Lamentations 3
1 [ALEPH-BET] I [am] the man [who] has seen affliction By the rod of His wrath.
Ngiyindodaebone inhlupheko ngentonga yolaka lwayo.
2 He has led me, and causes to go [in] darkness, and without light.
Ingikhokhele yangihambisa emnyameni kodwa hatshi ekukhanyeni.
3 Surely against me He turns back, He turns His hand all the day.
Isibili iphenduke yamelana lami; iphendule isandla sayo imelene lami usuku lonke.
4 He has worn out my flesh and my skin. He has broken my bones.
Igugisile inyama yami lesikhumba sami; yephulile amathambo ami.
5 He has built up against me, And sets around poverty and weariness.
Yakhile imelene lami, yangihanqa ngenyongo lobunzima.
6 In dark places He has caused me to dwell, As the dead of old.
Ingihlalise endaweni ezimnyama, njengabafa endulo.
7 He has hedged me in, and I do not go out, He has made heavy my chain.
Ingibiyele ukuze ngingaphumi, yenza iketane lami lethusi laba nzima.
8 Also when I call and cry out, He has shut out my prayer.
Njalo nxa ngikhala ngimemeza, ivalela phandle umkhuleko wami.
9 He has hedged my ways with hewn work, My paths He has made crooked.
Ibiyele indlela yami ngamatshe abaziweyo, yenza izindlela zami zagoba.
10 A bear lying in wait He [is] to me, A lion in secret hiding places.
Yaba kimi njengebhere elicathemeyo, isilwane ezindaweni zensitha.
11 My ways He is turning aside, and He pulls me in pieces, He has made me a desolation.
Iphambule izindlela zami, yangidabudabula, yangenza unxiwa.
12 He has bent His bow, And sets me up as a mark for an arrow.
Igobisile idandili layo, yangimisa njengento yokunenjwa ngomtshoko.
13 He has caused to enter into my reins The sons of His quiver.
Yenze amadodana esamba semitshoko yayo angena ezinsweni zami.
14 I have been a derision to all my people, Their song all the day.
Ngaba yinhlekisa kibo bonke abantu bakithi, ingoma yabo usuku lonke.
15 He has filled me with bitter things, He has filled me [with] wormwood.
Ingisuthise ngezinto ezibabayo, yanginathisa umhlonyane.
16 And He breaks with gravel my teeth, He has covered me with ashes.
Njalo ichoboze amazinyo ami ngokhethe, yangigiga emlotheni.
17 And You cast off my soul from peace, I have forgotten prosperity.
Njalo wena walahla umphefumulo wami khatshana lokuthula; ngikhohlwe okuhle.
18 And I say, My strength and my hope have perished from YHWH.
Ngakho ngithi: Kubhubhile amandla ami lethemba lami eNkosini.
19 Remember my affliction and my mourning, Wormwood and gall!
Khumbula inhlupheko yami lokuzulazula kwami, umhlonyane lenyongo.
20 Remember well, and my soul bows down in me.
Umphefumulo wami uhlala ukukhumbula, njalo ukhotheme phakathi kwami.
21 This I turn to my heart—therefore I hope.
Lokhu ngiyakubuyisela enhliziyweni yami, ngakho-ke ngiyathemba.
22 The kindnesses of YHWH! For we have not been consumed, For His mercies have not ended.
Kuyizihawu zeNkosi ukuthi kasiqedwanga, ngoba izisa zakhe kazipheli;
23 New every morning, abundant [is] Your faithfulness.
zintsha ikuseni yonke; lukhulu uthembeko lwayo.
24 My portion [is] YHWH, my soul has said, Therefore I hope for Him.
INkosi iyisabelo sami, kutsho umphefumulo wami; ngakho-ke ngizathemba kiyo.
25 YHWH [is] good to those waiting for Him, To the soul [that] seeks Him.
INkosi ilungile kwabayilindelayo, kumphefumulo oyidingayo.
26 [It is] good when one stays and stands still For the salvation of YHWH.
Kuhle ukuthi umuntu athembe, njalo ngokuthula kusindiso lweNkosi.
27 [It is] good for a man that he bears a yoke in his youth.
Kuhle emuntwini ukuthi athwale ijogwe ebutsheni bakhe.
28 He sits alone, and is silent, For He has laid [it] on him.
Kahlale yedwa, athule, ngoba isimethese lona.
29 He puts his mouth in the dust, if so be, there is hope.
Kabeke umlomo wakhe othulini; mhlawumbe kungaba khona ithemba.
30 He gives to his striker the cheek, He is filled with reproach.
Kanikele isihlathi sakhe komtshayayo; asuthe inhlamba.
31 For the Lord does not cast off for all time.
Ngoba iNkosi kayiyikulahla kuze kube phakade.
32 For though He afflicted, yet He has pitied, According to the abundance of His kindness.
Ngoba lanxa idabukisile, kanti izakuba lesihawu ngobunengi bezisa zayo.
33 For He has not afflicted with His heart, Nor does He grieve the sons of men.
Ngoba kayihluphi ngenhliziyo yayo idabukise abantwana babantu;
34 To bruise under one’s feet any bound ones of earth,
ukuchoboza ngaphansi kwenyawo zayo zonke izibotshwa zomhlaba;
35 To turn aside the judgment 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 has not approved.
ukuphambanisa umuntu kudaba lwakhe, iNkosi kayikuboni yini?
37 Who [is] this—he has spoken, and it is, [And] the Lord has not commanded [it]?
Ngubani ongakukhuluma, njalo kwenzeke, nxa iNkosi ingakulayanga?
38 From the mouth of the Most High does not go forth the evils and the good.
Kakuphumi ububi lokuhle emlonyeni woPhezukonke yini?
39 Why does a living man sigh habitually, A man for his sin?
Ngakho usolelani umuntu ophilayo, umuntu ngezono zakhe?
40 We search our ways, and investigate, And turn back to YHWH.
Asihlole silinge izindlela zethu, sibuyele eNkosini.
41 We lift up our heart on the hands to God in the heavens.
Asiphakamisele inhliziyo lezandla zethu kuNkulunkulu emazulwini.
42 We have transgressed and been rebellious, You have not forgiven.
Thina siphambukile, saba lenkani; wena kawuthethelelanga.
43 You have covered Yourself with anger, And pursue us; You have slain—You have not pitied.
Wembese ngolaka, waxotshana lathi, wabulala, kawuhawukelanga.
44 You have covered Yourself with a cloud, So that prayer does not pass through.
Uzembese ngeyezi, ukuze kungedluli umkhuleko.
45 Outcast and refuse You make us In the midst of the peoples.
Usenze saba yimfucuza lezibi phakathi kwezizwe.
46 Opened against us their mouth have all our enemies.
Zonke izitha zethu zivule umlomo wazo zimelene lathi.
47 Fear and a snare has been for us, Desolation and destruction.
Ukwesaba lomgodi kukhona phambi kwethu, incithakalo lokwephuka.
48 Streams of water go down my eye, For the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Ilihlo lami lehlisa imifula yamanzi ngokuchitheka kwendodakazi yabantu bami.
49 My eye is poured out, And does not cease without intermission,
Ilihlo lami liyajuluka, kaliyekeli, kungelakuma,
50 Until YHWH looks and sees from the heavens,
ize ikhangele phansi ibone iNkosi isezulwini.
51 My eye affects my soul, Because of all the daughters of my city.
Ilihlo lami lenza umphefumulo wami ube buhlungu ngenxa yawo wonke amadodakazi omuzi wakithi.
52 Hunting—my enemies have hunted me without cause like the bird.
Izitha zami zingizingele kabuhlungu njengenyoni, kungelasizatho.
53 They have cut off my life in a pit, And they cast a stone against me.
Bayiqumile impilo yami emgodini, baphosa ilitshe phezu kwami.
54 Waters have flowed over my head, I have said, I have been cut off.
Amanzi ageleza phezu kwekhanda lami; ngathi: Ngiqunyiwe.
55 I called Your Name, O YHWH, from the lower pit.
Ngabiza ibizo lakho, Nkosi, ngisemgodini phansi;
56 You have heard my voice, do not hide Your ear at my breathing—at my cry.
wezwa ilizwi lami; ungafihli indlebe yakho ekuphefumuleni kwami, ekukhaleleni kwami usizo.
57 You have drawn near in the day I call You, You have said, Do not fear.
Wasondela ngosuku lapho ngikubiza, wathi: Ungesabi.
58 You have pleaded, O Lord, the pleadings of my soul, You have redeemed my life.
Nkosi, uzimele izindaba zomphefumulo wami, wahlenga impilo yami.
59 You have seen, O YHWH, my overthrow, Judge my cause.
Nkosi, ubonile ukoniwa kwami; yahlulela udaba lwami.
60 You have seen all their vengeance, All their thoughts of me.
Ubonile yonke impindiselo yabo, wonke amacebo abo amelene lami.
61 You have heard their reproach, O YHWH, All their thoughts against me,
Uzwile inhlamba yabo, Nkosi, wonke amacebo abo amelene lami,
62 The lips of my withstanders, Even their meditation against me all the day.
indebe zabangivukelayo, lokuzindla kwabo kumelene lami lonke usuku.
63 Their sitting down, and their rising up, Behold attentively, I [am] their song.
Khangela ukuhlala kwabo, lokusukuma kwabo; ngiyingoma yabo.
64 You return to them the deed, O YHWH, According to the work of their hands.
Buyisela kibo impindiselo, Nkosi, njengokomsebenzi wezandla zabo.
65 You give to them a covered heart, Your curse to them.
Banike ubulukhuni benhliziyo, isiqalekiso sakho kibo.
66 You pursue in anger, and destroy them, From under the heavens of YHWH!
Xotshana labo ngolaka, ubabhubhise bangabi ngaphansi kwamazulu eNkosi.
