Izililo 4
1 Yeka ukufiphala kwegolide, ukuphenduka kwegolide elihle kakhulu! Amatshe endawo engcwele achithiwe ekuqaleni kwazo zonke izitalada.
How is the gold become dim! How is the most fine gold changed! The hallowed stones are poured out at the head of every street.
2 Amadodana aligugu eZiyoni, alinganiswa legolide elihle, yeka ukuthiwa kwawo ayizitsha zebumba, umsebenzi wezandla zombumbi!
The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
3 Ngitsho amakhanka ehlisa ibele, amunyise imidlwane yawo; kodwa indodakazi yabantu bami isilesihluku, njengezintshe enkangala.
Even the jackals draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones; the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.
4 Ulimi lomunyayo lunamathela olwangeni lwakhe ngenxa yokoma; abantwanyana bacela isinkwa, kakho obahlephulelayo.
The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst; the young children ask bread, and none breaketh it unto them.
5 Ababesidla izibiliboco baphundlekile ezitaladeni; abondliwa ngeziyibubende bagona inqumbi zomquba.
They that did feed on dainties are desolate in the streets; they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.
6 Ngoba icala lendodakazi yabantu bami likhulu kulesono seSodoma, eyachithwa kwangathi ngomzuzwana, kungelazandla ezayonayo.
For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands fell upon her.
7 AmaNazari ayo ayehlambulukile kuleliqhwa elikhithikileyo, emhlophe kulochago, ebomvana ngomzimba kulamakorali, isimo sawo sasingesesafire.
Her princes were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was as of sapphire;
8 Ukubonakala kwawo sekumnyama kulomsizi, kawaziwa ezitaladeni; isikhumba sawo sinamathele emathanjeni awo, somile, saba njengogodo.
Their visage is blacker than coal; they are not known in the streets; their skin is shrivelled upon their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick.
9 Ababulawa ngenkemba bangcono kulababulawa yindlala; ngoba laba bayacikizeka behlatshwa yikuswela izithelo zensimu.
They that are slain with the sword are better than they that are slain with hunger; for these pine away, stricken through, for want of the fruits of the field.
10 Izandla zabesifazana abalesihawu zapheka abantwana babo; baba yikudla kwabo ekwephukeni kwendodakazi yabantu bami.
The hands of women full of compassion have sodden their own children; they were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
11 INkosi iphelelisile intukuthelo yayo, ithululile ukuvutha kolaka lwayo, yaphemba umlilo eZiyoni oqothule izisekelo zayo.
The LORD hath accomplished His fury, He hath poured out His fierce anger; and He hath kindled a fire in Zion, which hath devoured the foundations thereof.
12 Amakhosi omhlaba labo bonke abakhileyo bomhlaba babengayikukholwa ukuthi umcindezeli lesitha babengangena emasangweni eJerusalema.
The kings of the earth believed not, neither all the inhabitants of the world, that the adversary and the enemy would enter into the gates of Jerusalem.
13 Kwakungenxa yezono zabaprofethi bayo leziphambeko zabapristi bayo, abachitha igazi labalungileyo phakathi kwayo.
It is because of the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her.
14 Bazula njengeziphofu ezitaladeni, bangcoliswa ngegazi, kangangokuthi abantu kabangelakuthinta izembatho zabo.
They wander as blind men in the streets, they are polluted with blood, so that men cannot touch their garments.
15 Bamemeza kubo bathi: Sukani, kungcolile, sukani, sukani, lingathinti! Lapho bebaleka njalo bezula, bathi phakathi kwabezizwe: Kabasayikuhlala njengabezizwe.
'Depart ye! unclean!' men cried unto them, 'Depart, depart, touch not'; yea, they fled away and wandered; men said among the nations: 'They shall no more sojourn here.'
16 Ubuso beNkosi bubahlakazile, kayisayikubananza; kabahloniphanga ubuso babapristi, kababanga lomusa kubadala.
The anger of the LORD hath divided them; He will no more regard them; they respected not the persons of the priests, they were not gracious unto the elders.
17 Thina, amehlo ethu asaphela kusizo lwethu oluyize; ekulindeleni kwethu salindela isizwe esingelakusisindisa.
As for us, our eyes do yet fail for our vain help; in our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save.
18 Bazingela izinyathelo zethu ukuze singahambi ezitaladeni zethu; isiphetho sethu sisondele, insuku zethu zigcwalisekile, ngoba isiphetho sethu sesifikile.
They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our broad places; our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come.
19 Abasizingelayo balejubane kulamanqe amazulu; baxotshana lathi ngokutshiseka ezintabeni; basicathamela enkangala.
Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the heaven; they chased us upon the mountains, they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.
20 Umoya wamakhala ethu, ogcotshiweyo weNkosi, wabanjwa emigodini yabo, esathi ngaye: Ngaphansi komthunzi wakhe sizaphila phakathi kwezizwe.
The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the LORD, was taken in their pits; of whom we said: 'Under his shadow we shall live among the nations.'
21 Jabula uthokoze, ndodakazi yeEdoma, ohlala elizweni leUzi; inkezo izadlulela lakuwe, uzadakwa, uzinqunule.
Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz: the cup shall pass over unto thee also; thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked.
22 Ububi bakho buphelile, ndodakazi yeZiyoni; kasayikukuthumba; uzahambela ububi bakho, ndodakazi yeEdoma; uzakwembula izono zakho.
The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion, He will no more carry thee away into captivity; He will punish thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom, He will uncover thy sins.
