Izililo 4
1 Yeka igolide eselilahlekelwe yikukhazimula kwalo, igolide elicolekileyo selijujukile! Amatshe aligugu angcwele aselahliwe ekuqaliseni kwemigwaqo yonke.
How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! The hallowed stones are cast forth at the head of every street.
2 Yeka izinsizwa zaseZiyoni ezincomekayo, ezake zaba lesisindo njengegolide, okwamanje sezingathi zimbiza zebumba, umsebenzi wezandla zombumbi!
The noble sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, How are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
3 Ngitsho lamakhanka asemunyisa abantwabawo emabeleni awo, kodwa abantu bami kabaselazwelo njengezintshe enkangala.
The very jackals reach forth the breast; they suckle their young; But the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches of the desert.
4 Ngenxa yokoma, ulimi losane lunamathele elwangeni lomlomo; abantwana bancenga becela isinkwa kodwa kakho obaphayo.
The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst; Young children ask for bread, and no man breaketh it for them.
5 Labo ababesidla izibiliboco sebeyiziceli emigwaqweni. Labo abondliwa ebutifitifini sebelala esilotheni.
Those that fed on dainties are desolate in the streets; Those that have been brought up in scarlet embrace the dunghill.
6 Isijeziso sabantu bakithi sikhulu kuleseSodoma, yona eyabhujiswa ngomzuzwana, akwaze kwaba lasandla esazama ukunceda.
The punishment of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of Sodom, Which was overthrown in a moment, though no hands came against her.
7 Amakhosana abo ayekhazimula kulongqwaqwane, emhlophe nke kulochago, imizimba yabo ibomvana njengamatshe ohlobo lwerubhi, ukubukeka kwabo kunjengelitshe elikhazimulayo.
Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk; More ruddy than coral was their body; Their visage was of sapphire.
8 Kodwa manje sebemnyama kulomsizi; kabasananzwa langubani emigwaqweni. Isikhumba sabo sesinamathele emathanjeni abo; sesome okogodo.
Now darker than a coal is their countenance; they are not known in the streets. Their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is become dry, like wood.
9 Bangcono labo ababulawa ngenkemba, kulalabo abafa ngendlala; bazaca baphele, bekhukhuzwa yindlala ngoba kungelakudla okuvela emasimini.
More fortunate are the slain by the sword than the slain by famine; For these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.
10 Ngezandla zabo abesifazane abalesihelo, bapheke abantwababo, babenza ukudla kwabo ngesikhathi abantu bakithi bebulawa.
The hands of tender-hearted women cooked their own children; They were their food, in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
11 UThixo ubhodlisile intukuthelo yakhe; uluthulule ulaka lwakhe olwesabekayo. Uwulumathisile umlilo eZiyoni, watshisa izisekelo zayo.
Jehovah hath spent upon them his fury; he hath poured out his fierce anger; He hath kindled a fire in Zion, which hath devoured its foundations.
12 Amakhosi omhlaba ayengakholwa, labantu basemhlabeni babengakholwa ukuthi izitha labahlaseli bangangena emasangweni eJerusalema.
The kings of the earth believed not, nor all the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary would enter, and the enemy, within the gates of Jerusalem.
13 Kodwa kwenzakala ngenxa yezono zabaphrofethi bakhona, lamanyala abaphristi bakhona, abachitha igazi labalungileyo ngaphakathi kwalo iJerusalema.
It was on account of the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, Who shed in the midst of her the blood of the righteous.
14 Manje sebephumputha emigwaqweni njengabantu abayiziphofu. Sebengcoliswe ligazi kakuselamuntu ongathinta izembatho zabo.
They stumbled like blind men through the streets, polluted with blood, So that men could not touch their garments.
15 Abantu bayabaxotsha bathi, “Sukani! Lingcolile! Sukani! Sukani! Lingasithinti!” Nxa bebaleka bentula, abantu bezizwe bathi, “Ngeke bahlale lapha njalo.”
“Depart! unclean!” men cried to them. “Depart, depart, touch not!” As they fled, they stumbled; men said among the nations, “They shall dwell there no more.”
16 UThixo ngokwakhe ubahlakazile; kasabalondolozi. Abaphristi kabasahlonitshwa, labadala kabasananzwa.
The anger of Jehovah hath scattered them; he will no more care for them; They paid no regard to the priests, they had no compassion for the elders.
17 Phezu kwalokho, amehlo ethu afiphala elindele ize engaboni sizo; siseziqongweni zethu zokulinda, salinda silindele isizwe esasingelancedo kithi.
Still did our eyes fail, looking for help in vain; On our watch-tower did we watch for a nation that could not save us.
18 Abantu babesicwathela indawo zonke, ngakho sasesisesaba ukuhamba emigwaqweni yethu. Sasesiphelelwe, insuku zethu sezibaliwe, ngoba isiphetho sethu sesifikile.
They laid snares for our steps, so that we could not go in our streets; Our end is near; our days are accomplished, yea, our end is come!
19 Abasixotshayo babelejubane kulengqungqulu emkhathini; baxotshana lathi ezintabeni njalo basicathamela enkangala.
Swifter were our pursuers than the eagles of heaven; They chased us upon the mountains; they laid wait for us in the wilderness.
20 Ogcotshiweyo kaThixo, oyikuphila kwethu uqobo, wabanjwa emijibileni yabo. Sakhumbula ukuthi ngaphansi kwesithunzi sakhe sizahlala phakathi kwezizwe.
The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Jehovah, was taken in their pits, Under whose shadow we said that we should live among the nations.
21 Jabula uthokoze, wena Ndodakazi yase-Edomi, wena ohlala elizweni lase-Uzi. Kodwa lakuwe izafika inkezo le; uzanatha udakwe, unqunulwe.
Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz! Yet to thee also shall the cup come! thou shalt be drunken, and shalt expose thy nakedness.
22 Ndodakazi yaseZiyoni, isijeziso sakho sizaphela; akayikwelula isikhathi sokuthunjwa kwakho. Kodwa, maye kuwe Ndodakazi yase-Edomi, uzakujezisa ngesono sakho, achaye obala ububi bakho.
Thy punishment is at an end, O daughter of Zion! no more will he carry thee into captivity; But thine iniquity will he punish, O daughter of Edom! he will uncover thy sins.
