< Macakaya 4 >
1 Hĩ! Kaĩ thahabu ĩyo nĩĩthirĩte ũkengu wayo-ĩ, thahabu ĩrĩa therie kaĩ ĩrĩ gũthita-ĩ! Tũhiga twa goro tũrĩa twamũre nĩtũhurunjĩtwo magomano-inĩ ma njĩra ciothe.
Oh how is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! how are the stones of the sanctuary poured out at the corners of every street.
2 Ariũ a Zayuni arĩa me bata, arĩa rĩmwe mangĩaringithanirio na thogora wa thahabu, kaĩ rĩu moonagwo ta nyũngũ cia rĩũmba-ĩ, o ta wĩra wa moko ma mũũmbi!
The precious sons of Zion, valued equal to pure gold, how are they now esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
3 O na mbwe nĩciongithagia ciana ciacio, no andũ akwa matuĩkĩte andũ matarĩ tha, o ta nyaga cia werũ-inĩ.
Even wild beasts offer the breast, they give suck to their young ones: the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.
4 Rũrĩmĩ rwa gakenge rũnyiitanĩte na karakara nĩ ũndũ wa kũnyoota; twana tũhooyaga irio, no gũtirĩ mũndũ ũtũheaga.
The tongue of the suckling cleaveth to its palate by reason of thirst: babes ask for bread, there is not one to break it for them.
5 Andũ arĩa rĩmwe maarĩĩaga irio njega, rĩu maikaraga njĩra-inĩ mekonotete, arĩa maarerirwo makĩhumbagwo nguo cia rangi wa ndathi-rĩ, rĩu makomaga ciara-inĩ cia mũhu.
Those that used to eat dainty food are desolate in the streets: they that were reared up on scarlet now embrace dunghills.
6 Iherithia rĩa andũ akwa nĩ inene gũkĩra rĩa itũũra rĩa Sodomu, rĩrĩa rĩangʼaũranirio o rĩmwe, gũtarĩ guoko kwarĩteithirie.
For greater is the iniquity of the daughter of my people than the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as it were in a moment, and no human hands were laid on her.
7 Anene akuo maatherete gũkĩra tharunji, na makeerũha gũkĩra iria, maarĩ atune mĩĩrĩ gũkĩra ruru ĩrĩa ndune, magakĩhaana ta kahiga ka goro karĩa getagwo yakuti.
Her crowned princes were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more brilliant in body than pearls, more than the sapphire, their countenance:
8 No rĩu mairĩte o na gũkĩra mbiro; matikũũrĩkanaga marĩ njĩra-inĩ. Ikonde cia mĩĩrĩ yao ciũmanĩrĩire na mahĩndĩ; ciumĩte o ta rũthanju.
Darker than black is now their visage; they are not to be recognized in the streets: their skin is shriveled fast upon their bones; it is dry, it is become like wood.
9 Kaba arĩa mooragagwo na rũhiũ rwa njora, kũrĩ arĩa makuuaga nĩ ngʼaragu; matooragio nĩkũhũũta, makamoca nĩ ũndũ wa kwaga irio cia kuuma mũgũnda.
Happier are those slain by the sword than those slain by hunger; for those poured forth their blood, being pierced through, —[these perished] without the fruits of the field.
10 Moko ma andũ-a-nja arĩa marĩ tha nĩmarugire ciana ciao ene, igĩtuĩka irio ciao hĩndĩ ĩyo andũ akwa manangirwo.
The hands of merciful women cooked their own children: they became food unto them in the downfall of the daughter of my people.
11 Jehova nĩarekereirie mangʼũrĩ make biũ; aitũrũrĩte marakara make mahiũ. Nĩakĩtie mwaki kũu Zayuni ũrĩa ũcinĩte mĩthingi yakuo.
The Lord hath let loose all his fury: he hath poured out the fierceness of his anger: and he hath kindled a fire in Zion, which hath devoured her foundations.
12 Athamaki a thĩ matingĩetĩkirie, o na kana kĩrĩndĩ o na kĩmwe gĩa gũkũ thĩ, atĩ thũ na amuku nĩmangĩahotire gũtoonya ihingo cia Jerusalemu.
The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not believe that an adversary or an enemy could ever enter within the gates of Jerusalem.
13 No ũndũ ũcio wekĩkire nĩ ũndũ wa mehia ma anabii akuo, na mawaganu ma athĩnjĩri-Ngai akuo arĩa manaita thakame ya andũ arĩa athingu kũu thĩinĩ.
[But it hath happened] because of the sins of her prophets, the iniquities of her priests, that had shed in the midst of her the blood of the righteous.
14 Rĩu maturuuraga njĩra-inĩ ta andũ atumumu. Mathaahĩtio nĩ thakame ũũ atĩ gũtirĩ mũndũ o na ũmwe ũngĩgeria kũhutia nguo ciao.
They wandered about blindly in the streets, they became defiled with blood; so that men were not able to touch their garments.
15 Andũ mamakayagĩrĩria, makoiga atĩrĩ, “Thiĩi nakũu! Mũrĩ na thaahu! Thiĩi! Thiĩi! Mũtigatũhutie!” Ningĩ moora na maatuĩka orũũri, makeerwo atĩrĩ kũu ndũrĩrĩ-inĩ, “Matingĩikara gũkũ rĩngĩ.”
Depart, ye unclean, they called out unto them: depart, depart, touch not. So they flee away and also wander about: men say among the nations, They shall no more sojourn there.
16 Jehova we mwene nĩwe ũmahurunjĩte; nĩatigĩte kũmarũmbũiya. Athĩnjĩri-Ngai matiheagwo gĩtĩĩo, o na makarega gũtuga athuuri.
The anger of the Lord hath divided them; he will no more look at them: the faces of the priests they respected not, and the elders they spared not.
17 Makĩria ma ũguo-rĩ, maitho maitũ nĩmathirire hinya, o tũcũthĩrĩirie ũteithio ũrĩa tũtoonire; kuuma mĩthiringo iitũ ĩrĩa mĩraihu-rĩ, twetereire rũrĩrĩ rũtangĩahotire gũtũhonokia.
Even now our eyes anxiously wait for our valueless help: in our waiting have we waited for a nation that cannot help.
18 Andũ maatũcemaga ikinya gwa ikinya, nĩ ũndũ ũcio tũtingĩathiĩrĩire njĩra-inĩ ciitũ. Ithirĩro riitũ rĩgĩkuhĩrĩria, namo matukũ maitũ maarĩ matare, nĩgũkorwo ithirĩro riitũ nĩrĩakinyĩte.
They hunt our steps, that we cannot walk in our streets: our end is near, our days are full: for our end is come.
19 Andũ arĩa matũingatithĩtie-rĩ, maarĩ na ihenya gũkĩra nderi irĩ rĩera-inĩ; maatũhanyũkagĩria irĩma-inĩ, na magatuoheria werũ-inĩ.
Swifter were our pursuers than the eagles of heaven: upon the mountains did they hotly follow us: in the wilderness did they lie in wait for us.
20 Mũndũ ũrĩa mũitĩrĩrie maguta nĩ Jehova, o we ũrĩa warĩ ta mĩhũmũ iitũ-rĩ, nĩagwatirio nĩ mĩtego yao. Tweciiragia atĩ tũrĩ kĩĩruru-inĩ gĩake-rĩ, no tũtũũre gatagatĩ ka ndũrĩrĩ.
The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, was caught in their pits, he, of whom we said, Under his shadow shall we live among the nations.
21 Kena na ũcanjamũke, wee Mwarĩ wa Edomu, o wee ũtũũraga bũrũri wa Uzu. No rĩrĩ, o nawe gĩkombe gĩkĩ nĩgĩgagũkora; ũgaakĩnyuĩra ũrĩĩo, na ũrutwo nguo, ũtigwo njaga.
Be glad and rejoice, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of 'Uz: also unto thee shall the cup pass; thou wilt be drunken, and make thyself naked.
22 Wee Mwarĩ wa Zayuni-rĩ, iherithia rĩaku nĩrĩgathira; ndakoongerera ihinda rĩaku rĩa gũikara ũrĩ mũtahe. No wee, Mwarĩ wa Edomu-rĩ, nĩagakũherithĩria mehia maku na aguũrie waganu waku.
Brought to an end is thy iniquity, O daughter of Zion; He will no more carry thee away into exile: He visiteth thy iniquity, O daughter of Edom; He layeth open thy sins.