A Prayer for Help
1 Listen to me, Lord, and answer me,
for I am helpless and weak.
2 Save me from death, because I am loyal to you;
save me, for I am your servant and I trust in you.
3 You are my God, so be merciful to me;
I pray to you all day long.
4 Make your servant glad, O Lord,
because my prayers go up to you.
5 You are good to us and forgiving,
full of constant love for all who pray to you.
6 Listen, Lord, to my prayer;
hear my cries for help.
7 I call to you in times of trouble,
because you answer my prayers.
8 There is no god like you, O Lord,
not one has done what you have done.
9 All the nations that you have created
will come and bow down to you;
they will praise your greatness.
10 You are mighty and do wonderful things;
you alone are God.
11 Teach me, Lord, what you want me to do,
and I will obey you faithfully;
teach me to serve you with complete devotion.
12 I will praise you with all my heart, O Lord my God;
I will proclaim your greatness forever.
13 How great is your constant love for me!
You have saved me from the grave itself.
14 Proud people are coming against me, O God;
a cruel gang is trying to kill me—
people who pay no attention to you.
15 But you, O Lord, are a merciful and loving God,
always patient, always kind and faithful.
16 Turn to me and have mercy on me;
strengthen me and save me,
because I serve you just as my mother did.
17 Show me proof of your goodness, Lord;
those who hate me will be ashamed
when they see that you have given me comfort and help.
Ntembezelo wekukumbila bhatsho
1 Zhulani zebe dzenyu, imwi Yahwe, mundidabile,
ngobe ndi nshayi kakale ndi nsheti.
2 Tjengetani butjilo gwangu, ngobe ndakadumila mu muli,
tjidzani nlanda wenyu, unogalabgwe mu muli.
Mu Ndzimu wangu.
3 Ibeni ne ngoni mundili, imwi She,
ngobe ndolilila kumuli zhuba lose.
4 Shathisani meya ye nlanda wenyu, imwi She,
ngobe ndomilidzila meya yangu pezhugwi, kumuli.
5 Ngobe imwi, imwi She, makalulwama kakale mozwiibhatigwa,
muzhele ludo gusingazunguzike muna bose banomudana.
6 Zhulani zebe, imwi Yahwe, muhwe ntembezelo wangu.
Teedzani tjililo ne kumbila kwangu.
7 Mu nsi we kudziyidzika kwangu ndodana imwi,
ngobe mondidabila.
8 Akuna unonga imwi pakati kwe midzimu, imwi She,
kene kuli mishingo inonga yenyu.
9 Zwitjaba zose zwamakathama zowozha,
zwikathigama mbeli kwenyu She,
ngono zowokudza zina lenyu.
10 Ngobe munkulukulu kakale mothama zwithu zwinotjenamisa,
imwi moga mu Ndzimu.
11 Mundidiye zila yenyu, imwi Yahwe,
kuti ndizo ndiyende mu lebeswa lenyu,
mundipe moyo nng'ompela
kuti nditete zina lenyu.
12 Ndomuboka, imwi She Ndzimu wangu,
nge moyo wangu wose,
ndowokudza zina lenyu nge kusingapele kose.
13 Ludo gwenyu gusingazunguzike bukulu seni mundili,
makasunungula meya yangu mu bugalo gwe bafi.
14 Banozwikudza bakandimukila, imwi Ndzimu,
goko le basina ngoni lovima butjilo gwangu,
ibo basina hanya namwi.
15 Koga, imwi She, mu Ndzimu una ngoni ne lubu,
amuto tjimbidza gwadzamoyo
muzhele ludo gusingazunguzike ne kugalikabgwe.
16 Shandukilani kundili mundihwile ngoni,
ipani nlanda wenyu simba
tjidzani nkololo we nlandakadzi wenyu.
17 Mundilakidze tjilakidzo tje ndulamo yenyu,
kuti ndizo zwita zwangu zwitjibone zwibhakhwe nge shoni,
ngobe imwi Yahwe, makandibhatsha mukabuya mukandinyaladza.