Lamentations 3
1 I am the man that hath seen affliction under the rod of His wrath;
Ngiyindodaebone inhlupheko ngentonga yolaka lwayo.
2 He hath led me and brought me into darkness, and not into light;
Ingikhokhele yangihambisa emnyameni kodwa hatshi ekukhanyeni.
3 Yea, against me doth he again and again turn his hand all the day long.
Isibili iphenduke yamelana lami; iphendule isandla sayo imelene lami usuku lonke.
4 My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.
Igugisile inyama yami lesikhumba sami; yephulile amathambo ami.
5 He hath builded against me, and encompassed me with bitterness and woe.
Yakhile imelene lami, yangihanqa ngenyongo lobunzima.
6 He hath set me in dark places, as those that have long been dead.
Ingihlalise endaweni ezimnyama, njengabafa endulo.
7 He hath hedged me about, so that I cannot get out; he hath made my chain heavy;
Ingibiyele ukuze ngingaphumi, yenza iketane lami lethusi laba nzima.
8 Yea, when I cry and call aloud, he shutteth out my prayer.
Njalo nxa ngikhala ngimemeza, ivalela phandle umkhuleko wami.
9 He blocketh up my way with hewn stone; he maketh my paths crooked.
Ibiyele indlela yami ngamatshe abaziweyo, yenza izindlela zami zagoba.
10 A bear lying in wait hath he been to me, a lion in lurking-places.
Yaba kimi njengebhere elicathemeyo, isilwane ezindaweni zensitha.
11 He hath turned aside my ways, and torn me in pieces; he hath made me desolate.
Iphambule izindlela zami, yangidabudabula, yangenza unxiwa.
12 He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
Igobisile idandili layo, yangimisa njengento yokunenjwa ngomtshoko.
13 He hath caused the sons of his quiver to pierce my reins.
Yenze amadodana esamba semitshoko yayo angena ezinsweni zami.
14 I have been a laughing-stock to all my people, their song all the day.
Ngaba yinhlekisa kibo bonke abantu bakithi, ingoma yabo usuku lonke.
15 He hath filled me with bitterness; he hath made me drunk with wormwood.
Ingisuthise ngezinto ezibabayo, yanginathisa umhlonyane.
16 He hath also broken my teeth with gravel-stones; He hath covered me with ashes.
Njalo ichoboze amazinyo ami ngokhethe, yangigiga emlotheni.
17 Yea, thou hast removed my soul far from peace; I have forgotten prosperity.
Njalo wena walahla umphefumulo wami khatshana lokuthula; ngikhohlwe okuhle.
18 And I say, “My confidence and my hope in Jehovah are gone!”
Ngakho ngithi: Kubhubhile amandla ami lethemba lami eNkosini.
19 Remember my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall!
Khumbula inhlupheko yami lokuzulazula kwami, umhlonyane lenyongo.
20 Yea, thou wilt remember them, for my soul sinketh within me!
Umphefumulo wami uhlala ukukhumbula, njalo ukhotheme phakathi kwami.
21 This I recall to my mind; therefore have I hope;
Lokhu ngiyakubuyisela enhliziyweni yami, ngakho-ke ngiyathemba.
22 It is of the mercy of Jehovah that we are not consumed; yea, his compassion faileth not;
Kuyizihawu zeNkosi ukuthi kasiqedwanga, ngoba izisa zakhe kazipheli;
23 It is new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.
zintsha ikuseni yonke; lukhulu uthembeko lwayo.
24 Jehovah is my portion, saith my soul, therefore do I hope in him.
INkosi iyisabelo sami, kutsho umphefumulo wami; ngakho-ke ngizathemba kiyo.
25 Jehovah is good to them that trust in him, to the soul that seeketh him.
INkosi ilungile kwabayilindelayo, kumphefumulo oyidingayo.
26 It is good that a man hope, and quietly wait for salvation from Jehovah.
Kuhle ukuthi umuntu athembe, njalo ngokuthula kusindiso lweNkosi.
27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth;
Kuhle emuntwini ukuthi athwale ijogwe ebutsheni bakhe.
28 That he sit alone and keep silence, since He layeth it upon him;
Kahlale yedwa, athule, ngoba isimethese lona.
29 That he put his mouth in the dust, [[saying to himself, ]] “Perhaps there may be hope!”
Kabeke umlomo wakhe othulini; mhlawumbe kungaba khona ithemba.
30 That he offer his cheek to the smiter; that he be filled with reproach.
Kanikele isihlathi sakhe komtshayayo; asuthe inhlamba.
31 For the Lord will not cast off forever;
Ngoba iNkosi kayiyikulahla kuze kube phakade.
32 For though he cause grief, yet doth he have compassion according to his great mercy;
Ngoba lanxa idabukisile, kanti izakuba lesihawu ngobunengi bezisa zayo.
33 For he doth not willingly afflict and grieve the children of men.
Ngoba kayihluphi ngenhliziyo yayo idabukise abantwana babantu;
34 Doth one trample under foot all the prisoners of the earth,
ukuchoboza ngaphansi kwenyawo zayo zonke izibotshwa zomhlaba;
35 Doth he bend the right of a man before the face of the Most High,
ukuphambukisa ilungelo lomuntu phambi kobuso boPhezukonke;
36 Doth he subvert a man in his cause, and shall not the Lord behold it?
ukuphambanisa umuntu kudaba lwakhe, iNkosi kayikuboni yini?
37 Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord hath not commanded?
Ngubani ongakukhuluma, njalo kwenzeke, nxa iNkosi ingakulayanga?
38 Cometh not evil, as well as good, from the mouth of the Most High?
Kakuphumi ububi lokuhle emlonyeni woPhezukonke yini?
39 Wherefore then murmureth the living man? Let him murmur at his own sin!
Ngakho usolelani umuntu ophilayo, umuntu ngezono zakhe?
40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to Jehovah!
Asihlole silinge izindlela zethu, sibuyele eNkosini.
41 Let us lift up our hearts with our hands to God in the heavens!
Asiphakamisele inhliziyo lezandla zethu kuNkulunkulu emazulwini.
42 We have transgressed; we have rebelled; thou hast not forgiven!
Thina siphambukile, saba lenkani; wena kawuthethelelanga.
43 Thou hast hidden thyself in anger, and hast pursued us; thou hast slain and hast not spared;
Wembese ngolaka, waxotshana lathi, wabulala, kawuhawukelanga.
44 Thou hast hidden thyself in a cloud, that our prayer may not pass through;
Uzembese ngeyezi, ukuze kungedluli umkhuleko.
45 Thou hast made us the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the nations.
Usenze saba yimfucuza lezibi phakathi kwezizwe.
46 All our enemies have opened their mouths against us;
Zonke izitha zethu zivule umlomo wazo zimelene lathi.
47 Terror and the pit have come upon us, desolation and destruction;
Ukwesaba lomgodi kukhona phambi kwethu, incithakalo lokwephuka.
48 Mine eye runneth down with streams of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Ilihlo lami lehlisa imifula yamanzi ngokuchitheka kwendodakazi yabantu bami.
49 Mine eye trickleth down and ceaseth not, without any intermission,
Ilihlo lami liyajuluka, kaliyekeli, kungelakuma,
50 Until Jehovah look down and behold from heaven.
ize ikhangele phansi ibone iNkosi isezulwini.
51 Mine eye is painful to me on account of all the daughters of my city.
Ilihlo lami lenza umphefumulo wami ube buhlungu ngenxa yawo wonke amadodakazi omuzi wakithi.
52 They that are my enemies without cause hunt me down like a bird;
Izitha zami zingizingele kabuhlungu njengenyoni, kungelasizatho.
53 They take away my life in the dungeon; they cast a stone upon me;
Bayiqumile impilo yami emgodini, baphosa ilitshe phezu kwami.
54 Waters flow over my head; I say, “I am undone!”
Amanzi ageleza phezu kwekhanda lami; ngathi: Ngiqunyiwe.
55 I call upon thy name, O Jehovah, from the deep dungeon;
Ngabiza ibizo lakho, Nkosi, ngisemgodini phansi;
56 Hear thou my voice! hide not thine ear from my cry for relief!
wezwa ilizwi lami; ungafihli indlebe yakho ekuphefumuleni kwami, ekukhaleleni kwami usizo.
57 Be near to me, when I call upon thee! Say, “Fear not!”
Wasondela ngosuku lapho ngikubiza, wathi: Ungesabi.
58 Thou maintainest my cause, O Lord; thou redeemest my life!
Nkosi, uzimele izindaba zomphefumulo wami, wahlenga impilo yami.
59 Thou, O Jehovah, seest the wrong done to me; Maintain thou my cause!
Nkosi, ubonile ukoniwa kwami; yahlulela udaba lwami.
60 Thou seest all their vengeance, all their devices against me.
Ubonile yonke impindiselo yabo, wonke amacebo abo amelene lami.
61 Thou hearest their reproach, O Jehovah, all their devices against me,
Uzwile inhlamba yabo, Nkosi, wonke amacebo abo amelene lami,
62 The words of my adversaries, and their machinations against me all the day long!
indebe zabangivukelayo, lokuzindla kwabo kumelene lami lonke usuku.
63 Behold their sitting down and their rising up! I am their song.
Khangela ukuhlala kwabo, lokusukuma kwabo; ngiyingoma yabo.
64 Render to them a recompense, O Jehovah, according to the work of their hands!
Buyisela kibo impindiselo, Nkosi, njengokomsebenzi wezandla zabo.
65 Give them blindness of mind! thy curse be upon them!
Banike ubulukhuni benhliziyo, isiqalekiso sakho kibo.
66 Pursue them in thine anger, and destroy them from under Jehovah's heaven!
Xotshana labo ngolaka, ubabhubhise bangabi ngaphansi kwamazulu eNkosi.
