< Lamentations 3 >
1 [ALEPH-BET] I [am] the man [who] has seen affliction By the rod of His wrath.
Yimi umuntu olubonileyo usizi ngenxa yoswazi lokuthukuthela kukaThixo.
2 He has led me, and causes to go [in] darkness, and without light.
Ungixotshile, wangiphumputhekisa emnyameni hatshi ekukhanyeni;
3 Surely against me He turns back, He turns His hand all the day.
ngempela usengiphakamisele isandla sakhe, waphindaphinda ilanga lonke.
4 He has worn out my flesh and my skin. He has broken my bones.
Usenze ijwabu lami laluphala, wangephula amathambo.
5 He has built up against me, And sets around poverty and weariness.
Ungihanqile wangihonqolozela ngosizi langobunzima.
6 In dark places He has caused me to dwell, As the dead of old.
Ungenze ngahlala emnyameni njengalabo abafa kudala.
7 He has hedged me in, and I do not go out, He has made heavy my chain.
Ungihonqolozele ngenqaba ukuze ngingaphunyuki; ungibophe nko ngamaketane.
8 Also when I call and cry out, He has shut out my prayer.
Kuthi lanxa ngimemeza loba ngidinga usizo, awuvalele phandle umkhuleko wami.
9 He has hedged my ways with hewn work, My paths He has made crooked.
Uvale indlela yami ngamatshe; waphambukisa izindlela zami.
10 A bear lying in wait He [is] to me, A lion in secret hiding places.
Njengebhele licathamile, njengesilwane sicatshile,
11 My ways He is turning aside, and He pulls me in pieces, He has made me a desolation.
wangihudulela eceleni kwendlela, wangifohloza, wangitshiya ngingelamsizi.
12 He has bent His bow, And sets me up as a mark for an arrow.
Wadonsa idandili lakhe, ngaba yikudla kwemitshoko yakhe.
13 He has caused to enter into my reins The sons of His quiver.
Wangiciba enhliziyweni ngemitshoko evela emxhakeni wakhe.
14 I have been a derision to all my people, Their song all the day.
Ngaba yinhlekisa ebantwini bakithi bonke; sengitshona ngiyingoma eyinhlekisa kubo.
15 He has filled me with bitter things, He has filled me [with] wormwood.
Ungigqibe ngemithi ebabayo, wanginathisa inyongo.
16 And He breaks with gravel my teeth, He has covered me with ashes.
Ungihlafunise ukhethe ngamazinyo; wangigiqa ebhuqwini.
17 And You cast off my soul from peace, I have forgotten prosperity.
Ngincitshiwe ukuthula; angisakwazi ingabe iyini impumelelo.
18 And I say, My strength and my hope have perished from YHWH.
Ngakho ngithi, “Sebuphelile ubucwazicwazi bami, lakho konke engangikulindele kuThixo.”
19 Remember my affliction and my mourning, Wormwood and gall!
Ngikhumbula ukuhlupheka lokuntula kwami, ubumunyu lenyongo.
20 Remember well, and my soul bows down in me.
Konke ngikukhumbula kamhlophe, umoya wami wephukile.
21 This I turn to my heart—therefore I hope.
Kodwa ngikhumbula lokhu ngibe lethemba:
22 The kindnesses of YHWH! For we have not been consumed, For His mercies have not ended.
Ngenxa yothando olukhulu lukaThixo kasibhujiswanga, ngoba isihawu sakhe kasipheli.
23 New every morning, abundant [is] Your faithfulness.
Siba sitsha ukusa kwamalanga; kukhulu ukuthembeka kwakho.
24 My portion [is] YHWH, my soul has said, Therefore I hope for Him.
Ngiyazitshela ngithi, “UThixo uyisabelo sami; ngakho ngizalindela yena.”
25 YHWH [is] good to those waiting for Him, To the soul [that] seeks Him.
UThixo ulungile kulowo omethembayo, kulowo omdingayo;
26 [It is] good when one stays and stands still For the salvation of YHWH.
kuhle ukulinda ngokuthula, ukulindela insindiso kaThixo.
27 [It is] good for a man that he bears a yoke in his youth.
Kuhle ukuthi umuntu alithwale ijogwe ngesikhathi esesemutsha.
28 He sits alone, and is silent, For He has laid [it] on him.
Kahlale yedwa ngokuthula, ngoba uThixo ulibeke phezu kwakhe.
29 He puts his mouth in the dust, if so be, there is hope.
Kembele ubuso bakhe ethulini, mhlawumbe ithemba lizakuba khona.
30 He gives to his striker the cheek, He is filled with reproach.
Kaphe isihlathi sakhe kulowo ofuna ukumhlankala, agcwale ihlazo.
31 For the Lord does not cast off for all time.
Ngoba uThixo kabalahli abantu kuze kube nini lanini.
32 For though He afflicted, yet He has pitied, According to the abundance of His kindness.
Loba engaletha ubuhlungu, uzatshengisa uzwelo, lukhulu kakhulu uthando lwakhe olungapheliyo.
33 For He has not afflicted with His heart, Nor does He grieve the sons of men.
Ngoba kehliseli ukuhlupheka losizi ebantwini ngokuthanda.
34 To bruise under one’s feet any bound ones of 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 subvert a man in his cause, the Lord has not approved.
ukungahluleli kuhle, kambe uThixo uyabe engaziboni izinto ezinjalo na?
37 Who [is] this—he has spoken, and it is, [And] the Lord has not commanded [it]?
Ngubani ongatsho ulutho lwenzakale nxa lungavunyelwanga nguThixo na?
38 From the mouth of the Most High does not go forth the evils and the good.
Akuveli emlonyeni woPhezukonke ukuthi kuyehla inhlupheko lezinto ezinhle na?
39 Why does a living man sigh habitually, A man for his sin?
Pho kungani umuntu ophilayo esola nxa ejeziselwa izono zakhe na?
40 We search our ways, and investigate, And turn back to YHWH.
Kasilingeni njalo sihlole izindlela zethu, sibuyele kuThixo.
41 We lift up our heart on the hands to God in the heavens.
Asiphakamiseleni inhliziyo lezandla zethu kuNkulunkulu ezulwini sithi:
42 We have transgressed and been rebellious, You have not forgiven.
“Sonile sahlamuka, njalo kawusithethelelanga.
43 You have covered Yourself with anger, And pursue us; You have slain—You have not pitied.
Uzigubuzele ngolaka waxhumana lathi; ubhubhisile ungelazwelo.
44 You have covered Yourself with a cloud, So that prayer does not pass through.
Uzisibekele ngeyezi ukuze kungafinyeleli mkhuleko kuwe.
45 Outcast and refuse You make us In the midst of the peoples.
Usenze saba ngamanyala lengcekeza phakathi kwezizwe.
46 Opened against us their mouth have all our enemies.
Izitha zethu zonke zivule imilomo yazo zezwakala zisihoza.
47 Fear and a snare has been for us, Desolation and destruction.
Sesihlukuluzwe yikuthuthumela lokukhilikithela, ukudilika lokubhidlika.”
48 Streams of water go down my eye, For the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Imifula yezinyembezi iyajuluka emehlweni ami ngoba abantu bakithi babhujisiwe.
49 My eye is poured out, And does not cease without intermission,
Amehlo ami azajuluka kokuphela, engelakuphumula,
50 Until YHWH looks and sees from the heavens,
UThixo aze akhangele phansi esezulwini, angibone.
51 My eye affects my soul, Because of all the daughters of my city.
Engikubonayo kuthelela usizi emphefumulweni wami ngenxa yabesifazane bonke bomuzi wakithi.
52 Hunting—my enemies have hunted me without cause like the bird.
Labo ababa yizitha zami kungelasizatho, bangizingela njengenyoni.
53 They have cut off my life in a pit, And they cast a stone against me.
Bazama ukuquma impilo yami emgodini bangijikijela ngamatshe;
54 Waters have flowed over my head, I have said, I have been cut off.
amanzi asibekela ikhanda lami, ngabona ukuthi okwami sekuphelile.
55 I called Your Name, O YHWH, from the lower pit.
Ngalimemezela ibizo lakho, Oh Thixo, ngisekujuleni komgodi.
56 You have heard my voice, do not hide Your ear at my breathing—at my cry.
Wezwa ukuncenga kwami: “Ungavali indlebe zakho nxa ngikhalela ukwenyulwa.”
57 You have drawn near in the day I call You, You have said, Do not fear.
Wasondela lapho ngikumemeza, wathi kimi, “Ungesabi.”
58 You have pleaded, O Lord, the pleadings of my soul, You have redeemed my life.
Oh Thixo, wasamukela isikhalazo sami; wahlenga ukuphila kwami.
59 You have seen, O YHWH, my overthrow, Judge my cause.
Ububonile Thixo, ububi obenziwe kimi. Ngisekela kulobubunzima!
60 You have seen all their vengeance, All their thoughts of me.
Usubonile ukujula kokusonga kwabo, lamacebo abo wonke ngami.
61 You have heard their reproach, O YHWH, All their thoughts against me,
Awu Thixo, uzwile inhlamba zabo, wonke amacebo abo ngami,
62 The lips of my withstanders, Even their meditation against me all the day.
ukunyenyeza lokungunguna kwabo ngami ukusa kwamalanga.
63 Their sitting down, and their rising up, Behold attentively, I [am] their song.
Ake ubabone! Bahlezi kumbe bajamile, bayangihleka ngezingoma zabo.
64 You return to them the deed, O YHWH, According to the work of their hands.
Awu Thixo, akubaphindisele ngokubafaneleyo, ngalokho okwenziwe yizandla zabo.
65 You give to them a covered heart, Your curse to them.
Basibekele ngelembu ezinhliziyweni zabo, isiqalekiso sakho sehlele phezu kwabo!
66 You pursue in anger, and destroy them, From under the heavens of YHWH!
Xhumana labo ngolaka, ubabhubhise ngaphansi kwamazulu kaThixo.