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.
Jinsi dhahabu ilivyopoteza mngʼao wake, dhahabu iliyo safi haingʼai! Vito vya thamani vimetawanywa kwenye mwanzo wa kila barabara.
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!
Wana wa Sayuni wenye thamani, ambao mwanzo uzito wa thamani yao ulikuwa wa dhahabu, sasa wanaangaliwa kama vyungu vya udongo, kazi ya mikono ya mfinyanzi!
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.
Hata mbweha hutoa matiti yao kunyonyesha watoto wao, lakini watu wangu wamekuwa wasio na huruma kama mbuni jangwani.
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.
Kwa sababu ya kiu ulimi wa mtoto mchanga umegandamana na kaakaa la kinywa chake, watoto huomba mkate, lakini hakuna yeyote awapaye.
5 Those who once ate delicacies are destitute in the streets; those brought up in crimson huddle in ash heaps.
Wale waliokula vyakula vya kifahari ni maskini barabarani. Wale waliokuzwa wakivaa nguo za zambarau sasa wanalalia majivu.
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.
Adhabu ya watu wangu ni kubwa kuliko ile ya Sodoma, ambayo ilipinduliwa ghafula bila kuwepo mkono wa msaada.
7 Her dignitaries were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like sapphires.
Wakuu wao walikuwa wamengʼaa kuliko theluji na weupe kuliko maziwa, miili yao ilikuwa myekundu kuliko marijani, kuonekana kwao kama yakuti samawi.
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.
Lakini sasa ni weusi kuliko masizi; hawatambulikani barabarani. Ngozi yao imeshikamana juu ya mifupa yao, imekuwa mikavu kama fimbo.
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.
Wale waliouawa kwa upanga ni bora kuliko wale wanaokufa njaa; wanateseka kwa njaa, wanatokomea kwa kukosa chakula kutoka shambani.
10 The hands of compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Kwa mikono yao wenyewe wanawake wenye huruma wanapika watoto wao wenyewe, waliokuwa chakula chao watu wangu walipoangamizwa.
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.
Bwana ametoa nafasi kamilifu ya ghadhabu yake; ameimwaga hasira yake kali. Amewasha moto katika Sayuni ambao umeteketeza misingi yake.
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.
Wafalme wa dunia hawakuamini, wala mtu yeyote wa duniani, kwamba adui na watesi wangeweza kuingia kwenye malango ya 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.
Lakini hili lilitokea kwa sababu ya dhambi za manabii wake, na maovu ya makuhani wake, waliomwaga ndani yake damu ya wenye haki.
14 They wandered blind in the streets, defiled by this blood, so that no one dared to touch their garments.
Sasa wanapapasa papasa barabarani kama watu ambao ni vipofu. Wamenajisiwa kabisa kwa damu, hata hakuna anayethubutu kugusa mavazi yao.
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.”
Watu wanawapigia kelele, “Ondokeni! Ninyi ni najisi! Ondokeni! Ondokeni! Msituguse!” Wanapokimbia na kutangatanga huku na huko, watu miongoni mwa mataifa wanasema, “Hawawezi kukaa hapa zaidi.”
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.
Bwana mwenyewe amewatawanya; hawaangalii tena. Makuhani hawaonyeshwi heshima, wazee hawakubaliki.
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.
Zaidi ya hayo, macho yetu yalichoka, kwa kutazamia bure msaada; tuliangalia kutoka minara yetu kwa taifa lisiloweza kutuokoa.
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!
Watu walituvizia katika kila hatua hata hatukuweza kutembea katika barabara zetu. Mwisho wetu ulikuwa karibu, siku zetu zilikuwa zimetimia, kwa maana mwisho wetu ulikuwa umefika.
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.
Waliotufuatia walikuwa wepesi kuliko tai angani; walitusaka juu milimani na kutuvizia jangwani.
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.”
Mpakwa mafuta wa Bwana, pumzi ya uhai wetu hasa, alinaswa katika mitego yao. Tulifikiri kwamba chini ya kivuli chake tungeliweza kuishi miongoni mwa mataifa.
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.
Shangilia na ufurahi, ee Binti Edomu, wewe unayeishi nchi ya Usi. Lakini kwako pia kikombe kitapitishwa, Utalewa na kuvuliwa nguo ubaki uchi.
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.
Ee Binti Sayuni, adhabu yako itaisha, hatarefusha muda wako wa kukaa uhamishoni. Lakini, ee Binti Edomu, ataadhibu dhambi yako, na atafunua uovu wako.
