Zaburi 18
1 Nakupenda, Yahwe, nguvu yangu.
To the music director. A psalm of David the servant of the Lord, who sang the words of this song to the Lord on the day when the Lord saved him from all his enemies, and from Saul. He sang: I love you, Lord. You are my strength.
2 Yahwe ni mwamba wangu, ngome yangu, yeye ambaye aniwekae kweye usalama; yeye ni Mungu wangu, mwamba wangu; ninapata kimbilio kwake. Yeye ni ngao yangu, pembe ya wokovu wangu, na ngome yangu.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my Savior. He is my God, my rock who protects me. He shields me from harm, his power protects me, he keeps me safe.
3 Nitamuita Yahwe kwa sababu anastahili kusifiwa, na nitaokolewa kutoka kwa adui zangu.
I call for help from the Lord who should be praised, and he saves me from those who hate me.
4 Kamba za mauti zilinizunguka, na mafuriko yakimbiayo yalinielemea.
Ropes of death encircled me, surging waters of destruction flooded over me;
The grave wound its ropes around me; death set snares for me. (Sheol h7585)
6 dhiki yangu nilimuita Yahwe; Niliita msaada kwa Mungu. Naye alisikia sauti yangu kutoka hekaluni mwake; kuita kwangu msaada kulienda mpaka uweponi mwake; na kuingia masikioni pake.
In my despair I called on the Lord—I cried out to my God for help. He heard my voice from his Temple—my cry for help reached his ears.
7 Kisha nchi ikatikisika na kutetemeka; misingi ya milima pia ilitetemeka na kutikiswa kwa sababu Mungu alikuwa amekasirika.
The earth shook to and fro; the foundations of the mountains trembled, shaking because of his anger.
8 Moshi ulifuka kutoka kwenye pua zake, na moto mkali ulitokea mdomoni mwake. Makaa yaliwashwa kwa moto huo.
Smoke came out of his nostrils, and fire came from his mouth; burning coals blazed before him.
9 Yeye alizifunua mbingu na alishuka chini, na giza nene lilikuwa chini ya miguu yake.
He parted the heavens and came down, with dark clouds beneath his feet.
10 Alipanda kwenye kerubi na akaruka; alinyiririka kwenye mabawa ya upepo.
Riding on an angel he flew, swooping on the wings of the wind.
11 Yahwe alilifanya giza kuwa hema likimzunguka yeye, wingu la mvua zito katika mbingu.
He hid himself in darkness, covering himself with black thunderclouds.
12 Mawe ya barafu na makaa ya moto yalianguka kutoka katika mwangaza kabla yake.
Hailstones and burning coals flew out from his brightness, passing through his thick clouds.
13 Yahwe aliongea katika mbingu! Sauti ya aliye juu ilisikika.
The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High sounded among the hailstones and burning coals.
14 Yeye aliifyatua mishale yake na kuwatawanya adui zake; na radi nyingi zenye mwanga alizitawanya katika maeneo tofauti tofauti.
He fired his arrows, scattering his enemies; he routed them with his lightning bolts.
15 Ndipo mifereji ya maji ilitokea; misingi ya dunia ikadhihirishwa kwa mlio wa pigo lako, Yahwe kwa sauti ya pumzi ya pua zako.
You roared, Lord, and by the wind from the breath of your nostrils the valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth were uncovered.
16 Yeye alishuka chini kutokea juu; akanishikilia mimi! Akanivuta nje ya maji yafurikayo.
He reached down his hand from above and grabbed hold of me. He pulled me out of the deep water.
17 Aliniokoa kutoka kwa maadui zangu wenye nguvu, kutoka kwa wale ambao walinichukia mimi, kwa kuwa walikuwa na nguvu sana kuliko mimi.
He rescued me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and who were much stronger than me.
18 Wao walikuja kinyume na mimi katika siku ile ya dhiki yangu lakini Mungu alikuwa msaada wangu!
They came at me at my worst possible moment, but the Lord supported me.
19 Yeye aliniweka huru katika eneo pana la wazi; yeye aliniokoa kwa sababu alipenezwa nami.
He set me free, he rescued me because he's my friend.
20 Yahwe amenitunuku mimi kwa sababu ya haki yangu; yeye amenirejesha mimi kwa sababu mikono yangu ilikuwa misafi.
The Lord rewarded me because I do what's right; he repaid me because I am innocent.
21 Kwa kuwa nimezitunza njia za Yahwe na sijafanya uovu wa kumgeuka Mungu wangu.
For I have followed the Lord's ways; I have not sinned by turning away from my God.
22 Kwa kuwa amri zake zote za haki zimekuwa mbele yangu; kama asemavyo, sijaenda kinyume nazo.
I have kept all his laws in mind; I have not ignored his commandments.
23 Pia nimekuwa sina hatia mbele zake, na nimejiweka mwenyewe mbali na dhambi.
I am blameless in his sight; I keep myself from sinning.
24 Hivyo Yahwe amenirejesha kwa sababu ya haki yangu, na kwa sababu mikono yangu ilikuwa safi mbele ya macho yake.
The Lord rewarded me for doing what's right. I am innocent in his sight.
25 Kwa yeyote aliye mwaminifu, jionyeshe wenyewe kuwa mwaminifu; kwa mtu asiye na lawama, jionyeshe mwenyewe kuwa usiye na lawama.
You show trust to those who trust; you show integrity to those with integrity,
26 Kwa yeyote aliye msafi, jionyeshe mwenyewe safi; bali ni mjanja kwa yeyote aliye geuzwa.
You show yourself pure to those who are pure, but you show yourself smart to those who are crafty.
27 Kwa kuwa wewe huwaokoa watu walio taabishwa, lakini wewe huwashusha chini wale wenye majivuno, yaani macho yaliyo jinua!
You save the humble, but you bring down the proud.
28 Kwa kuwa wewe huipa mwanga taa yangu; Yahwe Mungu wangu hutia mwanga giza langu.
You light my lamp! Lord, my God, you light up my darkness!
29 Kwa kuwa kwa kupitia wewe ninaweza kuruka juu ya kiwazo kilichowekwa; kupitia Mungu ninaweza kuruka juu ya ukuta.
With you, I can charge down a troop of soldiers; with you, my God, I can climb a fortress wall.
30 Kama kwa Mungu: njia yake ni kamilifu. Neno la Yahwe ni safi! Yeye ni ngao kwa yeyote anaye kimbilia katika yeye.
God's way is absolutely right. What the Lord says is trustworthy. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.
31 Kwa kuwa nani ni Mungu ispokuwa Yahwe? Nani ndiye mwamba ispokuwa Mungu wetu?
For who is God except the Lord? Who is the rock, except our God?
32 Ni Mungu anitiaye nguvu ndani yangu kama vile mkanda, ambaye humweka mtu mwenye lawama katika njia yake.
God makes me strong and keeps me safe.
33 Yeye hunifanya miguu yangu kuwa myepesi kama mbawala na kuniweka mahali pa juu!
He makes me surefooted like the deer, able to walk the heights in safety.
34 Yeye hufunza viganja vyangu kwa ajili ya vita na mikono yangu kupiga upinde wa shaba.
He teaches me how to fight in battle; he gives me the strength to draw a bronze bow.
35 Wewe umenipa mimi ngao ya wokovu. Mkono wako wa kuume umenisaidia, na neema yako imenifanya kuwa mkubwa.
You protect me with the shield of your salvation; you support me with your powerful right hand; your help has made me great.
36 Wewe umetengeneza nafasi pana kwa ajili ya miguu yangu ili miguu yangu isiteleze.
You gave me space in which to walk, and prevented my feet from slipping.
37 Ninawashawishi adui zangu na kuwakamata; nami sikurudi nyuma mpaka walipo haribiwa.
I chased my enemies, and caught up with them. I did not turn around until I had destroyed them.
38 Niliwashambulia hata hawakuweza kuamka; nao wameangukia chini ya miguu yangu.
I struck them down—they couldn't get up. They fell at my feet.
39 Kwa kuwa unanitia nguvu kama mshipi kwa ajili ya vita; wewe unawaweka chini yangu wale ambao wanainuka kinyume na mimi.
You made me strong for battle; you made those who rose up against me kneel down before me.
40 Wewe ulinipa visogo vya maadui zangu; niliwaagamiza wale walio nichukia.
You made my enemies run away; I destroyed all my enemies.
41 Wao waliita msaada lakini hakuna aliye wasaidia; walimuita Yahwe, lakini hakuwaitikia.
They cried out for help, but no one came to rescue them. They even called out to the Lord, but he did not answer them.
42 Niliwapiga wao katika vipande vidogo vidogo kama vile vumbi mbele ya upepo; niliwatupa nje kama udongo mtaani.
I ground them into dust, like dust in the wind. I threw them out like mud in the street.
43 Wewe uliniokoa mimi kutoka katika migogoro ya watu. wewe umenifanya kichwa juu ya mataifa. Watu ambao sikuwahi kuwafahamu huntumikia.
You rescued me from rebellious people; you made me ruler over nations—people I didn't know now serve me.
44 Pindi tu waliposikia kuhusu mimi, wao walinitii; wageni walilazimishwa kunisujudu.
As soon as they hear of me, they obey; foreigners cringe before me.
45 Wageni walitoka kwenye ngome yao wakitetemeka.
They lose heart, and come trembling in surrender from their strongholds.
46 Yahwe anaishi; mwamba wangu usifiwe. Ainuliwe Mungu wa wokovu wangu.
The Lord lives! Blessed be my rock! May the God who saves me be praised!
47 Yeye ni Mungu ambaye hutelekeza visasi kwa ajili yangu, ambaye huwatiisha mataifa chini yangu.
God avenges me, he subdues peoples under me,
48 Nimewekwa huru kutoka kwa adui zangu! wewe uliniinua juu ya wale walioinuka kunyume na mimi! Wewe uliniokoa kutoka kwa watu wenye vurugu.
he rescues me from those who hate me. You keep me safe from those who rebel against me, you save me from violent men.
49 Kwa hiyo nitakushukuru wewe, Yahwe, kati ya mataifa; Nitaliimbia sifa jina lako!
That's why I will praise you among the nations, Lord; I will sing praises about who you are.
50 Mungu hutoa ushindi mkuu kwa mfalme wake, na yeye huonyesha uaminifu wa agano lake kwa mpakwa mafuta wake, kwa Daudi na ukoo wake milele.
You have saved the king so often, showing your trustworthy love to David, your anointed, and to his descendants forever.
