Lamentations 5
1 Yahweh, think about what has happened to us. See that we have been disgraced.
Oh Thixo, khumbula okusehleleyo khangela ubone ukuyangeka kwethu.
2 Foreigners have seized our property, [and now] they live in our homes.
Ilifa lethu seliphiwe abezizweni, imizi yethu yathathwa ngabemzini.
3 [Our enemies] have killed our fathers; they caused our mothers to become widows.
Sesizintandane ezingelaboyise, omama sebenjengabafelokazi.
4 [Now] we are required to pay for water to drink, and we must pay [a lot of money] for firewood.
Amanzi okunatha siyawathenga; inkuni zethu zikhutshelwa imali.
5 [It is as though] those who pursue us are at our heels; we are exhausted, but they do not allow us to rest.
Labo abasixotshayo basihlezi ezithende; sikhathele asilakuphumula.
6 In order to get enough food [to remain alive], we went to Egypt and Assyria and offered to work [for the people there].
Sazinikela kwabeGibhithe labe-Asiriya ukuze sizuze isinkwa.
7 Our ancestors sinned, and now they are dead, but we are being punished for the sins that they committed.
Okhokho benza isono kodwa kabasekho, thina yithi esesijeziswa.
8 [Officials from Babylon] who were [previously] slaves [now] rule over us, and there is no one who can rescue us from their power.
Sibuswa yizigqili, kakho osikhululayo ezandleni zazo.
9 When we roam around in the desert searching for food, we are in danger of being killed, because people there kill strangers with their swords.
Isinkwa sisithola ngendlela eyingozi ngenxa yenkemba ekhona enkangala.
10 Our skin has become hot like [SIM] an oven, and we have a very high fever because we are extremely hungry.
Isikhumba sethu sitshisa njengeziko, silomkhuhlane wendlala.
11 [Our enemies] have raped the women in Jerusalem, [and they have done that to] the young women in [all] the towns of Judea.
Abesifazane bayahlukuluzwa eZiyoni kanye lezintombi ezigcweleyo emadolobheni akoJuda.
12 [Our enemies] have hanged our leaders, and they do not respect our elders.
Amakhosi alengisiwe ngezandla zawo; abadala abasahlonitshwa.
13 They force our young men to grind [flour] with millstones, and boys stagger while they [are forced to] carry [heavy] loads of firewood.
Izinsizwa ziyahoqiswa ematsheni okuchola; abafana babhensiswa yimithwalo yenkuni.
14 [Our] elders no longer sit at the city gates [to make important decisions]; the young men no longer play their musical [instruments].
Abadala sebesukile esangweni lomuzi; izinsizwa sezithule ukuhlabelela.
15 We [SYN] are no longer joyful; instead of dancing [joyfully], we now mourn.
Ukuthokoza akusekho ezinhliziyweni zethu; ukugida kwethu sekuphenduke ukukhala.
16 The wreaths [of flowers] have fallen off our heads. Terrible things have happened to us because of the sins that we committed.
Umqhele usuwile ekhanda lethu. Maye thina, ngoba sonile!
17 We [SYN] are tired and discouraged [IDM], and we cannot see well because our eyes are [full of tears].
Ngenxa yalokhu inhliziyo zethu zibuthakathaka; ngenxa yalezizinto amehlo ethu ayafiphala,
18 Jerusalem is [completely] deserted, and jackals/wolves prowl around it.
ngoba intaba iZiyoni silugwadule, sekucathama amakhanka kuyo.
19 But Yahweh, you rule forever! You continue to rule [MTY] from one generation to the next generation.
Wena, Oh Thixo, busa nini lanini; ubukhosi bakho buhlezi kuzozonke izizukulwane.
20 [So] why [RHQ] have you forgotten us? Why [RHQ] have you abandoned us for a very long time?
Kungani uhlezi usikhohlwa? Usifulathelelani isikhathi eside kangaka na?
21 [Please] enable us to return to you, and enable us to prosper [MTY] as we did previously.
Sibuyisele kuwe, Oh Thixo, ukuze siphenduke; buyisa kabutsha insuku zethu njengezakudala,
22 Please do that, because we hope that [RHQ] you have not rejected us forever and that [RHQ] you do not continue to be extremely angry with us!
ngaphandle kokuba nxa ususilahle kokuphela wasizondela ngokungalinganisekiyo.
