Lamentations 4
1 How the gold has become tarnished, the pure gold has become dull! The gems of the temple lie scattered on every street corner.
Haa! Golide wathimbirira, golide wosalala wasinthikiratu! Amwazamwaza miyala yokongola ya kumalo opatulika pamphambano ponse pa mzinda.
2 How the precious sons of Zion, once worth their weight in pure gold, are now esteemed as jars of clay, the work of a potter’s hands!
Haa! Ana a Ziyoni amtengowapatali amene kale anali ngati golide, tsopano ali ngati miphika ya dothi, ntchito ya owumba mbiya!
3 Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, but the daughter of my people has become cruel, like an ostrich in the wilderness.
Ngakhale nkhandwe zimapereka bere kuyamwitsa ana ake, koma anthu anga asanduka ankhanza ngati nthiwatiwa mʼchipululu.
4 The nursing infant’s tongue clings in thirst to the roof of his mouth. Little children beg for bread, but no one gives them any.
Lilime la mwana lakangamira kukhosi chifukwa cha ludzu, ana akupempha chakudya, koma palibe amene akuwapatsa.
5 Those who once ate delicacies are destitute in the streets; those brought up in crimson huddle in ash heaps.
Iwo amene kale ankadya zonona akupemphetsa mʼmisewu ya mu mzinda. Iwo amene kale ankavala zokongola tsopano akugona pa phulusa.
6 The punishment of the daughter of my people is greater than that of Sodom, which was overthrown in an instant without a hand turned to help her.
Kuyipa kwa anthu anga kunali kwakukulu kuposa anthu a ku Sodomu, amene anawonongedwa mʼkamphindi kochepa popanda owathandiza.
7 Her dignitaries were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like sapphires.
Akalonga ake anali owala koposa chisanu chowundana ndi oyera kuposa mkaka. Matupi awo anali ofiira kuposa miyala ya rubi, maonekedwe awo ngati miyala ya safiro.
8 But now their appearance is blacker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones; it has become as dry as a stick.
Koma tsopano maonekedwe awo ndi akuda kuposa mwaye; palibe angawazindikire mʼmisewu ya mu mzinda. Khungu lawo lachita makwinyamakwinya pa mafupa awo; lawuma gwaa ngati nkhuni.
9 Those slain by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce.
Amene anaphedwa ndi lupanga aliko bwino kuposa amene anafa ndi njala; chifukwa chosowa chakudya cha mʼmunda iwowa ankafowoka ndi njala mpaka kufa.
10 The hands of compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Amayi achifundo afika pophika ana awo enieni, ndiwo anali chakudya chawo pamene anthu anga anali kuwonongeka.
11 The LORD has exhausted His wrath; He has poured out His fierce anger; He has kindled a fire in Zion, and it has consumed her foundations.
Yehova wakwaniritsa ukali wake; wagwetsa pansi mkwiyo wake woopsa. Ndipo wayatsa moto mʼZiyoni kuti uwononge maziko ake.
12 The kings of the earth did not believe, nor any people of the world, that an enemy or a foe could enter the gates of Jerusalem.
Mafumu a pa dziko lapansi sanakhulupirire, kapena wina aliyense wokhala pa dziko lonse, kuti adani kapena ankhondo akhoza kulowa pa zipata za Yerusalemu.
13 But this was for the sins of her prophets and the guilt of her priests, who shed the blood of the righteous in her midst.
Koma izi zinachitika chifukwa cha kuchimwa kwa aneneri ake ndi mphulupulu za ansembe ake, amene ankapha anthu osalakwa pakati pawo.
14 They wandered blind in the streets, defiled by this blood, so that no one dared to touch their garments.
Tsopano akungoyendayenda mʼmisewu ya mu mzinda ngati anthu osaona. Iwo ndi odetsedwa kwambiri ndi magazi palibe yemwe angayerekeze nʼkukhudza komwe chovala chawo.
15 “Go away! Unclean!” men shouted at them. “Away, away! Do not touch us!” So they fled and wandered. Among the nations it was said, “They can stay here no longer.”
Anthu akuwafuwulira kuti, “Chokani! Inu anthu odetsedwa!” “Chokani! Chokani! Musatikhudze ife!” Akamathawa ndi kumangoyendayenda, pakati pa anthu a mitundu yonse amati, “Asakhalenso ndi ife.”
16 The presence of the LORD has scattered them; He regards them no more. The priests are shown no honor; the elders find no favor.
Yehova mwini wake wawabalalitsa; Iye sakuwalabadiranso. Ansembe sakulandira ulemu, akuluakulu sakuwachitira chifundo.
17 All the while our eyes were failing as we looked in vain for help. We watched from our towers for a nation that could not save us.
Ndiponso maso athu atopa nʼkuyangʼana, chithandizo chosabwera nʼkomwe, kuchokera pa nsanja zathu tinadikirira mtundu wa anthu umene sukanatipulumutsa.
18 They stalked our every step, so that we could not walk in our streets. Our end drew near, our time ran out, for our end had come!
Anthu ankalondola mapazi athu, choncho sitikanayenda mʼmisewu yathu mu mzinda. Chimaliziro chathu chinali pafupi, masiku athu anali owerengeka, chifukwa chimaliziro chathu chinali chitafika.
19 Those who chased us were swifter than the eagles in the sky; they pursued us over the mountains and ambushed us in the wilderness.
Otilondola akuthamanga kwambiri kuposa ziwombankhanga mu mlengalenga; anatithamangitsa mpaka ku mapiri ndi kutibisalira mʼchipululu.
20 The LORD’s anointed, the breath of our life, was captured in their pits. We had said of him, “Under his shadow we will live among the nations.”
Wodzozedwa wa Yehova, mpweya wathu wotipatsa moyo, anakodwa mʼmisampha yawo. Tinaganiza kuti tidzakhala pansi pa mthunzi wake pakati pa mitundu ya anthu.
21 So rejoice and be glad, O Daughter of Edom, you who dwell in the land of Uz. Yet the cup will pass to you as well; you will get drunk and expose yourself.
Kondwera ndi kusangalala, mwana wamkazi wa Edomu. Iwe amene umakhala mʼdziko la Uzi. Koma iwenso chikho chidzakupeza; udzaledzera mpaka kukhala maliseche.
22 O Daughter of Zion, your punishment is complete; He will not prolong your exile. But He will punish your iniquity, O Daughter of Edom; He will expose your sins.
Iwe mwana wamkazi wa Ziyoni, chilango chako chidzatha; Iye sadzatalikitsa nthawi yako ya ukapolo. Koma Yehova adzalanga machimo ako, iwe mwana wamkazi wa Edomu, ndi kuyika poyera mphulupulu zako.
