Lamentations 5
1 Remember, O Lord, what is come upon us: consider and behold our reproach.
Khumbula, Nkosi, ukuthi kwenzakaleni kithi; khangela, ubone ihlazo lethu.
2 Our inheritance is turned to aliens: our houses to strangers.
Ilifa lethu seliphendulelwe kwabezizwe, izindlu zethu kwabemzini.
3 We are become orphans without a father: our mothers are as widows.
Siyizintandane, kungelababa; omama banjengabafelokazi.
4 We have drunk our water for money: we have bought our wood.
Amanzi ethu siwanathile ngemali; inkuni zethu ziza ngentengo.
5 We were dragged by the necks, we were weary and no rest was given us.
Sizingelwa ezintanyeni zethu, sidiniwe, kasilakuphumula.
6 We have given our hand to Egypt, and to the Assyrians, that we might be satisfied with bread.
Sinike isandla sethu kwabeGibhithe, labeAsiriya, ukuze sisuthiswe ngesinkwa.
7 Our fathers have sinned, and are not: and we have borne their iniquities.
Obaba bona, kabasekho, njalo thina sithwele iziphambeko zabo.
8 Servants have ruled over us: there was none to redeem us out of their hand.
Izigqili ziyasibusa, kakho ongasihluthuna esandleni sazo.
9 We fetched our bread at the peril of our lives, because of the sword in the desert.
Sizuza isinkwa sethu ngengozi yempilo yethu, ngenxa yenkemba yenkangala.
10 Our skin was burnt as an oven, by reason of the violence of the famine.
Ijwabu lethu limnyama njengeziko ngenxa yokutshisa okukhulu kwendlala.
11 They oppressed the women in Sion, and the virgins in the cities of Juda.
Badlova abesifazana eZiyoni, izintombi ezimsulwa emizini yakoJuda.
12 The princes were hanged up by their hand: they did not respect the persons of the ancient.
Iziphathamandla zaphanyekwa ngesandla sazo; ubuso babadala kabuhlonitshwanga.
13 They abused the young men indecently: and the children fell under the wood.
Amajaha athwala amatshe okuchola, labafana bakhubeka ngaphansi kwenkuni.
14 The ancients have ceased from the gates: the young men from the choir of the singers.
Abadala baphelile esangweni, amajaha ekuhlabeleleni.
15 The joy of our heart is ceased, our dancing is turned into mourning.
Intokozo yenhliziyo yethu iphelile, ukugida kwethu kwaphenduka ukulila.
16 The crown is fallen from our head woe to us, because we have sinned.
Umqhele wekhanda lethu uwile; hawu, maye kithi, ngoba sonile!
17 Therefore is our heart sorrowful, therefore are our eyes become dim,
Ngenxa yalokhu inhliziyo yethu iphela amandla; ngenxa yalezizinto amehlo ethu afiphele.
18 For mount Sion, because it is destroyed, foxes have walked upon it.
Ngenxa yentaba yeZiyoni elunxiwa, amakhanka ahamba phezu kwayo.
19 But thou, O Lord, shalt remain for ever, thy throne from generation to generation.
Wena, Nkosi, uhlezi kuze kube nininini, isihlalo sakho sobukhosi sisuka esizukulwaneni sisiya esizukulwaneni.
20 Why wilt thou forget us for ever? why wilt thou forsake us for a long time?
Usikhohlweleni njalonjalo, usidela okobude bezinsuku?
21 Convert us, O Lord, to thee, and we shall be converted: renew our days, as from the beginning.
Siphendulele kuwe, Nkosi, sizaphenduka; yenza insuku zethu zibe zintsha njengasendulo.
22 But thou hast utterly rejected us, thou art exceedingly angry against us.
Kodwa ususilahlile isibili; usithukuthelele kakhulukazi.
