Zaburi 78
1 Utenzi wa Asafu. Enyi watu wangu, sikieni mafundisho yangu, sikilizeni maneno ya kinywa changu.
A Maskil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my instruction; listen to the words of my mouth.
2 Nitafungua kinywa changu kwa mafumbo, nitazungumza mambo yaliyofichika, mambo ya kale:
I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the beginning,
3 yale ambayo tuliyasikia na kuyajua, yale ambayo baba zetu walituambia.
that we have heard and known and our fathers have relayed to us.
4 Hatutayaficha kwa watoto wao; tutakiambia kizazi kijacho matendo yastahiliyo sifa ya Bwana, uweza wake, na maajabu aliyoyafanya.
We will not hide them from their children, but will declare to the next generation the praises of the LORD and His might, and the wonders He has performed.
5 Aliagiza amri kwa Yakobo na akaweka sheria katika Israeli, ambazo aliwaamuru baba zetu wawafundishe watoto wao,
For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers to teach to their children,
6 ili kizazi kijacho kizijue, pamoja na watoto ambao watazaliwa, nao pia wapate kuwaeleza watoto wao.
that the coming generation would know them— even children yet to be born— to arise and tell their own children
7 Ndipo wangeweka tumaini lao kwa Mungu, nao wasingesahau matendo yake, bali wangalizishika amri zake.
that they should put their confidence in God, not forgetting His works, but keeping His commandments.
8 Ili wasifanane na baba zao, waliokuwa kizazi cha ukaidi na uasi, ambao roho zao hazikuwa na uaminifu kwake, ambao roho zao hazikumwamini.
Then they will not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose heart was not loyal, whose spirit was not faithful to God.
9 Watu wa Efraimu, ingawa walijifunga pinde, walikimbia siku ya vita.
The archers of Ephraim turned back on the day of battle.
10 Hawakulishika agano la Mungu na walikataa kuishi kwa sheria yake.
They failed to keep God’s covenant and refused to live by His law.
11 Walisahau aliyokuwa ameyatenda, maajabu aliyokuwa amewaonyesha.
They forgot what He had done, the wonders He had shown them.
12 Alitenda miujiza machoni mwa baba zao, huko Soani, katika nchi ya Misri.
He worked wonders before their fathers in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan.
13 Aliigawanya bahari akawapitisha, alifanya maji yasimame imara kama ukuta.
He split the sea and brought them through; He set the waters upright like a wall.
14 Aliwaongoza kwa wingu mchana na kwa nuru kutoka kwenye moto usiku kucha.
He led them with a cloud by day and with a light of fire all night.
15 Alipasua miamba jangwani na akawapa maji tele kama bahari,
He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink as abundant as the seas.
16 alitoa vijito kutoka kwenye jabali lililochongoka, akayafanya maji yatiririke kama mito.
He brought streams from the stone and made water flow down like rivers.
17 Lakini waliendelea kutenda dhambi dhidi yake, wakiasi jangwani dhidi ya Aliye Juu Sana.
But they continued to sin against Him, rebelling in the desert against the Most High.
18 Kwa makusudi walimjaribu Mungu, wakidai vyakula walivyovitamani.
They willfully tested God by demanding the food they craved.
19 Walinena dhidi ya Mungu, wakisema, “Je, Mungu aweza kuandaa meza jangwani?
They spoke against God, saying, “Can God really prepare a table in the wilderness?
20 Alipopiga mwamba, maji yalitoka kwa nguvu, vijito vikatiririka maji mengi. Lakini je, aweza kutupa chakula pia? Je, anaweza kuwapa watu wake nyama?”
When He struck the rock, water gushed out and torrents raged. But can He also give bread or supply His people with meat?”
21 Bwana alipowasikia, alikasirika sana, moto wake ukawa dhidi ya Yakobo, na ghadhabu yake ikawaka dhidi ya Israeli,
Therefore the LORD heard and was filled with wrath; so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and His anger flared against Israel,
22 kwa kuwa hawakumwamini Mungu, wala kuutumainia ukombozi wake.
because they did not believe God or rely on His salvation.
23 Hata hivyo alitoa amri kwa anga zilizo juu na kufungua milango ya mbingu,
Yet He commanded the clouds above and opened the doors of the heavens.
24 akawanyeshea mana ili watu wale; aliwapa nafaka ya mbinguni.
He rained down manna for them to eat; He gave them grain from heaven.
25 Watu walikula mkate wa malaika, akawatumia chakula chote ambacho wangeliweza kula.
Man ate the bread of angels; He sent them food in abundance.
26 Aliachia upepo wa mashariki kutoka kwenye mbingu na kuuongoza upepo wa kusini kwa uwezo wake.
He stirred the east wind from the heavens and drove the south wind by His might.
27 Aliwanyeshea nyama kama mavumbi, ndege warukao kama mchanga wa pwani.
He rained meat on them like dust, and winged birds like the sand of the sea.
28 Aliwafanya washuke ndani ya kambi yao, kuzunguka mahema yao yote.
He felled them in the midst of their camp, all around their dwellings.
29 Walikula na kusaza, kwa maana alikuwa amewapa kile walichotamani.
So they ate and were well filled, for He gave them what they craved.
30 Kabla hawajamaliza kula walichokitamani, hata kilipokuwa kingali bado vinywani mwao,
Yet before they had filled their desire, with the food still in their mouths,
31 hasira ya Mungu ikawaka juu yao, akawaua wale waliokuwa na nguvu zaidi miongoni mwao, akiwaangusha vijana wa Israeli.
God’s anger flared against them, and He put to death their strongest and subdued the young men of Israel.
32 Licha ya haya yote, waliendelea kutenda dhambi, licha ya maajabu yake, hawakuamini.
In spite of all this, they kept on sinning; despite His wonderful works, they did not believe.
33 Kwa hiyo akamaliza siku zao katika ubatili na miaka yao katika vitisho.
So He ended their days in futility, and their years in sudden terror.
34 Kila mara Mungu alipowaua baadhi yao, waliosalia walimtafuta, walimgeukia tena kwa shauku.
When He slew them, they would seek Him; they repented and searched for God.
35 Walikumbuka kwamba Mungu alikuwa Mwamba wao, kwamba Mungu Aliye Juu Sana alikuwa Mkombozi wao.
And they remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer.
36 Lakini walimdanganya kwa vinywa vyao, wakisema uongo kwa ndimi zao,
But they deceived Him with their mouths, and lied to Him with their tongues.
37 mioyo yao haikuwa thabiti kwake, wala hawakuwa waaminifu katika agano lake.
Their hearts were disloyal to Him, and they were unfaithful to His covenant.
38 Hata hivyo alikuwa na huruma, alisamehe maovu yao na hakuwaangamiza. Mara kwa mara alizuia hasira yake, wala hakuchochea ghadhabu yake yote.
And yet He was compassionate; He forgave their iniquity and did not destroy them. He often restrained His anger and did not unleash His full wrath.
39 Alikumbuka kwamba wao walikuwa nyama tu, upepo upitao ambao haurudi.
He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return.
40 Mara ngapi walimwasi jangwani na kumhuzunisha nyikani!
How often they disobeyed Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert!
41 Walimjaribu Mungu mara kwa mara, wakamkasirisha yeye Aliye Mtakatifu wa Israeli.
Again and again they tested God and provoked the Holy One of Israel.
42 Hawakukumbuka uwezo wake, siku aliyowakomboa kutoka kwa mtesi,
They did not remember His power — the day He redeemed them from the adversary,
43 siku aliyoonyesha ishara zake za ajabu huko Misri, maajabu yake huko Soani.
when He performed His signs in Egypt and His wonders in the fields of Zoan.
44 Aligeuza mito yao kuwa damu, hawakuweza kunywa maji kutoka vijito vyao.
He turned their rivers to blood, and from their streams they could not drink.
45 Aliwapelekea makundi ya mainzi yakawala, na vyura wakawaharibu.
He sent swarms of flies that devoured them, and frogs that devastated them.
46 Aliruhusu tunutu kuharibu mimea yao, mazao yao kwa nzige.
He gave their crops to the grasshopper, the fruit of their labor to the locust.
47 Aliharibu mizabibu yao kwa mvua ya mawe na mikuyu yao kwa mvua iliyochangamana na theluji.
He killed their vines with hailstones and their sycamore-figs with sleet.
48 Aliwaachia mifugo yao mvua ya mawe, akayapiga makundi ya wanyama wao kwa radi.
He abandoned their cattle to the hail and their livestock to bolts of lightning.
49 Aliwafungulia hasira yake kali, ghadhabu yake, hasira na uadui, na kundi la malaika wa kuharibu.
He unleashed His fury against them, wrath, indignation, and calamity— a band of destroying angels.
50 Aliitengenezea njia hasira yake, hakuwaepusha na kifo, bali aliwaachia tauni.
He cleared a path for His anger; He did not spare them from death but delivered their lives to the plague.
51 Aliwapiga wazaliwa wote wa kwanza wa Misri, matunda ya kwanza ya ujana katika mahema ya Hamu.
He struck all the firstborn of Egypt, the virility in the tents of Ham.
52 Lakini aliwatoa watu wake kama kundi, akawaongoza kama kondoo kupitia jangwani.
He led out His people like sheep and guided them like a flock in the wilderness.
53 Aliwaongoza salama, wala hawakuogopa, bali bahari iliwameza adui zao.
He led them safely, so they did not fear, but the sea engulfed their enemies.
54 Hivyo akawaleta hadi kwenye mpaka wa nchi yake takatifu, hadi nchi ya vilima ambayo mkono wake wa kuume ulikuwa umeitwaa.
He brought them to His holy land, to the mountain His right hand had acquired.
55 Aliyafukuza mataifa mbele yao, na kuwagawia nchi zao kama urithi, aliwakalisha makabila ya Israeli katika makao yao.
He drove out nations before them and apportioned their inheritance; He settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.
56 Lakini wao walimjaribu Mungu, na kuasi dhidi ya Yeye Aliye Juu Sana, wala hawakuzishika sheria zake.
But they tested and disobeyed God Most High, for they did not keep His decrees.
57 Kama baba zao, hawakuwa thabiti wala waaminifu, wakawa wasioweza kutegemewa kama upinde wenye kasoro.
They turned back and were faithless like their fathers, twisted like a faulty bow.
58 Wakamkasirisha Mungu kwa mahali pao pa juu pa kuabudia miungu, wakachochea wivu wake kwa sanamu zao.
They enraged Him with their high places and provoked His jealousy with their idols.
59 Wakati Mungu alipowasikia, alikasirika sana, akamkataa Israeli kabisa.
On hearing it, God was furious and rejected Israel completely.
60 Akaiacha hema ya Shilo, hema aliyokuwa ameiweka katikati ya wanadamu.
He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent He had pitched among men.
61 Akalipeleka Sanduku la nguvu zake utumwani, utukufu wake mikononi mwa adui.
He delivered His strength to captivity, and His splendor to the hand of the adversary.
62 Aliachia watu wake wauawe kwa upanga, akaukasirikia sana urithi wake.
He surrendered His people to the sword because He was enraged by His heritage.
63 Moto uliwaangamiza vijana wao, na wanawali wao hawakuimbiwa nyimbo za arusi,
Fire consumed His young men, and their maidens were left without wedding songs.
64 makuhani wao waliuawa kwa upanga, wala wajane wao hawakuweza kulia.
His priests fell by the sword, but their widows could not lament.
65 Ndipo Bwana alipoamka kama vile kuamka usingizini, kama vile mtu aamkavyo kutoka kwenye bumbuazi la mvinyo.
Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, like a mighty warrior overcome by wine.
66 Aliwapiga na kuwashinda adui zake, akawatia katika aibu ya milele.
He beat back His foes; He put them to everlasting shame.
67 Ndipo alipozikataa hema za Yosefu, hakulichagua kabila la Efraimu,
He rejected the tent of Joseph and refused the tribe of Ephraim.
68 lakini alilichagua kabila la Yuda, Mlima Sayuni, ambao aliupenda.
But He chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which He loved.
69 Alijenga patakatifu pake kama vilele, kama dunia ambayo aliimarisha milele.
He built His sanctuary like the heights, like the earth He has established forever.
70 Akamchagua Daudi mtumishi wake na kumtoa kwenye mazizi ya kondoo.
He chose David His servant and took him from the sheepfolds;
71 Kutoka kuchunga kondoo alimleta kuwa mchungaji wa watu wake Yakobo, wa Israeli urithi wake.
from tending the ewes He brought him to be shepherd of His people Jacob, of Israel His inheritance.
72 Naye Daudi aliwachunga kwa uadilifu wa moyo, kwa mikono ya ustadi aliwaongoza.
So David shepherded them with integrity of heart and guided them with skillful hands.
