Okukungubaga 4
1 Zaabu ng’ettalazze! Zaabu ennungi ng’efuuse! Amayinja ag’omuwendo gasaasaanye buli luguudo we lutandikira.
How dark has the gold become! how changed the best gold! the stones of the holy place are dropping out at the top of every street.
2 Abaana ba Sayuuni ab’omuwendo abaali beenkana nga zaabu ennungi, kaakano bali ng’ensuwa ez’ebbumba, omulimu gw’emikono gy’omubumbi.
The valued sons of Zion, whose price was the best gold, are looked on as vessels of earth, the work of the hands of the potter!
3 Ebibe biyonsa abaana baabyo, naye abantu bange bafuuse ng’abatalina kisa, bafaanana nga bammaaya mu ddungu.
Even the beasts of the waste land have full breasts, they give milk to their young ones: the daughter of my people has become cruel like the ostriches in the waste land.
4 Olw’ennyonta omwana ayonka gy’alina, olulimi lwe lukwatira ku kibuno ky’akamwa ke; abaana basaba emmere naye tewali n’omu agibawa.
The tongue of the child at the breast is fixed to the roof of his mouth for need of drink: the young children are crying out for bread, and no man gives it to them.
5 Abaalyanga ebiwoomerera basabiriza ku nguudo; n’abo abaakuzibwa ng’abambala engoye ezinekaaneka bali ku ntuumu ez’ebisasiro.
Those who were used to feasting on delicate food are wasted in the streets: those who as children were dressed in purple are stretched out on the dust.
6 Ekibonerezo ky’abantu bange kisinga ekya Sodomu, ekyawambibwa mu kaseera akatono, nga tewali n’omu azze kukibeera.
For the punishment of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of Sodom, which was overturned suddenly without any hand falling on her.
7 Abalangira baabwe baatukula nnyo okusinga omuzira, nga beeru okusinga amata; n’emibiri gyabwe nga mimyufu okusinga amayinja amatwakaavu, era banyirivu nga safiro.
Her holy ones were cleaner than snow, they were whiter than milk, their bodies were redder than corals, their form was as the sapphire:
8 Naye kaakano badduggala okusinga enziro, era tebakyasobola kutegeerekeka mu nguudo. Olususu lwabwe lukalidde ku magumba gaabwe; lukaze ng’ekiti ekikalu.
Their face is blacker than night; in the streets no one has knowledge of them: their skin is hanging on their bones, they are dry, they have become like wood.
9 Abafa ekitala bafa bulungi okusinga abafa enjala, kubanga abafa enjala bayongobera ne baggwaawo olw’obutaba na mmere mu nnimiro.
Those who have been put to the sword are better off than those whose death is caused by need of food; for these come to death slowly, burned up like the fruit of the field.
10 Abakazi ab’ekisa abaagala abaana bafumbye abaana baabwe; abaana abaafuuka emmere abantu bange bwe baazikirizibwa.
The hands of kind-hearted women have been boiling their children; they were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
11 Mukama akituukirizza mu busungu bwe obungi, era abayiyeeko obusungu bwe obungi. Yakoleeza omuliro mu Sayuuni ogwayokya emisingi gyakyo.
The Lord has given full effect to his passion, he has let loose his burning wrath; he has made a fire in Zion, causing the destruction of its bases.
12 Bakabaka b’ensi n’abantu ab’ensi endala tebakkiriza, nti abalabe n’ababakyawa baliyingira mu wankaaki wa Yerusaalemi.
To the kings of the earth and to all the people of the world it did not seem possible that the attackers and the haters would go into the doors of Jerusalem.
13 Ebyo byabatuukako olw’ebibi bya bannabbi be, n’olw’obutali butuukirivu bwa bakabona be, abaayiwa omusaayi gw’abatuukirivu abaababeerangamu.
It is because of the sins of her prophets and the evil-doing of her priests, by whom the blood of the upright has been drained out in her.
14 Badoobera mu nguudo nga bamuzibe; bajjudde omusaayi so tewali ayaŋŋanga okukwata ku byambalo byabwe.
They are wandering like blind men in the streets, they are made unclean with blood, so that their robes may not be touched by men.
15 Abantu baabagobaganya nga boogera nti, “Muveewo, mmwe abatali balongoofu! Muviireewo ddala, so temutukwatako!” Bwe baafuuka emmombooze, amawanga gabagobaganya nga boogera nti, “Tebakyasaana kubeera wano.”
Away! unclean! they were crying out to them, Away! away! let there be no touching: when they went away in flight and wandering, men said among the nations, There is no further resting-place for them.
16 Mukama yennyini abasaasaanyizza, takyabafaako. Bakabona tebakyassibwamu kitiibwa, newaakubadde abakadde okuweebwa ebifo eby’oku mwanjo.
The face of the Lord has sent them in all directions; he will no longer take care of them: they had no respect for the priests, they gave no honour to the old men.
17 Amaaso gaffe gakooye olw’okulindirira okubeerwa okutajja; nga tulindirira eggwanga eriyinza okutulokola.
Our eyes are still wasting away in looking for our false help: we have been watching for a nation unable to give salvation.
18 Baatucocca ne batulemesa okutambulira mu nguudo zaffe; enkomerero yaffe n’eba kumpi, n’ennaku zaffe ne ziggwaayo.
They go after our steps so that we may not go in our streets: our end is near, our days are numbered; for our end has come.
19 Abaatuyiganyanga baatusinga embiro okusinga n’empungu ez’omu bbanga. Baatugobera mu nsozi ne batuteegera mu ddungu.
Those who went after us were quicker than the eagles of the heaven, driving us before them on the mountains, waiting secretly for us in the waste land.
20 Oyo Mukama gwe yafukako amafuta yagwa mu mitego gyabwe. Twalowooza nga tulikwekebwa mu kisiikirize kye ne tubeeranga mu mawanga.
Our breath of life, he on whom the holy oil was put, was taken in their holes; of whom we said, Under his shade we will be living among the nations.
21 Sanyuka ojaguze, ggwe Omuwala wa Edomu, abeera mu nsi ya Uzi; naye lumu olinywa ku kikompe n’otamiira ne weeyambula.
Have joy and be glad, O daughter of Edom, living in the land of Uz: the cup will be given to you in your turn, and you will be overcome with wine and your shame will be seen.
22 Ggwe Muwala wa Sayuuni, ekibonerezo kyo kikomye awo, talikwongerayo mu busibe. Naye ggwe omuwala wa Edomu, Mukama alikubonereza, n’ayanika ekibi kyo mu lujjudde.
The punishment of your evil-doing is complete, O daughter of Zion; never again will he take you away as a prisoner: he will give you the reward of your evil-doing, O daughter of Edom; he will let your sin be uncovered.
