Lamentations 3
1 I AM the man that has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
Ngiyindodaebone inhlupheko ngentonga yolaka lwayo.
2 He has led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.
Ingikhokhele yangihambisa emnyameni kodwa hatshi ekukhanyeni.
3 Surely against me is he turned; he turns his hand against me all the day.
Isibili iphenduke yamelana lami; iphendule isandla sayo imelene lami usuku lonke.
4 My flesh and my skin has he made old; he has broken my bones.
Igugisile inyama yami lesikhumba sami; yephulile amathambo ami.
5 He has built against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.
Yakhile imelene lami, yangihanqa ngenyongo lobunzima.
6 He has set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.
Ingihlalise endaweni ezimnyama, njengabafa endulo.
7 He has hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he has made my chain heavy.
Ingibiyele ukuze ngingaphumi, yenza iketane lami lethusi laba nzima.
8 Also when I cry and shout, he shuts out my prayer.
Njalo nxa ngikhala ngimemeza, ivalela phandle umkhuleko wami.
9 He has enclosed my ways with hewn stone, he has made my paths crooked.
Ibiyele indlela yami ngamatshe abaziweyo, yenza izindlela zami zagoba.
10 He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.
Yaba kimi njengebhere elicathemeyo, isilwane ezindaweni zensitha.
11 He has turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he has made me desolate.
Iphambule izindlela zami, yangidabudabula, yangenza unxiwa.
12 He has bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
Igobisile idandili layo, yangimisa njengento yokunenjwa ngomtshoko.
13 He has caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.
Yenze amadodana esamba semitshoko yayo angena ezinsweni zami.
14 I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.
Ngaba yinhlekisa kibo bonke abantu bakithi, ingoma yabo usuku lonke.
15 He has filled me with bitterness, he has made me drunken with wormwood.
Ingisuthise ngezinto ezibabayo, yanginathisa umhlonyane.
16 He has also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he has covered me with ashes.
Njalo ichoboze amazinyo ami ngokhethe, yangigiga emlotheni.
17 And you have removed my soul far off from peace: I forgotten about prosperity.
Njalo wena walahla umphefumulo wami khatshana lokuthula; ngikhohlwe okuhle.
18 And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD:
Ngakho ngithi: Kubhubhile amandla ami lethemba lami eNkosini.
19 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
Khumbula inhlupheko yami lokuzulazula kwami, umhlonyane lenyongo.
20 My soul has them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
Umphefumulo wami uhlala ukukhumbula, njalo ukhotheme phakathi kwami.
21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
Lokhu ngiyakubuyisela enhliziyweni yami, ngakho-ke ngiyathemba.
22 It is of the LORD's mercies that 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 your faithfulness.
zintsha ikuseni yonke; lukhulu uthembeko lwayo.
24 The LORD is my portion, says my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
INkosi iyisabelo sami, kutsho umphefumulo wami; ngakho-ke ngizathemba kiyo.
25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeks him.
INkosi ilungile kwabayilindelayo, kumphefumulo oyidingayo.
26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
Kuhle ukuthi umuntu athembe, njalo ngokuthula kusindiso lweNkosi.
27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke of his youth.
Kuhle emuntwini ukuthi athwale ijogwe ebutsheni bakhe.
28 He sits alone and keeps silence, because he has borne it upon him.
Kahlale yedwa, athule, ngoba isimethese lona.
29 He puts his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.
Kabeke umlomo wakhe othulini; mhlawumbe kungaba khona ithemba.
30 He gives his cheek to him that strikes 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 though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.
Ngoba lanxa idabukisile, kanti izakuba lesihawu ngobunengi bezisa zayo.
33 For he does not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.
Ngoba kayihluphi ngenhliziyo yayo idabukise abantwana babantu;
34 To crush under his feet 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 subvert a man in his cause, the LORD approves not.
ukuphambanisa umuntu kudaba lwakhe, iNkosi kayikuboni yini?
37 Who is he that says, and it comes to pass, when the Lord commands it not?
Ngubani ongakukhuluma, njalo kwenzeke, nxa iNkosi ingakulayanga?
38 Out of the mouth of the most High proceeds not evil and good?
Kakuphumi ububi lokuhle emlonyeni woPhezukonke yini?
39 Wherefore does 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 return to the LORD.
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: you have not pardoned.
Thina siphambukile, saba lenkani; wena kawuthethelelanga.
43 You have covered with anger, and persecuted us: you have slain, you have not pitied.
Wembese ngolaka, waxotshana lathi, wabulala, kawuhawukelanga.
44 You have covered yourself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through.
Uzembese ngeyezi, ukuze kungedluli umkhuleko.
45 You have made us as the waste and refuse in the midst of the people.
Usenze saba yimfucuza lezibi phakathi kwezizwe.
46 All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.
Zonke izitha zethu zivule umlomo wazo zimelene lathi.
47 Fear and a snare has come upon us, desolation and destruction.
Ukwesaba lomgodi kukhona phambi kwethu, incithakalo lokwephuka.
48 Mine eye runs down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Ilihlo lami lehlisa imifula yamanzi ngokuchitheka kwendodakazi yabantu bami.
49 Mine eye trickes down, and ceases not, without any intermission.
Ilihlo lami liyajuluka, kaliyekeli, kungelakuma,
50 Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven.
ize ikhangele phansi ibone iNkosi isezulwini.
51 Mine eye affects mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.
Ilihlo lami lenza umphefumulo wami ube buhlungu ngenxa yawo wonke amadodakazi omuzi wakithi.
52 Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause.
Izitha zami zingizingele kabuhlungu njengenyoni, kungelasizatho.
53 They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me.
Bayiqumile impilo yami emgodini, baphosa ilitshe phezu kwami.
54 Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off.
Amanzi ageleza phezu kwekhanda lami; ngathi: Ngiqunyiwe.
55 I called upon your name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon.
Ngabiza ibizo lakho, Nkosi, ngisemgodini phansi;
56 You have heard my voice: hide not your ear at my breathing, at my cry.
wezwa ilizwi lami; ungafihli indlebe yakho ekuphefumuleni kwami, ekukhaleleni kwami usizo.
57 You drew near in the day that I called upon you: you said, Fear not.
Wasondela ngosuku lapho ngikubiza, wathi: Ungesabi.
58 O LORD, you have pleaded the causes of my soul; you have redeemed my life.
Nkosi, uzimele izindaba zomphefumulo wami, wahlenga impilo yami.
59 O LORD, you have seen my wrong: judge you my cause.
Nkosi, ubonile ukoniwa kwami; yahlulela udaba lwami.
60 You have seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me.
Ubonile yonke impindiselo yabo, wonke amacebo abo amelene lami.
61 You have heard their reproach, O LORD, and all their imaginations against me;
Uzwile inhlamba yabo, Nkosi, wonke amacebo abo amelene lami,
62 The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.
indebe zabangivukelayo, lokuzindla kwabo kumelene lami lonke usuku.
63 Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their music.
Khangela ukuhlala kwabo, lokusukuma kwabo; ngiyingoma yabo.
64 Render unto them a recompence, O LORD, according to the work of their hands.
Buyisela kibo impindiselo, Nkosi, njengokomsebenzi wezandla zabo.
65 Give them sorrow of heart, your curse unto them.
Banike ubulukhuni benhliziyo, isiqalekiso sakho kibo.
66 Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the LORD.
Xotshana labo ngolaka, ubabhubhise bangabi ngaphansi kwamazulu eNkosi.
