Lamentations 4
1 How the gold has become dim. How the most pure gold has changed. The stones of the sanctuary are poured out at the head of every street.
Yeka igolide eselilahlekelwe yikukhazimula kwalo, igolide elicolekileyo selijujukile! Amatshe aligugu angcwele aselahliwe ekuqaliseni kwemigwaqo yonke.
2 The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, How they are regarded as clay jars, the work of the hands of the potter.
Yeka izinsizwa zaseZiyoni ezincomekayo, ezake zaba lesisindo njengegolide, okwamanje sezingathi zimbiza zebumba, umsebenzi wezandla zombumbi!
3 Even the jackals offer the breast, they nurse their young ones, but the daughter of my people has become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.
Ngitsho lamakhanka asemunyisa abantwabawo emabeleni awo, kodwa abantu bami kabaselazwelo njengezintshe enkangala.
4 The nursing infant's tongue sticks to the roof of his mouth for thirst. The young children ask for bread, but no one gives to them.
Ngenxa yokoma, ulimi losane lunamathele elwangeni lomlomo; abantwana bancenga becela isinkwa kodwa kakho obaphayo.
5 Those who ate delicacies are destitute in the streets. Those who were brought up in purple embrace ash heaps.
Labo ababesidla izibiliboco sebeyiziceli emigwaqweni. Labo abondliwa ebutifitifini sebelala esilotheni.
6 For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom, which was overthrown in an instant, and no hands were laid on her.
Isijeziso sabantu bakithi sikhulu kuleseSodoma, yona eyabhujiswa ngomzuzwana, akwaze kwaba lasandla esazama ukunceda.
7 Her consecrated ones were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies more ruddy than rubies, their appearance was like lapis lazuli.
Amakhosana abo ayekhazimula kulongqwaqwane, emhlophe nke kulochago, imizimba yabo ibomvana njengamatshe ohlobo lwerubhi, ukubukeka kwabo kunjengelitshe elikhazimulayo.
8 They appear darker than soot; they are not known in the streets. Their skin cleaves to their bones; it is withered and has become as dry as a stick.
Kodwa manje sebemnyama kulomsizi; kabasananzwa langubani emigwaqweni. Isikhumba sabo sesinamathele emathanjeni abo; sesome okogodo.
9 Those who are killed with the sword are better than those who are killed with hunger; those who waste away, pierced through, for lack of the fruits of the field.
Bangcono labo ababulawa ngenkemba, kulalabo abafa ngendlala; bazaca baphele, bekhukhuzwa yindlala ngoba kungelakudla okuvela emasimini.
10 The hands of the compassionate women have cooked their own children; they were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Ngezandla zabo abesifazane abalesihelo, bapheke abantwababo, babenza ukudla kwabo ngesikhathi abantu bakithi bebulawa.
11 YHWH has accomplished his wrath, he has poured out his fierce anger; he has kindled a fire in Zion, which has devoured its foundations.
UThixo ubhodlisile intukuthelo yakhe; uluthulule ulaka lwakhe olwesabekayo. Uwulumathisile umlilo eZiyoni, watshisa izisekelo zayo.
12 The kings of the earth did not believe, neither all the inhabitants of the world, that the adversary or the enemy would enter into the gates of Jerusalem.
Amakhosi omhlaba ayengakholwa, labantu basemhlabeni babengakholwa ukuthi izitha labahlaseli bangangena emasangweni eJerusalema.
13 It is because of the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her.
Kodwa kwenzakala ngenxa yezono zabaphrofethi bakhona, lamanyala abaphristi bakhona, abachitha igazi labalungileyo ngaphakathi kwalo iJerusalema.
14 They wander as blind men in the streets, they are polluted with blood, so that men can't touch their garments.
Manje sebephumputha emigwaqweni njengabantu abayiziphofu. Sebengcoliswe ligazi kakuselamuntu ongathinta izembatho zabo.
15 "Go away." they cried to them, "Unclean. Away, away. Do not touch." When they fled away and wandered, men said among the nations, "They shall not live here anymore."
Abantu bayabaxotsha bathi, “Sukani! Lingcolile! Sukani! Sukani! Lingasithinti!” Nxa bebaleka bentula, abantu bezizwe bathi, “Ngeke bahlale lapha njalo.”
16 YHWH himself has scattered them; he will no more regard them. They did not respect the priests, they did not favor the elders.
UThixo ngokwakhe ubahlakazile; kasabalondolozi. Abaphristi kabasahlonitshwa, labadala kabasananzwa.
17 Our eyes still fail, looking in vain for our help. In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save.
Phezu kwalokho, amehlo ethu afiphala elindele ize engaboni sizo; siseziqongweni zethu zokulinda, salinda silindele isizwe esasingelancedo kithi.
18 They hunt our steps, so that we can't go in our streets. Our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end has come.
Abantu babesicwathela indawo zonke, ngakho sasesisesaba ukuhamba emigwaqweni yethu. Sasesiphelelwe, insuku zethu sezibaliwe, ngoba isiphetho sethu sesifikile.
19 Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the sky. They chased us on the mountains, they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.
Abasixotshayo babelejubane kulengqungqulu emkhathini; baxotshana lathi ezintabeni njalo basicathamela enkangala.
20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of YHWH, was taken in their pits; of whom we said, "Under his shadow we can live among the nations."
Ogcotshiweyo kaThixo, oyikuphila kwethu uqobo, wabanjwa emijibileni yabo. Sakhumbula ukuthi ngaphansi kwesithunzi sakhe sizahlala phakathi kwezizwe.
21 Rejoice and be glad, daughter of Edom, that dwell in the land of Uz. The cup shall pass through to you also; you will get drunk, and shall make yourself naked.
Jabula uthokoze, wena Ndodakazi yase-Edomi, wena ohlala elizweni lase-Uzi. Kodwa lakuwe izafika inkezo le; uzanatha udakwe, unqunulwe.
22 The punishment of your iniquity is accomplished, daughter of Zion; he will no more carry you away into captivity. He will visit your iniquity, daughter of Edom; he will uncover your sins.
Ndodakazi yaseZiyoni, isijeziso sakho sizaphela; akayikwelula isikhathi sokuthunjwa kwakho. Kodwa, maye kuwe Ndodakazi yase-Edomi, uzakujezisa ngesono sakho, achaye obala ububi bakho.
