Lamentations 3
1 I AM the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
Yimi umuntu olubonileyo usizi ngenxa yoswazi lokuthukuthela kukaThixo.
2 He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.
Ungixotshile, wangiphumputhekisa emnyameni hatshi ekukhanyeni;
3 Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.
ngempela usengiphakamisele isandla sakhe, waphindaphinda ilanga lonke.
4 My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.
Usenze ijwabu lami laluphala, wangephula amathambo.
5 He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.
Ungihanqile wangihonqolozela ngosizi langobunzima.
6 He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.
Ungenze ngahlala emnyameni njengalabo abafa kudala.
7 He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.
Ungihonqolozele ngenqaba ukuze ngingaphunyuki; ungibophe nko ngamaketane.
8 Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.
Kuthi lanxa ngimemeza loba ngidinga usizo, awuvalele phandle umkhuleko wami.
9 He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.
Uvale indlela yami ngamatshe; waphambukisa izindlela zami.
10 He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.
Njengebhele licathamile, njengesilwane sicatshile,
11 He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.
wangihudulela eceleni kwendlela, wangifohloza, wangitshiya ngingelamsizi.
12 He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
Wadonsa idandili lakhe, ngaba yikudla kwemitshoko yakhe.
13 He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.
Wangiciba enhliziyweni ngemitshoko evela emxhakeni wakhe.
14 I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.
Ngaba yinhlekisa ebantwini bakithi bonke; sengitshona ngiyingoma eyinhlekisa kubo.
15 He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.
Ungigqibe ngemithi ebabayo, wanginathisa inyongo.
16 He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.
Ungihlafunise ukhethe ngamazinyo; wangigiqa ebhuqwini.
17 And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.
Ngincitshiwe ukuthula; angisakwazi ingabe iyini impumelelo.
18 And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord:
Ngakho ngithi, “Sebuphelile ubucwazicwazi bami, lakho konke engangikulindele kuThixo.”
19 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
Ngikhumbula ukuhlupheka lokuntula kwami, ubumunyu lenyongo.
20 My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
Konke ngikukhumbula kamhlophe, umoya wami wephukile.
21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
Kodwa ngikhumbula lokhu ngibe lethemba:
22 It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
Ngenxa yothando olukhulu lukaThixo kasibhujiswanga, ngoba isihawu sakhe kasipheli.
23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Siba sitsha ukusa kwamalanga; kukhulu ukuthembeka kwakho.
24 The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
Ngiyazitshela ngithi, “UThixo uyisabelo sami; ngakho ngizalindela yena.”
25 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
UThixo ulungile kulowo omethembayo, kulowo omdingayo;
26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.
kuhle ukulinda ngokuthula, ukulindela insindiso kaThixo.
27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
Kuhle ukuthi umuntu alithwale ijogwe ngesikhathi esesemutsha.
28 He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.
Kahlale yedwa ngokuthula, ngoba uThixo ulibeke phezu kwakhe.
29 He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.
Kembele ubuso bakhe ethulini, mhlawumbe ithemba lizakuba khona.
30 He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.
Kaphe isihlathi sakhe kulowo ofuna ukumhlankala, agcwale ihlazo.
31 For the Lord will not cast off for ever:
Ngoba uThixo kabalahli abantu kuze kube nini lanini.
32 But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.
Loba engaletha ubuhlungu, uzatshengisa uzwelo, lukhulu kakhulu uthando lwakhe olungapheliyo.
33 For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.
Ngoba kehliseli ukuhlupheka losizi ebantwini ngokuthanda.
34 To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,
Ukuhlifiza ngezinyawo zonke izibotshwa elizweni,
35 To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High,
ukuncitsha umuntu amalungelo akhe phambi koPhezukonke,
36 To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.
ukungahluleli kuhle, kambe uThixo uyabe engaziboni izinto ezinjalo na?
37 Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?
Ngubani ongatsho ulutho lwenzakale nxa lungavunyelwanga nguThixo na?
38 Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?
Akuveli emlonyeni woPhezukonke ukuthi kuyehla inhlupheko lezinto ezinhle na?
39 Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
Pho kungani umuntu ophilayo esola nxa ejeziselwa izono zakhe na?
40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord.
Kasilingeni njalo sihlole izindlela zethu, sibuyele kuThixo.
41 Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.
Asiphakamiseleni inhliziyo lezandla zethu kuNkulunkulu ezulwini sithi:
42 We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.
“Sonile sahlamuka, njalo kawusithethelelanga.
43 Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.
Uzigubuzele ngolaka waxhumana lathi; ubhubhisile ungelazwelo.
44 Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through.
Uzisibekele ngeyezi ukuze kungafinyeleli mkhuleko kuwe.
45 Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people.
Usenze saba ngamanyala lengcekeza phakathi kwezizwe.
46 All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.
Izitha zethu zonke zivule imilomo yazo zezwakala zisihoza.
47 Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction.
Sesihlukuluzwe yikuthuthumela lokukhilikithela, ukudilika lokubhidlika.”
48 Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Imifula yezinyembezi iyajuluka emehlweni ami ngoba abantu bakithi babhujisiwe.
49 Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,
Amehlo ami azajuluka kokuphela, engelakuphumula,
50 Till the Lord look down, and behold from heaven.
UThixo aze akhangele phansi esezulwini, angibone.
51 Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.
Engikubonayo kuthelela usizi emphefumulweni wami ngenxa yabesifazane bonke bomuzi wakithi.
52 Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause.
Labo ababa yizitha zami kungelasizatho, bangizingela njengenyoni.
53 They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me.
Bazama ukuquma impilo yami emgodini bangijikijela ngamatshe;
54 Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off.
amanzi asibekela ikhanda lami, ngabona ukuthi okwami sekuphelile.
55 I called upon thy name, O Lord, out of the low dungeon.
Ngalimemezela ibizo lakho, Oh Thixo, ngisekujuleni komgodi.
56 Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.
Wezwa ukuncenga kwami: “Ungavali indlebe zakho nxa ngikhalela ukwenyulwa.”
57 Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.
Wasondela lapho ngikumemeza, wathi kimi, “Ungesabi.”
58 O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.
Oh Thixo, wasamukela isikhalazo sami; wahlenga ukuphila kwami.
59 O Lord, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.
Ububonile Thixo, ububi obenziwe kimi. Ngisekela kulobubunzima!
60 Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me.
Usubonile ukujula kokusonga kwabo, lamacebo abo wonke ngami.
61 Thou hast heard their reproach, O Lord, and all their imaginations against me;
Awu Thixo, uzwile inhlamba zabo, wonke amacebo abo ngami,
62 The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.
ukunyenyeza lokungunguna kwabo ngami ukusa kwamalanga.
63 Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their musick.
Ake ubabone! Bahlezi kumbe bajamile, bayangihleka ngezingoma zabo.
64 Render unto them a recompence, O Lord, according to the work of their hands.
Awu Thixo, akubaphindisele ngokubafaneleyo, ngalokho okwenziwe yizandla zabo.
65 Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them.
Basibekele ngelembu ezinhliziyweni zabo, isiqalekiso sakho sehlele phezu kwabo!
66 Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the Lord.
Xhumana labo ngolaka, ubabhubhise ngaphansi kwamazulu kaThixo.
