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.
Elondwelolongo mokukala kwonale kwOvaisraeli
Ounongoimbilo waAsaf.
1 Oshiwana shange, pwilikina omalongo ange;
endekeleni omatwi eni keendjovo domokanya kange.
2 Onda hala okumakula okanya kange,
ndi popye omayele,
onda hala okutomona eetumbutumbu domafiku onale.
3 Eshi twa uda, naashi twa mona,
notwe shi hepaululilwa kootate,
4 osho inatu hala oku shi holeka ovana vetu,
ndelenee ohatu hepaululile ovatekulululwa
oilonga ya fimana yOmwene,
neenghono daye, noikumwifa e i longa.
5 Osheshi muJakob okwa dika mo ehepaululo,
nomuIsrael okwa yandja mo omhango,
e i lombwela ootate,
vo ve i udifile ounona vavo,
6 opo i shiivike komapupi aa taa shikula,
kounona ava, tava ka dalwa,
vo va fikame yo, ve i hepaululile ovana vavo;
7 navo ve lineekele Kalunga,
vaha dimbwe oinenelonga yaye,
ndelenee va diinine oipango yaye;
8 vo vaha kale ngaashi ooxe,
ava va li va lundakana,
nova xuma, oludi li nomutima u neteke,
nomhepo yalo ihe kwete okutekuka kuKalunga.
9 Ovana vaEfraim,
ava va li ovakwataiti mokushiiva okuyasha,
efiku loita eshi le uya, ova ya onhapo.
10 Inava kwatelelela mehangano laKalunga
nova anya okweenda pamhango yaye,
11 ndelenee ova dimbwa oinenelonga yaye
noikumwifalonga e i va monifile.
12 Okwa li a longa oilonga yoixuna
monhanaisho yooxe
momahenene aSoan,
moshilongo shaEgipiti.
13 Okwa tukula omeva, ndele te va pitifa mo,
okwe a dika ngaashi ohote.
14 Omutenya okwe va endifa moshilemo,
noufiku aushe onomutemo womundilo.
15 Okwa panda omamanya mombuwa,
ndele te va nwefa mo momeva taa kunguluka.
16 Memanya okwa pitifa mo eedjo,
nokwa kungulukifa omeva a fa omilonga.
17 Ndelenee vo inava efa okunyona kuye,
ova handukifa ou wOkombadambada mombuwa.
18 Ova yeleka Kalunga momitima davo,
eshi va pula eendja pauhalu wavo,
19 ova twifa Kalunga eemhata, tava ti:
“Kalunga ota dulu tuu mbela
oku tu yalela oshililo mombuwa?
20 Heeno, okwa denga emanya,
ndele mwa dja omeva mahapu,
neefifiya da kunguluka;
ndelenee ota dulu tuu mbela okuyandja eendja
ile okukongela oshiwana shaye ombelela?”
21 Onghee hano, Omwene eshi e shi uda, okwa keshuka,
nomundilo owa xwamenena Jakob,
nehandu laye ola wila Israel,
22 osheshi inava itavela Kalunga,
vo inave lineekela ekwafo laye.
23 Opo okwa lombwela oilemo yokombada,
ndele ta yeulula oivelo yeulu,
24 ndele te va lokifile omanna,
va mone eshi tava li,
ndele te va pe oilya yeulu.
25 Ovanhu va lya omungome wovaengeli
va tuminwa eendja dihapu kuye.
26 Okwa pendula keulu omhepo yokoushilo,
nomeenghono daye okwa pepifa
omhepo yokoumbuwanhu.
27 Okwa lokifila ombelela ihapu ngaashi ondwi yedu,
eedila di fike pehekedu lopefuta.
28 Mokati komatwali avo okwe di wilifa
mo keembinga adishe deenhele davo.
29 Opo vo va lya, va kuta va kenywa,
Ye okwa mwenifa omalilila avo.
30 Ndelenee fimbo inava wanifa olwisho lavo,
neendja fimbo da li natango momakanya avo,
31 opo tuu ehandu laKalunga ole va wila,
ndele tali pondo po ovanaenghono mokati kavo,
novamati vomuIsrael okwe va denga poshi.
32 Ndele nande opa ningwa ngaha,
inava efa okunyona,
vo inava itavela oikumwifalonga yaye.
33 Onghee hano Ye okwa xulifa po omafiku avo
ngaashi okaulapepo,
nomido davo omeulumo letilifo.
34 Eshi e va yandja mefyo ngaha,
opo vo ove mu lipulaapulila ndele tave lialuka,
ndele tava kongo Kalunga,
35 ndele tava dimbulukwa,
nokutya Kalunga Oye emanya lavo,
naKalunga ou wOkombadambada
Oye Omukulili wavo.
36 Ndelenee efufyo alike la li momakanya avo,
ndele tave mu popile oipupulu
nomalaka avo;
37 osheshi omitima davo inadi dama shili kuye,
vo inava diinina nawa ehangano laye.
38 Ndelenee Ye okwa kala omunalukeno,
nowii wavo e u kufa po,
nokwa polifa luhapu ehandu laye melididimiko,
Ye ina pendula onya yaye aishe;
39 osheshi Ye e va dimbulukwa, ovo ombelela,
okaulapepo aka taka pepe po
ndele itaka aluka vali.
40 Omapa e fike peni, aa va twa ondubo naye mombuwa,
naa ve mu lilifa mofuka!
41 Ndele alushe ova li va shinda Kalunga,
nova handukifa Omuyapuki waIsrael.
42 Inava dimbulukwa eke laye leenghono,
nefiku olo, e va xupifile kovatondi vavo,
43 eshi a ningile oidimbulukifo yaye muEgipiti
noikumwifalonga yaye muSoan.
44 Oye a shitukifa omilonga davo ohonde,
nomomifima davo inava dula okunwa mo;
45 omawashe e va tuminine, e va lye,
nomafuma aa tae va nyono po.
46 Noimeno yavo aishe e i efele
i like po kokanakalombo,
naashishe eshi va longele, okoshipaxu.
47 Omiviinyu davo okwe di teyaulifile po keemhawe,
nomikwiyu onoshikungulu shinene.
48 Oimuna yavo okwe i dipaifile keemhawe,
nomaufita avo oneembadi.
49 Okwe va kupulile nomundilo wehandu laye,
nokufula onya, nonyanya noudjuu,
ndele te va tumine ongudu yovaengeli vomupya.
50 Ehandu laye okwe li pitifa mo ine li kelela,
neemwenyo davo ine di kufa mefyo,
okwe di yandja moudu womuku;
51 okwa dipaifile oiveli aishe yomuEgipiti,
oiveli oyo yeenghono davo momatwali aHam.
52 Opo nee a pitifile oshiwana shaye ngaashi eedi,
ndele te shi endifa mofuka ngaashi oufita weedi,
53 te va endifa, e va kelela nawa, vo vaha tile sha,
ndelenee ovatondi vavo ote va tuvikile nefuta.
54 Osho ngaha okwa li e va twala konhele yaye iyapuki,
komhunda ei, okwe i likongelele nolulyo laye.
55 Komesho yavo okwa taataele ko oiwana yovapaani,
noshilongo shavo okwe shi va taulila efyuululo,
nokwa nangeka omapata aIsrael momaumbo avo.
56 Ndelenee vo ova yelekela
Kalunga ou wOkombadambada,
va twa ondubo naye,
ndele itava diinine omahepaululo aye.
57 Ove mu pa ombuda,
nove mu ninga oukululufi va fa ooxe,
va shuna lwanima ngaashi outa wa yululuka.
58 Otave mu handukifa momiulu davo, omo va fiyawila,
ndele tave mu shindifa oikalunga yavo.
59 Kalunga eshi e shi udite, okwa keshuka,
ndele ta ekeleshi shili Ovaisraeli.
60 Okwa efa ongulu yaye muSilo,
outulilo waye, omo a kalele mokati kovanhu.
61 Okwa yandja eenghono daye moukwatwa,
noshifimanekwa shaye omomake ovatondi.
62 Ovanhu vaye okwe va yandja momukonda,
ovafyuululifwa vaye okwe va umanena.
63 Ovamati vaye ova lafwa po komundilo,
novafuko vaye ova lumbulwa omaimbilo omhoko.
64 Ovapristeli vavo ova dipawa nomukonda,
novafiyekadi vavo inava lila nande eenghali.
65 Opo nee Omwene okwa duduluka,
ngaashi ou kwa li a kofa,
nongaashi ofule, ou kwa li a kolwa komaviinyu.
66 Ovakondjifi vaye okwe va denga noku va taataa,
nokwe va tula melengwa laalushe.
67 Ndelenee etulilo laJosef okwe li efa,
nepata laEfraim ine li hoolola vali,
68 ndele okwe lihoololela epata laJuda,
omhunda yaSion e i hokwa po;
69 ndele ta tungu ouyapuki waye,
u fike poule wevalelwa,
owa fa edu, eli a shita okukala po fiyo alushe.
70 Opo nee okwe lihoololela omupiya waye David,
ou a kufa moyuunda yeedi;
71 ote mu kufa meedi deenyali,
Ye a life Jakob, oshiwana shaye,
naIsrael efyuululo laye.
72 Oye tuu okwa li te va lifa nomutima wa yukilila,
ndele te va kwatele komesho neke lounghulungu.
