukulwana lesizukulwana.
A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing evermore of the love of the Lord, proclaiming to all generations his faithfulness.
2 Ngoba ngithe: Umusa uzakwakhiwa kuze kube phakade; emazulwini ngokwawo uzaqinisa uthembeko lwakho.
For your love you did promise to build up forever, your faithfulness firm as the heavens themselves.
3 Ngenze isivumelwano lomkhethwa wami, ngifungile kuDavida inceku yami.
‘I have made with my chosen a covenant, and sworn to David my servant,
4 Ngizaqinisa inzalo yakho kuze kube nininini, ngakhe isihlalo sakho sobukhosi esizukulwaneni lesizukulwana. (Sela)
to establish his seed forever, and to build up his throne to all ages.’ (Selah)
5 Lamazulu azadumisa izimangaliso zakho, Nkosi, lalo uthembeko lwakho ebandleni labangcwele.
Then the holy assembly in heaven praised your marvellous faithfulness, Lord.
6 Ngoba ngubani esibhakabhakeni ongafananiswa leNkosi? Ngubani ofanana leNkosi phakathi kwamadodana abalamandla?
For who in the skies may compare with the Lord? Who is like the Lord among the gods?
7 UNkulunkulu uyesabeka kakhulu emhlanganweni wabangcwele, njalo umele ukuhlonitshwa phezu kwabo bonke abamhanqileyo.
A God to be feared in the holy assembly, awful and great above all who are round him.
8 Nkosi Nkulunkulu wamabandla, ngubani olamandla njengawe, Nkosi? Lothembeko lwakho lukuhanqile.
O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you? Your strength and faithfulness, Lord, surround you.
9 Wena uyabusa ukukhukhumala kolwandle; lapho amagagasi alo ephakama wena uyawathulisa.
You are the Lord of the raging sea: when its waves surge, it is you who still them.
10 Wena wamchoboza uRahabi njengobuleweyo, wazihlakaza izitha zakho ngengalo yamandla akho.
It was you who did pierce and crush Rahab in pieces, and scatter your foes by your mighty arm.
11 Amazulu ngawakho, lomhlaba ngowakho; ilizwe lokugcwala kwalo, wena wakusekela.
Yours are the heavens, yours also the earth, the world and its fulness, it’s you who did found them.
12 Inyakatho leningizimu wakudala wena; iThabhori leHermoni kuzajabula ngebizo lakho.
The north and the south, it’s you have created them; Tabor and Hermon shout praise to your name.
13 Ulengalo elamandla, isandla sakho siqinile, isandla sakho sokunene siphakeme.
You have an arm with the might of a hero; strong is your hand, high uplifted your right hand.
14 Ukulunga lesahlulelo kuyisisekelo sesihlalo sakho sobukhosi; umusa leqiniso kuhamba phambi kobuso bakho.
Justice and right are the base of your throne, kindness and faithfulness ever attend you.
15 Babusisiwe abantu abawaziyo umsindo wentokozo; bazahamba ekukhanyeni kobuso bakho, Nkosi.
Happy the people who know the glad shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face.
16 Ebizweni lakho bazathokoza usuku lonke, langokulunga kwakho bazaphakanyiswa.
They exult in your name all the day, and your righteousness they extol.
17 Ngoba wena uludumo lwamandla abo; langomusa wakho uphondo lwethu luzaphakanyiswa.
For you are our strength and our pride. Your favour will lift us to honour.
18 Ngoba isihlangu sethu singeseNkosi, lenkosi yethu ingeyoNgcwele kaIsrayeli.
For the holy Lord of Israel keeps our defender and king.
19 Khona wakhuluma ngombono kongcwele wakho, wathi: Ngibekile usizo phezu kweqhawe, ngimphakamisile okhethiweyo phakathi kwabantu.
In a vision of old you did speak in this way to the one whom you loved: ‘A crown I have set on the hero I chose to be over the people
20 Ngithole uDavida inceku yami, ngamafutha ami angcwele ngimgcobile,
‘I found my servant David, and anointed with holy oil.
21 osandla sami sizakuba laye siqinile, ingalo yami layo izamqinisa.
My hand will be with him forever, my arm will give him strength.
22 Isitha kasiyikumcindezela, lendodana yenkohlakalo kayiyikumhlupha.
‘No enemy will dare to assail him, nor the wicked to oppress him;
23 Ngizazichoboza izitha zakhe phambi kobuso bakhe, ngihluphe abamzondayo.
but his foes I will shatter before him, I will strike down those who hate him.
24 Kodwa uthembeko lwami lomusa wami kuzakuba laye, lebizweni lami luzaphakanyiswa uphondo lwakhe.
‘My loyal love shall attend him, and I will lift him to honour.
25 Njalo ngizabeka isandla sakhe olwandle, lesandla sakhe sokunene emifuleni.
I will set his hand on the sea, and his right hand on the rivers.
26 Yena uzangibiza ngokuthi: Wena ungubaba wami, uNkulunkulu wami, ledwala losindiso lwami.
‘As for him, he will call me “My father, my God, and my rock of salvation.”
27 Njalo mina ngizammisa abe lizibulo, aphakame kakhulu kulamakhosi omhlaba.
And I will make him my firstborn, highest of kings on the earth.
28 Ngizaligcinela umusa wami kuze kube nininini, lesivumelwano sami sizaqina kuye.
‘My love will I keep for him ever, my covenant with him shall stand fast.
29 Njalo ngizamisa inzalo yakhe kuze kube nininini, lesihlalo sakhe sobukhosi njengensuku zamazulu.
His line will I make everlasting, and his throne as the days of the heavens.
30 Uba abantwana bakhe betshiya umlayo wami, bangahambi ngezahlulelo zami,
‘If his children forsake my law, and walk not as I have ordained;
31 uba besephula izimiso zami, bengagcini imithetho yami,
if they profane my statutes, and do not keep my commandments;
32 ngizaphindisela iziphambeko zabo ngenduku, lesono sabo ngenswazi.
‘I will punish their sin with the rod, their iniquity with scourges.
33 Kodwa kangiyikulususa du uthandolomusa wami kuye, ngingakhohlisi ngothembeko lwami.
But my love will I not take from him, nor will I belie my faithfulness.
34 Kangiyikwephula isivumelwano sami, lalokho okuphuma endebeni zami kangiyikukuguqula.
‘I will not profane my covenant by changing the word that has passed my lips.
35 Ngafunga kwaba kanye ngobungcwele bami: Kangiyikuqamba amanga kuDavida.
Once have I solemnly sworn and I would not lie to David,
36 Inzalo yakhe izakuba khona kuze kube nininini, lesihlalo sakhe sobukhosi njengelanga phambi kwami.
‘that his line should endure forever, and his throne as the sun before me,
37 Sizaqiniswa njengenyanga kuze kube nininini, lobufakazi emayezini bumi buqinile. (Sela)
firm as the moon which for ever and ever is fixed in the sky.’ (Selah)
38 Kodwa wena usulahlile wala, wamthukuthelela ogcotshiweyo wakho.
But you have cast off in contempt, and been furious with your anointed.
39 Usenze ize isivumelwano senceku yakho; wangcolisa umqhele wakhe emhlabathini.
You have spurned the covenant with your servant, and his sacred crown dashed to the ground.
40 Uyibhobozile yonke imithangala yakhe, wazenza inqaba zakhe amanxiwa.
You have broken down all his walls, and laid his bulwarks in ruins.
41 Bonke abadlula ngendlela bayamphanga; ulihlazo kubomakhelwane bakhe.
All who pass on their way despoil him, the scorn of his neighbours is he now.
42 Usiphakamisile isandla sokunene sabamelene laye; wazithokozisa zonke izitha zakhe.
You have given his foes the victory, and made all his enemies glad.
43 Futhi ubuyisele emuva ubukhali benkemba yakhe; kawumenzanga ame empini.
You have turned back his sword from the foe, you did not lift him up in the battle.
44 Uyiqedile inkazimulo yakhe, lesihlalo sakhe sobukhosi wasiphosela emhlabathini.
The sceptre you took from his hand, and his throne you did hurl to the ground.
45 Ufinyezile insuku zobutsha bakhe, wamembesa ihlazo. (Sela)
You have shortened the days of his youth, and covered him with shame. (Selah)
46 Koze kube nini, Nkosi, ucatsha kuze kube phakade? Ulaka lwakho luvutha njengomlilo yini?
How long, Lord will you hide you forever? How long are the fires of your wrath to burn?
47 Khumbula ukuthi isikhathi sempilo yami singakanani; kungani wadalela ize bonke abantwana babantu?
Remember, Lord, the shortness of life how fleeting you made all people.
48 Ngubani umuntu ophilayo ongaboni ukufa? Akhulule umphefumulo wakhe esandleni sengcwaba na? (Sela) (Sheol h7585)
Who can live without seeing death? Who can rescue their life from the clutch of Sheol? (Selah) (Sheol h7585)
49 Zingaphi izisa zakho zakuqala, Nkosi, owazifunga kuDavida ngothembeko lwakho?
Where, Lord, is your kindness of old, which you in your faithfulness swore to David?
50 Khumbula, Nkosi, ihlazo lezinceku zakho, engilithwele esifubeni sami, elazo zonke izizwe ezinengi,
Remember, O Lord, how your servants are mocked, how I bear in my heart the scorn of all nations
51 izitha zakho ezithuke ngalo, Nkosi, ezithuke ngalo izinyathelo zogcotshiweyo wakho.
The scorn which your enemies hurl, O Lord, which they hurl at the footsteps of your anointed.
52 Kayibongwe iNkosi kuze kube nininini. Ameni, loAmeni.
Blest be the Lord, for ever and ever. Amen and Amen.
