Lamentations 5
1 Yahweh, think about what has happened to us. See that we have been disgraced.
Khumbula, Nkosi, ukuthi kwenzakaleni kithi; khangela, ubone ihlazo lethu.
2 Foreigners have seized our property, [and now] they live in our homes.
Ilifa lethu seliphendulelwe kwabezizwe, izindlu zethu kwabemzini.
3 [Our enemies] have killed our fathers; they caused our mothers to become widows.
Siyizintandane, kungelababa; omama banjengabafelokazi.
4 [Now] we are required to pay for water to drink, and we must pay [a lot of money] for firewood.
Amanzi ethu siwanathile ngemali; inkuni zethu ziza ngentengo.
5 [It is as though] those who pursue us are at our heels; we are exhausted, but they do not allow us to rest.
Sizingelwa ezintanyeni zethu, sidiniwe, kasilakuphumula.
6 In order to get enough food [to remain alive], we went to Egypt and Assyria and offered to work [for the people there].
Sinike isandla sethu kwabeGibhithe, labeAsiriya, ukuze sisuthiswe ngesinkwa.
7 Our ancestors sinned, and now they are dead, but we are being punished for the sins that they committed.
Obaba bona, kabasekho, njalo thina sithwele iziphambeko zabo.
8 [Officials from Babylon] who were [previously] slaves [now] rule over us, and there is no one who can rescue us from their power.
Izigqili ziyasibusa, kakho ongasihluthuna esandleni sazo.
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.
Sizuza isinkwa sethu ngengozi yempilo yethu, ngenxa yenkemba yenkangala.
10 Our skin has become hot like [SIM] an oven, and we have a very high fever because we are extremely hungry.
Ijwabu lethu limnyama njengeziko ngenxa yokutshisa okukhulu kwendlala.
11 [Our enemies] have raped the women in Jerusalem, [and they have done that to] the young women in [all] the towns of Judea.
Badlova abesifazana eZiyoni, izintombi ezimsulwa emizini yakoJuda.
12 [Our enemies] have hanged our leaders, and they do not respect our elders.
Iziphathamandla zaphanyekwa ngesandla sazo; ubuso babadala kabuhlonitshwanga.
13 They force our young men to grind [flour] with millstones, and boys stagger while they [are forced to] carry [heavy] loads of firewood.
Amajaha athwala amatshe okuchola, labafana bakhubeka ngaphansi kwenkuni.
14 [Our] elders no longer sit at the city gates [to make important decisions]; the young men no longer play their musical [instruments].
Abadala baphelile esangweni, amajaha ekuhlabeleleni.
15 We [SYN] are no longer joyful; instead of dancing [joyfully], we now mourn.
Intokozo yenhliziyo yethu iphelile, ukugida kwethu kwaphenduka ukulila.
16 The wreaths [of flowers] have fallen off our heads. Terrible things have happened to us because of the sins that we committed.
Umqhele wekhanda lethu uwile; hawu, maye kithi, 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 yethu iphela amandla; ngenxa yalezizinto amehlo ethu afiphele.
18 Jerusalem is [completely] deserted, and jackals/wolves prowl around it.
Ngenxa yentaba yeZiyoni elunxiwa, amakhanka ahamba phezu kwayo.
19 But Yahweh, you rule forever! You continue to rule [MTY] from one generation to the next generation.
Wena, Nkosi, uhlezi kuze kube nininini, isihlalo sakho sobukhosi sisuka esizukulwaneni sisiya esizukulwaneni.
20 [So] why [RHQ] have you forgotten us? Why [RHQ] have you abandoned us for a very long time?
Usikhohlweleni njalonjalo, usidela okobude bezinsuku?
21 [Please] enable us to return to you, and enable us to prosper [MTY] as we did previously.
Siphendulele kuwe, Nkosi, sizaphenduka; yenza insuku zethu zibe zintsha njengasendulo.
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!
Kodwa ususilahlile isibili; usithukuthelele kakhulukazi.
