Lytt til min lov, mitt folk. Vend ørene mot ordene fra min munn.

> Hear my law, my people. Turn your ears to the words of my mouth.

Jeg vil åpne min munn med en lignelse. Jeg vil uttale gamle gåter,

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

som vi har hørt og kjent, og som våre fedre har fortalt oss.

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

Vi vil ikke skjule dem for deres barn, vi vil fortelle den kommende generasjon om Yahwehs pris, hans styrke og de underfulle verk han har gjort.

We will not hide them from their children, Telling to the generation to come the praises of Yahweh, His strength, and his wondrous works that he has done.

For han opprettet et vitnesbyrd i Jakob og satte en lov i Israel, som han påla våre fedre å kunngjøre for sine barn.

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;

For at den kommende generasjon skulle kjenne det, barna som skulle bli født; de skulle reise seg og fortelle det til sine barn,

That the generation to come might know, even the children who should be born; Who should arise and tell their children,

så de kunne sette sitt håp til Gud og ikke glemme Guds verk, men holde hans bud.

That they might set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep his commandments,

Og ikke være som deres fedre, en trassig og gjenstridig generasjon, en generasjon som ikke gjorde sitt hjerte trofast, hvis ånd ikke var trofast mot Gud.

And might not be as their fathers, A stubborn and rebellious generation, A generation that didn't make their hearts loyal, Whose spirit was not steadfast with God.

Efraims barn, bevæpnet med buer, vendte om på kampdagen.

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

De holdt ikke Guds pakt og nektet å leve etter hans lov.

They didn't keep God's covenant, And refused to walk in his law.

De glemte hans gjerninger, hans underfulle verk som han hadde vist dem.

They forgot his doings, His wondrous works that he had shown them.

Han gjorde underfulle ting for deres fedres øyne, i Egypts land, på markene i Zoan.

He did marvelous things in the sight of their fathers, In the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

Han delte havet og lot dem gå gjennom; han fikk vannet til å stå som en vegg.

He split the sea, and caused them to pass through; He made the waters stand as a heap.

Om dagen ledet han dem med en sky og hele natten med et ildlys.

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

Han kløvde klipper i ørkenen og ga dem rikelig å drikke som fra dypene.

He split rocks in the wilderness, And gave them drink abundantly as out of the depths.

Han lot strømmer flyte ut fra klippen og fikk vann til å renne som elver.

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

Likevel fortsatte de å synde mot ham, å gjøre opprør mot Den høyeste i ørkenen.

Yet they still went on to sin against him, To rebel against the Most High in the desert.

De fristet Gud i sitt hjerte ved å be om mat etter sitt begjær.

They tempted God in their heart By asking food according to their desire.

Ja, de talte imot Gud. De sa: "Kan Gud dekke et bord i ørkenen?

Yes, they spoke against God. They said, "Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?

Se, han slo klippen, så vann strømmet ut, og bekker flommet over. Kan han også gi brød? Vil han sørge for kjøtt til sitt folk?"

Behold, he struck the rock, so that waters gushed out, Streams overflowed. Can he give bread also? Will he provide flesh for his people?"

Da Yahweh hørte dette, ble han vred. En ild ble tent mot Jakob, også mot Israel reiste hans vrede seg,

Therefore Yahweh heard, and was angry. A fire was kindled against Jacob, Anger also went up against Israel,

fordi de ikke trodde på Gud og ikke stolte på hans frelse.

Because they didn't believe in God, And didn't trust in his salvation.

Likevel befalte han skyene over, og åpnet himmelens dører.

Yet he commanded the skies above, And opened the doors of heaven.

Han lot manna regne ned over dem til mat og ga dem himmelsbrød.

He rained down manna on them to eat, And gave them food from the sky.

Menneskene spiste englenes brød. Han sendte dem mat i overflod.

Man ate the bread of angels. He sent them food to the full.

Han lot østvinden blåse i himmelen, og ved sin kraft førte han sørvinden.

He caused the east wind to blow in the sky. By his power he guided the south wind.

Han lot også kjøtt regne ned på dem som støv; vingete fugler som havets sand.

He rained also flesh on them as the dust; Winged birds as the sand of the seas.

Han lot dem falle midt i deres leir, rundt deres boliger.

He let them fall in the midst of their camp, Around their habitations.

Så spiste de og ble godt mette. Han ga dem det de ønsket.

So they ate, and were well filled. He gave them their own desire.

De vendte ikke fra sitt begjær. Maten var enda i deres munn,

They didn't turn from their cravings. Their food was yet in their mouths,

da Guds vrede steg mot dem, drepte noen av de feteste blant dem, og slo ned Israels unge menn.

When the anger of God went up against them, Killed some of the fattest of them, And struck down the young men of Israel.

Likevel syndet de fremdeles og trodde ikke på hans underfulle verk.

For all this they still sinned, And didn't believe in his wondrous works.

Derfor lot han deres dager forsvinne i tomhet, og deres år i frykt.

Therefore he consumed their days in vanity, And their years in terror.

Når han slo dem, søkte de ham; de vendte om og søkte Gud ivrig.

When he killed them, then they inquired after him. They returned and sought God earnestly.

De kom i hu at Gud var deres klippe, Den høyeste Gud deres forløser.

They remembered that God was their rock, The Most High God their redeemer.

Men de smigret ham med sin munn og løy til ham med sin tunge.

But they flattered him with their mouth, And lied to him with their tongue.

For deres hjerte var ikke rett med ham, og de var ikke trofaste i hans pakt.

For their heart was not right with him, Neither were they faithful in his covenant.

Men han, som er full av barmhjertighet, tilga synd og ødela dem ikke. Ja, mange ganger vendte han sin vrede bort og tente ikke hele sin vrede.

But he, being merciful, forgave iniquity, and didn't destroy them. Yes, many times he turned his anger away, And didn't stir up all his wrath.

Han kom i hu at de bare var kjød, en vind som farer forbi og ikke kommer igjen.

He remembered that they were but flesh, A wind that passes away, and doesn't come again.

Hvor ofte gjorde de opprør mot ham i ørkenen og bedrøvet ham i ødemarken!

How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness, And grieved him in the desert!

De vendte om igjen og fristet Gud, og krenket Israels Hellige.

They turned again and tempted God, And provoked the Holy One of Israel.

De husket ikke hans styrke, den dag han fridde dem ut fra fienden;

They didn't remember his hand, Nor the day when he redeemed them from the adversary;

hvordan han satte sine tegn i Egypt, sine undre på markene i Zoan,

How he set his signs in Egypt, His wonders in the field of Zoan,

forvandlet deres elver til blod, og deres bekker, så de ikke kunne drikke.

Turned their rivers into blood, And their streams, so that they could not drink.

Han sendte fluesvermer blant dem som fortærte dem; og frosker som ødela dem.

He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them; And frogs, which destroyed them.

Han ga deres avlinger til gresshopperne, og deres arbeid til gresshoppesvermen.

He gave also their increase to the caterpillar, And their labor to the locust.

Han ødela deres vinstokker med hagl, deres morbærtrær med frost.

He destroyed their vines with hail, Their sycamore-fig trees with frost.

Han overga deres buskap også til hagl, og deres flokker til lyn.

He gave over their cattle also to the hail, And their flocks to hot thunderbolts.

Han kastet over dem sin vredes heftighet, sinne, harme og trengsel, og sendte onde engler blant dem.

He threw on them the fierceness of his anger, Wrath, indignation, and trouble, And a band of angels of evil.

Han gjorde en sti for sin vrede. Han sparte ikke deres sjel fra døden, men overga deres liv til pest.

He made a path for his anger. He didn't spare their soul from death, But gave their life over to the pestilence,

Og slo alle de førstefødte i Egypt, de første av deres krefter i Hams telt.

And struck all the firstborn in Egypt, The chief of their strength in the tents of Ham.

Men han førte sitt eget folk ut som sauer og ledet dem som en flokk i ørkenen.

But he led forth his own people like sheep, And guided them in the wilderness like a flock.

Han ledet dem trygt, så de ikke var redde, men havet dekket deres fiender.

He led them safely, so that they weren't afraid, But the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

Han førte dem til sitt hellige lands grense, til dette fjellet som hans høyre hånd har vunnet.

He brought them to the border of his sanctuary, To this mountain, which his right hand had taken.

Han drev ut nasjoner for deres åsyn og delte dem ut som arv, og lot Israels stammer bo i deres telt.

He also drove out the nations before them, Allotted them for an inheritance by line, And made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.

Likevel fristet de og satte seg opp mot Den høyeste Gud, og holdt ikke hans vitnesbyrd.

Yet they tempted and rebelled against the Most High God, And didn't keep his testimonies;

Men vendte om og handlet troløst som deres fedre. De ble avledet som en svikefull bue.

But turned back, and dealt treacherously like their fathers. They were turned aside like a deceitful bow.

For de vakte hans harme med sine offerhauger og gjorde ham nidkjær med sine utskårne bilder.

For they provoked him to anger with their high places, And moved him to jealousy with their engraved images.

Da Gud hørte dette, ble han vred, og avskyet Israel meget.

When God heard this, he was angry, And greatly abhorred Israel;

Så han forlot telthelligdommen i Shilo, teltet han hadde satt opp blant mennesker;

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

og ga sin styrke i fangenskap, sin herlighet i fienders hånd.

And delivered his strength into captivity, His glory into the adversary's hand.

Han overga også sitt folk til sverdet og ble vred på sin arv.

He also gave his people over to the sword, And was angry with his inheritance.

Ilden fortærte deres unge menn; deres jomfruer hadde ingen bryllupssang.

Fire devoured their young men; Their virgins had no wedding song.

Deres prester falt for sverdet, og deres enker kunne ikke gråte.

Their priests fell by the sword, And their widows couldn't weep.

Da våknet Herren som en som våkner av søvn, som en helt som roper på grunn av vin.

Then the Lord awakened as one out of sleep, Like a mighty man who shouts by reason of wine.

Han slo sine fiender tilbake. Han la dem til evig skam.

He struck his adversaries backward. He put them to a perpetual reproach.

Han forkastet også Josefs telt og valgte ikke Efraims stamme;

Moreover he rejected the tent of Joseph, And didn't choose the tribe of Ephraim,

men valgte Judas stamme, Sions fjell som han elsket.

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

Han bygde sin helligdom som høydene, som jorden han har grunnlagt for evig.

He built his sanctuary like the heights, Like the earth which he has established forever.

Han valgte også David, sin tjener, og tok ham fra sauefoldene;

He also chose David his servant, And took him from the sheepfolds;

Fra å følge de drektige sauene, brakte han ham til å være Jakobs folkets hyrde og Israels arv.

From following the ewes that have their young, He brought him to be the shepherd of Jacob, his people, And Israel, his inheritance.

Så hyrdet han dem etter sitt hjertes oppriktighet og ledet dem med sine henders dyktighet.

So he was their shepherd according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.