Zaburi 78
1 Utenzi wa Asafu. Enyi watu wangu, sikieni mafundisho yangu, sikilizeni maneno ya kinywa changu.
The understanding of Asaph. O my people, attend to my law. Incline your ears 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 speak about concepts that are from the beginning.
3 yale ambayo tuliyasikia na kuyajua, yale ambayo baba zetu walituambia.
We have heard and known such great things, as our fathers have described to us.
4 Hatutayaficha kwa watoto wao; tutakiambia kizazi kijacho matendo yastahiliyo sifa ya Bwana, uweza wake, na maajabu aliyoyafanya.
These things have not been hidden from their sons in any generation: declaring the praises of the Lord, and his virtues, and the wonders that he has done.
5 Aliagiza amri kwa Yakobo na akaweka sheria katika Israeli, ambazo aliwaamuru baba zetu wawafundishe watoto wao,
And he has received testimony with Jacob, and he has set a law within Israel. Such great things, he has commanded our fathers, so as to make these things known to their sons,
6 ili kizazi kijacho kizijue, pamoja na watoto ambao watazaliwa, nao pia wapate kuwaeleza watoto wao.
so that another generation might know them, and so that the sons, who will be born and who will grow up, shall describe them to their sons.
7 Ndipo wangeweka tumaini lao kwa Mungu, nao wasingesahau matendo yake, bali wangalizishika amri zake.
So then, may they put their hope in God, and may they not forget the works of God, and may they seek 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.
May they not become like their fathers, a perverse and exasperating generation: a generation that does not straighten their heart and whose spirit is not trustworthy with God.
9 Watu wa Efraimu, ingawa walijifunga pinde, walikimbia siku ya vita.
The sons of Ephraim, who bend and shoot the bow, have been turned back in the day of battle.
10 Hawakulishika agano la Mungu na walikataa kuishi kwa sheria yake.
They have not kept the covenant of God. And they were not willing to walk in his law.
11 Walisahau aliyokuwa ameyatenda, maajabu aliyokuwa amewaonyesha.
And they have been forgetful of his benefits, and of his miracle, which he revealed to them.
12 Alitenda miujiza machoni mwa baba zao, huko Soani, katika nchi ya Misri.
He performed miracles in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Tanis.
13 Aliigawanya bahari akawapitisha, alifanya maji yasimame imara kama ukuta.
He broke the sea and he led them through. And he stationed the waters, as if in a vessel.
14 Aliwaongoza kwa wingu mchana na kwa nuru kutoka kwenye moto usiku kucha.
And he led them with a cloud by day, and with illumination by fire throughout the night.
15 Alipasua miamba jangwani na akawapa maji tele kama bahari,
He broke through the rock in the wasteland, and he gave them to drink, as if from the great abyss.
16 alitoa vijito kutoka kwenye jabali lililochongoka, akayafanya maji yatiririke kama mito.
He brought forth water from the rock, and he conducted the waters, as if they were rivers.
17 Lakini waliendelea kutenda dhambi dhidi yake, wakiasi jangwani dhidi ya Aliye Juu Sana.
And yet, they continued to sin against him. In a waterless place, they provoked the Most High with resentment.
18 Kwa makusudi walimjaribu Mungu, wakidai vyakula walivyovitamani.
And they tempted God in their hearts, by asking for food according to their desires.
19 Walinena dhidi ya Mungu, wakisema, “Je, Mungu aweza kuandaa meza jangwani?
And they spoke badly about God. They said, “Would God be able to prepare a table in the desert?
20 Alipopiga mwamba, maji yalitoka kwa nguvu, vijito vikatiririka maji mengi. Lakini je, aweza kutupa chakula pia? Je, anaweza kuwapa watu wake nyama?”
He struck the rock, and so waters flowed and the torrents flooded, but would even he be able to provide bread, or provide a table, for his people?”
21 Bwana alipowasikia, alikasirika sana, moto wake ukawa dhidi ya Yakobo, na ghadhabu yake ikawaka dhidi ya Israeli,
Therefore, the Lord heard, and he was dismayed, and a fire was kindled within Jacob, and an anger ascended into Israel.
22 kwa kuwa hawakumwamini Mungu, wala kuutumainia ukombozi wake.
For they neither put their trust in God, nor did they hope in his salvation.
23 Hata hivyo alitoa amri kwa anga zilizo juu na kufungua milango ya mbingu,
And he commanded the clouds from above, and he opened the doors of heaven.
24 akawanyeshea mana ili watu wale; aliwapa nafaka ya mbinguni.
And he rained down manna upon them to eat, and he gave them the bread of heaven.
25 Watu walikula mkate wa malaika, akawatumia chakula chote ambacho wangeliweza kula.
Man ate the bread of Angels. He sent them provisions in abundance.
26 Aliachia upepo wa mashariki kutoka kwenye mbingu na kuuongoza upepo wa kusini kwa uwezo wake.
He transferred the south wind from heaven, and, in his virtue, he brought in the Southwest wind.
27 Aliwanyeshea nyama kama mavumbi, ndege warukao kama mchanga wa pwani.
And he rained down flesh upon them, as if it were dust, and feathered birds, as if they were the sand of the sea.
28 Aliwafanya washuke ndani ya kambi yao, kuzunguka mahema yao yote.
And they fell down in the midst of their camp, encircling their tabernacles.
29 Walikula na kusaza, kwa maana alikuwa amewapa kile walichotamani.
And they ate until they were greatly satisfied, and he brought to them according to their desires.
30 Kabla hawajamaliza kula walichokitamani, hata kilipokuwa kingali bado vinywani mwao,
They were not cheated out of what they wanted. Their food was still in their mouth,
31 hasira ya Mungu ikawaka juu yao, akawaua wale waliokuwa na nguvu zaidi miongoni mwao, akiwaangusha vijana wa Israeli.
and then the wrath of God came upon them. And he slew the fat ones among them, and he impeded the elect of Israel.
32 Licha ya haya yote, waliendelea kutenda dhambi, licha ya maajabu yake, hawakuamini.
In all these things, they continued to sin, and they were not trustworthy with his miracles.
33 Kwa hiyo akamaliza siku zao katika ubatili na miaka yao katika vitisho.
And their days faded away into vanity, and their years with haste.
34 Kila mara Mungu alipowaua baadhi yao, waliosalia walimtafuta, walimgeukia tena kwa shauku.
When he slew them, then they sought him. And they returned, and they drew near to him in the early morning.
35 Walikumbuka kwamba Mungu alikuwa Mwamba wao, kwamba Mungu Aliye Juu Sana alikuwa Mkombozi wao.
And they were mindful that God is their helper and that the Most High God is their redeemer.
36 Lakini walimdanganya kwa vinywa vyao, wakisema uongo kwa ndimi zao,
And they chose him with their mouth, and then they lied to him with their tongue.
37 mioyo yao haikuwa thabiti kwake, wala hawakuwa waaminifu katika agano lake.
For their heart was not upright with him, nor have they been living faithfully in his covenant.
38 Hata hivyo alikuwa na huruma, alisamehe maovu yao na hakuwaangamiza. Mara kwa mara alizuia hasira yake, wala hakuchochea ghadhabu yake yote.
Yet he is merciful, and he will pardon their sins. And he will not destroy them. And he has abundantly turned aside his own wrath. And he did not enflame his wrath entirely.
39 Alikumbuka kwamba wao walikuwa nyama tu, upepo upitao ambao haurudi.
And he remembered that they are flesh: with a spirit that goes forth and does not return.
40 Mara ngapi walimwasi jangwani na kumhuzunisha nyikani!
How often did they provoke him in the desert and stir him to wrath in a waterless place?
41 Walimjaribu Mungu mara kwa mara, wakamkasirisha yeye Aliye Mtakatifu wa Israeli.
And they turned back and tempted God, and they exasperated the Holy One of Israel.
42 Hawakukumbuka uwezo wake, siku aliyowakomboa kutoka kwa mtesi,
They did not remember his hand, in the day that he redeemed them from the hand of the one troubling them.
43 siku aliyoonyesha ishara zake za ajabu huko Misri, maajabu yake huko Soani.
Thus, he positioned his signs in Egypt and his wonders in the field of Tanis.
44 Aligeuza mito yao kuwa damu, hawakuweza kunywa maji kutoka vijito vyao.
And he turned their rivers into blood, along with their rain showers, so that they could not drink.
45 Aliwapelekea makundi ya mainzi yakawala, na vyura wakawaharibu.
He sent among them the common fly, and it devoured them, and the frog, and it scattered them.
46 Aliruhusu tunutu kuharibu mimea yao, mazao yao kwa nzige.
And he gave up their fruits to mold and their labors to the locust.
47 Aliharibu mizabibu yao kwa mvua ya mawe na mikuyu yao kwa mvua iliyochangamana na theluji.
And he slew their vineyards with hail and their mulberry trees with severe frost.
48 Aliwaachia mifugo yao mvua ya mawe, akayapiga makundi ya wanyama wao kwa radi.
And he delivered their cattle to the hail and their possessions to fire.
49 Aliwafungulia hasira yake kali, ghadhabu yake, hasira na uadui, na kundi la malaika wa kuharibu.
And he sent the wrath of his indignation among them: indignation and wrath and tribulation, sent forth by evil angels.
50 Aliitengenezea njia hasira yake, hakuwaepusha na kifo, bali aliwaachia tauni.
He made way for the path of his anger. He did not spare their souls from death. And he enclosed their beasts of burden in death.
51 Aliwapiga wazaliwa wote wa kwanza wa Misri, matunda ya kwanza ya ujana katika mahema ya Hamu.
And he struck all the first-born in the land of Egypt: the first-fruits of all their labor in the tabernacles of Ham.
52 Lakini aliwatoa watu wake kama kundi, akawaongoza kama kondoo kupitia jangwani.
And he took away his own people like sheep, and he led them through the wilderness like a flock.
53 Aliwaongoza salama, wala hawakuogopa, bali bahari iliwameza adui zao.
And he led them out in hope, and they did not fear. And the sea covered their enemies.
54 Hivyo akawaleta hadi kwenye mpaka wa nchi yake takatifu, hadi nchi ya vilima ambayo mkono wake wa kuume ulikuwa umeitwaa.
And he led them to the mountain of his sanctification: the mountain that his right hand had acquired. And he cast out the Gentiles before their face. And he divided their land by lot to them, with a line of distribution.
55 Aliyafukuza mataifa mbele yao, na kuwagawia nchi zao kama urithi, aliwakalisha makabila ya Israeli katika makao yao.
And he caused the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tabernacles.
56 Lakini wao walimjaribu Mungu, na kuasi dhidi ya Yeye Aliye Juu Sana, wala hawakuzishika sheria zake.
Yet they tempted and aggravated God Most High, and they did not keep his testaments.
57 Kama baba zao, hawakuwa thabiti wala waaminifu, wakawa wasioweza kutegemewa kama upinde wenye kasoro.
And they turned themselves aside, and they did not serve the covenant. In the same manner as their fathers, they were turned backwards, like a crooked bow.
58 Wakamkasirisha Mungu kwa mahali pao pa juu pa kuabudia miungu, wakachochea wivu wake kwa sanamu zao.
They impelled him to anger on their hills, and they provoked him to rivalry with their graven images.
59 Wakati Mungu alipowasikia, alikasirika sana, akamkataa Israeli kabisa.
God listened, and he spurned them, and he reduced Israel greatly, almost to nothing.
60 Akaiacha hema ya Shilo, hema aliyokuwa ameiweka katikati ya wanadamu.
And he rejected the tabernacle of Shiloh, his tabernacle where he had dwelt among men.
61 Akalipeleka Sanduku la nguvu zake utumwani, utukufu wake mikononi mwa adui.
And he delivered their virtue into captivity, and their beauty into the hands of the enemy.
62 Aliachia watu wake wauawe kwa upanga, akaukasirikia sana urithi wake.
And he enclosed his people with the sword, and he spurned his inheritance.
63 Moto uliwaangamiza vijana wao, na wanawali wao hawakuimbiwa nyimbo za arusi,
Fire consumed their young men, and their virgins were not lamented.
64 makuhani wao waliuawa kwa upanga, wala wajane wao hawakuweza kulia.
Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows did not weep.
65 Ndipo Bwana alipoamka kama vile kuamka usingizini, kama vile mtu aamkavyo kutoka kwenye bumbuazi la mvinyo.
And the Lord was awakened, as if out of sleep, and like a powerful man impaired by wine.
66 Aliwapiga na kuwashinda adui zake, akawatia katika aibu ya milele.
And he struck his enemies on the back. He gave them over to everlasting disgrace.
67 Ndipo alipozikataa hema za Yosefu, hakulichagua kabila la Efraimu,
And he rejected the tabernacle of Joseph, and he did not choose 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.
And he built up his sanctuary, like a single-horned beast, in the land that he founded for all ages.
70 Akamchagua Daudi mtumishi wake na kumtoa kwenye mazizi ya kondoo.
And he chose his servant David, and he took him from the flocks of the sheep: he received him from following the ewes with their young,
71 Kutoka kuchunga kondoo alimleta kuwa mchungaji wa watu wake Yakobo, wa Israeli urithi wake.
in order to pasture Jacob his servant and Israel his inheritance.
72 Naye Daudi aliwachunga kwa uadilifu wa moyo, kwa mikono ya ustadi aliwaongoza.
And he fed them with the innocence of his heart. And he led them with the understanding of his hands.
