En visdomssalme av Asaf. Hør, mitt folk, på min lov: vend deres ører til ordene fra min munn.

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

Jeg vil åpne min munn med en lignelse; jeg vil frembringe gamle, gåtefulle ord.

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, men forkynne for kommende generasjoner Herrens pris, Hans styrke og de undere Han har gjort.

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.

For Han satte et vitnesbyrd i Jakob og innstiftet en lov i Israel, som Han befalte våre fedre å gjøre kjent 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:

Slik at den kommende generasjon, selv de barn som skulle bli født, kunne kjenne dem og fortelle dem videre til sine barn.

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

Slik at 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 bli som deres fedre, en sta og opprørsk generasjon; en generasjon som ikke satte sitt hjerte rett, og hvis ånd ikke var trofast mot Gud.

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.

Efraims barn, bevæpnet med buer, vendte tilbake på kampens dag.

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

De holdt ikke Guds pakt, og nektet å vandre etter Hans lov;

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

Og de glemte Hans gjerninger, og de undere Han hadde vist dem.

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

Forunderlige ting gjorde Han i deres fedres åsyn, i Egyptens land, på Zoans mark.

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

Han delte havet og lot dem gå gjennom; og Han lot vannet stå som en haug.

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

Om dagen ledet Han dem med en sky, og hele natten med lys fra ild.

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

Han kløyvde klippene i ørkenen og gav dem rikelig drikke som fra store dyp.

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

Han brakte også strømmer ut av klippen og lot vann renne ned som elver.

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

Men de fortsatte å synde mot Ham ved å utfordre den Høyeste i ørkenen.

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

Og de fristet Gud i sine hjerter ved å be om mat for sin lyst.

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

Ja, de talte mot Gud; de sa: Kan Gud dekke et bord i ørkenen?

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

Se, Han slo på klippen, så vannene strømmet ut og bekkene flommet over; kan Han også gi brød? Kan Han gi kjøtt til sitt folk?

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?

Derfor hørte Herren dette og ble vred; en ild ble tent mot Jakob, også vrede steg opp mot Israel;

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

Fordi de ikke trodde på Gud, og ikke stolte på Hans frelse.

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

Selv om Han hadde befalt skyene der oppe og åpnet himmelens dører,

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

Og latt manna regne over dem til å spise, og gitt dem himmelens korn.

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

Menneskene spiste englers mat: Han sendte dem så mye mat de kunne spise.

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

Han lot en østlig vind blåse på himmelen, og ved sin kraft førte Han inn sydens vind.

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

Han lot kjøtt regne over dem som støv, og fugler med fjær som sand ved havet.

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

Og han lot det falle midt i leiren deres, rundt om deres boliger.

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

Så de åt og ble overmettet; for Han gav dem deres egen lyst.

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

De hadde ennå ikke slukt det de hadde lyst på, men mens maten ennå var i deres munn,

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

Kom Guds vrede over dem og drepte de sterke av dem, og slo ned de utvalgte mennene i Israel.

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

For alt dette syndet de likevel, og trodde ikke på Hans underfulle gjerninger.

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

Derfor lot Han deres dager svinne bort i tomhet, og deres år i frykt.

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

Da Han drepte dem, søkte de Ham: og de vendte om og lette straks etter Gud.

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

Og de husket at Gud var deres klippe, og at den høye Gud var deres forløser.

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

Likevel smigret de Ham med sin munn og løy for Ham med sin tunge.

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

For deres hjerter var ikke rette mot Ham, og de var ikke trofaste i Hans pakt.

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

Men Han, full av medfølelse, tilgav deres synd og ødela dem ikke: ja, mange ganger vendte Han sin vrede bort og vakte ikke all sin harme.

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.

For Han husket at de var kjød; en vind som blåser bort, og ikke kommer igjen.

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

Hvor ofte utfordret de Ham i ørkenen, og bedrøvet Ham i ødemarken!

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

Ja, de vendte om og fristet Gud, og begrenset Israels Hellige.

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

De husket ikke Hans makt, heller ikke den dagen Han fridde dem fra fienden.

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

Hvordan Han hadde utført sine tegn i Egypt, og sine undere på Zoans mark:

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

Og hadde forvandlet deres elver til blod; og deres vannstrømmer, så de ikke kunne drikke.

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

Han sendte forskjellige fluer blant dem, som fortærte dem; og frosker, som ødela dem.

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

Han gav også deres avlinger til kålormen, og deres arbeid til gresshopper.

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

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

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

Han overgav også deres buskap til hagl, og deres flokker til hete lyn.

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

Han kastet inn over dem sin brennende vrede, harme og indignasjon, og ved trengsel sendte Han onde engler blant dem.

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

Han banet vei for sin vrede; Han sparte ikke deres sjel fra døden, men overgav deres liv til pesten;

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

Og slo alle de førstefødte i Egypten; den første fødte av deres styrke i Hams hjem.

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

Men lot sitt eget folk gå ut som sauer, og ledet dem i ørkenen som en flokk.

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

Og Han førte dem trygt, så de ikke fryktet; men havet overveldet deres fiender.

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

Og Han brakte dem til sitt hellige grenseland, til dette fjellet, som Hans høyre hånd hadde vunnet.

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

Han drev også bort folkeslag foran dem, og delte ut deres arv med målesnor, og lot Israels stammer bo i deres telt.

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.

Likevel fristet og utfordret de den Høyeste Gud, og holdt ikke Hans vitnesbyrd;

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

Men vendte om og handlet troløst som deres fedre: de ble som en falsk bue.

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

For de gjorde Ham vred med sine offerhøyder, og opphisset Ham til harme med sine utskårne bilder.

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

Da Gud hørte dette, ble Han vred, og Han avskydde Israel sterkt:

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

Slik at Han forlot helligdommen i Sjilo, det telt Han hadde reist blant menneskene;

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

Og overga sin styrke til fangenskap, og sin herlighet i fiendens hender.

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

Han overgav også sitt folk til sverdet; og var vred over sin arv.

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

Ilden fortærte deres unge menn; og deres jomfruer ble ikke gitt til ekteskap.

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

Deres prester falt for sverdet; og deres enker sørget ikke.

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

Da våknet Herren som fra søvn, som en veldig mann som roper på grunn av vin.

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

Og Han slo sine fiender i bakdelen: Han ga dem en evig skam.

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

Og Han forkastet Josefs telt, og valgte ikke Efraims stamme;

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

Men valgte Judas stamme, fjellet Sion, som Han elsker.

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

Og Han bygde sitt helligdom som høye palasser, som jorden som Han har grunnfestet for evig.

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

Han valgte også David, sin tjener, og hentet ham fra sauefoldene:

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

Fra å følge de diende sauene, brakte Han ham til å være hyrde for Jakob, Hans folk, og Israel, Hans arv.

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

Så voktet han dem med et ærlig hjerte; og ledet dem med dyktige hender.

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