Lamentations 3
1 I AM the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
Ngiyindodaebone inhlupheko ngentonga yolaka lwayo.
2 He hath led me and caused me to walk in darkness and not in light.
Ingikhokhele yangihambisa emnyameni kodwa hatshi ekukhanyeni.
3 Surely against me he turneth his hand again and again all the day.
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 compassed me with gall and travail.
Yakhile imelene lami, yangihanqa ngenyongo lobunzima.
6 He hath made me to dwell in dark places, as those that have been long dead.
Ingihlalise endaweni ezimnyama, njengabafa endulo.
7 He hath fenced me about, that I cannot go forth; he hath made my chain heavy.
Ingibiyele ukuze ngingaphumi, yenza iketane lami lethusi laba nzima.
8 Yea, when I cry and call for help, he shutteth out my prayer.
Njalo nxa ngikhala ngimemeza, ivalela phandle umkhuleko wami.
9 He hath fenced up my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.
Ibiyele indlela yami ngamatshe abaziweyo, yenza izindlela zami zagoba.
10 He is unto me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in secret places.
Yaba kimi njengebhere elicathemeyo, isilwane ezindaweni zensitha.
11 He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled 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 shafts of his quiver to enter into my reins.
Yenze amadodana esamba semitshoko yayo angena ezinsweni zami.
14 I am become a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.
Ngaba yinhlekisa kibo bonke abantu bakithi, ingoma yabo usuku lonke.
15 He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath sated me 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 And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace; I forgat prosperity.
Njalo wena walahla umphefumulo wami khatshana lokuthula; ngikhohlwe okuhle.
18 And I said, My strength is perished, and mine expectation from the LORD.
Ngakho ngithi: Kubhubhile amandla ami lethemba lami eNkosini.
19 Remember mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
Khumbula inhlupheko yami lokuzulazula kwami, umhlonyane lenyongo.
20 My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is bowed down 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 LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
Kuyizihawu zeNkosi ukuthi kasiqedwanga, ngoba izisa zakhe kazipheli;
23 They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.
zintsha ikuseni yonke; lukhulu uthembeko lwayo.
24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
INkosi iyisabelo sami, kutsho umphefumulo wami; ngakho-ke ngizathemba kiyo.
25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
INkosi ilungile kwabayilindelayo, kumphefumulo oyidingayo.
26 It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
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 Let him sit alone and keep silence, because he hath laid it upon him.
Kahlale yedwa, athule, ngoba isimethese lona.
29 Let him put his mouth in the dust; if so be there may he hope.
Kabeke umlomo wakhe othulini; mhlawumbe kungaba khona ithemba.
30 Let him give his cheek to him that smiteth him; let him be filled full with reproach.
Kanikele isihlathi sakhe komtshayayo; asuthe inhlamba.
31 For the Lord will not cast off for ever.
Ngoba iNkosi kayiyikulahla kuze kube phakade.
32 For though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.
Ngoba lanxa idabukisile, kanti izakuba lesihawu ngobunengi bezisa zayo.
33 For he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.
Ngoba kayihluphi ngenhliziyo yayo idabukise abantwana babantu;
34 To crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth,
ukuchoboza ngaphansi kwenyawo zayo zonke izibotshwa zomhlaba;
35 To turn aside the right 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 approveth not.
ukuphambanisa umuntu kudaba lwakhe, iNkosi kayikuboni yini?
37 Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?
Ngubani ongakukhuluma, njalo kwenzeke, nxa iNkosi ingakulayanga?
38 Out of the mouth of the Most High cometh there not evil and good?
Kakuphumi ububi lokuhle emlonyeni woPhezukonke yini?
39 Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
Ngakho usolelani umuntu ophilayo, umuntu ngezono zakhe?
40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.
Asihlole silinge izindlela zethu, sibuyele eNkosini.
41 Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.
Asiphakamisele inhliziyo lezandla zethu kuNkulunkulu emazulwini.
42 We have transgressed and have rebelled; thou hast not pardoned.
Thina siphambukile, saba lenkani; wena kawuthethelelanga.
43 Thou hast covered with anger and pursued us; thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.
Wembese ngolaka, waxotshana lathi, wabulala, kawuhawukelanga.
44 Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that [our] prayer should not pass through.
Uzembese ngeyezi, ukuze kungedluli umkhuleko.
45 Thou hast made us [as] the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the peoples.
Usenze saba yimfucuza lezibi phakathi kwezizwe.
46 all our enemies have opened their mouth wide against us.
Zonke izitha zethu zivule umlomo wazo zimelene lathi.
47 Fear and the pit are come upon us, devastation and destruction.
Ukwesaba lomgodi kukhona phambi kwethu, incithakalo lokwephuka.
48 Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Ilihlo lami lehlisa imifula yamanzi ngokuchitheka kwendodakazi yabantu bami.
49 Mine eye poureth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,
Ilihlo lami liyajuluka, kaliyekeli, kungelakuma,
50 Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven.
ize ikhangele phansi ibone iNkosi isezulwini.
51 Mine eye affecteth my soul, because of all the daughters of my city.
Ilihlo lami lenza umphefumulo wami ube buhlungu ngenxa yawo wonke amadodakazi omuzi wakithi.
52 They have chased me sore like a bird, that are mine enemies without cause.
Izitha zami zingizingele kabuhlungu njengenyoni, kungelasizatho.
53 They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and have cast a stone upon me.
Bayiqumile impilo yami emgodini, baphosa ilitshe phezu kwami.
54 Waters flowed over mine head; I said, I am cut off.
Amanzi ageleza phezu kwekhanda lami; ngathi: Ngiqunyiwe.
55 I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the lowest dungeon.
Ngabiza ibizo lakho, Nkosi, ngisemgodini phansi;
56 Thou heardest my voice; hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.
wezwa ilizwi lami; ungafihli indlebe yakho ekuphefumuleni kwami, ekukhaleleni kwami usizo.
57 Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.
Wasondela ngosuku lapho ngikubiza, wathi: Ungesabi.
58 O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.
Nkosi, uzimele izindaba zomphefumulo wami, wahlenga impilo yami.
59 O LORD, thou hast seen my wrong; judge thou my cause.
Nkosi, ubonile ukoniwa kwami; yahlulela udaba lwami.
60 Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their devices against me.
Ubonile yonke impindiselo yabo, wonke amacebo abo amelene lami.
61 Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, and all their devices against me;
Uzwile inhlamba yabo, Nkosi, wonke amacebo abo amelene lami,
62 The lips of those that rose up against me, and their imagination against me all the day.
indebe zabangivukelayo, lokuzindla kwabo kumelene lami lonke usuku.
63 Behold thou their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their song.
Khangela ukuhlala kwabo, lokusukuma kwabo; ngiyingoma yabo.
64 Thou wilt render unto them a recompence, O LORD, according to the work of their hands.
Buyisela kibo impindiselo, Nkosi, njengokomsebenzi wezandla zabo.
65 Thou wilt give them hardness of heart, thy curse unto them.
Banike ubulukhuni benhliziyo, isiqalekiso sakho kibo.
66 Thou wilt pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of the LORD.
Xotshana labo ngolaka, ubabhubhise bangabi ngaphansi kwamazulu eNkosi.
