Zaburi 37
1 Usikereshwe na wafanyao maovu; usiwaonee wivu wale watendao yasiyo haki.
Do not be bothered/upset by what wicked [people do]. Do not desire to have the things that people who do wrong/evil have,
2 Kwa kuwa muda mfupi watakauka kama nyasi na kukauka kama vile mimea ya kijani ikaukavyo wakati wa kiangazi.
because they will soon disappear, like grass withers [in the hot sun] and dries up. Just like some green plants [come up but] die [during the hot summer], evil people will soon die also.
3 Uwamini Mungu na kufanya yaliyo mema; uishi katika nchi na uongezeke katika imani.
Trust in Yahweh, and do what is good; if you do that, you will live safely in the land [that he has given you], and you will live peacefully [MET].
4 Kisha ufurahi mwenyewe katika Yahwe, naye atakupa matamanio ya moyo wako.
Be delighted with all that Yahweh [does for you]; if you do that, he will give you the things that you desire most.
5 Umkabidhi njia zako Yahwe; uamini katika yeye, naye atatenda kwa niaba yako.
Commit to Yahweh all the things that you plan to do; trust in him, and he will do [whatever is needed to help you].
6 Yeye ataidhihilisha haki yako kama mchana na usafi wako kama mwangaza wa mchana.
He will show [as clearly] as the sunlight that you (are innocent/have done nothing that is wrong); he will show [as clearly] as [the sun at] noontime [SIM] that all the things that you have decided are just.
7 Uwe kumya mbele za Yahwe na umsubiri yeye kwa uvumilivu. Usikasirike ikiwa kuna mtu anafanikiwa kwa kile afanyacho, au afanyapo njama za uovu.
Be quiet in Yahweh’s presence, and wait patiently for him [to do what you want him to do]. Do not be bothered/upset when what evil men do is successful, when they are able to do the wicked things that they plan.
8 Usikasilile na kugadhabika. Usiogope. Hii huleta matatizo tu.
Do not be angry [about what wicked people do]. Do not want to punish them yourself. Do not be envious of such people because you will only harm [yourself if you try to envy them].
9 Watendao maovu watafutiliwa mbali, bali wale wamngojao Yahwe watairithi nchi.
[Some day Yahweh] will get rid of wicked people, but those who trust in Yahweh will live [safely] in the land [that he has given to them].
10 Katika muda mfupi mtu mwovu atatoweka; wewe utatazama mahali pake, wala hautamuona.
Soon the wicked will disappear. If you look for them, they will be gone.
11 Lakini wapole watairithi nchi nao watafurahia katika mafanikio makubwa.
But those who are humble will live safely in their land. They will happily enjoy living peacefully and having the other good things [that Yahweh gives them].
12 Mtu mwovu hupanga njama kinyume na mwenye haki na kumsagia meno.
Wicked people plan to harm righteous/godly people; they snarl at them [MET] [like wild animals].
13 Bwana humcheka, kwa maana anaona siku yake inakuja.
But Yahweh laughs [at them] because he knows that some day [MTY] [he will judge and punish] the wicked people.
14 Waovu wametoa nje panga zao na wametayarisha pinde zao ili kuwaangamiza wanyonge na wahitaji, na kuwaua wenye haki.
Wicked people pull out their swords/daggers and they put strings on their bows, ready to kill people who are poor [DOU] and to slaughter those who live righteously.
15 Panga zao zitawaua wenyewe, na pinde zao zitavunjika.
But they will be killed by their own swords/daggers, and their bows will be broken.
16 Ni bora kuwa mwenye haki maskini kuliko tajiri mwenye mali nyingi.
It is good to be righteous/godly even if you do not have many possessions, but it is bad to be wicked, even if you are very wealthy,
17 Kwa maana mikono ya watu waovu itavunjika, bali Yahwe huwasaidia watu wenye haki.
because [Yahweh] will completely take away the strength of wicked people, but he will (sustain/take care of) people who live righteously.
18 Yahwe huwalinda watu wasio na lawama siku hadi siku, na urithi wao utakuwa wa milele.
Every day Yahweh cares about those who have not done any evil things; the things that Yahweh gives them will last forever.
19 Hawata aibika siku mbaya zijapo. Wakati wa njaa ufikapo wao watakuwa na chakula cha kutosha.
They will survive when calamities occur; when there are famines, they will still have plenty to eat.
20 Bali waovu wataangamia. Maadui wa Yahwe watakuwa kama vile utukufu wa malisho; watamalizwa na kupotezwa katika moshi.
But wicked people will die; [just] like the beautiful wild flowers in the fields [die under the hot sun] and disappear like smoke [MET], Yahweh [will cause] his enemies to suddenly disappear.
21 Mtu mwovu hukopa lakini halipi, bali mtu mwenye haki ni mkarimu na hutoa.
The wicked people borrow [money], but they are not able to repay it; righteous/godly people, [in contrast, have enough money that] they can give generously [to others].
22 Wale walio barikiwa na Mungu watairithi nchi; wale aliowalaani watafutiliwa mbali.
Those whom Yahweh has blessed will live safely in the land that he has given to them, but he will get rid of those people whom he has cursed.
23 Hatua za mwanadamu zinaimarishwa na Yahwe, mtu ambaye njia zake zinakubalika machoni pa Mungu.
Yahweh protects those who do what is pleasing to him, and he will enable them to walk confidently, wherever they go;
24 Ajapojikwaa, hataanguka chini, kwa kuwa Yahwe anamshikilia kwa mkono wake.
even if they stumble, they will not fall down, because Yahweh holds them by his hand.
25 Nilikuwa kijana na sasa ni mzee; sijawahi kumuona mtu mwenye haki ametelekezwa wala watoto wake kuombaomba mkate.
I was young [previously], and now I am an old man, but [in all those years], I have never seen righteous/godly people being abandoned by Yahweh, nor have I seen that their children [needed to] beg for food.
26 Wakati wote yeye ni mkarimu na hukopesha, nao watoto wake hufanyika baraka.
Righteous/Godly people are generous, and happily lend [money to others], and their children are a blessing to them.
27 Acha uovu na ufanye yaliyo mema; ndipo utakapokuwa salama milele.
Turn away from [doing] evil, and do what is good. If you do that, you [and your descendants] will live in your land forever.
28 Kwa maana Yahwe hupenda haki naye hawaachi wafuasi waaminifu. Wao hutunzwa milele, lakini uzao wa waovu utafutiliwa mabli.
[That will happen] because Yahweh likes to see people doing what is just, and he will never forsake righteous/godly people. He will protect them forever; but he will get rid of the children of wicked people.
29 Wenye haki watairithi nchi na kuaa huko milele.
Righteous/Godly people will own the land [that Yahweh promised to give to them], and they will live there forever.
30 Mdomo wa mwenye haki huongea hekima na huongeza haki.
Righteous people give wise [advice to others], and they [MTY] say what is just/fair.
31 Sheria ya Mungu wake imo moyoni mwake; miguu yake haitelezi.
They continually think about God’s laws; they do not stray from [God’s] path.
32 Mtu mwovu humvizia mwenye haki na kutafuta kumuua.
Those who are evil wait in ambush for righteous people in order to kill them [as they walk by].
33 Yahwe hatamuacha yeye kwenye mkono wa mtu mwovu wala kumlaumu atakapohukumiwa.
But Yahweh will not abandon righteous people, and allow (them to fall into their enemies’ hands/their enemies harm them). And he will not allow righteous people to be condemned when someone takes them to a judge [to be put on trial].
34 Umngoje Yahwe na uishike njia yake, naye atakuinua uimiliki nchi. Atakapo waondosha waovu wewe utaona.
Be patient and trust that Yahweh [will help you], and (walk on his paths/do what he wants you to do). [If you do that], he will honor you by giving you the land [that he promised], and when he gets rid of the wicked, you will see it happen.
35 Nimewaona waovu na mtu wa kutisha akienea kama mti wa kijani katika udongo wa asili.
I have seen that wicked people who (act like tyrants/terrify people) [sometimes] prosper, like trees that grow well in fertile soil,
36 Lakini nilipopita tana mara nyingine, hakuwepo pale. nilimtafuta, lakini sikumpata.
when I looked [later], they were gone! I searched for them, but [Yahweh had caused] them to disappear.
37 Uwachunguze watu waadilifu, na uwatambue wenye haki; kuna hatima nzuri kwa ajili ya mtu wa amani.
Notice the people who have not done evil things, those who act righteously: their descendants will have peace in their inner beings.
38 Mwenye dhambi wataharibiwa kabisa; hatima ya mtu mwovu ni kuondoshwa.
But Yahweh will get rid of the wicked; he will also get rid of their descendants (OR, as a result, they will not have any descendants).
39 Wokovu wa haki unatoka kwa Yahwe; yeye huwalinda wao nyakati za shida.
Yahweh rescues righteous people; in times of trouble he protects them [MET].
40 Yahwe huwasaidia na kuwaokoa. Yeye huwaokoa dhidi ya watu waovu na kuwanusuru wao kwa sababu wao wamemkimbilia yeye kwa ajili ya usalama.
Yahweh helps them and saves them; he rescues them from [being attacked/harmed by] wicked people because they go to him to be protected [MET].
