Zaburi 18
1 Kwa mwimbishaji. Zaburi ya Daudi mtumishi wa Bwana aliyomwimbia Bwana wakati Bwana alipomwokoa mikononi mwa adui zake wote, na pia mkononi mwa Sauli. Alisema hivi: Nakupenda wewe, Ee Bwana, nguvu yangu.
I love thee, O LORD, my strength!
2 Bwana ni mwamba wangu, ngome yangu na mwokozi wangu, Mungu wangu ni mwamba, ambaye kwake ninakimbilia. Yeye ni ngao yangu na pembe ya wokovu wangu, ngome yangu.
Jehovah is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I trust; My shield, my strong defence, and my high tower.
3 Ninamwita Bwana anayestahili kusifiwa, nami ninaokolewa kutoka kwa adui zangu.
I called upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, And was delivered from my enemies.
4 Kamba za mauti zilinizunguka, mafuriko ya maangamizi yalinilemea.
The snares of death encompassed me; The floods of destruction filled me with dismay;
The snares of the underworld surrounded me, And the nets of death seized upon me. (Sheol h7585)
6 Katika shida yangu nalimwita Bwana, nilimlilia Mungu wangu anisaidie. Kutoka hekaluni mwake alisikia sauti yangu, kilio changu kikafika mbele zake, masikioni mwake.
In my distress I called upon the LORD, And cried unto my God; He heard my voice from his palace, And my cry came before him into his ears.
7 Dunia ilitetemeka na kutikisika, misingi ya milima ikatikisika, vilitetemeka kwa sababu alikuwa amekasirika.
Then the earth quaked and trembled; The foundations of the mountains rocked and were shaken, Because his wrath was kindled.
8 Moshi ukapanda kutoka puani mwake, moto uteketezao ukatoka kinywani mwake, makaa ya moto yawakayo yakatoka ndani mwake.
A smoke went up from his nostrils, And fire from his mouth devoured; Burning coals shot forth from him.
9 Akazipasua mbingu akashuka chini, mawingu meusi yalikuwa chini ya miguu yake.
He bowed the heavens, and came down; And darkness was under his feet;
10 Alipanda juu ya kerubi akaruka, akapaa juu kwa mbawa za upepo.
And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly; Yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.
11 Alifanya giza kuwa kitu chake cha kujifunika, hema lake kumzunguka, mawingu meusi ya mvua ya angani.
And he made darkness his covering; His pavilion round about him was dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
12 Kutokana na mwanga wa uwepo wake mawingu yalisogea, ikanyesha mvua ya mawe na umeme wa radi.
At the brightness before him, his thick clouds passed away; Then came hailstones and coals of fire.
13 Bwana alinguruma kutoka mbinguni, sauti ya Aliye Juu Sana ilisikika.
The LORD also thundered from heaven, And the Most High uttered his voice, Amid hailstones and coals of fire.
14 Aliipiga mishale yake na kutawanya adui, naam, umeme mwingi wa radi na kuwafukuza.
He sent forth his arrows, and scattered them; Continual lightnings, and discomfited them.
15 Mabonde ya bahari yalifunuliwa, na misingi ya dunia ikawa wazi kwa kukaripia kwako, Ee Bwana, kwa uvumi wa pumzi kutoka puani mwako.
Then the channels of the deep were seen, And the foundations of the earth were laid bare At thy rebuke, O LORD! At the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.
16 Alinyoosha mkono kutoka juu na kunishika; alinitoa kutoka kilindi cha maji makuu.
He stretched forth his hand from above; he took me, And drew me out of deep waters.
17 Aliniokoa kutoka adui wangu mwenye nguvu nyingi, kutoka adui zangu waliokuwa na nguvu nyingi kuliko mimi.
He delivered me from my strong enemy; From my adversaries, who were too powerful for me.
18 Walinikabili siku ya msiba wangu, lakini Bwana alikuwa msaada wangu.
They fell upon me in the day of my calamity; But the LORD was my stay.
19 Alinileta nje mahali penye nafasi tele, akaniokoa kwa kuwa alipendezwa nami.
He brought me forth into a large place; He delivered me, because he delighted in me.
20 Bwana alinitendea sawasawa na uadilifu wangu; sawasawa na usafi wa mikono yangu amenilipa.
The LORD hath rewarded me according to my righteous; According to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
21 Kwa maana nimezishika njia za Bwana; sijatenda ubaya nikamwacha Mungu wangu.
For I have kept the ways of the LORD, And have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 Sheria zake zote zi mbele yangu, wala sijayaacha maagizo yake.
For all his laws were in my sight; I did not put away his statutes from me.
23 Nimekuwa sina hatia mbele zake, nami nimejilinda nisitende dhambi.
I was upright before him, And kept myself from iniquity.
24 Bwana amenilipa sawasawa na uadilifu wangu; sawasawa na usafi wa mikono yangu machoni pake.
Therefore hath the LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands before his eyes.
25 Kwa yeye aliye mwaminifu, unajionyesha kuwa mwaminifu, kwa asiye na hatia, unajionyesha kutokuwa na hatia.
To the merciful thou showest thyself merciful; To the upright thou showest thyself upright;
26 Kwa aliye mtakatifu, unajionyesha kuwa mtakatifu, lakini kwa aliyepotoka, unajionyesha kuwa mkaidi.
To the pure thou showest thyself pure, And to the perverse thou showest thyself perverse.
27 Wewe huwaokoa wanyenyekevu, lakini huwashusha wenye kiburi.
For thou savest the afflicted people, But the haughty countenance thou bringest down.
28 Wewe, Ee Bwana, unaifanya taa yangu iendelee kuwaka; Mungu wangu hulifanya giza langu kuwa mwanga.
Thou causest my lamp to shine; Jehovah, my God, enlighteneth my darkness.
29 Kwa msaada wako naweza kushinda jeshi, nikiwa pamoja na Mungu wangu nitaweza kuruka ukuta.
For through thee I have broken through troops; Through my God I have leaped over walls.
30 Kuhusu Mungu, njia yake ni kamilifu, neno la Bwana halina dosari. Yeye ni ngao kwa wote wanaokimbilia kwake.
The ways of God are just and true; His word is pure, tried in the fire; He is a shield to all who put their trust in him.
31 Kwa maana ni nani aliye Mungu zaidi ya Bwana? Ni nani aliye Mwamba isipokuwa Mungu wetu?
Who, then, is God, save Jehovah? And who is a rock, save our God?
32 Mungu ndiye anivikaye nguvu na kufanya njia yangu kuwa kamilifu.
It is God that girded me with strength, And made my way plain.
33 Huifanya miguu yangu kama miguu ya kulungu, huniwezesha kusimama mahali palipo juu.
He made my feet like the hind's, And set me in my high places;
34 Huifundisha mikono yangu kupigana vita; mikono yangu inaweza kupinda upinde wa shaba.
He taught my hands to war, So that my arm bent the bow of brass.
35 Hunipa ngao yako ya ushindi, nao mkono wako wa kuume hunitegemeza, unajishusha chini ili kuniinua.
Thou gavest me the shield of thy protection; Thy right hand held me up, And thy goodness made me great.
36 Huyapanua mapito yangu, ili miguu yangu isiteleze.
Thou didst make a wide path for my steps, So that my feet did not stumble.
37 Niliwafuatia adui zangu na nikawapata, sikurudi nyuma mpaka walipoangamizwa.
I pursued my enemies and overtook them, And turned not back till I had destroyed them.
38 Niliwaseta hata hawakuweza kuinuka tena; walianguka chini ya miguu yangu.
I smote them, so that they could not rise; They fell under my feet.
39 Ulinivika nguvu kwa ajili ya kupigana vita; uliwafanya adui zangu wasujudu miguuni pangu.
Thou didst gird me with strength for the battle; Thou didst cast down my adversaries under me.
40 Uliwafanya adui zangu wageuke na kukimbia, nami nikawaangamiza adui zangu.
Thou didst cause my enemies to turn their backs, So that I destroyed them that hated me.
41 Walipiga yowe, lakini hapakuwepo na yeyote wa kuwaokoa; walimlilia Bwana, lakini hakuwajibu.
They cried, but there was none to help; To Jehovah, but he answered them not.
42 Niliwaponda kama mavumbi yanayopeperushwa na upepo; niliwamwaga nje kama tope barabarani.
I beat them small, like dust before the wind; I cast them out as the dirt of the streets.
43 Umeniokoa kutokana na mashambulizi ya watu; umenifanya kuwa kiongozi wa mataifa, watu ambao sikuwajua wananitumikia.
Thou hast delivered me from the assaults of the nations; Thou hast made me the head of the kingdoms. Nations whom I knew not serve me;
44 Mara wanisikiapo hunitii, wageni hunyenyekea mbele yangu.
They who have only heard of me obey me; Yea, men of a strange land submit themselves to me;
45 Wote wanalegea, wanatoka katika ngome zao wakitetemeka.
Men of a strange land fade away, like a leaf, And come trembling from their strongholds.
46 Bwana yu hai! Sifa ni kwa Mwamba wangu! Atukuzwe Mungu Mwokozi wangu!
Jehovah is the living God; blessed be my rock; Exalted be the God of my salvation!
47 Yeye ndiye Mungu anilipiziaye kisasi, awatiishaye mataifa chini yangu,
It is God who hath given me vengeance, And subdued the nations under me;
48 aniokoaye na adui zangu. Uliniinua juu ya adui zangu; uliniokoa toka kwa watu wajeuri.
He delivered me from my enemies; Yea, thou hast lifted me up above my adversaries; Thou hast saved me from the violent man!
49 Kwa hiyo nitakusifu katikati ya mataifa, Ee Bwana; nitaliimbia sifa jina lako.
Therefore I will give thanks to thee, O LORD! among the nations, And sing praises to thy name.
50 Humpa mfalme wake ushindi mkuu, huonyesha fadhili zake kwa mpakwa mafuta wake, kwa Daudi na wazao wake milele.
Great deliverance giveth he to his king, And showeth mercy to his anointed, —To David and to his posterity for ever.
