Amahubo 90
1 Nkosi, wena ubuyindawo yethu yokuhlala kusizukulwana lesizukulwana.
A prayer of Moses, the man of God. Lord, you have been a home to us one generation after another.
2 Zingakazalwa intaba, kumbe uveze umhlaba lelizwe, ngitsho kusukela ephakadeni kuze kube sephakadeni wena unguNkulunkulu.
Before the mountains were born, or the earth and the world were brought forth, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
3 Uyambuyisela umuntu encithakalweni, uthi: Buyelani, bantwana babantu.
You bring us back to the dust, you summon mortals to return.
4 Ngoba iminyaka eyinkulungwane emehlweni akho injengelanga lezolo selidlulile, lanjengomlindo ebusuku.
For you see a thousand years as the passing of yesterday, as a watch in the night.
5 Uyabakhukhula, banjengobuthongo, ekuseni banjengotshani obuhlumayo.
Your floods sweep them away; they are like a dream, or like grass which sprouts in the morning,
6 Ekuseni buyakhahlela, bukhule, ntambama buyasikwa, bubune.
which blossoms and sprouts in the morning, but by evening is cut and withered.
7 Ngoba siqedwa yikuthukuthela kwakho, langolaka lwakho sibhujiswe.
For your anger consumes us, the heat of your wrath confounds us.
8 Ubekile iziphambeko zethu phambi kwakho, izono zethu ezifihlakeleyo ekukhanyeni kobuso bakho.
Our sins you have set before you, our secrets in the light of your face.
9 Ngoba insuku zethu zonke ziyedlula elakeni lwakho; sichitha iminyaka yethu njengokubeka iphika.
For through your wrath our days are declining, we bring our years to an end as a sigh.
10 Insuku zeminyaka yethu, kuleminyaka engamatshumi ayisikhombisa kuzo; njalo uba ngenxa yamandla zingamatshumi ayisificaminwembili, kanti ukuzigqaja kwayo kuyinhlupheko losizi, ngoba aphangisa aqunywe, sibe sesiphapha sinyamalale.
The span of our life is seventy years, or, if we are strong, maybe eighty; yet is their breadth but empty toil, for swiftly they go, and we fly away.
11 Ngubani owaziyo amandla okuthukuthela kwakho? Lanjengokwesabeka kwakho lunjalo ulaka lwakho.
Who lays to heart the power of your anger? Or who stands in reverent awe of your wrath?
12 Ngokunjalo sifundise ukubala insuku zethu, ukuze sizuze inhliziyo yenhlakanipho.
O teach us to count our days so our minds may learn wisdom.
13 Phenduka, Nkosi! Koze kube nini? Hawukela izinceku zakho.
Return, O Lord; why so long? Relent on your servants.
14 Sisuthise ekuseni ngomusa wakho, ukuze sithabe sijabule insuku zethu zonke.
Grant us your love to the full in the morning, that all our days we may shout for joy.
15 Sithokozise njengokwensuku owasihlupha ngazo, iminyaka esabona okubi kuyo.
Make us glad for the days you have humbled us, for the evil years we have seen.
16 Umsebenzi wakho kawubonakale ezincekwini zakho, lenkazimulo yakho ebantwaneni bazo.
Let your servants see you in action, show your majesty to their children.
17 Ubuhle beNkosi, uNkulunkulu wethu, kabube phezu kwethu; uqinise umsebenzi wezandla zethu kithi, yebo, umsebenzi wezandla zethu uwuqinise.
Let the grace of the Lord our God be upon us, uphold what our hands are striving to do.
