Lamentations 5
1 Remember, O Jehovah, what hath befallen us, Look attentively, and see our reproach.
Oh Thixo, khumbula okusehleleyo khangela ubone ukuyangeka kwethu.
2 Our inheritance hath been turned to strangers, Our houses to foreigners.
Ilifa lethu seliphiwe abezizweni, imizi yethu yathathwa ngabemzini.
3 Orphans we have been — without a father, our mothers [are] as widows.
Sesizintandane ezingelaboyise, omama sebenjengabafelokazi.
4 Our water for money we have drunk, Our wood for a price doth come.
Amanzi okunatha siyawathenga; inkuni zethu zikhutshelwa imali.
5 For our neck we have been pursued, We have laboured — there hath been no rest for us.
Labo abasixotshayo basihlezi ezithende; sikhathele asilakuphumula.
6 [To] Egypt we have given a hand, [To] Asshur, to be satisfied with bread.
Sazinikela kwabeGibhithe labe-Asiriya ukuze sizuze isinkwa.
7 Our fathers have sinned — they are not, We their iniquities have borne.
Okhokho benza isono kodwa kabasekho, thina yithi esesijeziswa.
8 Servants have ruled over us, A deliverer there is none from their hand.
Sibuswa yizigqili, kakho osikhululayo ezandleni zazo.
9 With our lives we bring in our bread, Because of the sword of the wilderness.
Isinkwa sisithola ngendlela eyingozi ngenxa yenkemba ekhona enkangala.
10 Our skin as an oven hath been burning, Because of the raging of the famine.
Isikhumba sethu sitshisa njengeziko, silomkhuhlane wendlala.
11 Wives in Zion they have humbled, Virgins — in cities of Judah.
Abesifazane bayahlukuluzwa eZiyoni kanye lezintombi ezigcweleyo emadolobheni akoJuda.
12 Princes by their hand have been hanged, The faces of elders have not been honoured.
Amakhosi alengisiwe ngezandla zawo; abadala abasahlonitshwa.
13 Young men to grind they have taken, And youths with wood have stumbled.
Izinsizwa ziyahoqiswa ematsheni okuchola; abafana babhensiswa yimithwalo yenkuni.
14 The aged from the gate have ceased, Young men from their song.
Abadala sebesukile esangweni lomuzi; izinsizwa sezithule ukuhlabelela.
15 Ceased hath the joy of our heart, Turned to mourning hath been our dancing.
Ukuthokoza akusekho ezinhliziyweni zethu; ukugida kwethu sekuphenduke ukukhala.
16 Fallen hath the crown [from] our head, Woe [is] now to us, for we have sinned.
Umqhele usuwile ekhanda lethu. Maye thina, ngoba sonile!
17 For this hath our heart been sick, For these have our eyes been dim.
Ngenxa yalokhu inhliziyo zethu zibuthakathaka; ngenxa yalezizinto amehlo ethu ayafiphala,
18 For the mount of Zion — that is desolate, Foxes have gone up on it.
ngoba intaba iZiyoni silugwadule, sekucathama amakhanka kuyo.
19 Thou, O Jehovah, to the age remainest, Thy throne to generation and generation.
Wena, Oh Thixo, busa nini lanini; ubukhosi bakho buhlezi kuzozonke izizukulwane.
20 Why for ever dost Thou forget us? Thou forsakest us for length of days!
Kungani uhlezi usikhohlwa? Usifulathelelani isikhathi eside kangaka na?
21 Turn us back, O Jehovah, unto Thee, And we turn back, renew our days as of old.
Sibuyisele kuwe, Oh Thixo, ukuze siphenduke; buyisa kabutsha insuku zethu njengezakudala,
22 For hast Thou utterly rejected us? Thou hast been wroth against us — exceedingly?
ngaphandle kokuba nxa ususilahle kokuphela wasizondela ngokungalinganisekiyo.
