< Lamentations 1 >

1 Jerusalem was [once] full of people, but now it is deserted. [Once] it was honored by people all over the world, but now it is [grieving/abandoned] like [SIM] a widow. [Once] it was [honored like] [MET] a princess [is honored] among the nations, but now [we who live here] have become slaves.
Haa! Mzinda uja wasiyidwa wokhawokha, umene kale unali wodzaza ndi anthu! Kale unali wotchuka pakati pa mitundu ya anthu! Tsopano wasanduka ngati mkazi wamasiye. Kale unali mfumukazi ya onse pa dziko lapansi, tsopano wasanduka kapolo.
2 We [PRS] weep bitterly [all] night long, with tears flowing down our cheeks. Among [the people in] all [the nations] that loved Jerusalem there are none that comfort us [now]. All [the rulers of those nations that were previously] our allies have betrayed us, and they are all now enemies [of the people of Jerusalem].
Ukulira mowawidwa mtima usiku wonse, misozi ili pa masaya pake. Mwa abwenzi ake onse, palibe ndi mmodzi yemwe womutonthoza. Abwenzi ake onse amuchitira chiwembu; onse akhala adani ake.
3 [The people of] Judah have been (exiled/forced to go to other countries) and caused to suffer greatly as slaves. They live in [other] nations where they do not have peace/safety. Their enemies seized them, and there was no way for them to escape.
Yuda watengedwa ku ukapolo, kukazunzika ndi kukagwira ntchito yolemetsa. Iye akukhala pakati pa anthu a mitundu ina; ndipo alibe malo opumulira. Onse omuthamangitsa iye amupitirira, ndipo alibe kwina kothawira.
4 The roads to Zion [Hill] are empty [PRS] because no one comes [here] to [celebrate] the sacred festivals. The city gates are deserted, and the priests groan. The young women [of Jerusalem] cry [because] they are suffering greatly.
Misewu yopita ku Ziyoni ikulira, chifukwa palibe ndi mmodzi yemwe akubwera ku maphwando ake. Zipata zake zonse zili pululu, ansembe akubuwula. Anamwali ake akulira, ndipo ali mʼmasautso woopsa.
5 Our enemies have conquered the city, and [now] they prosper. Yahweh has punished [the people of] Jerusalem because of all the sins that they have committed. The children [of Jerusalem] have been captured and taken [to other countries].
Adani ake asanduka mabwana ake; odana naye akupeza bwino. Yehova wamubweretsera mavuto chifukwa cha machimo ake ambiri. Ana ake atengedwa ukapolo pamaso pa mdani.
6 Jerusalem was a beautiful city, but it is not beautiful now. The leaders [of the city] are like [SIM] deer that are starving because of being unable to find any grass [to eat]. They are very weak, with the result that they are unable to run from their enemies.
Ulemerero wonse wa mwana wamkazi wa Ziyoni wachokeratu. Akalonga ake ali ngati mbawala zosowa msipu; alibe mphamvu zothawira owathamangitsa.
7 [The people of] Jerusalem are sad and scattered, and they think about the previous greatness of the city. [But now] our enemies have captured the city, and there is no one to help the people. Our enemies destroyed the city and laughed while they were doing that.
Pa masiku a masautso ndi kuzunzika kwake, Yerusalemu amakumbukira chuma chonse chimene mʼmasiku amakedzana chinali chake. Anthu ake atagwidwa ndi adani ake, panalibe aliyense womuthandiza. Adani ake ankamuyangʼana ndi kumuseka chifukwa cha kuwonongeka kwake.
8 [The people of] [PRS] Jerusalem have sinned very much; [it is as though] [MET] the city has become [like] a filthy [rag]. All those who [previously] honored the city [now] despise it, because they see that it has become very disgraced [MET]. Now [the people of] the city groan, and they cover their faces [because they are very ashamed].
Yerusalemu wachimwa kwambiri ndipo potero wakhala wodetsedwa. Onse amene ankamulemekeza pano akumunyoza, chifukwa aona umaliseche wake. Iye mwini akubuwula ndipo akubisa nkhope yake.
9 The city has become filthy because of [PRS] the sins that the people have committed; they did not think about what could happen to the city. [Now] the city has been destroyed, and there is no one to comfort [the people]. [The people cry out saying], “Yahweh, look at how we are suffering because our enemies have defeated us!”
Uve wake umaonekera pa zovala zake; iye sanaganizire za tsogolo lake. Nʼchifukwa chake kugwa kwake kunali kwakukulu; ndipo analibe womutonthoza. “Inu Yehova, taonani masautso anga, pakuti mdani wapambana.”
10 Our enemies have taken away all our treasures, all the valuable things that we owned. We have seen [soldiers from other] nations, [men who do not worship Yahweh], enter our sacred temple, [the place] where foreigners/non-Israelis were (forbidden/not allowed) to enter.
Adani amulanda chuma chake chonse; iye anaona mitundu ya anthu achikunja ikulowa mʼmalo ake opatulika, amene Inu Mulungu munawaletsa kulowa mu msonkhano wanu.
11 The people of the city groan while they search for food; they have given their treasures to get food [to eat] to remain alive. [They say], “Yahweh, look [at us], and see that we are despised!”
Anthu ake onse akubuwula pamene akufunafuna chakudya; asinthanitsa chuma chawo ndi chakudya kuti akhale ndi moyo. “Inu Yehova, taonani ndipo ganizirani, chifukwa ine ndanyozeka.”
12 You people who pass by, you do not [RHQ] seem to care at all [about what has happened to us]. Look around and see that there are no other [RHQ] people who are suffering like we are. Yahweh has caused us to suffer because he was extremely angry [with us].
“Kodi zimenezi mukuziyesa zachabe, inu nonse mukudutsa? Yangʼanani ndipo muone. Kodi pali mavuto ofanana ndi amene andigwerawa, amene Ambuye anandibweretsera pa tsiku la ukali wake?
13 [It is as though] he sent a fire from heaven [MTY] that burned in our bones; [it is as though] [MET] he has placed a trap for our feet, and has prevented us from walking any further. He has abandoned us; we are weak/miserable [every day], all day long.
“Anatumiza moto kuchokera kumwamba, unalowa mpaka mʼmafupa anga. Anayala ukonde kuti ukole mapazi anga ndipo anandibweza. Anandisiya wopanda chilichonse, wolefuka tsiku lonse.
14 He caused the sins that we have committed to be [like] a heavy load for us to carry; [it is as though] [MET] he tied them around our necks. Previously we were strong, but he has caused us to become weak. He has allowed our enemies to capture us, and we were not able to do anything to resist them.
“Wazindikira machimo anga onse ndipo ndi manja ake anawaluka pamodzi. Machimowa afika pakhosi panga, ndipo Ambuye wandithetsa mphamvu. Iye wandipereka kwa anthu amene sindingalimbane nawo.
15 Yahweh looked at our mighty soldiers and laughed at them. He has summoned a great army to [come and] crush our young soldiers. [It is as though] [MET] Yahweh has trampled on [us] people of Judah like [SIM] [people trample] on grapes in a pit [to make wine].
“Ambuye wakana anthu anga onse amphamvu omwe ankakhala nane: wasonkhanitsa gulu lankhondo kuti lilimbane nane, kuti litekedze anyamata anga; mʼmalo ofinyira mphesa Ambuye wapondereza anamwali a Yuda.
16 I weep because of [all] those things; my eyes are filled with tears. There is no one to comfort me; those who could encourage me are far away. Our enemies have conquered [us], so our children have nothing good to (hope for/expect to happen).
“Chifukwa cha zimenezi ndikulira ndipo maso anga adzaza ndi misozi. Palibe aliyense pafupi woti anditonthoze, palibe aliyense wondilimbitsa mtima. Ana anga ali okhaokha chifukwa mdani watigonjetsa.
17 [We people of] [PRS] Jerusalem reach out our hands [to get help], but there is no one to comfort us. Yahweh has decided concerning [us descendants of] Jacob that the people in nearby nations will become our enemies; so they consider that Jerusalem has become [like] [MET] a filthy rag.
“Ziyoni wakweza manja ake, koma palibe aliyense womutonthoza. Yehova walamula kuti abale ake a Yakobo akhale adani ake; Yerusalemu wasanduka chinthu chodetsedwa pakati pawo.
18 But what Yahweh has done [to us] is fair, because we have rebelled against obeying the commands that he gave [us]. You people everywhere, listen [to us]; [look and] see that we are suffering [greatly]. We had [many] sons and daughters, but they have been captured and forced to go to distant countries.
“Yehova ndi wolungama, koma ndine ndinawukira malamulo ake. Imvani inu anthu a mitundu yonse; onani masautso anga. Anyamata ndi anamwali anga agwidwa ukapolo.
19 We pleaded with our allies [to help us], but they [all] refused. Our priests and our leaders have died [from hunger] in the city while they were searching for food [to eat] to remain alive.
“Ndinayitana abwenzi anga koma anandinyenga. Ansembe ndi akuluakulu anga anafa mu mzinda pamene ankafunafuna chakudya kuti akhale ndi moyo.
20 Yahweh, see that we are suffering very much. [It is as though] our inner beings are tormented. We are sad [SYN] because we have rebelled [against you]. Our enemies kill people in the streets with their swords; people are dying [because they have no food to eat].
“Inu Yehova, onani mmene ine ndavutikira! Ndikuzunzika mʼkati mwanga, ndipo mu mtima mwanga ndasautsidwa chifukwa ndakhala osamvera. Mʼmisewu anthu akuphedwa, ndipo ku mudzi kuli imfa yokhayokha.
21 People have heard us while we groaned, but no one [came to] comfort us. [Yahweh, ] you caused us to experience this [disaster], and our enemies are happy to see what you have done [to us]. But cause it soon to be the time that you have promised, when our enemies will suffer like we have suffered!
“Anthu amva kubuwula kwanga, koma palibe wonditonthoza. Adani anga onse amva masautso anga; iwo akusangalala pa zimene Inu mwachita. Lifikitseni tsiku limene munalonjeza lija kuti iwonso adzakhale ngati ine.
22 [Yahweh, ] see all the evil things that they have done and punish them! [Punish them] like you have punished us for all the sins that we committed! [We say this to you] because we suffer and groan very much, and we (faint/are very sad).
“Lolani kuti ntchito zawo zoyipa zifike pamaso panu; muwalange ngati mmene mwandilangira ine chifukwa cha machimo anga onse. Ndikubuwula kwambiri ndipo mtima wanga walefuka.”

< Lamentations 1 >