< Zaburi 78 >
1 Watu wangu, sikieni mafundisho yangu, sikilizeni maneno ya kinywa changu.
My friends, listen to what I am going to teach you; pay careful attention [IDM] to what I say.
2 Nitafungua kinywa changu katika mifano; nitaimba kuhusu mambo yaliyofichika yahusuyo yaliyopita.
I am going to give you some sayings that wise people have said. They will be sayings about things that happened long ago, things that were difficult to understand [MET],
3 Haya ni mambo ambayo tumeyasikia na kujifunza mambo ambayo mababu zetu wametuambia sisi. Hatutawaficha uzao wao.
things that we have heard and known previously, things that our parents and grandparents told us.
4 Tutawaambia kizazi kijacho kuhusu sifa anazostahili Yahwe kwa matendo yake, nguvu zake, na maajabu ambayo ameyafanya.
We will tell these things to our children [LIT], and we will also tell to our grandchildren [about] Yahweh’s power and the glorious/great things that he has done.
5 Kwa kuwa yeye alianzisha agano la amri katika Yakobo na sheria maalumu katika Israeli. Yeye aliamuru mababu zetu kuwa walipaswa kuzifundisha kwa watoto wao.
He gave laws and commandments to the Israeli people, [those who are the descendants of] Jacob [DOU], and he told our ancestors to teach them to their children
6 Aliamuru hivi ili kwamba kizazi kijacho kiweze kuzijua amri zake, ili wawafundishe wana ambao bado hawajazaliwa.
in order that their children would [also] know them and then they would teach them to their children.
7 Kisha wangeweka tumaini lao katika Mungu na kutokusahau matendo yake bali wazishike amri zake.
In that way, they also would trust in God, and not forget the things that he has done; instead, they would obey his commandments.
8 Ndipo wasingekuwa kama mababu zao, ambao walikuwa wakaidi na wenye uasi, kizazi ambacho mioyo yao haikuwa kamilifu, na ambao roho zao hazikuwa na nia thabiti na aminifu kwa Mungu.
They would not be like their ancestors, who were very stubborn and kept rebelling [against God]; they did not continue firmly trusting in God, and they did not worship only him.
9 Waefraimu walikuwa na silaha na upinde, lakini walikimbia siku ya vita.
[The soldiers of] the tribe of Ephraim had bows [and arrows] but they ran away [from their enemies] on the day that they fought a battle with their enemies.
10 Hawakutunza agano na Mungu, na walikataa kutii sheria yake.
They did not do what they had agreed with God that they would do; they refused to obey his laws.
11 Walisahau matendo yake, mambo ya ajabu ambayo yeye amewaonesha wao.
They forgot what he had done; they forgot about the miracles that they had seen him perform.
12 Walisahau mambo ya ajabu aliyofayafanya machoni pa mababu zao katika nchi ya Misri, katika ardhi ya Soani.
While our ancestors were watching, God performed miracles in the area around Zoan [city] in Egypt.
13 Aliigawa bahari na akawaongoza katikati ya bahari; aliyafanya maji yasimame kama kuta.
[Then] he caused the [Red] Sea to divide, causing the water [on each side] to pile up like a wall, with the result that [our ancestors] walked through it [on dry ground].
14 Wakati wa mchana aliwaongoza kwa wingu na usiku wote kwa nuru ya moto.
He led them by a [bright] cloud during the day and by a fiery light during the night.
15 Alipasua miamba jangwani, na aliwapa maji mengi, ya kutosha kujaza vina virefu vya bahari.
He split rocks open in the desert, giving to our ancestors plenty of water from deep inside the earth.
16 Alifanya maporomoko ya maji kutiririka tokea mwambani na aliyafanya maji yatiririke kama mito.
He caused a stream of water to flow from the rock; the water flowed like a river [DOU].
17 Lakini bado waliendelea kutenda dhambi dhidi yake, wakiasi dhidi ya Aliye Juu katika jangwa.
But [our ancestors] continued to sin against God; in the desert they rebelled against the one who is greater than any other god.
18 Walimjaribu Mungu mioyoni mwao kwa kuomba chakula cha kuwatosheleza hamu zao.
By demanding that God give them the food that they desired, they tried to find out if he would always do what they requested him to do.
19 Waliongea dhidi ya Mungu; walisema, “Kweli Mungu anaweza kuweka meza ya chakula kwa ajili yetu jangwani?
They insulted God by saying, “We don’t think he can supply food for us [here] in this desert!
20 Tazama, wakati alipoupiga mwamba, maji yalibubujika, mito ikafurika. Lakini anaweza kutoa mkate tena? Ataweza kuleta nyama kwa watu wake?”
[It is true that] he struck the rock, with the result that water gushed/flowed out, [but] (can he also provide bread and meat for [us], his people?/we doubt that he can also provide bread and meat for us, his people.)” [RHQ]
21 Yahwe aliposikia haya, alikasirika; moto wake uliwaka dhidi ya Yakobo, hasira yake ikamshambulia Israeli,
So, when Yahweh heard that, he became very angry, and he sent a fire to burn up [some of] his Israeli [people]. [MTY, DOU]
22 kwa sababu hawakumwamini Mungu na hawakuamini katika wokovu wake.
[He did that] because they did not trust in him, and they did not believe that he would rescue them.
23 Lakini yeye bado aliziamuru mbingu juu na kufungua milango ya mbingu.
But God spoke to the sky above them; he commanded it to open [like] a door,
24 Aliwanyeshea mana ili wale, na aliwapa nafaka kutoka mbinguni.
and [then food] fell down like rain, [food which they named] ‘manna’; God gave them grain from (heaven/the sky).
25 Watu walikula mikate ya malaika. Aliwatumia chakula kingi.
[So] the people ate the food that angels eat, [and] God gave to them all the manna that they wanted.
26 Alisababisha upepo wa mashariki kupiga mawinguni, na kwa uweza wake aliuongoza upepo wa kusini.
[Later], he caused the wind to blow from the east, and by his power he also sent wind from the south,
27 Aliwanyeshea nyama kama mavumbi, na ndege kama wingi wa mchanga wa baharini.
and the wind brought birds which were as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore.
28 Walianguka katikati ya kambi yao, na maeneo yote karibu na hema zao.
God caused those birds to fall [dead] in the middle of (their camp)/the area where the people had put up their tents. [There were dead birds] all around their tents.
29 Hivyo walikula na walishiba. Maana aliwapa kile walichokitamani sana.
[So] the people [cooked the birds and] ate the meat and their stomachs were full, because God had given them what they wanted.
30 Lakini walikuwa bado hawajatosheka; chakula chao kilikuwa bado kinywani mwao.
But before they had eaten all that they wanted, and while they were still eating it,
31 Ndipo hasira ya Mungu iliwashambulia na kuwaua wenye nguvu kati yao. Aliwaangusha chini vijana wa Israeli.
God was [still] very angry with them, and he caused their strongest men to die; he got rid of [many of] the finest [young] Israeli men.
32 Licha ya hili, waliendelea kutenda dhambi na hawakuyaamini matendo yake ya ajabu.
In spite of all that, the people continued to sin; in spite of all the miracles that God had performed, they still did not trust that he [would take care of them].
33 Hivyo Mungu alizikatisha siku zao; miaka yao ilijawa na hofu.
So, he caused their lives to end as quickly as a puff of wind ends; they died when disasters suddenly struck them.
34 Wakati wowote Mungu alipowataabisha, nao waligeuka na kumtafuta yeye kwa bidii.
When God caused [some of] them to die, [the others] turned to God; they repented and earnestly asked God [to save them].
35 Walikumbuka kuwa Mungu alikuwa mwamba wao na kuwa Mungu Aliye Juu Sana alikuwa mwokozi wao.
They remembered that God is [like] a huge rock ledge [under which they would be safe] [MET], and that he, who was greater than any other god, is the one who protected/rescued them.
36 Lakini walimsifia tu kwa vinywa vyao na kumdanganya kwa maneno yao.
But they [tried to] deceive God by what they said [MTY]; their words [MTY] were [all] lies.
37 Maana mioyo yao haikuwa thabiti kwake, na hawakuwa waaminifu kwa agano lake.
They were not loyal to him; they disregarded/ignored the agreement that he had made with them.
38 Lakini yeye, kwa kuwa alikuwa alikuwa na huruma, aliwasamehe uovu wao na hakuwaangamiza. Ndiyo, wakati mwingi aliizuia hasira yake na hakuionesha ghadhabu yake yote.
But God was merciful to his people. He forgave them for having sinned and did not get rid of them. Many times he refrained from becoming angry [with them] and restrained from furiously/severely [punishing them] [MTY].
39 Alikumbuka kuwa waliumbwa kwa mwili, upepo ambao hupita nao haurudi.
He remembered/considered that they were only humans who die; they [disappear quickly] [SIM], like a wind that blows by and then is gone.
40 Mara ngapi wameasi dhidi yake jangwani na kumuhuzunisha nyikani!
Many times our ancestors rebelled against God in the desert and caused him to become very sad.
41 Tena na tena walimjaribu Mungu na wakamtilia mashaka Mtakatifu wa Israeli.
Many times they did evil things, to find out [if they could do those things without God punishing them]. They frequently caused the holy God of Israel to become disgusted/sad.
42 Hawakufikiria kuhusu uweza wake, jinsi alivyo waokoa dhidi ya adui
They forgot about his [great] power, and they (forgot/did not think) about the time when he rescued them from their enemies.
43 alipofanya ishara za kutisha katika Misri na maajabu yake katika konde la Soani.
They forgot about when he performed many miracles in the area near Zoan [city] in Egypt.
44 Aligeuza mito ya Wamisri kuwa damu ili wasipate kunywa kutoka katika vijito vyao.
He caused the [Nile] River (OR, their sources of water) to become [red like] blood, with the result that the people of Egypt had no water to drink.
45 Alituma makundi ya inzi yaliyowavamia na vyura ambao walisambaa katika nchi yao.
He sent among the people of Egypt swarms of flies that bit them, and he sent frogs that ate up everything.
46 Aliwapa mazao yao panzi na kazi yao nzige.
He sent locusts to eat their crops and the other things that grew in their fields.
47 Aliiharibu mizabibu yao kwa mvua ya mawe na miti ya mikuyu kwa mvua ya mawe zaidi.
He sent hail that destroyed the grapevines, and sent frost that ruined the figs.
48 Aliinyeshea mifugo yao mvua ya mawe na alirusha radi ya umeme ikapiga mifugo yao. Ukali wa hasira yake ulielekea dhidi yao.
He sent hail that killed their cattle and sent lightning that killed their sheep and cows.
49 Alituma gadhabu, uchungu na taabu kama wakala aletaye maafa.
Because God was fiercely angry with the people of Egypt, he caused them to be very distressed. The disasters that struck them were like a group of angels that destroyed [everything].
50 Aliifanyia njia hasira yake; hakuwakinga dhidi ya kifo bali aliwakabidhi kwa pigo.
He did not lessen his being angry [with them], and he did not (spare their lives/prevent them from dying); he sent a (plague/serious illness) that killed [many of] them.
51 Aliwaua wazaliwa wote wa kwanza katika Misri, wazaliwa wa kwanza wa nguvu zao katika mahema ya Hamu.
He also caused all the firstborn sons of the people of Egypt to die.
52 Aliwaongoza nje watu wake mwenyewe kama kondoo na aliwaelekeza kupitia jangwani kama kundi.
Then he led his people out [of Egypt] like [a shepherd leads] his sheep [SIM], and he guided them [while they walked] through the desert.
53 Aliwaongoza salama na pasipo na woga, lakini bahari iliwaelemea adui zao.
He led them safely, and they were not afraid, but their enemies were drowned in the sea.
54 Kisha aliwaleta mpaka wa nchi yake takatifu, kwenye mlima huu ambao aliutwaa kwa mkono wake wa kuume.
[Later] he brought them to [Canaan], his sacred land, to [Zion] Hill (OR, the hilly area) and by his power [MTY] he enabled them to conquer [the people who were living there].
55 Aliwafukuza mataifa mbele yao na akawapa urithi wao. Aliwakalisha makabila ya Israeli katika mahema yao.
He expelled the people-groups while his people were advancing; he allotted part of the land for [each tribe] to possess, and he gave to the Israeli people the houses of those people who had been expelled.
56 Lakini bado walimjaribu na walimkaidi Mungu Aliye Juu na hawakushika amri zake takatifu.
However, the Israeli people rebelled against God, who is greater than any other god, and they did many evil things to see if they could do those things without God punishing them, and they did not obey his commandments.
57 Hawakuwa waaminifu na walienenda katika hila kama baba zao; walikuwa sio wa kutegemewa kama upinde mbovu.
Instead, like their ancestors did, they rebelled against God and (were not loyal to/did not faithfully [obey]) him; they were as [unreliable as] a crooked arrow [that does not go straight] [SIM].
58 Kwa maana walimkasirisha kwa mahali pao pa juu na walimgadhabisha hata akawa na hasira ya wivu kwa miungu yao.
Because they [worshiped] carved images of their gods on the tops of hills, they caused God to become angry [DOU].
59 Mungu aliposikia hili, alikasirika na alimkataa kabisa Israeli.
He saw what they were doing and became very angry, so he rejected the Israeli people.
60 Alipaacha patakatifu pa Shilo, na hema alikoishi kati ya watu.
He no longer appeared to them at Shiloh in the tent where he had lived among them.
61 Aliruhusu nguvu zake kutekwa na kuutoa utukufu wake mkononi mwa adui.
He allowed their enemies to capture [the sacred chest], [which was the symbol of] his power and his glory.
62 Aliukabidhi upanga watu wake, na aliukasirikia urithi wake.
Because he was angry with his people, he allowed them to be killed [MTY] [by their enemies].
63 Moto uliwavamia vijana wao wa kiume, na vijana wao wa kike hawakuwa na nyimbo za harusi.
Young men were killed in battles, with the result that the young women had no one to marry.
64 Makuhani wao waliangushwa kwa upanga, na wajane wao hawakulia.
[Many] priests were killed by [their enemies’] swords, and (the people did not allow the priests’ widows/the priests’ widows were not allowed) to mourn.
65 Kisha Bwana aliamshwa kama aliyetoka usingizini, kama shujaa apigaye kelele kwa sababu ya mvinyo.
Later, [it was as though] the Lord awoke from sleeping; he was like a strong man who (became stimulated/felt that he was strong) by (OR, became sober after) [drinking] a lot of wine [SIM].
66 Aliwarudisha adui zake nyuma; aliwaweka kwenye aibu ya milele.
He pushed their enemies back and caused them to be [very] ashamed for a long time [HYP] [because they had been defeated].
67 Aliikataa hema ya Yusufu, na hakulichagua kabila la Efraimu.
[But] he did not set up his tent where [the people of] the tribe of Ephraim lived; he did not choose their area [to do that].
68 Alilichagua kabila la Yuda na Mlima Sayuni aliyoupenda.
Instead he chose [the area where] the tribe of Judah [lived]; he chose Zion Hill, which he loves.
69 Alipajenga patakatifu pake kama mbinguni, na kama nchi aliyoiimarisha milele.
He [decided to have] his temple built [there], high up, like [his home in] heaven; he caused it to be firm, [and intended that] his temple would last forever, like the earth.
70 Alimchagua Daudi, mtumishi wake, alimchukua kutoka zizi la kondoo.
He chose David, who served him [faithfully], and took him from the pastures
71 Alimtoa kutoka katika kufuata kondoo pamoja na wana wao, na kumweka kuwa mchungaji wa Yakobo, watu wake, na Israeli, urithi wake.
where he was taking care of his [father’s] sheep, and appointed him to be the leader [MET] of the Israeli people, the people who belong to God.
72 Daudi aliwachunga kwa uadilifu wa moyo wake, naye aliwaongoza kwa ujuzi wa mikono yake.
David took care of the Israeli people sincerely and wholeheartedly, and guided them skillfully/wisely.