Lamentations 4
1 How dark has the gold become! how changed the best gold! the stones of the holy place are dropping out at the top of every street.
Dhahabu imechakaa; jinsi gani dhahabu safi imebadilika! Mawe matakatifu yamezagaa katika kila njia ya mtaa.
2 The valued sons of Zion, whose price was the best gold, are looked on as vessels of earth, the work of the hands of the potter!
Wana wa dhamani wa Sayuni walikuwa na dhamani ya uzito wa dhahabu safi, lakini sasa hawana dhamani zaidi ya majagi ya udogo, kazi ya mikono ya mfinyazi!
3 Even the beasts of the waste land have full breasts, they give milk to their young ones: the daughter of my people has become cruel like the ostriches in the waste land.
Ata mbwa wa mitaani wanatoa maziwa yao kuwanyonyesha watoto wao, lakini binti wa watu wangu amekuwa katili, kama mbuni katika jangwa.
4 The tongue of the child at the breast is fixed to the roof of his mouth for need of drink: the young children are crying out for bread, and no man gives it to them.
Ulimi wa mtoto mchanga anaye nyonya unagota juu mdomo wake kwa kiu; watoto wanaomba chakula, lakini hakuna kwa ajili yao.
5 Those who were used to feasting on delicate food are wasted in the streets: those who as children were dressed in purple are stretched out on the dust.
Wao walizoea kula chakula cha gharama sasa wana shinda njaa mitaani; wao walio lelewa kwa kuvaa nguo za zambarau, sasa wamelala katika majalala.
6 For the punishment of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of Sodom, which was overturned suddenly without any hand falling on her.
Hukumu ya binti wa watu wangu ni kubwa kuliko hiyo ya Sodoma, na ilipinduliwa kwa dakika na hakuna aliye yanyua mkono kumsaidia.
7 Her holy ones were cleaner than snow, they were whiter than milk, their bodies were redder than corals, their form was as the sapphire:
Viongozi wake walikuwa wasafi kuliko theluji, weupe kuliko maziwa; miili yao ilikuwa imara kuliko jiwe, mwili wao ulikuwa kama yakuti samawi.
8 Their face is blacker than night; in the streets no one has knowledge of them: their skin is hanging on their bones, they are dry, they have become like wood.
Muonekano wao umekuwa mweusi kama giza; hawatambuliki mitaani. Ngozi zao zimesinya kwenye mifupa yao; imekuwa kavu kama kuni.
9 Those who have been put to the sword are better off than those whose death is caused by need of food; for these come to death slowly, burned up like the fruit of the field.
Hao walio uawa kwa upanga walikuwa na furaha zaidi kuliko hao walio kufa kwa njaa, walio potea, wakatobolewa kwa ukosefu wa mavuno shambani.
10 The hands of kind-hearted women have been boiling their children; they were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Mikono ya wanawake wenye huruma imewachemsha watoto wao; wamekuwa chakula chao wakati ambapo binti wa watu wangu alipo kuwa akiharibiwa.
11 The Lord has given full effect to his passion, he has let loose his burning wrath; he has made a fire in Zion, causing the destruction of its bases.
Yahweh alionyesha gadhabu yake yote; alimwaga hasira yake kali. Aliwasha moto Sayuni uliteketeza misingi yake.
12 To the kings of the earth and to all the people of the world it did not seem possible that the attackers and the haters would go into the doors of Jerusalem.
Wafalme wa dunia hawaku amini, wala wakazi wa dunia, kwamba maadui au wapinzani waliweza kuingia malangoni ya Yerusalemu.
13 It is because of the sins of her prophets and the evil-doing of her priests, by whom the blood of the upright has been drained out in her.
Haya yalitokea kwasababu ya dhambi za manabii na na maasi ya makuhani walio mwaga damu ya wenye haki mbele zake.
14 They are wandering like blind men in the streets, they are made unclean with blood, so that their robes may not be touched by men.
Walitanga, kwa upofu, mitaani. Walikuwa wamejitia unajisi kwa damu hiyo ambapo hakuna aliye ruhusiwa kushika nguo zao.
15 Away! unclean! they were crying out to them, Away! away! let there be no touching: when they went away in flight and wandering, men said among the nations, There is no further resting-place for them.
“Kaa mbali! Wewe mnajisi!” Watu waliwapazia sauti. “Kaa mbali! Kaa mbali! Usiguse!” Hivyo wakatanga; watu walisema miongoni mwa mataifa, “Hawawezi kukaa hapa tena.”
16 The face of the Lord has sent them in all directions; he will no longer take care of them: they had no respect for the priests, they gave no honour to the old men.
Yahweh mwenyewe akawatawanyisha; hawatazami tena. Hawa waheshimu makuhani, na hawaonyeshi upendeleo kwa wazee.
17 Our eyes are still wasting away in looking for our false help: we have been watching for a nation unable to give salvation.
Macho yetu yalikwama, yakitazama bure kwa msaada; kutoka minara yetu ya ulinzi tulitazama taifa lisilo weza tuokoa.
18 They go after our steps so that we may not go in our streets: our end is near, our days are numbered; for our end has come.
Walifuata hatua zetu, hatukuweza kutembea mitaani mwetu. Mwisho wetu ulikuwa karibu na siku zetu zilihesabiwa, mwisho wetu ulifika.
19 Those who went after us were quicker than the eagles of the heaven, driving us before them on the mountains, waiting secretly for us in the waste land.
Walio tukimbiza walikuwa wepesi kuliko tai wa aangani. Walitukimbiza kwenye milima na kutuwinda nyikani.
20 Our breath of life, he on whom the holy oil was put, was taken in their holes; of whom we said, Under his shade we will be living among the nations.
Pumzi katika pua zetu - mpakwa mafuta wa Yahweh - ndiye aliye kamatwa katika shimo; ambaye ndiye aliye semewa, “Chini ya kivuli chake tutaishi miongoni mwa mataifa.”
21 Have joy and be glad, O daughter of Edom, living in the land of Uz: the cup will be given to you in your turn, and you will be overcome with wine and your shame will be seen.
Shangilia na ufurahi, binti wa Edomu, wewe unaye ishi nchi ya Uzi. Lakini kwako pia kikombe kitapitishwa; utalewa na kuvua nguo.
22 The punishment of your evil-doing is complete, O daughter of Zion; never again will he take you away as a prisoner: he will give you the reward of your evil-doing, O daughter of Edom; he will let your sin be uncovered.
Binti wa Sayuni, hukumu yako itafika mwisho, hataongeza mateka yako lakini binti wa Edomu, ata muhadhibu; ata funua dhambi zako.
