Izililo 3
1 Ngiyindodaebone inhlupheko ngentonga yolaka lwayo.
I [, the one who am writing this, ] am a man who has been afflicted/punished [MTY] by Yahweh because he was angry.
2 Ingikhokhele yangihambisa emnyameni kodwa hatshi ekukhanyeni.
[It was as though] he caused me to walk in a very dark place without any light [at all].
3 Isibili iphenduke yamelana lami; iphendule isandla sayo imelene lami usuku lonke.
He has punished [IDM] me many times, all day, [every] day.
4 Igugisile inyama yami lesikhumba sami; yephulile amathambo ami.
He has caused my skin and my flesh to become old. He has broken my bones.
5 Yakhile imelene lami, yangihanqa ngenyongo lobunzima.
He has surrounded me [DOU] with bitterness and suffering.
6 Ingihlalise endaweni ezimnyama, njengabafa endulo.
[It is as though] he has buried me in a dark place like [SIM] [the graves of] those who have been dead for a long time.
7 Ingibiyele ukuze ngingaphumi, yenza iketane lami lethusi laba nzima.
[It is as though] [MET] he has built a wall around me, and fastened/tied me with heavy chains, and I cannot escape.
8 Njalo nxa ngikhala ngimemeza, ivalela phandle umkhuleko wami.
Although I call out and cry out for him to help me, he does not pay attention to my prayers.
9 Ibiyele indlela yami ngamatshe abaziweyo, yenza izindlela zami zagoba.
[It is as though] he has blocked my path with a [high] stone [wall] and has caused my path to become crooked.
10 Yaba kimi njengebhere elicathemeyo, isilwane ezindaweni zensitha.
He has waited to attack me like [SIM] a bear or a lion hides and waits [to attack other animals].
11 Iphambule izindlela zami, yangidabudabula, yangenza unxiwa.
[It is as though] he has dragged me off the path and (mauled me/torn me into pieces), and left me without help.
12 Igobisile idandili layo, yangimisa njengento yokunenjwa ngomtshoko.
[It is as though] [MET] he bent his bow and caused me to become the target [at which he shot] his arrows.
13 Yenze amadodana esamba semitshoko yayo angena ezinsweni zami.
[It is as though] he shot his arrows deep into my body.
14 Ngaba yinhlekisa kibo bonke abantu bakithi, ingoma yabo usuku lonke.
All my relatives laugh at me; all day, [every] day they sing songs that make fun of me.
15 Ingisuthise ngezinto ezibabayo, yanginathisa umhlonyane.
He has filled me with (bitterness/great suffering), [like] [MET] someone who drinks a very bitter liquid suffers.
16 Njalo ichoboze amazinyo ami ngokhethe, yangigiga emlotheni.
[It is as though] he has caused me to chew gravel that broke my teeth, and he has trampled me in the dirt.
17 Njalo wena walahla umphefumulo wami khatshana lokuthula; ngikhohlwe okuhle.
Things no longer go well for me; I no longer remember being prosperous.
18 Ngakho ngithi: Kubhubhile amandla ami lethemba lami eNkosini.
I [continued to] say [to myself], “I no longer expect to live much longer; I no longer confidently expect [to receive good things] from Yahweh!”
19 Khumbula inhlupheko yami lokuzulazula kwami, umhlonyane lenyongo.
When I think about my suffering and my wandering [away from home], [it is like drinking] a very bitter [DOU] liquid.
20 Umphefumulo wami uhlala ukukhumbula, njalo ukhotheme phakathi kwami.
I will never forget this time when I feel very depressed/discouraged [IDM].
21 Lokhu ngiyakubuyisela enhliziyweni yami, ngakho-ke ngiyathemba.
However, I confidently expect [Yahweh to do good things for me again] when I think about this:
22 Kuyizihawu zeNkosi ukuthi kasiqedwanga, ngoba izisa zakhe kazipheli;
Yahweh never stops faithfully loving [us], and he never stops being kind to us.
23 zintsha ikuseni yonke; lukhulu uthembeko lwayo.
[He is the one whom we can] always trust/lean on. Every morning he is merciful [to us again].
24 INkosi iyisabelo sami, kutsho umphefumulo wami; ngakho-ke ngizathemba kiyo.
[So] I say to myself, “Yahweh is all that I need; so I will confidently wait for him [to do good things for me].”
25 INkosi ilungile kwabayilindelayo, kumphefumulo oyidingayo.
Yahweh is good to [all] those who depend on him, to those who seek his [help].
26 Kuhle ukuthi umuntu athembe, njalo ngokuthula kusindiso lweNkosi.
[So] it is good for us to wait quietly for Yahweh to save/rescue [us].
27 Kuhle emuntwini ukuthi athwale ijogwe ebutsheni bakhe.
And it is good for us to [patiently] endure [suffering] while we are young.
28 Kahlale yedwa, athule, ngoba isimethese lona.
Those [who seek his help] should sit by themselves, silently, [knowing that] it is Yahweh who has allowed/caused them to suffer.
29 Kabeke umlomo wakhe othulini; mhlawumbe kungaba khona ithemba.
They should lie in the dirt, with their faces on the ground, [because] they can still hope [that Yahweh will help them].
30 Kanikele isihlathi sakhe komtshayayo; asuthe inhlamba.
If someone strikes us on one cheek, we should turn the other cheek toward that person [in order that he may strike it, too], and accept/endure it when we are insulted.
31 Ngoba iNkosi kayiyikulahla kuze kube phakade.
Yahweh does not abandon [us his people] forever.
32 Ngoba lanxa idabukisile, kanti izakuba lesihawu ngobunengi bezisa zayo.
Sometimes he causes us to suffer, but sometimes he is kind [to us] because he continually and faithfully loves [us].
33 Ngoba kayihluphi ngenhliziyo yayo idabukise abantwana babantu;
And he is not happy about causing human beings to suffer or to be sad.
34 ukuchoboza ngaphansi kwenyawo zayo zonke izibotshwa zomhlaba;
If people (mistreat all the prisoners/crush all the prisoners under their feet)
35 ukuphambukisa ilungelo lomuntu phambi kobuso boPhezukonke;
or if they rebel against God by refusing to give to people the things that it is right for them [to receive],
36 ukuphambanisa umuntu kudaba lwakhe, iNkosi kayikuboni yini?
or if they cause judges to decide matters unjustly, (does Yahweh not see all those things?/Yahweh certainly sees all those things!) [RHQ]
37 Ngubani ongakukhuluma, njalo kwenzeke, nxa iNkosi ingakulayanga?
No one can [RHQ] command something to happen [and then cause it to happen] if Yahweh has not already decided that it should happen.
38 Kakuphumi ububi lokuhle emlonyeni woPhezukonke yini?
God in heaven [MTY] is [RHQ] the one who causes disasters to happen, and he [also] causes good things to happen.
39 Ngakho usolelani umuntu ophilayo, umuntu ngezono zakhe?
[So] it is certainly not [RHQ] right for us, who are only humans, to complain when he punishes us for the sins that we have committed.
40 Asihlole silinge izindlela zethu, sibuyele eNkosini.
Instead, we should (examine/think carefully about) our behavior; we should turn back to Yahweh.
41 Asiphakamisele inhliziyo lezandla zethu kuNkulunkulu emazulwini.
We should pray [IDM] sincerely and lift up our arms toward God in heaven, [and say, ]
42 Thina siphambukile, saba lenkani; wena kawuthethelelanga.
“We have sinned and rebelled [against you], and you have not forgiven [us].
43 Wembese ngolaka, waxotshana lathi, wabulala, kawuhawukelanga.
You have surrounded us with your anger and pursued us; you have slaughtered [us] without pitying us.
44 Uzembese ngeyezi, ukuze kungedluli umkhuleko.
You have hidden yourself in a cloud, with the result that you do not hear [us] when we pray.
45 Usenze saba yimfucuza lezibi phakathi kwezizwe.
You have caused [the people of other] nations to consider us to be only garbage [DOU].
46 Zonke izitha zethu zivule umlomo wazo zimelene lathi.
All our enemies have insulted us.
47 Ukwesaba lomgodi kukhona phambi kwethu, incithakalo lokwephuka.
We are constantly afraid [DOU], [because] we have experienced disasters and ruin [DOU].”
48 Ilihlo lami lehlisa imifula yamanzi ngokuchitheka kwendodakazi yabantu bami.
I cry a lot because my people have been destroyed.
49 Ilihlo lami liyajuluka, kaliyekeli, kungelakuma,
My tears continually flow; they will not stop
50 ize ikhangele phansi ibone iNkosi isezulwini.
until Yahweh looks down from heaven and sees [us].
51 Ilihlo lami lenza umphefumulo wami ube buhlungu ngenxa yawo wonke amadodakazi omuzi wakithi.
I am very grieved because of [what has happened to] the women of my city.
52 Izitha zami zingizingele kabuhlungu njengenyoni, kungelasizatho.
Those who are my enemies hunted for me like [SIM] [people hunt for] a bird [to kill it] [even though] there was no reason [for them to do that].
53 Bayiqumile impilo yami emgodini, baphosa ilitshe phezu kwami.
They threw me into a pit to kill me, and they threw stones on top of me.
54 Amanzi ageleza phezu kwekhanda lami; ngathi: Ngiqunyiwe.
The water [in the pit] rose above my head, and I said [to myself], “I am about to die/drown!”
55 Ngabiza ibizo lakho, Nkosi, ngisemgodini phansi;
But from the bottom of the pit I cried out to you [MTY], “Yahweh, [help me]!”
56 wezwa ilizwi lami; ungafihli indlebe yakho ekuphefumuleni kwami, ekukhaleleni kwami usizo.
I pleaded with you, “Do not refuse to heed [MTY] me while I cry out to you!”
57 Wasondela ngosuku lapho ngikubiza, wathi: Ungesabi.
Then you answered me and said, “Do not be afraid!”
58 Nkosi, uzimele izindaba zomphefumulo wami, wahlenga impilo yami.
Yahweh, you defended me; you did not allow me to die.
59 Nkosi, ubonile ukoniwa kwami; yahlulela udaba lwami.
[Now], Yahweh, you have seen the evil things that my enemies have done to me, [so] decide my case [and show that I am right]!
60 Ubonile yonke impindiselo yabo, wonke amacebo abo amelene lami.
You know the evil things that they have planned to do to me.
61 Uzwile inhlamba yabo, Nkosi, wonke amacebo abo amelene lami,
Yahweh, you have heard them insult [me] and what they have planned to do to me.
62 indebe zabangivukelayo, lokuzindla kwabo kumelene lami lonke usuku.
Every day they whisper and mutter things about me, all day long.
63 Khangela ukuhlala kwabo, lokusukuma kwabo; ngiyingoma yabo.
Look at them! Whether they are standing or sitting they make fun of me with the songs that they sing.
64 Buyisela kibo impindiselo, Nkosi, njengokomsebenzi wezandla zabo.
Yahweh, cause them to suffer in return for their causing [me] to suffer!
65 Banike ubulukhuni benhliziyo, isiqalekiso sakho kibo.
Curse them [IDM] [for] their being very stubborn [IDM].
66 Xotshana labo ngolaka, ubabhubhise bangabi ngaphansi kwamazulu eNkosi.
Because you are angry with them, pursue them and get rid of them, [until none of them remain] on the earth.
