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.
For the leader. Of David, the servant of the Lord, who recited the words of this song to the Lord after the Lord had saved him from the power of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said: I love you, 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.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress, deliverer, my God, my rock, where I take refuge, my shield, my defender, my tower.
3 Ninamwita Bwana anayestahili kusifiwa, nami ninaokolewa kutoka kwa adui zangu.
Worthy of praise is the Lord whom I call on, he rescues me from all my foes.
4 Kamba za mauti zilinizunguka, mafuriko ya maangamizi yalinilemea.
The waves of death broke about me, fearful floods of chaos.
Sheol threw cords around me, snares of death came to meet 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 distress I cried to the Lord, and shouted for help to my God; in his temple he heard my voice, into his ears came my cry.
7 Dunia ilitetemeka na kutikisika, misingi ya milima ikatikisika, vilitetemeka kwa sababu alikuwa amekasirika.
Then the earth shook and quaked, mountains trembled to their foundations, and quaked because of his wrath.
8 Moshi ukapanda kutoka puani mwake, moto uteketezao ukatoka kinywani mwake, makaa ya moto yawakayo yakatoka ndani mwake.
Smoke went up from his nostrils, devouring fire from his mouth, coals were kindled by it.
9 Akazipasua mbingu akashuka chini, mawingu meusi yalikuwa chini ya miguu yake.
Then he bent the sky and came down, thick darkness was under his feet.
10 Alipanda juu ya kerubi akaruka, akapaa juu kwa mbawa za upepo.
He rode on a cherub and flew, darting on wings of wind,
11 Alifanya giza kuwa kitu chake cha kujifunika, hema lake kumzunguka, mawingu meusi ya mvua ya angani.
with his screen of darkness about him, in thick dark clouds of water.
12 Kutokana na mwanga wa uwepo wake mawingu yalisogea, ikanyesha mvua ya mawe na umeme wa radi.
At the radiance before him there passed hailstones and coals of fire.
13 Bwana alinguruma kutoka mbinguni, sauti ya Aliye Juu Sana ilisikika.
The Lord thundered from heaven, the Most High uttered his voice.
14 Aliipiga mishale yake na kutawanya adui, naam, umeme mwingi wa radi na kuwafukuza.
He shot his arrows and scattered them, flashed lightnings, and routed them.
15 Mabonde ya bahari yalifunuliwa, na misingi ya dunia ikawa wazi kwa kukaripia kwako, Ee Bwana, kwa uvumi wa pumzi kutoka puani mwako.
The channels of the sea were revealed, the world was laid bare to its base, at your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
16 Alinyoosha mkono kutoka juu na kunishika; alinitoa kutoka kilindi cha maji makuu.
He stretched from on high, he seized me, drew me up from the mighty waters,
17 Aliniokoa kutoka adui wangu mwenye nguvu nyingi, kutoka adui zangu waliokuwa na nguvu nyingi kuliko mimi.
and saved me from those who hated me – fierce foes, too mighty for me.
18 Walinikabili siku ya msiba wangu, lakini Bwana alikuwa msaada wangu.
In my day of distress they assailed me, but the Lord proved my support.
19 Alinileta nje mahali penye nafasi tele, akaniokoa kwa kuwa alipendezwa nami.
To a spacious place he brought me, and, for love of me, he saved me.
20 Bwana alinitendea sawasawa na uadilifu wangu; sawasawa na usafi wa mikono yangu amenilipa.
The Lord repays my innocence, he rewards my cleanness of hands.
21 Kwa maana nimezishika njia za Bwana; sijatenda ubaya nikamwacha Mungu wangu.
For I kept the ways of the Lord, nor have wickedly strayed from my God.
22 Sheria zake zote zi mbele yangu, wala sijayaacha maagizo yake.
His commandments were all before me, his statutes I put not away.
23 Nimekuwa sina hatia mbele zake, nami nimejilinda nisitende dhambi.
And I was blameless before him, guarding myself from sin.
24 Bwana amenilipa sawasawa na uadilifu wangu; sawasawa na usafi wa mikono yangu machoni pake.
So the Lord repaid my innocence, my cleanness of hands in his sight.
25 Kwa yeye aliye mwaminifu, unajionyesha kuwa mwaminifu, kwa asiye na hatia, unajionyesha kutokuwa na hatia.
With the loyal you are loyal, and with the blameless blameless.
26 Kwa aliye mtakatifu, unajionyesha kuwa mtakatifu, lakini kwa aliyepotoka, unajionyesha kuwa mkaidi.
With the pure you show yourself pure, but shrewd with the devious.
27 Wewe huwaokoa wanyenyekevu, lakini huwashusha wenye kiburi.
For the lowly people you save, but haughty eyes you abase.
28 Wewe, Ee Bwana, unaifanya taa yangu iendelee kuwaka; Mungu wangu hulifanya giza langu kuwa mwanga.
You are my lamp, Lord, my God who enlightens my darkness.
29 Kwa msaada wako naweza kushinda jeshi, nikiwa pamoja na Mungu wangu nitaweza kuruka ukuta.
With you I can storm a rampart, with my God I can leap a wall.
30 Kuhusu Mungu, njia yake ni kamilifu, neno la Bwana halina dosari. Yeye ni ngao kwa wote wanaokimbilia kwake.
As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is pure. He is shield to all who take refuge in him.
31 Kwa maana ni nani aliye Mungu zaidi ya Bwana? Ni nani aliye Mwamba isipokuwa Mungu wetu?
For who is God but the Lord? And who is a rock but our God?
32 Mungu ndiye anivikaye nguvu na kufanya njia yangu kuwa kamilifu.
The God who arms me with strength, who cleared and smoothed my way.
33 Huifanya miguu yangu kama miguu ya kulungu, huniwezesha kusimama mahali palipo juu.
He made my feet like hinds’ feet, and set me up on the heights.
34 Huifundisha mikono yangu kupigana vita; mikono yangu inaweza kupinda upinde wa shaba.
He taught my hands how to fight, and my arms how to bend a bronze bow.
35 Hunipa ngao yako ya ushindi, nao mkono wako wa kuume hunitegemeza, unajishusha chini ili kuniinua.
The shield of your help you gave me, your right hand supports me, you stoop down to make me great.
36 Huyapanua mapito yangu, ili miguu yangu isiteleze.
In your strength I took giant strides, and my feet never slipped.
37 Niliwafuatia adui zangu na nikawapata, sikurudi nyuma mpaka walipoangamizwa.
So I chased the foe till I caught them, and turned not, till I made an end of them.
38 Niliwaseta hata hawakuweza kuinuka tena; walianguka chini ya miguu yangu.
I smashed them, they could not rise, they fell beneath my feet.
39 Ulinivika nguvu kwa ajili ya kupigana vita; uliwafanya adui zangu wasujudu miguuni pangu.
You did arm me with strength for war, you did bow my assailants beneath me.
40 Uliwafanya adui zangu wageuke na kukimbia, nami nikawaangamiza adui zangu.
You made my foes turn their back to me, and those who did hate me I finished.
41 Walipiga yowe, lakini hapakuwepo na yeyote wa kuwaokoa; walimlilia Bwana, lakini hakuwajibu.
They cried for help, but none saved them; to the Lord, but he answered them not.
42 Niliwaponda kama mavumbi yanayopeperushwa na upepo; niliwamwaga nje kama tope barabarani.
I beat them like dust of the market-place, stamped them like mud of the streets.
43 Umeniokoa kutokana na mashambulizi ya watu; umenifanya kuwa kiongozi wa mataifa, watu ambao sikuwajua wananitumikia.
From the strife of the peoples you saved me, you made me head of the nations, peoples I knew not did serve me.
44 Mara wanisikiapo hunitii, wageni hunyenyekea mbele yangu.
On the instant they hear, they obey me, foreigners come to me cringing.
45 Wote wanalegea, wanatoka katika ngome zao wakitetemeka.
Foreigners lose courage, and come out of their strongholds trembling.
46 Bwana yu hai! Sifa ni kwa Mwamba wangu! Atukuzwe Mungu Mwokozi wangu!
The Lord is alive! Blest be my rock! Exalted be God, my protector!
47 Yeye ndiye Mungu anilipiziaye kisasi, awatiishaye mataifa chini yangu,
The God who gave me revenge, and brought down nations beneath me,
48 aniokoaye na adui zangu. Uliniinua juu ya adui zangu; uliniokoa toka kwa watu wajeuri.
who saved me from angry foes, and set me above my assailants, safe from the violent.
49 Kwa hiyo nitakusifu katikati ya mataifa, Ee Bwana; nitaliimbia sifa jina lako.
For this I will praise you among the nations, making music, O Lord, to your name:
50 Humpa mfalme wake ushindi mkuu, huonyesha fadhili zake kwa mpakwa mafuta wake, kwa Daudi na wazao wake milele.
for great triumphs he grants to his king, and faithful love he shows his anointed, to David and his seed evermore.
