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.
Zaabu ng’ettalazze! Zaabu ennungi ng’efuuse! Amayinja ag’omuwendo gasaasaanye buli luguudo we lutandikira.
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!
Abaana ba Sayuuni ab’omuwendo abaali beenkana nga zaabu ennungi, kaakano bali ng’ensuwa ez’ebbumba, omulimu gw’emikono gy’omubumbi.
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.
Ebibe biyonsa abaana baabyo, naye abantu bange bafuuse ng’abatalina kisa, bafaanana nga bammaaya mu ddungu.
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.
Olw’ennyonta omwana ayonka gy’alina, olulimi lwe lukwatira ku kibuno ky’akamwa ke; abaana basaba emmere naye tewali n’omu agibawa.
5 Those who once ate delicacies are destitute in the streets; those brought up in crimson huddle in ash heaps.
Abaalyanga ebiwoomerera basabiriza ku nguudo; n’abo abaakuzibwa ng’abambala engoye ezinekaaneka bali ku ntuumu ez’ebisasiro.
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.
Ekibonerezo ky’abantu bange kisinga ekya Sodomu, ekyawambibwa mu kaseera akatono, nga tewali n’omu azze kukibeera.
7 Her dignitaries were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like sapphires.
Abalangira baabwe baatukula nnyo okusinga omuzira, nga beeru okusinga amata; n’emibiri gyabwe nga mimyufu okusinga amayinja amatwakaavu, era banyirivu nga 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.
Naye kaakano badduggala okusinga enziro, era tebakyasobola kutegeerekeka mu nguudo. Olususu lwabwe lukalidde ku magumba gaabwe; lukaze ng’ekiti ekikalu.
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.
Abafa ekitala bafa bulungi okusinga abafa enjala, kubanga abafa enjala bayongobera ne baggwaawo olw’obutaba na mmere mu nnimiro.
10 The hands of compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Abakazi ab’ekisa abaagala abaana bafumbye abaana baabwe; abaana abaafuuka emmere abantu bange bwe baazikirizibwa.
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.
Mukama akituukirizza mu busungu bwe obungi, era abayiyeeko obusungu bwe obungi. Yakoleeza omuliro mu Sayuuni ogwayokya emisingi gyakyo.
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.
Bakabaka b’ensi n’abantu ab’ensi endala tebakkiriza, nti abalabe n’ababakyawa baliyingira mu wankaaki wa Yerusaalemi.
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.
Ebyo byabatuukako olw’ebibi bya bannabbi be, n’olw’obutali butuukirivu bwa bakabona be, abaayiwa omusaayi gw’abatuukirivu abaababeerangamu.
14 They wandered blind in the streets, defiled by this blood, so that no one dared to touch their garments.
Badoobera mu nguudo nga bamuzibe; bajjudde omusaayi so tewali ayaŋŋanga okukwata ku byambalo byabwe.
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.”
Abantu baabagobaganya nga boogera nti, “Muveewo, mmwe abatali balongoofu! Muviireewo ddala, so temutukwatako!” Bwe baafuuka emmombooze, amawanga gabagobaganya nga boogera nti, “Tebakyasaana kubeera wano.”
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.
Mukama yennyini abasaasaanyizza, takyabafaako. Bakabona tebakyassibwamu kitiibwa, newaakubadde abakadde okuweebwa ebifo eby’oku mwanjo.
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.
Amaaso gaffe gakooye olw’okulindirira okubeerwa okutajja; nga tulindirira eggwanga eriyinza okutulokola.
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!
Baatucocca ne batulemesa okutambulira mu nguudo zaffe; enkomerero yaffe n’eba kumpi, n’ennaku zaffe ne ziggwaayo.
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.
Abaatuyiganyanga baatusinga embiro okusinga n’empungu ez’omu bbanga. Baatugobera mu nsozi ne batuteegera mu ddungu.
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.”
Oyo Mukama gwe yafukako amafuta yagwa mu mitego gyabwe. Twalowooza nga tulikwekebwa mu kisiikirize kye ne tubeeranga mu mawanga.
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.
Sanyuka ojaguze, ggwe Omuwala wa Edomu, abeera mu nsi ya Uzi; naye lumu olinywa ku kikompe n’otamiira ne weeyambula.
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.
Ggwe Muwala wa Sayuuni, ekibonerezo kyo kikomye awo, talikwongerayo mu busibe. Naye ggwe omuwala wa Edomu, Mukama alikubonereza, n’ayanika ekibi kyo mu lujjudde.
