Amahubo 78
1 Lalelani, bantu bami, umthetho wami, libeke indlebe yenu emazwini omlomo wami.
A contemplation by Asaph. Hear my teaching, my people. Turn your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 Ngizavula umlomo wami ngomfanekiso, ngikhuphe izimfihlakalo zendulo,
I will open my mouth in a parable. I will utter dark sayings of old,
3 esizizwileyo lesizaziyo, obaba abasitshela zona.
which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
4 Kasiyikuzifihlela abantwana babo, kusizukulwana esilandelayo, silandisa izindumiso zeNkosi, lamandla ayo, lezimangaliso ezenzileyo.
We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, his strength, and his wondrous deeds that he has done.
5 Ngoba wamisa ubufakazi koJakobe, wabeka umlayo koIsrayeli, awulaya obaba, ukuze bawazise abantwana babo,
For he established a covenant in Jacob, and appointed a teaching in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children;
6 ukuze isizukulwana esilandelayo sazi, abantwana abazazalwa, basukume batshele abantwana babo,
that the generation to come might know, even the children who should be born; who should arise and tell their children,
7 ukuze babeke ithemba labo kuNkulunkulu, bangayikhohlwa imisebenzi kaNkulunkulu, kodwa bagcine imithetho yakhe;
that they might set their hope in God, and not forget God’s deeds, but keep his commandments,
8 njalo bangabi njengaboyise, isizukulwana esilenkani lesivukelayo, isizukulwana esingaqondisanga inhliziyo yaso, lesimoya waso ungathembekanga kuNkulunkulu.
and might not be as their fathers— a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that didn’t make their hearts loyal, whose spirit was not steadfast with God.
9 Abantwana bakoEfrayimi, behlomile betshoka ngamadandili, babuyela emuva mhla wempi.
The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.
10 Kabasilondolozanga isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu, bala ukuhamba emlayweni wakhe.
They didn’t keep God’s covenant, and refused to walk in his law.
11 Bakhohlwa izenzo zakhe lezimangaliso zakhe ayebatshengisa zona.
They forgot his doings, his wondrous deeds that he had shown them.
12 Phambi kwaboyise wenza isimangaliso elizweni leGibhithe, egangeni leZowani.
He did marvellous things in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
13 Waqhekeza ulwandle, wabachaphisa, wenza amanzi ema njengenqumbi.
He split the sea, and caused them to pass through. He made the waters stand as a heap.
14 Wabakhokhela ngeyezi emini, lebusuku bonke ngokukhanya komlilo.
In the daytime he also led them with a cloud, and all night with a light of fire.
15 Waqhekeza amadwala enkangala, wabanathisa kungathi kuvela ezinzikini ezinkulu.
He split rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink abundantly as out of the depths.
16 Waseveza izifula edwaleni, wenza amanzi ehla njengemifula.
He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
17 Kodwa baphinda futhi ukona kuye, ngokumvukela oPhezukonke enkangala.
Yet they still went on to sin against him, to rebel against the Most High in the desert.
18 Bamlinga uNkulunkulu enhliziyweni yabo ngokucela ukudla kwenkanuko yabo.
They tempted God in their heart by asking food according to their desire.
19 Basebekhuluma bemelene loNkulunkulu bathi: UNkulunkulu angalungisa itafula enkangala yini?
Yes, they spoke against God. They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?
20 Khangela, watshaya idwala, kwampompoza amanzi, lezifula zagabha; anganika lesinkwa yini? angalungisela abantu bakhe inyama na?
Behold, he struck the rock, so that waters gushed out, and streams overflowed. Can he give bread also? Will he provide meat for his people?”
21 Ngakho iNkosi yezwa yathukuthela; umlilo wasubaselwa uJakobe, njalo lolaka lwavukela uIsrayeli,
Therefore the LORD heard, and was angry. A fire was kindled against Jacob, anger also went up against Israel,
22 ngoba kabakholwanga kuNkulunkulu, kabathembanga esindisweni lwakhe.
because they didn’t believe in God, and didn’t trust in his salvation.
23 Lanxa walaya amayezi ngaphezulu, wavula iminyango yamazulu,
Yet he commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven.
24 wabanisela imana ukuthi badle, wabapha amabele amazulu.
He rained down manna on them to eat, and gave them food from the sky.
25 Umuntu wadla isinkwa sabalamandla; wabathumela ukudla ukuze basuthe.
Man ate the bread of angels. He sent them food to the full.
26 Wenza umoya wempumalanga wavunguza emazulwini; langamandla akhe waqhuba umoya weningizimu.
He caused the east wind to blow in the sky. By his power he guided the south wind.
27 Wasenisela phezu kwabo inyama njengothuli, lenyoni ezilempiko njengetshebetshebe lolwandle;
He also rained meat on them as the dust, winged birds as the sand of the seas.
28 wazenza zawela phakathi kwenkamba yabo, zagombolozela indawo zabo zokuhlala.
He let them fall in the middle of their camp, around their habitations.
29 Ngakho badla basutha kakhulu, ngoba wabalethela isiloyiso sabo.
So they ate, and were well filled. He gave them their own desire.
30 Kabehlukananga lenkanuko yabo; ukudla kusesemlonyeni wabo,
They didn’t turn from their cravings. Their food was yet in their mouths,
31 ulaka lukaNkulunkulu lwaselubavukela, wabulala kwabakhulupheleyo babo, watshaya abakhethiweyo bakoIsrayeli.
when the anger of God went up against them, killed some of their strongest, and struck down the young men of Israel.
32 Kulokhu konke bajinga besona, njalo kabakholwanga ngenxa yezimangaliso zakhe.
For all this they still sinned, and didn’t believe in his wondrous works.
33 Ngakho waziqeda izinsuku zabo ngeze, leminyaka yabo ovalweni.
Therefore he consumed their days in vanity, and their years in terror.
34 Lapho ebabulala, bamdinga, baphenduka, bamdingisisa uNkulunkulu.
When he killed them, then they enquired after him. They returned and sought God earnestly.
35 Bakhumbula ukuthi uNkulunkulu ulidwala labo, loNkulunkulu oPhezukonke ungumhlengi wabo.
They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God, their redeemer.
36 Kodwa bamyenga ngomlomo wabo, baqamba amanga kuye ngolimi lwabo.
But they flattered him with their mouth, and lied to him with their tongue.
37 Ngoba inhliziyo yabo yayingaqondanga kuye, njalo bengathembekanga esivumelwaneni sakhe.
For their heart was not right with him, neither were they faithful in his covenant.
38 Kodwa yena elesihawu wathethelela ububi babo, kababhubhisanga; yebo, kanengi walunqanda ulaka lwakhe, kakuvusanga konke ukuthukuthela kwakhe.
But he, being merciful, forgave iniquity, and didn’t destroy them. Yes, many times he turned his anger away, and didn’t stir up all his wrath.
39 Ngoba wakhumbula ukuthi bayinyama, umoya odlulayo, ongabuyiyo.
He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes away, and doesn’t come again.
40 Kanengi kangakanani bemvukela ehlane, bemdabukisa enkangala.
How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness, and grieved him in the desert!
41 Yebo baphenduka bamlinga uNkulunkulu, bamdabukisa oNgcwele kaIsrayeli.
They turned again and tempted God, and provoked the Holy One of Israel.
42 Kabasikhumbulanga isandla sakhe, usuku abahlenga ngalo esitheni.
They didn’t remember his hand, nor the day when he redeemed them from the adversary;
43 Ukuthi wamisa njani izibonakaliso zakhe eGibhithe, lezimangaliso zakhe emmangweni weZowani,
how he set his signs in Egypt, his wonders in the field of Zoan,
44 lokuthi waphendula imifula yabo yaba ligazi, lezifula zabo, ukuze banganathi.
he turned their rivers into blood, and their streams, so that they could not drink.
45 Wathumela phakathi kwabo umtshitshi wezibawu, ezabadlayo, lamaxoxo ababhubhisayo.
He sent amongst them swarms of flies, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.
46 Wasenika imihogoyi isivuno sabo, lomsebenzi wabo isikhonyane.
He also gave their increase to the caterpillar, and their labour to the locust.
47 Wabulala ivini labo ngesiqhotho, lemikhiwa yabo yesikhamore ngongqwaqwane.
He destroyed their vines with hail, their sycamore fig trees with frost.
48 Wasenikela izifuyo zabo esiqhothweni, lemihlambi yabo kuyo imibane.
He also gave over their livestock to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.
49 Waphosela phezu kwabo ukuvutha kolaka lwakhe, ukuthukuthela, lokucunuka, lokuhlupheka, ngokuthuma izithunywa zobubi.
He threw on them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, indignation, and trouble, and a band of angels of evil.
50 Walungisela ulaka lwakhe indlela, kanqandanga umphefumulo wabo ekufeni, kodwa wanikela impilo yabo kumatshayabhuqe wesifo.
He made a path for his anger. He didn’t spare their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence,
51 Wasetshaya wonke amazibulo eGibhithe, okokuqala kwamandla emathenteni kaHamu.
and struck all the firstborn in Egypt, the chief of their strength in the tents of Ham.
52 Wasebakhupha abantu bakhe njengezimvu, wabakhokhela enkangala njengomhlambi.
But he led out his own people like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
53 Wasebakhokhela bephephile ukuze bangesabi; kodwa ulwandle lwasibekela izitha zabo.
He led them safely, so that they weren’t afraid, but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
54 Wasebafikisa emkhawulweni wendawo yakhe engcwele, le intaba, isandla sakhe sokunene esayizuzayo.
He brought them to the border of his sanctuary, to this mountain, which his right hand had taken.
55 Wasebaxotsha abezizwe phambi kwabo; wababela ilifa ngomzila, wahlalisa izizwe zakoIsrayeli emathenteni azo.
He also drove out the nations before them, allotted them for an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
56 Kanti bamlinga, bamvukela uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke, kabazigcinanga izifakazelo zakhe.
Yet they tempted and rebelled against the Most High God, and didn’t keep his testimonies,
57 Kodwa babuyela emuva, benza ngokungathembeki njengaboyise, baphanjulwa njengedandili elikhohlisayo.
but turned back, and dealt treacherously like their fathers. They were twisted like a deceitful bow.
58 Ngoba bamthukuthelisa ngezindawo zabo eziphakemeyo, bavusa umona wakhe ngezithombe zabo ezibaziweyo.
For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their engraved images.
59 UNkulunkulu esizwa wathukuthela, wamenyanya kakhulu uIsrayeli.
When God heard this, he was angry, and greatly abhorred Israel,
60 Ngakho walitshiya ithabhanekele leShilo, ithente alimisa phakathi kwabantu.
so that he abandoned the tent of Shiloh, the tent which he placed amongst men,
61 Wasenikela amandla akhe ekuthunjweni, lenkazimulo yakhe esandleni sesitha.
and delivered his strength into captivity, his glory into the adversary’s hand.
62 Wasenikela abantu bakhe enkembeni, waselithukuthelela ilifa lakhe.
He also gave his people over to the sword, and was angry with his inheritance.
63 Umlilo waqeda amajaha abo, lezintombi zabo kazihlatshelelwanga.
Fire devoured their young men. Their virgins had no wedding song.
64 Abapristi babo bawa ngenkemba, labafelokazi babo kabalilanga.
Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows couldn’t weep.
65 Khona iNkosi yavuka njengobelele, njengeqhawe eliklabalala ngenxa yewayini.
Then the Lord awakened as one out of sleep, like a mighty man who shouts by reason of wine.
66 Yazitshaya izitha zayo emuva, yazithela ihlazo phakade.
He struck his adversaries backward. He put them to a perpetual reproach.
67 Yasilahla ithente likaJosefa, kayikhethanga isizwe sakoEfrayimi.
Moreover he rejected the tent of Joseph, and didn’t choose the tribe of Ephraim,
68 Kodwa yakhetha isizwe sakoJuda, intaba yeZiyoni eyithandayo.
But chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which he loved.
69 Yayakha indlu yayo engcwele njengezingqonga, njengomhlaba ewusekeleyo kuze kube nininini.
He built his sanctuary like the heights, like the earth which he has established forever.
70 Yasikhetha uDavida inceku yayo, yamthatha ezibayeni zezimvu;
He also chose David his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds;
71 ekulandeleni izimvukazi ezenyisayo, yamletha ukwelusa uJakobe abantu bayo, loIsrayeli ilifa layo.
from following the ewes that have their young, he brought him to be the shepherd of Jacob, his people, and Israel, his inheritance.
72 Njalo wabelusa njengobuqotho benhliziyo yakhe, wabakhokhela ngobugabazi bezandla zakhe.
So he was their shepherd according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.
