Psalms 78

اِصْغَ يَا شَعْبِي إِلَى شَرِيعَتِي. أَمِيلُوا آذَانَكُمْ إِلَى كَلاَمِ فَمِي.

Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

أَفْتَحُ بِمَثَل فَمِي. أُذِيعُ أَلْغَازًا مُنْذُ الْقِدَمِ.

I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:

الَّتِي سَمِعْنَاهَا وَعَرَفْنَاهَا وَآبَاؤُنَا أَخْبَرُونَا.

Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.

لاَ نُخْفِي عَنْ بَنِيهِمْ إِلَى الْجِيلِ الآخِرِ، مُخْبِرِينَ بِتَسَابِيحِ الرَّبِّ وَقُوَّتِهِ وَعَجَائِبِهِ الَّتِي صَنَعَ.

We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.

أَقَامَ شَهَادَةً فِي يَعْقُوبَ، وَوَضَعَ شَرِيعَةً فِي إِسْرَائِيلَ، الَّتِي أَوْصَى آبَاءَنَا أَنْ يُعَرِّفُوا بِهَا أَبْنَاءَهُمْ،

For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:

لِكَيْ يَعْلَمَ الْجِيلُ الآخِرُ. بَنُونَ يُولَدُونَ فَيَقُومُونَ وَيُخْبِرُونَ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ،

That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:

فَيَجْعَلُونَ عَلَى اللهِ اعْتِمَادَهُمْ، وَلاَ يَنْسَوْنَ أَعْمَالَ اللهِ، بَلْ يَحْفَظُونَ وَصَايَاهُ.

That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:

وَلاَ يَكُونُونَ مِثْلَ آبَائِهِمْ، جِيلاً زَائِغًا وَمَارِدًا، جِيلاً لَمْ يُثَبِّتْ قَلْبَهُ وَلَمْ تَكُنْ رُوحُهُ أَمِينَةً لِلهِ.

And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.

بَنُو أَفْرَايِمَ النَّازِعُونَ فِي الْقَوْسِ، الرَّامُونَ، انْقَلَبُوا فِي يَوْمِ الْحَرْبِ.

The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.

لَمْ يَحْفَظُوا عَهْدَ اللهِ، وَأَبَوْا السُّلُوكَ فِي شَرِيعَتِهِ،

They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;

وَنَسُوا أَفْعَالَهُ وَعَجَائِبَهُ الَّتِي أَرَاهُمْ.

And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.

قُدَّامَ آبَائِهِمْ صَنَعَ أُعْجُوبَةً فِي أَرْضِ مِصْرَ ، بِلاَدِ صُوعَنَ.

Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

شَقَّ الْبَحْرَ فَعَبَّرَهُمْ، وَنَصَبَ الْمِيَاهَ كَنَدٍّ.

He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.

وَهَدَاهُمْ بِالسَّحَابِ نَهَارًا، وَاللَّيْلَ كُلَّهُ بِنُورِ نَارٍ.

In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.

شَقَّ صُخُورًا فِي الْبَرِّيَّةِ، وَسَقَاهُمْ كَأَنَّهُ مِنْ لُجَجٍ عَظِيمَةٍ.

He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.

أَخْرَجَ مَجَارِيَ مِنْ صَخْرَةٍ، وَأَجْرَى مِيَاهًا كَالأَنْهَارِ.

He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.

ثُمَّ عَادُوا أَيْضًا لِيُخْطِئُوا إِلَيْهِ، لِعِصْيَانِ الْعَلِيِّ فِي الأَرْضِ النَّاشِفَةِ.

And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.

وَجَرَّبُوا اللهَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ، بِسُؤَالِهِمْ طَعَامًا لِشَهْوَتِهِمْ.

And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.

فَوَقَعُوا فِي اللهِ. قَالُوا: «هَلْ يَقْدِرُ اللهُ أَنْ يُرَتِّبَ مَائِدَةً فِي الْبَرِّيَّةِ؟

Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?

هُوَذَا ضَرَبَ الصَّخْرَةَ فَجَرَتِ الْمِيَاهُ وَفَاضَتِ الأَوْدِيَةُ. هَلْ يَقْدِرُ أَيْضًا أَنْ يُعْطِيَ خُبْزًا، أَوْ يُهَيِّئَ لَحْمًا لِشَعْبِهِ؟».

Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?

لِذلِكَ سَمِعَ الرَّبُّ فَغَضِبَ، وَاشْتَعَلَتْ نَارٌ فِي يَعْقُوبَ، وَسَخَطٌ أَيْضًا صَعِدَ عَلَى إِسْرَائِيلَ،

Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;

لأَنَّهُمْ لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِاللهِ وَلَمْ يَتَّكِلُوا عَلَى خَلاَصِهِ.

Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:

فَأَمَرَ السَّحَابَ مِنْ فَوْقُ، وَفَتَحَ مَصَارِيعَ السَّمَاوَاتِ.

Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,

وَأَمْطَرَ عَلَيْهِمْ مَنًّا لِلأَكْلِ، وَبُرَّ السَّمَاءِ أَعْطَاهُمْ.

And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.

أَكَلَ الإِنْسَانُ خُبْزَ الْمَلاَئِكَةِ. أَرْسَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ زَادًا لِلشِّبَعِ.

Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full.

أَهَاجَ شَرْقِيَّةً فِي السَّمَاءِ، وَسَاقَ بِقُوَّتِهِ جَنُوبِيَّةً.

He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.

وَأَمْطَرَ عَلَيْهِمْ لَحْمًا مِثْلَ التُّرَابِ، وَكَرَمْلِ الْبَحْرِ طُيُورًا ذَوَاتِ أَجْنِحَةٍ.

He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:

وَأَسْقَطَهَا فِي وَسَطِ مَحَلَّتِهِمْ حَوَالَيْ مَسَاكِنِهِمْ.

And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.

فَأَكَلُوا وَشَبِعُوا جِدًّا، وَأَتَاهُمْ بِشَهْوَتِهِمْ.

So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire;

لَمْ يَزُوغُوا عَنْ شَهْوَتِهِمْ. طَعَامُهُمْ بَعْدُ فِي أَفْوَاهِهِمْ،

They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths,

فَصَعِدَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَضَبُ اللهِ، وَقَتَلَ مِنْ أَسْمَنِهِمْ، وَصَرَعَ مُخْتَارِي إِسْرَائِيلَ.

The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.

فِي هذَا كُلِّهِ أَخْطَأُوا بَعْدُ، وَلَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِعَجَائِبِهِ.

For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.

فَأَفْنَى أَيَّامَهُمْ بِالْبَاطِلِ وَسِنِيهِمْ بِالرُّعْبِ.

Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.

إِذْ قَتَلَهُمْ طَلَبُوهُ، وَرَجَعُوا وَبَكَّرُوا إِلَى اللهِ،

When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God.

وَذَكَرُوا أَنَّ اللهَ صَخْرَتُهُمْ، وَاللهَ الْعَلِيَّ وَلِيُّهُمْ.

And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.

فَخَادَعُوهُ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ، وَكَذَبُوا عَلَيْهِ بِأَلْسِنَتِهِمْ.

Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.

أَمَّا قُلُوبُهُمْ فَلَمْ تُثَبَّتْ مَعَهُ، وَلَمْ يَكُونُوا أُمَنَاءَ فِي عَهْدِهِ.

For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.

أَمَّا هُوَ فَرَؤُوفٌ، يَغْفِرُ الإِثْمَ وَلاَ يُهْلِكُ. وَكَثِيرًا مَا رَدَّ غَضَبَهُ، وَلَمْ يُشْعِلْ كُلَّ سَخَطِهِ.

But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.

ذَكَرَ أَنَّهُمْ بَشَرٌ. رِيحٌ تَذْهَبُ وَلاَ تَعُودُ.

For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.

كَمْ عَصَوْهُ فِي الْبَرِّيَّةِ وَأَحْزَنُوهُ فِي الْقَفْرِ!

How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!

رَجَعُوا وَجَرَّبُوا اللهَ وَعَنَّوْا قُدُّوسَ إِسْرَائِيلَ.

Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.

لَمْ يَذْكُرُوا يَدَهُ يَوْمَ فَدَاهُمْ مِنَ الْعَدُوِّ،

They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.

حَيْثُ جَعَلَ فِي مِصْرَ آيَاتِهِ، وَعَجَائِبَهُ فِي بِلاَدِ صُوعَنَ.

How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan:

إِذْ حَوَّلَ خُلْجَانَهُمْ إِلَى دَمٍ، وَمَجَارِيَهُمْ لِكَيْ لاَ يَشْرَبُوا.

And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.

أَرْسَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ بَعُوضًا فَأَكَلَهُمْ، وَضَفَادِعَ فَأَفْسَدَتْهُمْ.

He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.

أَسْلَمَ لِلْجَرْدَمِ غَلَّتَهُمْ، وَتَعَبَهُمْ لِلْجَرَادِ.

He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust.

أَهْلَكَ بِالْبَرَدِ كُرُومَهُمْ، وَجُمَّيْزَهُمْ بِالصَّقِيعِ.

He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost.

وَدَفَعَ إِلَى الْبَرَدِ بَهَائِمَهُمْ، وَمَوَاشِيَهُمْ لِلْبُرُوقِ.

He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.

أَرْسَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ حُمُوَّ غَضَبِهِ، سَخَطًا وَرِجْزًا وَضِيْقًا، جَيْشَ مَلاَئِكَةٍ أَشْرَارٍ.

He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.

مَهَّدَ سَبِيلاً لِغَضَبِهِ. لَمْ يَمْنَعْ مِنَ الْمَوْتِ أَنْفُسَهُمْ، بَلْ دَفَعَ حَيَاتَهُمْ لِلْوَبَإِ.

He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;

وَضَرَبَ كُلَّ بِكْرٍ فِي مِصْرَ. أَوَائِلَ الْقُدْرَةِ فِي خِيَامِ حَامٍ.

And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:

وَسَاقَ مِثْلَ الْغَنَمِ شَعْبَهُ، وَقَادَهُمْ مِثْلَ قَطِيعٍ فِي الْبَرِّيَّةِ.

But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.

وَهَدَاهُمْ آمِنِينَ فَلَمْ يَجْزَعُوا. أَمَّا أَعْدَاؤُهُمْ فَغَمَرَهُمُ الْبَحْرُ.

And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

وَأَدْخَلَهُمْ فِي تُخُومِ قُدْسِهِ، هذَا الْجَبَلِ الَّذِي اقْتَنَتْهُ يَمِينُهُ.

And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased.

وَطَرَدَ الأُمَمَ مِنْ قُدَّامِهِمْ وَقَسَمَهُمْ بِالْحَبْلِ مِيرَاثًا، وَأَسْكَنَ فِي خِيَامِهِمْ أَسْبَاطَ إِسْرَائِيلَ.

He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.

فَجَرَّبُوا وَعَصَوْا اللهَ الْعَلِيَّ، وَشَهَادَاتِهِ لَمْ يَحْفَظُوا،

Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:

بَلِ ارْتَدُّوا وَغَدَرُوا مِثْلَ آبَائِهِمْ. انْحَرَفُوا كَقَوْسٍ مُخْطِئَةٍ.

But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.

أَغَاظُوهُ بِمُرْتَفَعَاتِهِمْ، وَأَغَارُوهُ بِتَمَاثِيلِهِمْ.

For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.

سَمِعَ اللهُ فَغَضِبَ، وَرَذَلَ إِسْرَائِيلَ جِدًّا،

When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:

وَرَفَضَ مَسْكِنَ شِيلُوِ، الْخَيْمَةَ الَّتِي نَصَبَهَا بَيْنَ النَّاسِ.

So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men;

وَسَلَّمَ لِلسَّبْيِ عِزَّهُ، وَجَلاَلَهُ لِيَدِ الْعَدُوِّ.

And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's hand.

وَدَفَعَ إِلَى السَّيْفِ شَعْبَهُ، وَغَضِبَ عَلَى مِيرَاثِهِ.

He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.

مُخْتَارُوهُ أَكَلَتْهُمُ النَّارُ، وَعَذَارَاهُ لَمْ يُحْمَدْنَ.

The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.

كَهَنَتُهُ سَقَطُوا بِالسَّيْفِ، وَأَرَامِلُهُ لَمْ يَبْكِينَ.

Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.

فَاسْتَيْقَظَ الرَّبُّ كَنَائِمٍ، كَجَبَّارٍ مُعَيِّطٍ مِنَ الْخَمْرِ.

Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.

فَضَرَبَ أَعْدَاءَهُ إِلَى الْوَرَاءِ. جَعَلَهُمْ عَارًا أَبَدِيًّا.

And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach.

وَرَفَضَ خَيْمَةَ يُوسُفَ، وَلَمْ يَخْتَرْ سِبْطَ أَفْرَايِمَ.

Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:

بَلِ اخْتَارَ سِبْطَ يَهُوذَا، جَبَلَ صِهْيَوْنَ الَّذِي أَحَبَّهُ.

But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.

وَبَنَى مِثْلَ مُرْتَفَعَاتٍ مَقْدِسَهُ، كَالأَرْضِ الَّتِي أَسَّسَهَا إِلَى الأَبَدِ.

And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever.

وَاخْتَارَ دَاوُدَ عَبْدَهُ، وَأَخَذَهُ مِنْ حَظَائِرِ الْغَنَمِ.

He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:

مِنْ خَلْفِ الْمُرْضِعَاتِ أَتَى بِهِ، لِيَرْعَى يَعْقُوبَ شَعْبَهُ، وَإِسْرَائِيلَ مِيرَاثَهُ.

From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.

فَرَعَاهُمْ حَسَبَ كَمَالِ قَلْبِهِ، وَبِمَهَارَةِ يَدَيْهِ هَدَاهُمْ.

So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.