Lamentations 5
1 Remember, Jehovah, what has come on us. Look, and see our disgrace.
Khumbula, Nkosi, ukuthi kwenzakaleni kithi; khangela, ubone ihlazo lethu.
2 Our inheritance is turned over to strangers, our houses to foreigners.
Ilifa lethu seliphendulelwe kwabezizwe, izindlu zethu kwabemzini.
3 We are orphans and fatherless. Our mothers are like widows.
Siyizintandane, kungelababa; omama banjengabafelokazi.
4 We have to pay for a drink of water; our wood is sold to us.
Amanzi ethu siwanathile ngemali; inkuni zethu ziza ngentengo.
5 Our pursuers are on our necks; we are weary, and have no rest.
Sizingelwa ezintanyeni zethu, sidiniwe, kasilakuphumula.
6 We have submitted to the Egyptians and to the Assyrians, to get enough bread.
Sinike isandla sethu kwabeGibhithe, labeAsiriya, ukuze sisuthiswe ngesinkwa.
7 Our fathers sinned, and are no more; but we have borne their iniquities.
Obaba bona, kabasekho, njalo thina sithwele iziphambeko zabo.
8 Servants rule over us: There is none to deliver us out of their hand.
Izigqili ziyasibusa, kakho ongasihluthuna esandleni sazo.
9 We get our bread at the peril of our lives, because of the sword in the wilderness.
Sizuza isinkwa sethu ngengozi yempilo yethu, ngenxa yenkemba yenkangala.
10 Our skin is hot like an oven, because of the burning heat of famine.
Ijwabu lethu limnyama njengeziko ngenxa yokutshisa okukhulu kwendlala.
11 They raped the women in Zion, the virgins in the cities of Judah.
Badlova abesifazana eZiyoni, izintombi ezimsulwa emizini yakoJuda.
12 Princes were hung by their hands; elders were shown no respect.
Iziphathamandla zaphanyekwa ngesandla sazo; ubuso babadala kabuhlonitshwanga.
13 The young men grind at the mill; the boys stagger under loads of wood.
Amajaha athwala amatshe okuchola, labafana bakhubeka ngaphansi kwenkuni.
14 The elders have gone from the gate, the young men from their music.
Abadala baphelile esangweni, amajaha ekuhlabeleleni.
15 The joy of our heart has ceased; our dancing is turned into mourning.
Intokozo yenhliziyo yethu iphelile, ukugida kwethu kwaphenduka ukulila.
16 The crown is fallen from our head; woe to us, for we have sinned.
Umqhele wekhanda lethu uwile; hawu, maye kithi, ngoba sonile!
17 For this our heart is faint; for these things our eyes grow dim.
Ngenxa yalokhu inhliziyo yethu iphela amandla; ngenxa yalezizinto amehlo ethu afiphele.
18 For the mountain of Zion, which is desolate; the foxes walk on it.
Ngenxa yentaba yeZiyoni elunxiwa, amakhanka ahamba phezu kwayo.
19 But you, Jehovah, abide forever; your throne is from generation to generation.
Wena, Nkosi, uhlezi kuze kube nininini, isihlalo sakho sobukhosi sisuka esizukulwaneni sisiya esizukulwaneni.
20 Why do you keep on forgetting us? Why do you forsake us so long?
Usikhohlweleni njalonjalo, usidela okobude bezinsuku?
21 Restore us to you, Jehovah, and we shall be restored; renew our days as in former times,
Siphendulele kuwe, Nkosi, sizaphenduka; yenza insuku zethu zibe zintsha njengasendulo.
22 unless you have completely rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure.
Kodwa ususilahlile isibili; usithukuthelele kakhulukazi.
