Lamentations 5
1 Remember, O Lord, what has happened to us: behold, and look on our reproach.
Oh Thixo, khumbula okusehleleyo khangela ubone ukuyangeka kwethu.
2 Our inheritance has been turned away to aliens, our houses to strangers:
Ilifa lethu seliphiwe abezizweni, imizi yethu yathathwa ngabemzini.
3 we are become orphans, we have no father, our mothers are as widows.
Sesizintandane ezingelaboyise, omama sebenjengabafelokazi.
4 We have drunk our water for money; our wood is sold to us [for a burden] on our neck:
Amanzi okunatha siyawathenga; inkuni zethu zikhutshelwa imali.
5 we have been persecuted, we have laboured, we have had no rest.
Labo abasixotshayo basihlezi ezithende; sikhathele asilakuphumula.
6 Egypt gave the hand [to us], Assur to their own satisfaction.
Sazinikela kwabeGibhithe labe-Asiriya ukuze sizuze isinkwa.
7 Our fathers sinned, [and] are not: we have borne their iniquities.
Okhokho benza isono kodwa kabasekho, thina yithi esesijeziswa.
8 Servants have ruled over us: there is none to ransom [us] out of their hand.
Sibuswa yizigqili, kakho osikhululayo ezandleni zazo.
9 We shall bring in our bread with [danger of] our lives, because of the sword of the wilderness.
Isinkwa sisithola ngendlela eyingozi ngenxa yenkemba ekhona enkangala.
10 Our skin is blackened like an oven; they are convulsed, because of the storms of famine.
Isikhumba sethu sitshisa njengeziko, silomkhuhlane wendlala.
11 They humbled the women in Sion, the virgins in the cities of Juda.
Abesifazane bayahlukuluzwa eZiyoni kanye lezintombi ezigcweleyo emadolobheni akoJuda.
12 Princes were hanged up by their hands: the elders were not honoured.
Amakhosi alengisiwe ngezandla zawo; abadala abasahlonitshwa.
13 The chosen men lifted up [the voice in] weeping, and the youths fainted under the wood.
Izinsizwa ziyahoqiswa ematsheni okuchola; abafana babhensiswa yimithwalo yenkuni.
14 And the elders ceased from the gate, the chosen men ceased from their music.
Abadala sebesukile esangweni lomuzi; izinsizwa sezithule ukuhlabelela.
15 The joy of our heart has ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.
Ukuthokoza akusekho ezinhliziyweni zethu; ukugida kwethu sekuphenduke ukukhala.
16 The crown has fallen [from] our head: yes, woe to us! for we have sinned.
Umqhele usuwile ekhanda lethu. Maye thina, ngoba sonile!
17 For this has grief come; our heart is sorrowful: for this our eyes are darkened.
Ngenxa yalokhu inhliziyo zethu zibuthakathaka; ngenxa yalezizinto amehlo ethu ayafiphala,
18 Over the mountain of Sion, because it is made desolate, foxes have walked therein.
ngoba intaba iZiyoni silugwadule, sekucathama amakhanka kuyo.
19 But you, O Lord, shall dwell for ever; your throne [shall endure] to generation and generation.
Wena, Oh Thixo, busa nini lanini; ubukhosi bakho buhlezi kuzozonke izizukulwane.
20 Therefore will you utterly forget us, and abandon us a long time?
Kungani uhlezi usikhohlwa? Usifulathelelani isikhathi eside kangaka na?
21 Turn us, O Lord, to you, and we shall be turned; and renew our days as before.
Sibuyisele kuwe, Oh Thixo, ukuze siphenduke; buyisa kabutsha insuku zethu njengezakudala,
22 For you have indeed rejected us; you have been very angry against us.
ngaphandle kokuba nxa ususilahle kokuphela wasizondela ngokungalinganisekiyo.
