Zaburi 144
1 Zaburi ya Daudi. Sifa ni kwa Bwana Mwamba wangu, aifundishaye mikono yangu vita, na vidole vyangu kupigana.
I praise Yahweh, who is [like an overhanging] rock [under which I] ([get refuge/am protected])! He trains my hands so that I can use them to fight battles; he trains my fingers so that I can [shoot arrows in a war].
2 Yeye ni Mungu wangu wa upendo na boma langu, ngome yangu na mwokozi wangu, ngao yangu ninayemkimbilia, ambaye huwatiisha mataifa chini yangu.
He is the one who protects me; he is [like] a fortress [DOU] in which I am safe, he protects me [like] [protect soldiers] [MET], and he gives me refuge. He defeats [other] nations and [then] puts them under my power.
3 Ee Bwana, mwanadamu ni nini hata umjali, Binadamu ni nini hata umfikirie?
Yahweh, [we] people are [very insignificant/unimportant], so why (are you concerned/do you care about us) [RHQ]? [It is amazing to me that] you pay attention to humans.
4 Mwanadamu ni kama pumzi, siku zake ni kama kivuli kinachopita.
[The time that we live is as short] as [SIM] a puff of wind; our time to live disappears like a shadow does.
5 Ee Bwana, pasua mbingu zako, ushuke, gusa milima ili itoe moshi.
Yahweh, (tear open/open up) the sky and come down! Touch the mountains in order that smoke will pour out from them!
6 Peleka umeme uwatawanye adui, lenga mishale yako uwashinde.
Cause lightning to flash with the result that [your enemies] will run away! Shoot your arrows [at them] and cause them to (run away/scatter).
7 Nyoosha mkono wako kutoka juu, nikomboe na kuniokoa kutoka maji makuu, kutoka mikononi mwa wageni
[It is as though my enemies surround me like] a flood; reach your hand down from heaven and rescue me from them [SYN]. They are men from other countries
8 ambao vinywa vyao vimejaa uongo, na mikono yao ya kuume ni midanganyifu.
who [SYN] [always] tell lies. [Even in a courtroom where they swear to tell the truth] they tell lies.
9 Ee Mungu, nitakuimbia wimbo mpya, kwa zeze yenye nyuzi kumi nitakuimbia,
God, I will sing a new song to you, and I will play my ten-stringed harp [while I sing] to you.
10 kwa Yule awapaye wafalme ushindi, ambaye humwokoa Daudi, mtumishi wake kutokana na upanga hatari.
You enable kings to defeat [their enemies]; and you rescued me, your servant David, from [being killed by] my enemies’ swords.
11 Nikomboe na uniokoe kutoka mikononi mwa wageni ambao vinywa vyao vimejaa uongo, na mikono yao ya kuume ni midanganyifu.
[So I ask you to] save me from [being killed by] the swords [that those] evil [people carry]. Rescue me from the power [MTY] of those foreigners who [SYN] [always] tell lies, and [who raise] their right hands [in courtrooms when they solemnly declare that they will tell the truth].
12 Kisha wana wetu wakati wa ujana wao watakuwa kama mimea iliyotunzwa vizuri, binti zetu watakuwa kama nguzo zilizoviringwa kurembesha jumba la kifalme.
I wish/hope that our young sons will grow up to be like strong plants [SIM], and I wish/hope that our daughters will [grow up to] be [straight and tall] like the pillars [SIM] that stand in the corners of palaces.
13 Ghala zetu zitajazwa aina zote za mahitaji. Kondoo zetu watazaa kwa maelfu, kwa makumi ya maelfu katika mashamba yetu;
I wish/hope that our barns will be full of many different crops. I wish/hope that the sheep in our fields will give birth to tens of thousands of baby lambs.
14 maksai wetu watakokota mizigo mizito. Hakutakuwa na kubomoka kuta, hakuna kuchukuliwa mateka, wala kilio cha taabu katika barabara zetu.
I wish/hope that our cows will give birth to many calves without having any miscarriages or deaths when they are born (OR, that no enemies will break through our city walls and take us (into exile/to their own countries)). I wish/hope that [there will not be a time when the people in] our streets cry out in distress [because foreign armies are invading].
15 Heri watu ambao hili ni kweli; heri wale ambao Bwana ni Mungu wao.
If good things like that happen to a nation, the people will be very happy. The people whose God is Yahweh are the ones who will be happy!
