Lamentations 3
1 ALEPH. I am the man that sees poverty, through the rod of his wrath upon me.
Yimi umuntu olubonileyo usizi ngenxa yoswazi lokuthukuthela kukaThixo.
2 He has taken me, and led me away into darkness, and not [into] light.
Ungixotshile, wangiphumputhekisa emnyameni hatshi ekukhanyeni;
3 Nay, against me has he turned his hand all the day.
ngempela usengiphakamisele isandla sakhe, waphindaphinda ilanga lonke.
4 He has made old my flesh and my skin; he has broken my bones.
Usenze ijwabu lami laluphala, wangephula amathambo.
5 BETH. He has built against me, and compassed my head, and brought travail [upon me].
Ungihanqile wangihonqolozela ngosizi langobunzima.
6 He has set me in dark places, as them that have long been dead.
Ungenze ngahlala emnyameni njengalabo abafa kudala.
7 He has builded against me, and I can’t come forth: he has made my brazen [chain] heavy.
Ungihonqolozele ngenqaba ukuze ngingaphunyuki; ungibophe nko ngamaketane.
8 GIMEL. Yes, [though] I cry and shout, he shuts out my prayer.
Kuthi lanxa ngimemeza loba ngidinga usizo, awuvalele phandle umkhuleko wami.
9 DALETH. He has built up my ways, he has hedged my paths;
Uvale indlela yami ngamatshe; waphambukisa izindlela zami.
10 he has troubled me, [as] a she-bear lying in wait: he is to me [as] a lion in secret places.
Njengebhele licathamile, njengesilwane sicatshile,
11 He pursued [me] after I departed, and brought me to a stand: he has utterly ruined me.
wangihudulela eceleni kwendlela, wangifohloza, wangitshiya ngingelamsizi.
12 HE. He has bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
Wadonsa idandili lakhe, ngaba yikudla kwemitshoko yakhe.
13 He has caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.
Wangiciba enhliziyweni ngemitshoko evela emxhakeni wakhe.
14 I became a laughing stock to all my people; and their song all the day.
Ngaba yinhlekisa ebantwini bakithi bonke; sengitshona ngiyingoma eyinhlekisa kubo.
15 VAU. He has filled me with bitterness, he has drenched me with gall.
Ungigqibe ngemithi ebabayo, wanginathisa inyongo.
16 And he has dashed out my teeth with gravel, he has fed me with ashes.
Ungihlafunise ukhethe ngamazinyo; wangigiqa ebhuqwini.
17 He has also removed my soul from peace: I forgot prosperity.
Ngincitshiwe ukuthula; angisakwazi ingabe iyini impumelelo.
18 Therefore my success has perished, and my hope from the Lord.
Ngakho ngithi, “Sebuphelile ubucwazicwazi bami, lakho konke engangikulindele kuThixo.”
19 ZAIN. I remembered by reason of my poverty, and because of persecution my bitterness and gall shall be remembered;
Ngikhumbula ukuhlupheka lokuntula kwami, ubumunyu lenyongo.
20 and my soul shall meditate with me.
Konke ngikukhumbula kamhlophe, umoya wami wephukile.
21 This will I lay up in my heart, therefore I will endure.
Kodwa ngikhumbula lokhu ngibe lethemba:
22 HETH. [It is] the mercies of the Lord, that he has not failed me, because his compassions are not exhausted. Pity [us], O Lord, early [every] month: for we are not brought to an end, because his compassions are not exhausted.
Ngenxa yothando olukhulu lukaThixo kasibhujiswanga, ngoba isihawu sakhe kasipheli.
23 [They are] new every morning: great is your faithfulness.
Siba sitsha ukusa kwamalanga; kukhulu ukuthembeka kwakho.
24 The Lord is my portion, says my soul; therefore will I wait for him.
Ngiyazitshela ngithi, “UThixo uyisabelo sami; ngakho ngizalindela yena.”
25 TETH. The Lord is good to them that wait for him: the soul which shall seek him
UThixo ulungile kulowo omethembayo, kulowo omdingayo;
26 [is] good, and shall wait for, and quietly expect salvation of the Lord.
kuhle ukulinda ngokuthula, ukulindela insindiso kaThixo.
27 TETH. [It is] good for a man when he bears a yoke in his youth.
Kuhle ukuthi umuntu alithwale ijogwe ngesikhathi esesemutsha.
28 He will sit alone, and be silent, because he has borne [it] upon him.
Kahlale yedwa ngokuthula, ngoba uThixo ulibeke phezu kwakhe.
Kembele ubuso bakhe ethulini, mhlawumbe ithemba lizakuba khona.
30 JOD. He will give [his] cheek to him that smites him: he will be filled full with reproaches.
Kaphe isihlathi sakhe kulowo ofuna ukumhlankala, agcwale ihlazo.
31 For the Lord will not reject for ever.
Ngoba uThixo kabalahli abantu kuze kube nini lanini.
32 CHAPH. For he that has brought down will pity, and [that] according to the abundance of his mercy.
Loba engaletha ubuhlungu, uzatshengisa uzwelo, lukhulu kakhulu uthando lwakhe olungapheliyo.
33 He has not answered [in anger] from his heart, though he has brought low the children of a man.
Ngoba kehliseli ukuhlupheka losizi ebantwini ngokuthanda.
34 LAMED. To bring down under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,
Ukuhlifiza ngezinyawo zonke izibotshwa elizweni,
35 to turn aside the judgment of a man before the face of the Most High,
ukuncitsha umuntu amalungelo akhe phambi koPhezukonke,
36 to condemn a man [unjustly] in his judgment, the Lord has not given commandment.
ukungahluleli kuhle, kambe uThixo uyabe engaziboni izinto ezinjalo na?
37 Who has thus spoken, and it has come to pass? the Lord has not commanded it.
Ngubani ongatsho ulutho lwenzakale nxa lungavunyelwanga nguThixo na?
38 Out of the mouth of the Most High there shall not come forth evil and good.
Akuveli emlonyeni woPhezukonke ukuthi kuyehla inhlupheko lezinto ezinhle na?
39 MEM. Why should a living man complain, a man concerning his sin?
Pho kungani umuntu ophilayo esola nxa ejeziselwa izono zakhe na?
40 NUN. Our way has been searched out and examined, and we will turn to the Lord.
Kasilingeni njalo sihlole izindlela zethu, sibuyele kuThixo.
41 Let us lift up our hearts with [our] hand to the lofty One in heaven.
Asiphakamiseleni inhliziyo lezandla zethu kuNkulunkulu ezulwini sithi:
42 We have sinned, we have transgressed; and you have not pardoned.
“Sonile sahlamuka, njalo kawusithethelelanga.
43 SAMECH. You has visited [us] in wrath, and driven us away: you has slain, you has not pitied.
Uzigubuzele ngolaka waxhumana lathi; ubhubhisile ungelazwelo.
44 You have veiled yourself with a cloud because of prayer, that I might be blind,
Uzisibekele ngeyezi ukuze kungafinyeleli mkhuleko kuwe.
45 and be cast off. AIN. You have set us [alone] in the midst of the nations.
Usenze saba ngamanyala lengcekeza phakathi kwezizwe.
46 All our enemies have opened their mouth against us.
Izitha zethu zonke zivule imilomo yazo zezwakala zisihoza.
47 Fear and wrath are come upon us, suspense and destruction.
Sesihlukuluzwe yikuthuthumela lokukhilikithela, ukudilika lokubhidlika.”
48 Mine eye shall pour down torrents of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Imifula yezinyembezi iyajuluka emehlweni ami ngoba abantu bakithi babhujisiwe.
49 PHE. Mine eye is drowned [with tears], and I will not be silent, so that there shall be no rest,
Amehlo ami azajuluka kokuphela, engelakuphumula,
50 until the Lord look down, and behold from heaven.
UThixo aze akhangele phansi esezulwini, angibone.
51 Mine eye shall prey upon my soul, because of all the daughters of the city.
Engikubonayo kuthelela usizi emphefumulweni wami ngenxa yabesifazane bonke bomuzi wakithi.
52 TSADE. The fowlers chased me as a sparrow, all mine enemies destroyed my life in a pit without cause,
Labo ababa yizitha zami kungelasizatho, bangizingela njengenyoni.
53 and laid a stone upon me.
Bazama ukuquma impilo yami emgodini bangijikijela ngamatshe;
54 Water flowed over my head: I said, I am cut off.
amanzi asibekela ikhanda lami, ngabona ukuthi okwami sekuphelile.
55 KOPH. I called upon your name, O Lord, out of the lowest dungeon.
Ngalimemezela ibizo lakho, Oh Thixo, ngisekujuleni komgodi.
56 You heard my voice: close not your ears to my supplication.
Wezwa ukuncenga kwami: “Ungavali indlebe zakho nxa ngikhalela ukwenyulwa.”
57 You drew near to my help: in the day wherein I called upon you you said to me, Fear not.
Wasondela lapho ngikumemeza, wathi kimi, “Ungesabi.”
58 RECHS. O Lord, you has pleaded the causes of my soul; you has redeemed my life.
Oh Thixo, wasamukela isikhalazo sami; wahlenga ukuphila kwami.
59 You have seen, O Lord, my troubles: you have judged my cause.
Ububonile Thixo, ububi obenziwe kimi. Ngisekela kulobubunzima!
60 You have seen all their vengeance, [you have looked] on all their devices against me.
Usubonile ukujula kokusonga kwabo, lamacebo abo wonke ngami.
61 CHSEN. You have heard their reproach [and] all their devices against me;
Awu Thixo, uzwile inhlamba zabo, wonke amacebo abo ngami,
62 the lips of them that rose up against me, and their plots against me all the day;
ukunyenyeza lokungunguna kwabo ngami ukusa kwamalanga.
63 their sitting down and their rising up: look you upon their eyes.
Ake ubabone! Bahlezi kumbe bajamile, bayangihleka ngezingoma zabo.
64 You will render them a recompense, O Lord, according to the works of their hands.
Awu Thixo, akubaphindisele ngokubafaneleyo, ngalokho okwenziwe yizandla zabo.
65 THAU. You will give them [as] a covering, the grief of my heart.
Basibekele ngelembu ezinhliziyweni zabo, isiqalekiso sakho sehlele phezu kwabo!
66 You will persecute them in anger, and will consume them from under the heaven, O Lord.
Xhumana labo ngolaka, ubabhubhise ngaphansi kwamazulu kaThixo.
