Zaburi 18
1 Nakupenda, Yahwe, nguvu yangu.
I love thee, O LORD, 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.
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 Nitamuita Yahwe kwa sababu anastahili kusifiwa, na nitaokolewa 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, na mafuriko yakimbiayo yalinielemea.
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 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 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 Kisha nchi ikatikisika na kutetemeka; misingi ya milima pia ilitetemeka na kutikiswa kwa sababu Mungu alikuwa amekasirika.
Then the earth quaked and trembled; The foundations of the mountains rocked and were shaken, Because his wrath was kindled.
8 Moshi ulifuka kutoka kwenye pua zake, na moto mkali ulitokea mdomoni mwake. Makaa yaliwashwa kwa moto huo.
A smoke went up from his nostrils, And fire from his mouth devoured; Burning coals shot forth from him.
9 Yeye alizifunua mbingu na alishuka chini, na giza nene lilikuwa chini ya miguu yake.
He bowed the heavens, and came down; And darkness was under his feet;
10 Alipanda kwenye kerubi na akaruka; alinyiririka kwenye mabawa ya upepo.
And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly; Yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.
11 Yahwe alilifanya giza kuwa hema likimzunguka yeye, wingu la mvua zito katika mbingu.
And he made darkness his covering; His pavilion round about him was dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
12 Mawe ya barafu na makaa ya moto yalianguka kutoka katika mwangaza kabla yake.
At the brightness before him, his thick clouds passed away; Then came hailstones and coals of fire.
13 Yahwe aliongea katika mbingu! Sauti ya aliye juu ilisikika.
The LORD also thundered from heaven, And the Most High uttered his voice, Amid hailstones and coals of fire.
14 Yeye aliifyatua mishale yake na kuwatawanya adui zake; na radi nyingi zenye mwanga alizitawanya katika maeneo tofauti tofauti.
He sent forth his arrows, and scattered them; Continual lightnings, and discomfited them.
15 Ndipo mifereji ya maji ilitokea; misingi ya dunia ikadhihirishwa kwa mlio wa pigo lako, Yahwe kwa sauti ya pumzi ya pua zako.
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 Yeye alishuka chini kutokea juu; akanishikilia mimi! Akanivuta nje ya maji yafurikayo.
He stretched forth his hand from above; he took me, And drew me out of deep waters.
17 Aliniokoa kutoka kwa maadui zangu wenye nguvu, kutoka kwa wale ambao walinichukia mimi, kwa kuwa walikuwa na nguvu sana kuliko mimi.
He delivered me from my strong enemy; From my adversaries, who were too powerful for me.
18 Wao walikuja kinyume na mimi katika siku ile ya dhiki yangu lakini Mungu alikuwa msaada wangu!
They fell upon me in the day of my calamity; But the LORD was my stay.
19 Yeye aliniweka huru katika eneo pana la wazi; yeye aliniokoa kwa sababu alipenezwa nami.
He brought me forth into a large place; He delivered me, because he delighted in me.
20 Yahwe amenitunuku mimi kwa sababu ya haki yangu; yeye amenirejesha mimi kwa sababu mikono yangu ilikuwa misafi.
The LORD hath rewarded me according to my righteous; According to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
21 Kwa kuwa nimezitunza njia za Yahwe na sijafanya uovu wa kumgeuka Mungu wangu.
For I have kept the ways of the LORD, And have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 Kwa kuwa amri zake zote za haki zimekuwa mbele yangu; kama asemavyo, sijaenda kinyume nazo.
For all his laws were in my sight; I did not put away his statutes from me.
23 Pia nimekuwa sina hatia mbele zake, na nimejiweka mwenyewe mbali na dhambi.
I was upright before him, And kept myself from iniquity.
24 Hivyo Yahwe amenirejesha kwa sababu ya haki yangu, na kwa sababu mikono yangu ilikuwa safi mbele ya macho yake.
Therefore hath the LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands before his eyes.
25 Kwa yeyote aliye mwaminifu, jionyeshe wenyewe kuwa mwaminifu; kwa mtu asiye na lawama, jionyeshe mwenyewe kuwa usiye na lawama.
To the merciful thou showest thyself merciful; To the upright thou showest thyself upright;
26 Kwa yeyote aliye msafi, jionyeshe mwenyewe safi; bali ni mjanja kwa yeyote aliye geuzwa.
To the pure thou showest thyself pure, And to the perverse thou showest thyself perverse.
27 Kwa kuwa wewe huwaokoa watu walio taabishwa, lakini wewe huwashusha chini wale wenye majivuno, yaani macho yaliyo jinua!
For thou savest the afflicted people, But the haughty countenance thou bringest down.
28 Kwa kuwa wewe huipa mwanga taa yangu; Yahwe Mungu wangu hutia mwanga giza langu.
Thou causest my lamp to shine; Jehovah, my God, enlighteneth my darkness.
29 Kwa kuwa kwa kupitia wewe ninaweza kuruka juu ya kiwazo kilichowekwa; kupitia Mungu ninaweza kuruka juu ya ukuta.
For through thee I have broken through troops; Through my God I have leaped over walls.
30 Kama kwa Mungu: njia yake ni kamilifu. Neno la Yahwe ni safi! Yeye ni ngao kwa yeyote anaye kimbilia katika yeye.
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 kuwa nani ni Mungu ispokuwa Yahwe? Nani ndiye mwamba ispokuwa Mungu wetu?
Who, then, is God, save Jehovah? And who is a rock, save our God?
32 Ni Mungu anitiaye nguvu ndani yangu kama vile mkanda, ambaye humweka mtu mwenye lawama katika njia yake.
It is God that girded me with strength, And made my way plain.
33 Yeye hunifanya miguu yangu kuwa myepesi kama mbawala na kuniweka mahali pa juu!
He made my feet like the hind's, And set me in my high places;
34 Yeye hufunza viganja vyangu kwa ajili ya vita na mikono yangu kupiga upinde wa shaba.
He taught my hands to war, So that my arm bent the bow of brass.
35 Wewe umenipa mimi ngao ya wokovu. Mkono wako wa kuume umenisaidia, na neema yako imenifanya kuwa mkubwa.
Thou gavest me the shield of thy protection; Thy right hand held me up, And thy goodness made me great.
36 Wewe umetengeneza nafasi pana kwa ajili ya miguu yangu ili miguu yangu isiteleze.
Thou didst make a wide path for my steps, So that my feet did not stumble.
37 Ninawashawishi adui zangu na kuwakamata; nami sikurudi nyuma mpaka walipo haribiwa.
I pursued my enemies and overtook them, And turned not back till I had destroyed them.
38 Niliwashambulia hata hawakuweza kuamka; nao wameangukia chini ya miguu yangu.
I smote them, so that they could not rise; They fell under my feet.
39 Kwa kuwa unanitia nguvu kama mshipi kwa ajili ya vita; wewe unawaweka chini yangu wale ambao wanainuka kinyume na mimi.
Thou didst gird me with strength for the battle; Thou didst cast down my adversaries under me.
40 Wewe ulinipa visogo vya maadui zangu; niliwaagamiza wale walio nichukia.
Thou didst cause my enemies to turn their backs, So that I destroyed them that hated me.
41 Wao waliita msaada lakini hakuna aliye wasaidia; walimuita Yahwe, lakini hakuwaitikia.
They cried, but there was none to help; To Jehovah, but he answered them not.
42 Niliwapiga wao katika vipande vidogo vidogo kama vile vumbi mbele ya upepo; niliwatupa nje kama udongo mtaani.
I beat them small, like dust before the wind; I cast them out as the dirt of the streets.
43 Wewe uliniokoa mimi kutoka katika migogoro ya watu. wewe umenifanya kichwa juu ya mataifa. Watu ambao sikuwahi kuwafahamu huntumikia.
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 Pindi tu waliposikia kuhusu mimi, wao walinitii; wageni walilazimishwa kunisujudu.
They who have only heard of me obey me; Yea, men of a strange land submit themselves to me;
45 Wageni walitoka kwenye ngome yao wakitetemeka.
Men of a strange land fade away, like a leaf, And come trembling from their strongholds.
46 Yahwe anaishi; mwamba wangu usifiwe. Ainuliwe Mungu wa wokovu wangu.
Jehovah is the living God; blessed be my rock; Exalted be the God of my salvation!
47 Yeye ni Mungu ambaye hutelekeza visasi kwa ajili yangu, ambaye huwatiisha mataifa chini yangu.
It is God who hath given me vengeance, And subdued the nations 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 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 nitakushukuru wewe, Yahwe, kati ya mataifa; Nitaliimbia sifa jina lako!
Therefore I will give thanks to thee, O LORD! among the nations, And sing praises to thy name.
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.
Great deliverance giveth he to his king, And showeth mercy to his anointed, —To David and to his posterity for ever.
