Lamentations 3
1 I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
Ngiyindodaebone inhlupheko ngentonga yolaka lwayo.
2 Me hath he led, and brought into darkness, and not into light.
Ingikhokhele yangihambisa emnyameni kodwa hatshi ekukhanyeni.
3 Surely against me hath he turned again and again his hand all the day.
Isibili iphenduke yamelana lami; iphendule isandla sayo imelene lami usuku lonke.
4 My flesh and my skin hath he wasted away, he hath broken my bones.
Igugisile inyama yami lesikhumba sami; yephulile amathambo ami.
5 He hath built against me, and encompassed [me] with gall and toil.
Yakhile imelene lami, yangihanqa ngenyongo lobunzima.
6 He hath made me to dwell in dark places as those that have been long dead.
Ingihlalise endaweni ezimnyama, njengabafa endulo.
7 He hath hedged me about that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.
Ingibiyele ukuze ngingaphumi, yenza iketane lami lethusi laba nzima.
8 Even when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.
Njalo nxa ngikhala ngimemeza, ivalela phandle umkhuleko wami.
9 He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.
Ibiyele indlela yami ngamatshe abaziweyo, yenza izindlela zami zagoba.
10 He is unto me [as] a bear lying in wait, a lion in secret places.
Yaba kimi njengebhere elicathemeyo, isilwane ezindaweni zensitha.
11 He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces; he hath made me desolate.
Iphambule izindlela zami, yangidabudabula, yangenza unxiwa.
12 He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
Igobisile idandili layo, yangimisa njengento yokunenjwa ngomtshoko.
13 He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.
Yenze amadodana esamba semitshoko yayo angena ezinsweni zami.
14 I am become a derision to all my people; their song all the day.
Ngaba yinhlekisa kibo bonke abantu bakithi, ingoma yabo usuku lonke.
15 He hath sated me with bitterness, he hath made me drunk with wormwood.
Ingisuthise ngezinto ezibabayo, yanginathisa umhlonyane.
16 He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.
Njalo ichoboze amazinyo ami ngokhethe, yangigiga emlotheni.
17 And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I have forgotten prosperity.
Njalo wena walahla umphefumulo wami khatshana lokuthula; ngikhohlwe okuhle.
18 And I said, My strength is perished, and my hope in Jehovah.
Ngakho ngithi: Kubhubhile amandla ami lethemba lami eNkosini.
19 Remember thou mine affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and the gall.
Khumbula inhlupheko yami lokuzulazula kwami, umhlonyane lenyongo.
20 My soul hath [them] constantly in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
Umphefumulo wami uhlala ukukhumbula, njalo ukhotheme phakathi kwami.
21 — This I recall to heart, therefore have I hope.
Lokhu ngiyakubuyisela enhliziyweni yami, ngakho-ke ngiyathemba.
22 It is of Jehovah's loving-kindness we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not;
Kuyizihawu zeNkosi ukuthi kasiqedwanga, ngoba izisa zakhe kazipheli;
23 they are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
zintsha ikuseni yonke; lukhulu uthembeko lwayo.
24 Jehovah is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
INkosi iyisabelo sami, kutsho umphefumulo wami; ngakho-ke ngizathemba kiyo.
25 Jehovah is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul [that] seeketh him.
INkosi ilungile kwabayilindelayo, kumphefumulo oyidingayo.
26 It is good that one should both wait, and that in silence, for the salvation of Jehovah.
Kuhle ukuthi umuntu athembe, njalo ngokuthula kusindiso lweNkosi.
27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth:
Kuhle emuntwini ukuthi athwale ijogwe ebutsheni bakhe.
28 He sitteth solitary and keepeth silence, because he hath laid it upon him;
Kahlale yedwa, athule, ngoba isimethese lona.
29 he putteth his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope;
Kabeke umlomo wakhe othulini; mhlawumbe kungaba khona ithemba.
30 he giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him; he is filled full with reproach.
Kanikele isihlathi sakhe komtshayayo; asuthe inhlamba.
31 For the Lord will not cast off for ever;
Ngoba iNkosi kayiyikulahla kuze kube phakade.
32 but if he have caused grief, he will have compassion according to the multitude of his loving-kindnesses:
Ngoba lanxa idabukisile, kanti izakuba lesihawu ngobunengi bezisa zayo.
33 for he doth not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men.
Ngoba kayihluphi ngenhliziyo yayo idabukise abantwana babantu;
34 To crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth,
ukuchoboza ngaphansi kwenyawo zayo zonke izibotshwa zomhlaba;
35 to turn aside the right of a man before the face of the Most High,
ukuphambukisa ilungelo lomuntu phambi kobuso boPhezukonke;
36 to wrong a man in his cause, — will not the Lord see it?
ukuphambanisa umuntu kudaba lwakhe, iNkosi kayikuboni yini?
37 Who is he that saith, and there cometh to pass, what the Lord hath not commanded?
Ngubani ongakukhuluma, njalo kwenzeke, nxa iNkosi ingakulayanga?
38 Out of the mouth of the Most High doth not there proceed evil and good?
Kakuphumi ububi lokuhle emlonyeni woPhezukonke yini?
39 Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
Ngakho usolelani umuntu ophilayo, umuntu ngezono zakhe?
40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to Jehovah.
Asihlole silinge izindlela zethu, sibuyele eNkosini.
41 Let us lift up our heart with [our] hands unto God in the heavens.
Asiphakamisele inhliziyo lezandla zethu kuNkulunkulu emazulwini.
42 We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.
Thina siphambukile, saba lenkani; wena kawuthethelelanga.
43 Thou hast covered thyself with anger, and pursued us; thou hast slain, thou hast not spared.
Wembese ngolaka, waxotshana lathi, wabulala, kawuhawukelanga.
44 Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that prayer should not pass through.
Uzembese ngeyezi, ukuze kungedluli umkhuleko.
45 Thou hast made us the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the peoples.
Usenze saba yimfucuza lezibi phakathi kwezizwe.
46 All our enemies have opened their mouth against us.
Zonke izitha zethu zivule umlomo wazo zimelene lathi.
47 Fear and the pit are come upon us, devastation and ruin.
Ukwesaba lomgodi kukhona phambi kwethu, incithakalo lokwephuka.
48 Mine eye runneth down with streams of water for the ruin of the daughter of my people.
Ilihlo lami lehlisa imifula yamanzi ngokuchitheka kwendodakazi yabantu bami.
49 Mine eye poureth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,
Ilihlo lami liyajuluka, kaliyekeli, kungelakuma,
50 till Jehovah look down and behold from the heavens.
ize ikhangele phansi ibone iNkosi isezulwini.
51 Mine eye affecteth my soul, because of all the daughters of my city.
Ilihlo lami lenza umphefumulo wami ube buhlungu ngenxa yawo wonke amadodakazi omuzi wakithi.
52 They that are mine enemies without cause have chased me sore like a bird.
Izitha zami zingizingele kabuhlungu njengenyoni, kungelasizatho.
53 They have cut off my life in a pit, and cast a stone upon me.
Bayiqumile impilo yami emgodini, baphosa ilitshe phezu kwami.
54 Waters streamed over my head; I said, I am cut off.
Amanzi ageleza phezu kwekhanda lami; ngathi: Ngiqunyiwe.
55 I called upon thy name, Jehovah, out of the lowest pit.
Ngabiza ibizo lakho, Nkosi, ngisemgodini phansi;
56 Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my sighing, at my cry.
wezwa ilizwi lami; ungafihli indlebe yakho ekuphefumuleni kwami, ekukhaleleni kwami usizo.
57 Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee; thou saidst, Fear not.
Wasondela ngosuku lapho ngikubiza, wathi: Ungesabi.
58 Lord, thou hast pleaded the cause of my soul, thou hast redeemed my life.
Nkosi, uzimele izindaba zomphefumulo wami, wahlenga impilo yami.
59 Jehovah, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.
Nkosi, ubonile ukoniwa kwami; yahlulela udaba lwami.
60 Thou hast seen all their vengeance, all their imaginations against me.
Ubonile yonke impindiselo yabo, wonke amacebo abo amelene lami.
61 Thou hast heard their reproach, O Jehovah, all their imaginations against me;
Uzwile inhlamba yabo, Nkosi, wonke amacebo abo amelene lami,
62 the lips of those that rise up against me and their meditation against me all the day.
indebe zabangivukelayo, lokuzindla kwabo kumelene lami lonke usuku.
63 Behold thou their sitting down and their rising up: I am their song.
Khangela ukuhlala kwabo, lokusukuma kwabo; ngiyingoma yabo.
64 Render unto them a recompence, O Jehovah, according to the work of their hands;
Buyisela kibo impindiselo, Nkosi, njengokomsebenzi wezandla zabo.
65 give them obduracy of heart, thy curse unto them;
Banike ubulukhuni benhliziyo, isiqalekiso sakho kibo.
66 pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of Jehovah.
Xotshana labo ngolaka, ubabhubhise bangabi ngaphansi kwamazulu eNkosi.
