Lamentations 5
1 Remember, LORD, what has come on us. Look, and see our reproach.
Khumbula, Nkosi, ukuthi kwenzakaleni kithi; khangela, ubone ihlazo lethu.
2 Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our houses to aliens.
Ilifa lethu seliphendulelwe kwabezizwe, izindlu zethu kwabemzini.
3 We are orphans and fatherless. Our mothers are as widows.
Siyizintandane, kungelababa; omama banjengabafelokazi.
4 We must pay for water to drink. Our wood is sold to us.
Amanzi ethu siwanathile ngemali; inkuni zethu ziza ngentengo.
5 Our pursuers are on our necks. We are weary, and have no rest.
Sizingelwa ezintanyeni zethu, sidiniwe, kasilakuphumula.
6 We have given our hands to the Egyptians, and to the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.
Sinike isandla sethu kwabeGibhithe, labeAsiriya, ukuze sisuthiswe ngesinkwa.
7 Our fathers sinned, and are no more. We have borne their iniquities.
Obaba bona, kabasekho, njalo thina sithwele iziphambeko zabo.
8 Servants rule over us. There is no one to deliver us out of their hand.
Izigqili ziyasibusa, kakho ongasihluthuna esandleni sazo.
9 We get our bread at the peril of our lives, because of the sword in the wilderness.
Sizuza isinkwa sethu ngengozi yempilo yethu, ngenxa yenkemba yenkangala.
10 Our skin is black like an oven, because of the burning heat of famine.
Ijwabu lethu limnyama njengeziko ngenxa yokutshisa okukhulu kwendlala.
11 They ravished the women in Zion, the virgins in the cities of Judah.
Badlova abesifazana eZiyoni, izintombi ezimsulwa emizini yakoJuda.
12 Princes were hanged up by their hands. The faces of elders were not honored.
Iziphathamandla zaphanyekwa ngesandla sazo; ubuso babadala kabuhlonitshwanga.
13 The young men carry millstones. The children stumbled under loads of wood.
Amajaha athwala amatshe okuchola, labafana bakhubeka ngaphansi kwenkuni.
14 The elders have ceased from the gate, and the young men from their music.
Abadala baphelile esangweni, amajaha ekuhlabeleleni.
15 The joy of our heart has ceased. Our dance is turned into mourning.
Intokozo yenhliziyo yethu iphelile, ukugida kwethu kwaphenduka ukulila.
16 The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned!
Umqhele wekhanda lethu uwile; hawu, maye kithi, ngoba sonile!
17 For this our heart is faint. For these things our eyes are dim:
Ngenxa yalokhu inhliziyo yethu iphela amandla; ngenxa yalezizinto amehlo ethu afiphele.
18 for the mountain of Zion, which is desolate. The foxes walk on it.
Ngenxa yentaba yeZiyoni elunxiwa, amakhanka ahamba phezu kwayo.
19 You, LORD, remain forever. Your throne is from generation to generation.
Wena, Nkosi, uhlezi kuze kube nininini, isihlalo sakho sobukhosi sisuka esizukulwaneni sisiya esizukulwaneni.
20 Why do you forget us forever, and forsake us for so long a time?
Usikhohlweleni njalonjalo, usidela okobude bezinsuku?
21 Turn us to yourself, LORD, and we will be turned. Renew our days as of old.
Siphendulele kuwe, Nkosi, sizaphenduka; yenza insuku zethu zibe zintsha njengasendulo.
22 But you have utterly rejected us. You are very angry against us.
Kodwa ususilahlile isibili; usithukuthelele kakhulukazi.
