Ukuthandazela inkululeko yesizwe

Umbongo ka-Asafu.

1 Awu, Thixo! Ngani ukuba wenjenje ukusilahla?

Awusathothi na umsindo wakho kubantu bakho?

2 Khawulikhumbule ibandla lakho owalifumana mandulo,

owalikhululayo ukuze libe lilifa lakho;

khumbula ikhaya lakho intaba iZiyon.

3 Khawuye kuloo mabhodlo;

iintshaba zabhuqa konke endlwini yakho.

4 Zabharhumla phakathi endaweni engcwele,

zaza zamisa eyazo indwe.

5 Ezo zinxosha-nxosha zabhulula konke,

ngathi ngabagawuli begec’ imithi.

6 Zona izinto ezenziwe ngomthi

bazintlekeza ngooncelemba nezando.

7 Zayintumek’ umlilo indawo engcwele,

zayixabhela zayidiliza indlu yakho engcwele.

8 Zathi: “Masibabhangise kuthi tu.”

Kulo lonke bazitshisa iindawo zokunqula.

9 Eyakuthi indwe ayisabonakali;

akusekho namshumayeli,

kungekho waziyo ukuba koda kube nini na.

10 Koda kube nini, Thixo, utshaba lungcikiva?

Lohlala lukunyelisa njalo-njalo?

11 Kutheni ukuba ungasincedi?

Ngani ukuba usonge izandla?

12 Kambe ke wena, Thixo, waba ngukumkani kwamandulo.

Uyabahlangula abantu ehlabathini liphela.

13 Ngaloo mandla walahlula-hlula ulwandle,

waziqhekez’ intloko iingwenya,

14 wasintlekeza intloko isilo solwandle,

sakukutya kwelo libharhileyo.

15 Wena wampompozisa imithombo nemilanjana,

waza wayomisa imilambo engatshiyo.

16 Yadalwa nguwe imini, ngokunjalo nobusuku;

ivela kuwe inyanga, ngokunjalo nelanga.

17 Yamiswa nguwe imida yehlabathi;

ngokukwanjalo ihlobo nobusika.

18 Awu, *Ndikhoyo, khumbula ukuba iintshaba ziyakusinekela;

izibhoja ziyalingcikiva igama lakho.

19 Ungabayekeli ezintshabeni abantu bakho;

khumbula ngokubandezeleka kwabantu bakho.

20 Khawucinge ngomnqophiso wakho,

kuba eli lizwe liphethwe zizibhoja

zona zigoxa kwamnyama-ndawo.

21 Sukubayekela abacinezelweyo;

nawo amahlwempu neentsizana makakudumise.

22 Khawuvuke uhlanganise, Thixo;

izibhoja zisoloko zikungcikiva.

23 Sukuyilibala intsholo yotshaba lwakho,

umlembelele wengxolo yabakuchasayo.