Lamentations 3
1 I [, the one who am writing this, ] am a man who has been afflicted/punished [MTY] by Yahweh because he was angry.
Ngiyindodaebone inhlupheko ngentonga yolaka lwayo.
2 [It was as though] he caused me to walk in a very dark place without any light [at all].
Ingikhokhele yangihambisa emnyameni kodwa hatshi ekukhanyeni.
3 He has punished [IDM] me many times, all day, [every] day.
Isibili iphenduke yamelana lami; iphendule isandla sayo imelene lami usuku lonke.
4 He has caused my skin and my flesh to become old. He has broken my bones.
Igugisile inyama yami lesikhumba sami; yephulile amathambo ami.
5 He has surrounded me [DOU] with bitterness and suffering.
Yakhile imelene lami, yangihanqa ngenyongo lobunzima.
6 [It is as though] he has buried me in a dark place like [SIM] [the graves of] those who have been dead for a long time.
Ingihlalise endaweni ezimnyama, njengabafa endulo.
7 [It is as though] [MET] he has built a wall around me, and fastened/tied me with heavy chains, and I cannot escape.
Ingibiyele ukuze ngingaphumi, yenza iketane lami lethusi laba nzima.
8 Although I call out and cry out for him to help me, he does not pay attention to my prayers.
Njalo nxa ngikhala ngimemeza, ivalela phandle umkhuleko wami.
9 [It is as though] he has blocked my path with a [high] stone [wall] and has caused my path to become crooked.
Ibiyele indlela yami ngamatshe abaziweyo, yenza izindlela zami zagoba.
10 He has waited to attack me like [SIM] a bear or a lion hides and waits [to attack other animals].
Yaba kimi njengebhere elicathemeyo, isilwane ezindaweni zensitha.
11 [It is as though] he has dragged me off the path and (mauled me/torn me into pieces), and left me without help.
Iphambule izindlela zami, yangidabudabula, yangenza unxiwa.
12 [It is as though] [MET] he bent his bow and caused me to become the target [at which he shot] his arrows.
Igobisile idandili layo, yangimisa njengento yokunenjwa ngomtshoko.
13 [It is as though] he shot his arrows deep into my body.
Yenze amadodana esamba semitshoko yayo angena ezinsweni zami.
14 All my relatives laugh at me; all day, [every] day they sing songs that make fun of me.
Ngaba yinhlekisa kibo bonke abantu bakithi, ingoma yabo usuku lonke.
15 He has filled me with (bitterness/great suffering), [like] [MET] someone who drinks a very bitter liquid suffers.
Ingisuthise ngezinto ezibabayo, yanginathisa umhlonyane.
16 [It is as though] he has caused me to chew gravel that broke my teeth, and he has trampled me in the dirt.
Njalo ichoboze amazinyo ami ngokhethe, yangigiga emlotheni.
17 Things no longer go well for me; I no longer remember being prosperous.
Njalo wena walahla umphefumulo wami khatshana lokuthula; ngikhohlwe okuhle.
18 I [continued to] say [to myself], “I no longer expect to live much longer; I no longer confidently expect [to receive good things] from Yahweh!”
Ngakho ngithi: Kubhubhile amandla ami lethemba lami eNkosini.
19 When I think about my suffering and my wandering [away from home], [it is like drinking] a very bitter [DOU] liquid.
Khumbula inhlupheko yami lokuzulazula kwami, umhlonyane lenyongo.
20 I will never forget this time when I feel very depressed/discouraged [IDM].
Umphefumulo wami uhlala ukukhumbula, njalo ukhotheme phakathi kwami.
21 However, I confidently expect [Yahweh to do good things for me again] when I think about this:
Lokhu ngiyakubuyisela enhliziyweni yami, ngakho-ke ngiyathemba.
22 Yahweh never stops faithfully loving [us], and he never stops being kind to us.
Kuyizihawu zeNkosi ukuthi kasiqedwanga, ngoba izisa zakhe kazipheli;
23 [He is the one whom we can] always trust/lean on. Every morning he is merciful [to us again].
zintsha ikuseni yonke; lukhulu uthembeko lwayo.
24 [So] I say to myself, “Yahweh is all that I need; so I will confidently wait for him [to do good things for me].”
INkosi iyisabelo sami, kutsho umphefumulo wami; ngakho-ke ngizathemba kiyo.
25 Yahweh is good to [all] those who depend on him, to those who seek his [help].
INkosi ilungile kwabayilindelayo, kumphefumulo oyidingayo.
26 [So] it is good for us to wait quietly for Yahweh to save/rescue [us].
Kuhle ukuthi umuntu athembe, njalo ngokuthula kusindiso lweNkosi.
27 And it is good for us to [patiently] endure [suffering] while we are young.
Kuhle emuntwini ukuthi athwale ijogwe ebutsheni bakhe.
28 Those [who seek his help] should sit by themselves, silently, [knowing that] it is Yahweh who has allowed/caused them to suffer.
Kahlale yedwa, athule, ngoba isimethese lona.
29 They should lie in the dirt, with their faces on the ground, [because] they can still hope [that Yahweh will help them].
Kabeke umlomo wakhe othulini; mhlawumbe kungaba khona ithemba.
30 If someone strikes us on one cheek, we should turn the other cheek toward that person [in order that he may strike it, too], and accept/endure it when we are insulted.
Kanikele isihlathi sakhe komtshayayo; asuthe inhlamba.
31 Yahweh does not abandon [us his people] forever.
Ngoba iNkosi kayiyikulahla kuze kube phakade.
32 Sometimes he causes us to suffer, but sometimes he is kind [to us] because he continually and faithfully loves [us].
Ngoba lanxa idabukisile, kanti izakuba lesihawu ngobunengi bezisa zayo.
33 And he is not happy about causing human beings to suffer or to be sad.
Ngoba kayihluphi ngenhliziyo yayo idabukise abantwana babantu;
34 If people (mistreat all the prisoners/crush all the prisoners under their feet)
ukuchoboza ngaphansi kwenyawo zayo zonke izibotshwa zomhlaba;
35 or if they rebel against God by refusing to give to people the things that it is right for them [to receive],
ukuphambukisa ilungelo lomuntu phambi kobuso boPhezukonke;
36 or if they cause judges to decide matters unjustly, (does Yahweh not see all those things?/Yahweh certainly sees all those things!) [RHQ]
ukuphambanisa umuntu kudaba lwakhe, iNkosi kayikuboni yini?
37 No one can [RHQ] command something to happen [and then cause it to happen] if Yahweh has not already decided that it should happen.
Ngubani ongakukhuluma, njalo kwenzeke, nxa iNkosi ingakulayanga?
38 God in heaven [MTY] is [RHQ] the one who causes disasters to happen, and he [also] causes good things to happen.
Kakuphumi ububi lokuhle emlonyeni woPhezukonke yini?
39 [So] it is certainly not [RHQ] right for us, who are only humans, to complain when he punishes us for the sins that we have committed.
Ngakho usolelani umuntu ophilayo, umuntu ngezono zakhe?
40 Instead, we should (examine/think carefully about) our behavior; we should turn back to Yahweh.
Asihlole silinge izindlela zethu, sibuyele eNkosini.
41 We should pray [IDM] sincerely and lift up our arms toward God in heaven, [and say, ]
Asiphakamisele inhliziyo lezandla zethu kuNkulunkulu emazulwini.
42 “We have sinned and rebelled [against you], and you have not forgiven [us].
Thina siphambukile, saba lenkani; wena kawuthethelelanga.
43 You have surrounded us with your anger and pursued us; you have slaughtered [us] without pitying us.
Wembese ngolaka, waxotshana lathi, wabulala, kawuhawukelanga.
44 You have hidden yourself in a cloud, with the result that you do not hear [us] when we pray.
Uzembese ngeyezi, ukuze kungedluli umkhuleko.
45 You have caused [the people of other] nations to consider us to be only garbage [DOU].
Usenze saba yimfucuza lezibi phakathi kwezizwe.
46 All our enemies have insulted us.
Zonke izitha zethu zivule umlomo wazo zimelene lathi.
47 We are constantly afraid [DOU], [because] we have experienced disasters and ruin [DOU].”
Ukwesaba lomgodi kukhona phambi kwethu, incithakalo lokwephuka.
48 I cry a lot because my people have been destroyed.
Ilihlo lami lehlisa imifula yamanzi ngokuchitheka kwendodakazi yabantu bami.
49 My tears continually flow; they will not stop
Ilihlo lami liyajuluka, kaliyekeli, kungelakuma,
50 until Yahweh looks down from heaven and sees [us].
ize ikhangele phansi ibone iNkosi isezulwini.
51 I am very grieved because of [what has happened to] the women of my city.
Ilihlo lami lenza umphefumulo wami ube buhlungu ngenxa yawo wonke amadodakazi omuzi wakithi.
52 Those who are my enemies hunted for me like [SIM] [people hunt for] a bird [to kill it] [even though] there was no reason [for them to do that].
Izitha zami zingizingele kabuhlungu njengenyoni, kungelasizatho.
53 They threw me into a pit to kill me, and they threw stones on top of me.
Bayiqumile impilo yami emgodini, baphosa ilitshe phezu kwami.
54 The water [in the pit] rose above my head, and I said [to myself], “I am about to die/drown!”
Amanzi ageleza phezu kwekhanda lami; ngathi: Ngiqunyiwe.
55 But from the bottom of the pit I cried out to you [MTY], “Yahweh, [help me]!”
Ngabiza ibizo lakho, Nkosi, ngisemgodini phansi;
56 I pleaded with you, “Do not refuse to heed [MTY] me while I cry out to you!”
wezwa ilizwi lami; ungafihli indlebe yakho ekuphefumuleni kwami, ekukhaleleni kwami usizo.
57 Then you answered me and said, “Do not be afraid!”
Wasondela ngosuku lapho ngikubiza, wathi: Ungesabi.
58 Yahweh, you defended me; you did not allow me to die.
Nkosi, uzimele izindaba zomphefumulo wami, wahlenga impilo yami.
59 [Now], Yahweh, you have seen the evil things that my enemies have done to me, [so] decide my case [and show that I am right]!
Nkosi, ubonile ukoniwa kwami; yahlulela udaba lwami.
60 You know the evil things that they have planned to do to me.
Ubonile yonke impindiselo yabo, wonke amacebo abo amelene lami.
61 Yahweh, you have heard them insult [me] and what they have planned to do to me.
Uzwile inhlamba yabo, Nkosi, wonke amacebo abo amelene lami,
62 Every day they whisper and mutter things about me, all day long.
indebe zabangivukelayo, lokuzindla kwabo kumelene lami lonke usuku.
63 Look at them! Whether they are standing or sitting they make fun of me with the songs that they sing.
Khangela ukuhlala kwabo, lokusukuma kwabo; ngiyingoma yabo.
64 Yahweh, cause them to suffer in return for their causing [me] to suffer!
Buyisela kibo impindiselo, Nkosi, njengokomsebenzi wezandla zabo.
65 Curse them [IDM] [for] their being very stubborn [IDM].
Banike ubulukhuni benhliziyo, isiqalekiso sakho kibo.
66 Because you are angry with them, pursue them and get rid of them, [until none of them remain] on the earth.
Xotshana labo ngolaka, ubabhubhise bangabi ngaphansi kwamazulu eNkosi.
