Lamentations 5
1 Remember, O Jehovah, what hath befallen us, Look attentively, and see our reproach.
Khumbula, Nkosi, ukuthi kwenzakaleni kithi; khangela, ubone ihlazo lethu.
2 Our inheritance hath been turned to strangers, Our houses to foreigners.
Ilifa lethu seliphendulelwe kwabezizwe, izindlu zethu kwabemzini.
3 Orphans we have been — without a father, our mothers [are] as widows.
Siyizintandane, kungelababa; omama banjengabafelokazi.
4 Our water for money we have drunk, Our wood for a price doth come.
Amanzi ethu siwanathile ngemali; inkuni zethu ziza ngentengo.
5 For our neck we have been pursued, We have laboured — there hath been no rest for us.
Sizingelwa ezintanyeni zethu, sidiniwe, kasilakuphumula.
6 [To] Egypt we have given a hand, [To] Asshur, to be satisfied with bread.
Sinike isandla sethu kwabeGibhithe, labeAsiriya, ukuze sisuthiswe ngesinkwa.
7 Our fathers have sinned — they are not, We their iniquities have borne.
Obaba bona, kabasekho, njalo thina sithwele iziphambeko zabo.
8 Servants have ruled over us, A deliverer there is none from their hand.
Izigqili ziyasibusa, kakho ongasihluthuna esandleni sazo.
9 With our lives we bring in our bread, Because of the sword of the wilderness.
Sizuza isinkwa sethu ngengozi yempilo yethu, ngenxa yenkemba yenkangala.
10 Our skin as an oven hath been burning, Because of the raging of the famine.
Ijwabu lethu limnyama njengeziko ngenxa yokutshisa okukhulu kwendlala.
11 Wives in Zion they have humbled, Virgins — in cities of Judah.
Badlova abesifazana eZiyoni, izintombi ezimsulwa emizini yakoJuda.
12 Princes by their hand have been hanged, The faces of elders have not been honoured.
Iziphathamandla zaphanyekwa ngesandla sazo; ubuso babadala kabuhlonitshwanga.
13 Young men to grind they have taken, And youths with wood have stumbled.
Amajaha athwala amatshe okuchola, labafana bakhubeka ngaphansi kwenkuni.
14 The aged from the gate have ceased, Young men from their song.
Abadala baphelile esangweni, amajaha ekuhlabeleleni.
15 Ceased hath the joy of our heart, Turned to mourning hath been our dancing.
Intokozo yenhliziyo yethu iphelile, ukugida kwethu kwaphenduka ukulila.
16 Fallen hath the crown [from] our head, Woe [is] now to us, for we have sinned.
Umqhele wekhanda lethu uwile; hawu, maye kithi, ngoba sonile!
17 For this hath our heart been sick, For these have our eyes been dim.
Ngenxa yalokhu inhliziyo yethu iphela amandla; ngenxa yalezizinto amehlo ethu afiphele.
18 For the mount of Zion — that is desolate, Foxes have gone up on it.
Ngenxa yentaba yeZiyoni elunxiwa, amakhanka ahamba phezu kwayo.
19 Thou, O Jehovah, to the age remainest, Thy throne to generation and generation.
Wena, Nkosi, uhlezi kuze kube nininini, isihlalo sakho sobukhosi sisuka esizukulwaneni sisiya esizukulwaneni.
20 Why for ever dost Thou forget us? Thou forsakest us for length of days!
Usikhohlweleni njalonjalo, usidela okobude bezinsuku?
21 Turn us back, O Jehovah, unto Thee, And we turn back, renew our days as of old.
Siphendulele kuwe, Nkosi, sizaphenduka; yenza insuku zethu zibe zintsha njengasendulo.
22 For hast Thou utterly rejected us? Thou hast been wroth against us — exceedingly?
Kodwa ususilahlile isibili; usithukuthelele kakhulukazi.
