Psalms 78
1 Maschil. Of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law; let your ears be bent down to the words of my mouth.
Hymne d'Asaph. Mon peuple, écoute mes instructions! Prête l'oreille aux paroles de ma bouche!
2 Opening my mouth I will give out a story, even the dark sayings of old times;
J'ouvrirai ma bouche pour prononcer des sentences; Je dirai les mystères des temps anciens.
3 Which have come to our hearing and our knowledge, as they were given to us by our fathers.
Ce que nous avons entendu et appris à connaître. Ce que nos pères nous ont raconté,
4 We will not keep them secret from our children; we will make clear to the coming generation the praises of the Lord and his strength, and the great works of wonder which he has done.
Nous ne le cacherons point à leurs descendants. Nous raconterons à la génération future les oeuvres glorieuses de l'Éternel, Et sa puissance, et les merveilles qu'il a accomplies.
5 He put up a witness in Jacob, and made a law in Israel; which he gave to our fathers so that they might give knowledge of them to their children;
Il se fit de Jacob le dépositaire de ses révélations; Il établit en Israël une loi. Qu'il ordonna à nos pères d'enseigner à leurs enfants,
6 So that the generation to come might have knowledge of them, even the children of the future, who would give word of them to their children;
Pour qu'elle fût connue de la génération suivante, Des enfants qui naîtraient. Et qui viendraient à leur tour la raconter à leurs enfants.
7 So that they might put their hope in God, and not let God's works go out of their minds, but keep his laws;
Ils apprendraient ainsi à mettre en Dieu leur confiance, A ne pas oublier les oeuvres du Dieu fort, A garder ses commandements,
8 And not be like their fathers, a stiff-necked and uncontrolled generation; a generation whose heart was hard, whose spirit was not true to God.
Et à ne pas devenir, comme leurs pères. Une génération indocile et rebelle. Une génération au coeur inconstant. Et dont l'esprit fut infidèle à Dieu.
9 The children of Ephraim, armed with bows, were turned back on the day of the fight.
Les fils d'Éphraïm, archers habiles à lancer la flèche. Ont tourné le dos le jour du combat.
10 They were not ruled by God's word, and they would not go in the way of his law;
Ils n'ont point observé l'alliance de Dieu, Et ils ont refusé de suivre sa loi.
11 They let his works go out of their memory, and the wonders which he had made them see.
Ils ont oublié ses oeuvres. Et les prodiges dont il les avait rendus témoins.
12 He did great works before the eyes of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan.
En présence de leurs pères, il avait accompli des merveilles Dans le pays d'Egypte, dans les campagnes de Tsoan.
13 The sea was cut in two so that they might go through; the waters were massed together on this side and on that.
Il entr'ouvrit la mer pour leur livrer passage; Il dressa les eaux, pareilles à une digue.
14 In the daytime he was guiding them in the cloud, and all through the night with a light of fire.
Il conduisit son peuple, le jour, par la nuée, Et toute la nuit par l'éclat du feu.
15 The rocks of the waste land were broken by his power, and he gave them drink as out of the deep waters.
Il fendit des rochers dans le désert, Et il en fit couler des torrents pour le désaltérer.
16 He made streams come out of the rock; and waters came flowing down like rivers.
De la pierre, il fit jaillir des ruisseaux; Il en fit sortir des eaux, abondantes comme des fleuves.,
17 And they went on sinning against him even more, turning away from the Most High in the waste land;
Mais ils continuèrent à pécher contre lui, A se révolter dans le désert contre le Très-Haut.
18 Testing God in their hearts, requesting meat for their desire.
Ils tentèrent Dieu dans leur coeur. En demandant une nourriture conforme à leur désir.
19 They said bitter words against God, saying, Is God able to make ready a table in the waste land?
Ils parlèrent contre Dieu, Et ils dirent: «Dieu pourrait-il Dresser une table dans le désert?
20 See, the rock was cut open by his power, so that the water came rushing out, and overflowing streams; is he able to give us bread? is he able to get meat for his people?
Voici qu'il a frappé le rocher, et les eaux ont coulé, Et des torrents se sont répandus. Mais pourra-t-il donner du pain. Procurer de la viande à son peuple?»
21 So these things came to the Lord's ears, and he was angry; and a fire was lighted against Jacob, and wrath came up against Israel;
L'Éternel entendit ces murmures, et il en fut indigné; Son brûlant courroux s'alluma contre Jacob; Sa colère s'éleva contre Israël,
22 Because they had no faith in God, and no hope in his salvation.
Parce qu'ils n'avaient pas cru en Dieu Et qu'ils ne s'étaient pas confiés en son secours.
23 And he gave orders to the clouds on high, and the doors of heaven were open;
Alors il donna ses ordres aux nuées d'en haut, Et il ouvrit les portes des cieux.
24 And he sent down manna like rain for their food, and gave them the grain of heaven.
Il fit pleuvoir sur eux la manne pour les nourrir, Et il leur donna le froment des cieux.
25 Man took part in the food of strong ones; he sent them meat in full measure.
Tous mangèrent le pain des forts; Il leur envoya des vivres à satiété.
26 He sent an east wind from heaven, driving on the south wind by his power.
Il fit souffler le vent d'Orient dans les cieux. Et il fit lever par sa puissance le vent du Midi.
27 He sent down meat on them like dust, and feathered birds like the sand of the sea,
Il fit pleuvoir sur eux de la chair, comme de la poussière. Et des oiseaux, nombreux comme le sable de la mer.
28 And he let it come down into their resting-place, round about their tents.
Il les fit tomber au milieu de leur camp, Et tout autour de leurs tentes.
29 So they had food and were full; for he gave them their desire;
Ils mangèrent et se rassasièrent abondamment; Il leur accorda tout ce qu'ils avaient désiré.
30 But they were not turned from their desires; and while the food was still in their mouths,
Ils avaient à peine assouvi leur convoitise, La nourriture était encore dans leur bouche,
31 The wrath of God came on them, and put to death the fattest of them, and put an end to the young men of Israel.
Que la colère de Dieu s'éleva contre eux: Il fit périr les hommes les plus robustes. Et il abattit l'élite d'Israël.
32 For all this they went on sinning even more, and had no faith in his great wonders.
Cependant ils péchèrent encore contre Dieu, Et ils ne se laissèrent pas convaincre Par ses oeuvres merveilleuses.
33 So their days were wasted like a breath, and their years in trouble.
Alors il fit disparaître leurs jours comme une ombre: Il emporta leurs années dans une ruine soudaine.
34 When he sent death on them, then they made search for him; turning to him and looking for him with care;
Quand il les faisait mourir, ils le recherchaient; Ils revenaient et s'empressaient de se tourner vers Dieu.
35 In the memory that God was their Rock, and the Most High God their saviour.
Ils se souvenaient que Dieu était leur rocher, Et le Dieu Très-Haut leur rédempteur.
36 But their lips were false to him, and their tongues were untrue to him;
Mais leurs lèvres le trompaient, Et leur langue lui mentait.
37 And their hearts were not right with him, and they did not keep their agreement with him.
Leur coeur ne lui était pas fermement attaché, Et ils n'étaient pas fidèles à son alliance.
38 But he, being full of pity, has forgiveness for sin, and does not put an end to man: frequently turning back his wrath, and not being violently angry.
Mais lui, plein de compassion, pardonnait aux pécheurs Et il ne les détruisait point. Il retint souvent sa colère Et il ne laissa pas se déchaîner son courroux.
39 So he kept in mind that they were only flesh; a breath which is quickly gone, and will not come again.
Il se souvint qu'ils n'étaient que chair, Un souffle qui passe et ne revient plus.
40 How frequently did they go against him in the waste land, and give him cause for grief in the dry places!
Que de fois ils se révoltèrent contre lui dans le désert, Et l'irritèrent dans la solitude!
41 Again they put God to the test, and gave pain to the Holy One of Israel.
Ils recommencèrent à tenter Dieu, Et à offenser le Saint d'Israël.
42 They did not keep in mind the work of his hand, or the day when he took them from the power of their haters;
Ils ne se souvinrent plus de ce qu'avait accompli sa main, Le jour où il les délivra de l'oppresseur,
43 How he had done his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan;
Quand il fit éclater ses prodiges parmi les Égyptiens, Et ses miracles dans les campagnes de Tsoan.
44 So that their rivers were turned to blood, and they were not able to get drink from their streams.
Il changea leurs fleuves en sang. Et ils ne purent plus boire à leurs ruisseaux.
45 He sent different sorts of flies among them, poisoning their flesh; and frogs for their destruction.
Il envoya contre eux des moustiques qui les dévoraient. Et des grenouilles qui infectaient le pays.
46 He gave the increase of their fields to worms, the fruits of their industry to the locusts.
Il abandonna leurs récoltes aux sauterelles. Et le fruit de leur travail à leurs essaims.
47 He sent ice for the destruction of their vines; their trees were damaged by the bitter cold.
Il fit périr leurs vignes par la grêle, Et leurs sycomores par la gelée.
48 Ice was rained down on their cattle; thunderstorms sent destruction among the flocks.
Il livra leur bétail à la grêle, Et leurs troupeaux à la foudre.
49 He sent on them the heat of his wrath, his bitter disgust, letting loose evil angels among them.
Il déchaîna contre eux l'ardeur de son courroux, La fureur, l'indignation, la colère. Toute une armée d'anges de malheur.
50 He let his wrath have its way; he did not keep back their soul from death, but gave their life to disease.
Il donna libre cours à sa colère, Et, loin de les préserver de la mort, Il livra leur vie à la destruction.
51 He gave to destruction all the first sons of Egypt; the first-fruits of their strength in the tents of Ham;
Il frappa tous les premiers-nés de l'Egypte, Ces prémices de la virilité dans les tentes de Gham,
52 But he took his people out like sheep, guiding them in the waste land like a flock.
Puis il emmena son peuple comme un troupeau de brebis; Il le conduisit comme un troupeau à travers le désert.
53 He took them on safely so that they had no fear; but their haters were covered by the sea.
Il dirigea les pas des Israélites, Les préservant de tout danger et de toute crainte. Tandis que la mer engloutissait leurs ennemis.
54 And he was their guide to his holy land, even to the mountain, which his right hand had made his;
Il les fit parvenir jusqu'à sa frontière sainte, Jusqu'à la montagne que sa main droite a conquise.
55 Driving out nations before them, marking out the line of their heritage, and giving the people of Israel their tents for a resting-place.
Il chassa des nations devant eux; Il leur en partagea le territoire par le sort, Et il fit habiter les tribus d'Israël sous les tentes de l'ennemi.
56 But they were bitter against the Most High God, testing him, and not keeping his laws;
Mais les Israélites tentèrent le Dieu Très-Haut; Ils se révoltèrent contre lui, Et ils n'observèrent pas ses commandements.
57 Their hearts were turned back and untrue like their fathers; they were turned to one side like a twisted bow.
Ils firent défection et furent infidèles comme leurs pères; Ils se détournèrent, pareils à un arc perfide.
58 They made him angry with their high places; moving him to wrath with their images.
Ils l'irritèrent par le culte des hauts-lieux; Et ils excitèrent sa jalousie par leurs idoles.
59 When this came to God's ears he was very angry, and gave up Israel completely;
A cette vue, Dieu fut indigné; Il prit Israël en profonde aversion.
60 So that he went away from the holy place in Shiloh, the tent which he had put among men;
Il abandonna le tabernacle de Silo, La tente dont il avait fait sa demeure parmi les hommes.
61 And he let his strength be taken prisoner, and gave his glory into the hands of his hater.
Il laissa emmener en captivité le siège de sa puissance; Il livra sa gloire aux mains de l'ennemi.
62 He gave his people up to the sword, and was angry with his heritage.
Il abandonna son peuple à l'épée, Et s'irrita contre son héritage.
63 Their young men were burned in the fire; and their virgins were not praised in the bride-song.
Le feu dévora ses jeunes gens. Et ses vierges furent privées de chants nuptiaux.
64 Their priests were put to death by the sword, and their widows made no weeping for them.
Ses sacrificateurs tombèrent sous les coups de l'épée. Et ses veuves ne purent pas pleurer les morts.
65 Then was the Lord like one awaking from sleep, and like a strong man crying out because of wine.
Alors le Seigneur se réveilla, Comme un homme qui vient de dormir. Comme un guerrier à qui le vin ferait pousser des cris de joie.
66 His haters were turned back by his blows and shamed for ever.
Il refoula ses adversaires; Il leur infligea un opprobre éternel.
67 And he put the tent of Joseph on one side, and took not the tribe of Ephraim;
Mais il prit en aversion la tente de Joseph, Et il répudia la tribu d'Éphraïm.
68 But he took the tribe of Judah for himself, and the mountain of Zion, in which he had pleasure.
Il choisit la tribu de Juda, La montagne de Sion qu'il chérit.
69 And he made his holy place like the high heaven, like the earth which is fixed by him for ever.
Il y bâtit son sanctuaire, indestructible comme les cieux, Et comme la terre, dont il a posé les fondements pour l'éternité.
70 He took David to be his servant, taking him from the place of the flocks;
Il choisit David, son serviteur; Il le prit dans les bergeries.
71 From looking after the sheep which were giving milk, he took him to give food to Jacob his people, and to Israel his heritage.
Il alla le chercher auprès des brebis qui allaitent. Pour faire de lui le berger de Jacob, son peuple. Et d'Israël, son héritage.
72 So he gave them food with an upright heart, guiding them by the wisdom of his hands.
Ainsi David fut pour eux un berger au coeur intègre. Et il les conduisit d'une main prudente.
