< Lamentations 5 >

1 Remember, O YHWH, what has befallen us, Look attentively, and see our reproach.
Khumbula, Nkosi, ukuthi kwenzakaleni kithi; khangela, ubone ihlazo lethu.
2 Our inheritance has been turned to strangers, Our houses to foreigners.
Ilifa lethu seliphendulelwe kwabezizwe, izindlu zethu kwabemzini.
3 Orphans we have been—without a father, our mothers [are] as widows.
Siyizintandane, kungelababa; omama banjengabafelokazi.
4 We have drunk our water for money, Our wood comes for a price.
Amanzi ethu siwanathile ngemali; inkuni zethu ziza ngentengo.
5 For our neck we have been pursued, We have labored—there has been no rest for us.
Sizingelwa ezintanyeni zethu, sidiniwe, kasilakuphumula.
6 [To] Egypt we have given a hand, [To] Asshur, to be satisfied with bread.
Sinike isandla sethu kwabeGibhithe, labeAsiriya, ukuze sisuthiswe ngesinkwa.
7 Our fathers have sinned—they are not, We have borne their iniquities.
Obaba bona, kabasekho, njalo thina sithwele iziphambeko zabo.
8 Servants have ruled over us, There is no deliverer from their hand.
Izigqili ziyasibusa, kakho ongasihluthuna esandleni sazo.
9 With our lives we bring in our bread, Because of the sword of the wilderness.
Sizuza isinkwa sethu ngengozi yempilo yethu, ngenxa yenkemba yenkangala.
10 Our skin as an oven has been burning, Because of the raging of the famine.
Ijwabu lethu limnyama njengeziko ngenxa yokutshisa okukhulu kwendlala.
11 Wives in Zion they have humbled, Virgins—in cities of Judah.
Badlova abesifazana eZiyoni, izintombi ezimsulwa emizini yakoJuda.
12 Princes have been hanged by their hand, Elderly faces have not been honored.
Iziphathamandla zaphanyekwa ngesandla sazo; ubuso babadala kabuhlonitshwanga.
13 They have taken young men to grind, And youths have stumbled with wood.
Amajaha athwala amatshe okuchola, labafana bakhubeka ngaphansi kwenkuni.
14 Elderly have ceased from the gate, Young men from their song.
Abadala baphelile esangweni, amajaha ekuhlabeleleni.
15 The joy of our heart has ceased, Our dancing has been turned to mourning.
Intokozo yenhliziyo yethu iphelile, ukugida kwethu kwaphenduka ukulila.
16 The crown has fallen [from] our head, Woe [is] now to us, for we have sinned.
Umqhele wekhanda lethu uwile; hawu, maye kithi, ngoba sonile!
17 Our heart has been sick for this, Our eyes have been dim for these.
Ngenxa yalokhu inhliziyo yethu iphela amandla; ngenxa yalezizinto amehlo ethu afiphele.
18 For the Mount of Zion—that is desolate, Foxes have gone up on it.
Ngenxa yentaba yeZiyoni elunxiwa, amakhanka ahamba phezu kwayo.
19 You, O YHWH, remain for all time, Your throne to generation and generation.
Wena, Nkosi, uhlezi kuze kube nininini, isihlalo sakho sobukhosi sisuka esizukulwaneni sisiya esizukulwaneni.
20 Why do You forget us forever? You forsake us for [the] length of [our] days!
Usikhohlweleni njalonjalo, usidela okobude bezinsuku?
21 Turn us back, O YHWH, to You, And we turn back, renew our days as of old.
Siphendulele kuwe, Nkosi, sizaphenduka; yenza insuku zethu zibe zintsha njengasendulo.
22 For have You utterly rejected us? You have been angry against us—exceedingly?
Kodwa ususilahlile isibili; usithukuthelele kakhulukazi.

< Lamentations 5 >