BOOK III
(A psalm by Asaph.)
God Is Good
1 God is truly good to Israel,
especially to everyone
with a pure heart.
2 But I almost stumbled and fell,
3 because it made me jealous
to see proud and evil people
and to watch them prosper.
4 They never have to suffer,
they stay healthy,
5 and they don't have troubles
like everyone else.
6 Their pride is like a necklace,
and they commit sin more often
than they dress themselves.
7 Their eyes bulge with fat,
and their minds are flooded
with foolish thoughts.
8 They sneer and say cruel things,
and because of their pride,
they make violent threats.
9 They dare to speak against God
and to order others around.
10 God will bring his people back,
and they will drink the water
he so freely gives.
11 Only evil people would say,
“God Most High cannot
know everything!”
12 Yet all goes well for them,
and they live in peace.
13 What good did it do me
to keep my thoughts pure
and refuse to do wrong?
14 I am sick all day,
and I am punished
each morning.
15 If I had said evil things,
I would not have been loyal
to your people.
16 It was hard for me
to understand all this!
17 Then I went to your temple,
and there I understood
what will happen
to my enemies.
18 You will make them stumble,
never to get up again.
19 They will be terrified,
suddenly swept away
and no longer there.
20 They will disappear, Lord,
despised like a bad dream
the morning after.
21 Once I was bitter
and brokenhearted.
22 I was stupid and ignorant,
and I treated you
as a wild animal would.
23 But I never really left you,
and you hold my right hand.
24 Your advice has been my guide,
and later you will welcome me
in glory.
25 In heaven I have only you,
and on this earth
you are all I want.
26 My body and mind may fail,
but you are my strength
and my choice forever.
27 All-Powerful Lord God,
those who stay far from you
will be lost,
and you will destroy those
who are unfaithful.
28 It is good for me
to be near you.
I choose you as my protector,
and I will tell about
your wonderful deeds.
LUKWALO GWE BUTATU
Kutambunuka kwe Ndzimu
1 Malebeswa Ndzimu wakalulwamila Iziraela,
ibabo bana mimoyo mitjena.
2 Koga imi nge kwangu ndoyenda ndikweba makumbo;
ndakanyala nkumbulo.
3 Ndakabe ndina ndandala ngekwe banozwikudza,
pandakabe ndabona bhudilila kwe babi.
4 Ngobe basina mang'oni,
mibili yabo yakazwilizanila kakale ikwidzima.
5 Abateli mu tshiyilo se bamwe bathu,
abana magwadzi se bamwe bathu,
6 Bakasenga mazwikudzo abo se bakaambala i timbi.
Phipiti yakabaambala se hazu.
7 Mimoyo yabo inotebukana nge mbipo,
mikumbulo yabo ye bubi ainatjilizanyo.
8 Banogongobola kakale belebeleka nge lubengo
banozwiloba zwifuba ngekwe tshambilidzo.
9 Banonyanyayidza mazhuzhugwi,
ndimi dzabo dzikalaula shango.
10 Ndizo bathu banoshanduka bakabakudza,
bebuya beshaya nlandu mubali.
11 Ndizo banoti, “Ndzimu ungaziba tjini?
Apa kuna luzibo muna Upezhugwi zhugwi kene?”
12 Ndiko sekwa babi bali iko
bagele bakati khenyenye, banowatsha fumwa dzabo.
13 Ndakatjenapadzila moyo wangu suli
ndakangulila maboko angu suli ndilakidza ndisina nlandu.
14 Zhuba lose ndakahwisiwa zogwadza,
kakale ndolobgwa shamu mangwanana mamwe ne mamwe.
15 Ha ndakabe ndati, “Ndowolebeleka yetji.”
Ndakabe ndowobe ndashayila bana benyu lebeswa.
16 Koga ndakati ndigwisa hwisisa kose ikoku,
awana ili masimbamalashe,
17 kudzina ndangina mu bugalo gwe Ndzimu
gwakayengemala, ndizo ahwisisa bhelelo labo.
18 Nge malebeswa mobagadza mu magalo anosodzoloka,
mubaligila mu golomodzo.
19 Banokolomogwa tjinyolotjo seni,
bekubigwa kutjena nge lutjo!
20 Mowoti mumuka imwi Yahwe banonga mawoloto
anokanganika ha nthu emuka mu hwope.
Mukumuka kwenyu mowobanyeledza bakakanganika.
21 Kwakati meya yangu yahwa zogwadza kwazo,
pandakabe ndabhayika mu moyo,
22 ndakabe ndili tjilengwe kakale ndisina luzibo,
ndakabe ndinga tjibandana mbeli kwenyu.
23 Nenguba kwakajalo ndinamwi misi yose,
makandibhata nge luboko gwangu gwe luji.
24 Makandilakidza zila nge gumbuludzo lenyu,
gwe bupelo mowondiamutjila nge kunditeta.
25 Apa ndiani wandinaye kuzhe kwenyu kene?
Mu shango akuna tjandinoyemula kuzhe kwenyu.
26 Nyama yangu ne moyo wangu zwinga kong'wa,
koga Ndzimu ndiwo simba le moyo wangu
ne gobe langu nge kusingapele.
27 Ndolebesa, ibabo bakule namwi banowoloba,
molobesa bose ibabo basingagalebgwe mu muli.
28 Koga imi nge kwangu, kwakanaka kugala pejo ne Ndzimu.
Ndakathama She Yahwe dizhilo langu,
kuti ndizo ndilebe ngekwe mishingo yabo.