God and His People
1 Listen, my people, to my teaching,
and pay attention to what I say.
2 I am going to use wise sayings
and explain mysteries from the past,
3 things we have heard and known,
things that our ancestors told us.
4 We will not keep them from our children;
we will tell the next generation
about the Lord's power and his great deeds
and the wonderful things he has done.
5 He gave laws to the people of Israel
and commandments to the descendants of Jacob.
He instructed our ancestors
to teach his laws to their children,
6 so that the next generation might learn them
and in turn should tell their children.
7 In this way they also will put their trust in God
and not forget what he has done,
but always obey his commandments.
8 They will not be like their ancestors,
a rebellious and disobedient people,
whose trust in God was never firm
and who did not remain faithful to him.
9 The Ephraimites, armed with bows and arrows,
ran away on the day of battle.
10 They did not keep their covenant with God;
they refused to obey his law.
11 They forgot what he had done,
the miracles they had seen him perform.
12 While their ancestors watched, God performed miracles
in the plain of Zoan in the land of Egypt.
13 He divided the sea and took them through it;
he made the waters stand like walls.
14 By day he led them with a cloud
and all night long with the light of a fire.
15 He split rocks open in the desert
and gave them water from the depths.
16 He caused a stream to come out of the rock
and made water flow like a river.
17 But they continued to sin against God,
and in the desert they rebelled against the Most High.
18 They deliberately put God to the test
by demanding the food they wanted.
19 They spoke against God and said,
“Can God supply food in the desert?
20 It is true that he struck the rock,
and water flowed out in a torrent;
but can he also provide us with bread
and give his people meat?”
21 And so the Lord was angry when he heard them;
he attacked his people with fire,
and his anger against them grew,
22 because they had no faith in him
and did not believe that he would save them.
23 But he spoke to the sky above
and commanded its doors to open;
24 he gave them grain from heaven,
by sending down manna for them to eat.
25 So they ate the food of angels,
and God gave them all they wanted.
26 He also caused the east wind to blow,
and by his power he stirred up the south wind;
27 and to his people he sent down birds,
as many as the grains of sand on the shore;
28 they fell in the middle of the camp
all around the tents.
29 So the people ate and were satisfied;
God gave them what they wanted.
30 But they had not yet satisfied their craving
and were still eating,
31 when God became angry with them
and killed their strongest men,
the best young men of Israel.
32 In spite of all this the people kept sinning;
in spite of his miracles they did not trust him.
33 So he ended their days like a breath
and their lives with sudden disaster.
34 Whenever he killed some of them,
the rest would turn to him;
they would repent and pray earnestly to him.
35 They remembered that God was their protector,
that the Almighty came to their aid.
36 But their words were all lies;
nothing they said was sincere.
37 They were not loyal to him;
they were not faithful to their covenant with him.
38 But God was merciful to his people.
He forgave their sin
and did not destroy them.
Many times he held back his anger
and restrained his fury.
39 He remembered that they were only mortal beings,
like a wind that blows by and is gone.
40 How often they rebelled against him in the desert;
how many times they made him sad!
41 Again and again they put God to the test
and brought pain to the Holy God of Israel.
42 They forgot his great power
and the day when he saved them from their enemies
43 and performed his mighty acts and miracles
in the plain of Zoan in the land of Egypt.
44 He turned the rivers into blood,
and the Egyptians had no water to drink.
45 He sent flies among them, that tormented them,
and frogs that ruined their land.
46 He sent locusts to eat their crops
and to destroy their fields.
47 He killed their grapevines with hail
and their fig trees with frost.
48 He killed their cattle with hail
and their flocks with lightning.
49 He caused them great distress
by pouring out his anger and fierce rage,
which came as messengers of death.
50 He did not restrain his anger
or spare their lives,
but killed them with a plague.
51 He killed the first-born sons
of all the families of Egypt.
52 Then he led his people out like a shepherd
and guided them through the desert.
53 He led them safely, and they were not afraid;
but the sea came rolling over their enemies.
54 He brought them to his holy land,
to the mountains which he himself conquered.
55 He drove out the inhabitants as his people advanced;
he divided their land among the tribes of Israel
and gave their homes to his people.
56 But they rebelled against Almighty God
and put him to the test.
They did not obey his commandments,
57 but were rebellious and disloyal like their ancestors,
unreliable as a crooked arrow.
58 They angered him with their heathen places of worship,
and with their idols they made him furious.
59 God was angry when he saw it,
so he rejected his people completely.
60 He abandoned his tent in Shiloh,
the home where he had lived among us.
61 He allowed our enemies to capture the Covenant Box,
the symbol of his power and glory.
62 He was angry with his own people
and let them be killed by their enemies.
63 Young men were killed in war,
and young women had no one to marry.
64 Priests died by violence,
and their widows were not allowed to mourn.
65 At last the Lord woke up as though from sleep;
he was like a strong man excited by wine.
66 He drove his enemies back
in lasting and shameful defeat.
67 But he rejected the descendants of Joseph;
he did not select the tribe of Ephraim.
68 Instead he chose the tribe of Judah
and Mount Zion, which he dearly loves.
69 There he built his Temple
like his home in heaven;
he made it firm like the earth itself,
secure for all time.
70 He chose his servant David;
he took him from the pastures,
71 where he looked after his flocks,
and he made him king of Israel,
the shepherd of the people of God.
72 David took care of them with unselfish devotion
and led them with skill.
Ndjambi notjiwaṋa tje
Omuimbo wa Asaf.
1 Tjiwaṋa tjandje, puratena komahongero wandje,
nu u zuve nawa komambo ngu me hungire.
2 Ami me kahungira momiano,
nu me mangurura oviundikwa
vyoruveze orukuru,
3 oviṋa mbi twa zuva nu mbi tu i,
nu mbi twa serekarererwa i ootate.
4 Katu nokuvihoreka ko kovanatje vetu,
nungwari matu vi serekarere kozondekurona
imbi oviungura ovinene
vya Muhona nouvara we,
novihimise eye mbya tjita.
5 Eye wa yandja omazikamisiro kotjiwaṋa tja Israel,
nomatwako kozondekurona za Jakob.
Eye wa rakiza kootate mukururume
kutja ve honge omazikamisiro we
kovanatje vawo,
6 kokutja inḓa ozondekurona
zokombunda ze rihonge wo,
nokutja ozo wina ze keyeserekarere
kovanatje vazo.
7 Komuhingo mbwi owo wina
otji mave riyameke ku Ndjambi,
nave ha zembi oviungura vye,
nungwari aruhe otji mave
ṱakamisa omatwako we,
8 nave ha horere kooihe mukururume,
mbari ovirangaranga nu mbe ha ri nonḓuviro,
owo kave riyamekere ku Ndjambi,
nu kavena pu va karerera ovaṱakame mu ye.
9 Ovaefraim mbe ripangaṋa nomauta noviku,
va tupuka meyuva rotjirwa.
10 Owo kavena pu va ṱakamisa omerikutiropamwe
wawo kuna Ndjambi;
nowo va panḓa okukara
nonḓuviro komatwako we.
11 Owo va zemba oviungura vye
novihimise eye mbye ve raisirire.
12 Ndjambi wa tjitire ovihimise
ooihe mukururume amave tarere
morutjandja rwa Soan,
mehi ra Engipte.
13 Eye wa haṋa omeva womuronga
mokati ne ve kondisa;
wa kuramisa omeva tjimuna ovikere.
14 Mutenya eye we ve hongorera notjikamba,
nouṱuku auhe we ve
hongorera nondjerera yomuriro.
15 Eye wa pamuna otuuwa mokuti onguza,
narire tje ve hire omeva omengi
okuza kehi mourekoto.
16 Wa topora ozonḓizira moruuwa,
notja pupisa omeva tjimuna ozonḓonḓu.
17 Nungwari owo va kara pokutjita
ourunde komurungu wa Ndjambi,
nu mokuti onguza va pirukira
ingwi owOkombandambanda.
18 Owo va rorera Ndjambi wina amave
ningire ovikurya meraru rawo.
19 Va hungira Ndjambi ave tja:
“Hapo Ndjambi ma sora okuyandja
ovikurya mokuti onguza are?
20 Ouatjiri kutja eye wa tona oruuwa
nu amu piti omeva,
narire tji rwa pupisa oturonḓu;
nungwari eye ma sora okutupa
omboroto nokuyandja
onyama kotjiwaṋa tje are?”
21 Muhona tje ve zuva,
otja ṱomazenge;
eye wa rwisa otjiwaṋa tje nomuriro,
nomazenge we ya
ririra ko omengi ku wo,
22 owo tjinga ave ha kamburire mu ye,
nave he riyamekere kombatero ye.
23 Nungwari eye wa rakiza
ovikamba kombanda na paturura
omivero vyeyuru;
24 we ve pa ovikokotwa okuza keyuru,
ame ve rokisire otjimana kutja ve rye.
25 Auhe otja rya omboroto yovaengeri;
nu Ndjambi we ve pa onguta onyingi.
26 Eye wa tjita kutja ombepo
yomuhuka i singe,
nu mouvara we arire tja paturura
ombepo yokeyuva kokumuho;
27 wa hindira otjiwaṋa tje ozonḓera,
nḓa ri ozengi tjinene tjimuna
eheke pomukuro wokuvare;
28 we ze wiririsira mokati kozondanda
ongondoroka nomaturiro wawo.
29 Avehe otji va rya nave kuta;
Ndjambi we ve pere imbi mbyaa ve zeri.
30 Nungwari owo kave na pu va
kovisire eraru rawo,
nu ngunda amave ri,
31 Ndjambi otja ṱomazenge na wo na
zepa ovarumendu vawo ovanamasa tjinene,
imba ovazandu omitanda va Israel.
32 Kombanda yoviṋa avihe mbi owo
va panḓera pokutjita ouvi;
nu kava kamburire ko moviungura
vye ovihimise.
33 Eye otja yandisa omayuva wawo
tjimuna osuvaneno,
nozombura zawo momburuma yatjimanga.
34 Aruhe Ndjambi tja zepa tjiva vawo,
imba mba sewa po aave kotoka ku ye;
owo aave ritanaura nokukumba ku ye
nomitima vyawo avihe.
35 Owo va zemburuka kutja Ndjambi
eye oruuwa rwawo,
nokutja Ndjambi wOkombandambanda
eye omukuture wawo.
36 Nungwari omambo wawo aehe ya ri
ovizeze porwavyo;
navihe mbyaa ve hungire vya ri ovineya uriri.
37 Nomitima vyawo kavi zikamene mu ye,
nu kava ri nouṱakame
momerikutiropamwe we.
38 Nungwari Ndjambi wa ri
nounyaṋutima kotjiwaṋa tje.
Eye we tji isira omauvi watjo
nu ke tji yandekere ko.
Potuingi eye we ritjaera komazenge we,
nu wa yarura omapindi we pehi.
39 Eye wa zemburuka kutja owo ovandu uriri,
tjimuna ombepo ndji hinga nai ha kotoka.
40 Owo, tjiri, potuingi ve mu pirukira,
mokuti onguza,
nave mu pe omuhihamwatima.
41 Aruhe owo va kara pokurora Ndjambi,
nu va hihamisa Omuyapuke wa Israel.
42 Owo va zemba omasa we omanene,
na indi eyuva eye nde ve kutura
kovanavita na wo,
43 na indu tja tjita oviraisiro ovinene mOengipte,
noviṋa ovihimise morutjandja rwa Soan.
44 Eye wa tjitukisa omeva
wozonḓonḓu okurira ombinḓu,
kutja Ovaengipte ave ha sora okuyenwa.
45 Wa hinda ehapu romaze mokati kawo
aye ve rumata,
novisume avi ve pe eputi.
46 Eye wa hinda ourombo
okurya ovihape vyawo,
nozombahu okunyona
omahi wawo womakunino.
47 Wa hahaura omivite vyawo
nozombawe zombura,
nu wa ṱukuṱura omikuyumbwa
vyawo nomakende wombepera.
48 Ozongombe zawo eye wa zepa
nozombawe zombura,
nozonyanda zawo wa zepa
norutjeno rwombura.
49 Eye wa hinda otjipyu tjomazenge we,
nomapindi nombamisiro,
mbye ya ku wo otja otjira tjovatjite woumba.
50 Ka tjaerere omazenge we,
nu ka yamene ominyo vyawo konḓiro,
nungwari we ve zepa nomutjise omuzeu.
51 Eye wa zepa omaveri omazandu
momatundu aehe wOvaengipte.
52 Tjazumba eye arire tja pitisa
otjiwaṋa tje tjimuna ozonḓu,
nu e tji hongorere mokuti onguza.
53 Tjiri, eye we tji hongorera nokuhinooma,
notjo kaatji tira;
nungwari ovanavita na tjo va
vandekwa i omuronga.
54 Eye we tji twara kehi re eyapuke,
kozondundu nḓa eye omuini nḓa
kamburire momasa.
55 Wa ramba oviwaṋa ovinavisenginina,
otjiwaṋa tje tji tje ya;
wa haṋena omihoko vya Israel ehi ravyo,
narire tja yandja omaturiro
wavyo kotjiwaṋa tje.
56 Nungwari Ovaisrael va rora
Ndjambi wOkombandambanda
nave mu pirukire;
owo kave ṱakamisire omatwako we.
57 Va poka nave ha ṱakama mu ye
tjimuna ooihe mukururume,
va tanauka tjimuna outa
mbu ha pamene nawa.
58 Ve mu pindikisa nopoṋa
pomerikotameneno wawo kovisenginina,
nu ve mu pa eruru
noomukuru vawo vovisenginina.
59 Ndjambi wa muna otjiṋa hi na ṱomazenge,
neye wa nakaura otjiwaṋa tje Israel.
60 Wa isa omaturiro we mOsilo,
indji ondanda ndja zikire
i rire omaturiro we mokati kovandu.
61 Eye wa yandjera kutja ovanavita na eṱe
ve kambure Otjipwikiro tjOmerikutiropamwe,
tji tji ri otjiraisiro tjomasa nounene we.
62 Wa ṱomazenge notjiwaṋa tje omuini,
narire tje tji tarere
ama tji ṱu i ovanavita na tjo.
63 Ovazandu vatjo omitanda va ṱa movita,
novasuko vatjo omitanda kava ri
novarumendu mbu mave ve kupu.
64 Ovapristeri vatjo va ṱengaruvyo,
novahepundu vawo ave ha riri.
65 Muhona otja penduka aayo
wa ri mozomboṱu;
eye wa ri otja ombanḓe ndja ṱomavinu.
66 Wa tona ovanavita na ye neve yarura ombunda,
notje ve ṱisa ohoṋi aruhe.
67 Nungwari eye wa imbirahi
ozondekurona za Josef,
nu ka toororere omuhoko wa Efraim.
68 Moruveze rwanao eye wa
toorora omuhoko wa Juda,
nOndundu ya Sion ndja suvera tjinene.
69 Eye wa tunga ko ondjuwo ye
tjimuna inga omaturiro we meyuru;
eye we i zikamisa tjimuna indi ehi
orini nda zikire nga aruhe.
70 Wa toorora omukarere we David,
ne mu isa kouṱuta
71 eye kaa risa otupanda twozonyanda zawo,
ne mu ziki okurira ombara ya Israel,
okutja omurise wotjiwaṋa tja Ndjambi.
72 David we tji risa nomutima omuṱakame,
nu e tji hongorere nounongo.
