1 Escutai a minha lei, povo meu; inclinai os vossos ouvidos às palavras da minha boca.
2 Abrirei a minha boca numa parábola; falarei enigmas da antiguidade.
3 Os quais temos ouvido e sabido, e nossos pais no-los têm contado.
4 Não os encobriremos aos seus filhos, mostrando à geração futura os louvores do Senhor, assim como a sua força e as maravilhas que fez.
5 Porque ele estabeleceu um testemunho em Jacó, e pôs uma lei em Israel, a qual deu aos nossos pais para que a fizessem conhecer a seus filhos;
6 Para que a geração vindoura a soubesse, os filhos que nascessem, os quais se levantassem e a contassem a seus filhos;
7 Para que pusessem em Deus a sua esperança, e se não esquecessem das obras de Deus, mas guardassem os seus mandamentos.
8 E não fossem como seus pais, geração contumaz e rebelde, geração que não regeu o seu coração, e cujo espírito não foi fiel a Deus.
9 Os filhos de Efraim, armados e trazendo arcos, viraram as costas no dia da peleja.
10 Não guardaram a aliança de Deus, e recusaram andar na sua lei;
11 E esqueceram-se das suas obras e das maravilhas que lhes fizera ver.
12 Maravilhas que ele fez à vista de seus pais na terra do Egito, no campo de Zoã.
13 Dividiu o mar, e os fez passar por ele; fez com que as águas parassem como num montão.
14 De dia os guiou por uma nuvem, e toda a noite por uma luz de fogo.
15 Fendeu as penhas no deserto; e deu-lhes de beber como de grandes abismos.
16 Fez sair fontes da rocha, e fez correr as águas como rios.
17 E ainda prosseguiram em pecar contra ele, provocando ao Altíssimo na solidão.
18 E tentaram a Deus nos seus corações, pedindo carne para o seu apetite.
19 E falaram contra Deus, e disseram: Acaso pode Deus prepararnos uma mesa no deserto?
20 Eis que feriu a penha, e águas correram dela: rebentaram ribeiros em abundância. Poderá também dar-nos pão, ou preparar carne para o seu povo?
21 Portanto o Senhor os ouviu, e se indignou; e acendeu um fogo contra Jacó, e furor também subiu contra Israel;
22 Porquanto não creram em Deus, nem confiaram na sua salvação;
23 Ainda que mandara às altas nuvens, e abriu as portas dos céus,
24 E chovera sobre eles o maná para comerem, e lhes dera do trigo do céu.
25 O homem comeu o pão dos anjos; ele lhes mandou comida a fartar.
26 Fez soprar o vento do oriente nos céus, e o trouxe do sul com a sua força.
27 E choveu sobre eles carne como pó, e aves de asas como a areia do mar.
28 E as fez cair no meio do seu arraial, ao redor de suas habitações.
29 Então comeram e se fartaram bem; pois lhes cumpriu o seu desejo.
30 Não refrearam o seu apetite. Ainda lhes estava a comida na boca,
31 Quando a ira de Deus desceu sobre eles, e matou os mais robustos deles, e feriu os escolhidos de Israel.
32 Com tudo isto ainda pecaram, e não deram crédito às suas maravilhas.
33 Por isso consumiu os seus dias na vaidade e os seus anos na angústia.
34 Quando os matava, então o procuravam; e voltavam, e de madrugada buscavam a Deus.
35 E se lembravam de que Deus era a sua rocha, e o Deus Altíssimo o seu Redentor.
36 Todavia lisonjeavam-no com a boca, e com a língua lhe mentiam.
37 Porque o seu coração não era reto para com ele, nem foram fiéis na sua aliança.
38 Ele, porém, que é misericordioso, perdoou a sua iniqüidade; e não os destruiu, antes muitas vezes desviou deles o seu furor, e não despertou toda a sua ira.
39 Porque se lembrou de que eram de carne, vento que passa e não volta.
40 Quantas vezes o provocaram no deserto, e o entristeceram na solidão!
41 Voltaram atrás, e tentaram a Deus, e limitaram o Santo de Israel.
42 Não se lembraram da sua mão, nem do dia em que os livrou do adversário;
43 Como operou os seus sinais no Egito, e as suas maravilhas no campo de Zoã;
44 E converteu os seus rios em sangue, e as suas correntes, para que não pudessem beber.
45 Enviou entre eles enxames de moscas que os consumiram, e rãs que os destruíram.
46 Deu também ao pulgão a sua novidade, e o seu trabalho aos gafanhotos.
47 Destruiu as suas vinhas com saraiva, e os seus sicômoros com pedrisco.
48 Também entregou o seu gado à saraiva, e os seus rebanhos aos coriscos.
49 Lançou sobre eles o ardor da sua ira, furor, indignação, e angústia, mandando maus anjos contra eles.
50 Preparou caminho à sua ira; não poupou as suas almas da morte, mas entregou à pestilência as suas vidas.
51 E feriu a todo primogênito no Egito, primícias da sua força nas tendas de Cão.
52 Mas fez com que o seu povo saísse como ovelhas, e os guiou pelo deserto como um rebanho.
53 E os guiou com segurança, que não temeram; mas o mar cobriu os seus inimigos.
54 E os trouxe até ao termo do seu santuário, até este monte que a sua destra adquiriu.
55 E expulsou os gentios de diante deles, e lhes dividiu uma herança por linha, e fez habitar em suas tendas as tribos de Israel.
56 Contudo tentaram e provocaram o Deus Altíssimo, e não guardaram os seus testemunhos.
57 Mas retiraram-se para trás, e portaram-se infielmente como seus pais; viraram-se como um arco enganoso.
58 Pois o provocaram à ira com os seus altos, e moveram o seu zelo com as suas imagens de escultura.
59 Deus ouviu isto e se indignou; e aborreceu a Israel sobremodo.
60 Por isso desamparou o tabernáculo em Siló, a tenda que estabeleceu entre os homens.
61 E deu a sua força ao cativeiro, e a sua glória à mão do inimigo.
62 E entregou o seu povo à espada, e se enfureceu contra a sua herança.
63 O fogo consumiu os seus jovens, e as suas moças não foram dadas em casamento.
64 Os seus sacerdotes caíram à espada, e as suas viúvas não fizeram lamentação.
65 Então o Senhor despertou, como quem acaba de dormir, como um valente que se alegra com o vinho.
66 E feriu os seus adversários por detrás, e pô-los em perpétuo desprezo.
67 Além disto, recusou o tabernáculo de José, e não elegeu a tribo de Efraim.
68 Antes elegeu a tribo de Judá; o monte Sião, que ele amava.
69 E edificou o seu santuário como altos palácios, como a terra, que fundou para sempre.
70 Também elegeu a Davi seu servo, e o tirou dos apriscos das ovelhas;
71 E o tirou do cuidado das que se acharam prenhes; para apascentar a Jacó, seu povo, e a Israel, sua herança.
72 Assim os apascentou, segundo a integridade do seu coração, e os guiou pela perícia de suas mãos.
1 Maschil. Of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law; let your ears be bent down to the words of my mouth.
2 Opening my mouth I will give out a story, even the dark sayings of old times;
3 Which have come to our hearing and our knowledge, as they were given to us by our fathers.
4 We will not keep them secret from our children; we will make clear to the coming generation the praises of the Lord and his strength, and the great works of wonder which he has done.
5 He put up a witness in Jacob, and made a law in Israel; which he gave to our fathers so that they might give knowledge of them to their children;
6 So that the generation to come might have knowledge of them, even the children of the future, who would give word of them to their children;
7 So that they might put their hope in God, and not let God's works go out of their minds, but keep his laws;
8 And not be like their fathers, a stiff-necked and uncontrolled generation; a generation whose heart was hard, whose spirit was not true to God.
9 The children of Ephraim, armed with bows, were turned back on the day of the fight.
10 They were not ruled by God's word, and they would not go in the way of his law;
11 They let his works go out of their memory, and the wonders which he had made them see.
12 He did great works before the eyes of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan.
13 The sea was cut in two so that they might go through; the waters were massed together on this side and on that.
14 In the daytime he was guiding them in the cloud, and all through the night with a light of fire.
15 The rocks of the waste land were broken by his power, and he gave them drink as out of the deep waters.
16 He made streams come out of the rock; and waters came flowing down like rivers.
17 And they went on sinning against him even more, turning away from the Most High in the waste land;
18 Testing God in their hearts, requesting meat for their desire.
19 They said bitter words against God, saying, Is God able to make ready a table in the waste land?
20 See, the rock was cut open by his power, so that the water came rushing out, and overflowing streams; is he able to give us bread? is he able to get meat for his people?
21 So these things came to the Lord's ears, and he was angry; and a fire was lighted against Jacob, and wrath came up against Israel;
22 Because they had no faith in God, and no hope in his salvation.
23 And he gave orders to the clouds on high, and the doors of heaven were open;
24 And he sent down manna like rain for their food, and gave them the grain of heaven.
25 Man took part in the food of strong ones; he sent them meat in full measure.
26 He sent an east wind from heaven, driving on the south wind by his power.
27 He sent down meat on them like dust, and feathered birds like the sand of the sea,
28 And he let it come down into their resting-place, round about their tents.
29 So they had food and were full; for he gave them their desire;
30 But they were not turned from their desires; and while the food was still in their mouths,
31 The wrath of God came on them, and put to death the fattest of them, and put an end to the young men of Israel.
32 For all this they went on sinning even more, and had no faith in his great wonders.
33 So their days were wasted like a breath, and their years in trouble.
34 When he sent death on them, then they made search for him; turning to him and looking for him with care;
35 In the memory that God was their Rock, and the Most High God their saviour.
36 But their lips were false to him, and their tongues were untrue to him;
37 And their hearts were not right with him, and they did not keep their agreement with him.
38 But he, being full of pity, has forgiveness for sin, and does not put an end to man: frequently turning back his wrath, and not being violently angry.
39 So he kept in mind that they were only flesh; a breath which is quickly gone, and will not come again.
40 How frequently did they go against him in the waste land, and give him cause for grief in the dry places!
41 Again they put God to the test, and gave pain to the Holy One of Israel.
42 They did not keep in mind the work of his hand, or the day when he took them from the power of their haters;
43 How he had done his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan;
44 So that their rivers were turned to blood, and they were not able to get drink from their streams.
45 He sent different sorts of flies among them, poisoning their flesh; and frogs for their destruction.
46 He gave the increase of their fields to worms, the fruits of their industry to the locusts.
47 He sent ice for the destruction of their vines; their trees were damaged by the bitter cold.
48 Ice was rained down on their cattle; thunderstorms sent destruction among the flocks.
49 He sent on them the heat of his wrath, his bitter disgust, letting loose evil angels among them.
50 He let his wrath have its way; he did not keep back their soul from death, but gave their life to disease.
51 He gave to destruction all the first sons of Egypt; the first-fruits of their strength in the tents of Ham;
52 But he took his people out like sheep, guiding them in the waste land like a flock.
53 He took them on safely so that they had no fear; but their haters were covered by the sea.
54 And he was their guide to his holy land, even to the mountain, which his right hand had made his;
55 Driving out nations before them, marking out the line of their heritage, and giving the people of Israel their tents for a resting-place.
56 But they were bitter against the Most High God, testing him, and not keeping his laws;
57 Their hearts were turned back and untrue like their fathers; they were turned to one side like a twisted bow.
58 They made him angry with their high places; moving him to wrath with their images.
59 When this came to God's ears he was very angry, and gave up Israel completely;
60 So that he went away from the holy place in Shiloh, the tent which he had put among men;
61 And he let his strength be taken prisoner, and gave his glory into the hands of his hater.
62 He gave his people up to the sword, and was angry with his heritage.
63 Their young men were burned in the fire; and their virgins were not praised in the bride-song.
64 Their priests were put to death by the sword, and their widows made no weeping for them.
65 Then was the Lord like one awaking from sleep, and like a strong man crying out because of wine.
66 His haters were turned back by his blows and shamed for ever.
67 And he put the tent of Joseph on one side, and took not the tribe of Ephraim;
68 But he took the tribe of Judah for himself, and the mountain of Zion, in which he had pleasure.
69 And he made his holy place like the high heaven, like the earth which is fixed by him for ever.
70 He took David to be his servant, taking him from the place of the flocks;
71 From looking after the sheep which were giving milk, he took him to give food to Jacob his people, and to Israel his heritage.
72 So he gave them food with an upright heart, guiding them by the wisdom of his hands.