Izililo 4
1 Yeka ukufiphala kwegolide, ukuphenduka kwegolide elihle kakhulu! Amatshe endawo engcwele achithiwe ekuqaleni kwazo zonke izitalada.
How the gold has become dim! The most pure gold has changed! The stones of the sanctuary 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 they are 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 offer their breast. They nurse their young ones. But the daughter of my people has 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 nursing child clings to the roof of his mouth for thirst. The young children ask for bread, and no one breaks it for them.
5 Ababesidla izibiliboco baphundlekile ezitaladeni; abondliwa ngeziyibubende bagona inqumbi zomquba.
Those who ate delicacies are desolate in the streets. Those who were brought up in purple 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, which was overthrown as in a moment. No hands were laid on her.
7 AmaNazari ayo ayehlambulukile kuleliqhwa elikhithikileyo, emhlophe kulochago, ebomvana ngomzimba kulamakorali, isimo sawo sasingesesafire.
Her Nazirites were purer than snow. They were whiter than milk. They were more ruddy in body than rubies. Their polishing was like sapphire.
8 Ukubonakala kwawo sekumnyama kulomsizi, kawaziwa ezitaladeni; isikhumba sawo sinamathele emathanjeni awo, somile, saba njengogodo.
Their appearance is blacker than a coal. They are not known in the streets. Their skin clings to their bones. It is withered. It has become like wood.
9 Ababulawa ngenkemba bangcono kulababulawa yindlala; ngoba laba bayacikizeka behlatshwa yikuswela izithelo zensimu.
Those who are killed with the sword are better than those who are killed with hunger; for these pine away, stricken through, for lack of the fruits of the field.
10 Izandla zabesifazana abalesihawu zapheka abantwana babo; baba yikudla kwabo ekwephukeni kwendodakazi yabantu bami.
The hands of the pitiful women have boiled 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 has accomplished his wrath. He has poured out his fierce anger. He has kindled a fire in Zion, which has devoured its foundations.
12 Amakhosi omhlaba labo bonke abakhileyo bomhlaba babengayikukholwa ukuthi umcindezeli lesitha babengangena emasangweni eJerusalema.
The kings of the earth didn’t believe, neither did 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 middle 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 can’t touch their garments.
15 Bamemeza kubo bathi: Sukani, kungcolile, sukani, sukani, lingathinti! Lapho bebaleka njalo bezula, bathi phakathi kwabezizwe: Kabasayikuhlala njengabezizwe.
“Go away!” they cried to them. “Unclean! Go away! Go away! Don’t touch! When they fled away and wandered, men said among the nations, “They can’t live here any more.”
16 Ubuso beNkosi bubahlakazile, kayisayikubananza; kabahloniphanga ubuso babapristi, kababanga lomusa kubadala.
The LORD’s anger has scattered them. He will not pay attention to them any more. They didn’t respect the persons of the priests. They didn’t favor the elders.
17 Thina, amehlo ethu asaphela kusizo lwethu oluyize; ekulindeleni kwethu salindela isizwe esingelakusisindisa.
Our eyes still fail, looking in vain for our 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, so that we can’t go in our streets. Our end is near. Our days are fulfilled, for our end has come.
19 Abasizingelayo balejubane kulamanqe amazulu; baxotshana lathi ngokutshiseka ezintabeni; basicathamela enkangala.
Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the sky. They chased us on the mountains. They set an ambush 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 will live among the nations.
21 Jabula uthokoze, ndodakazi yeEdoma, ohlala elizweni leUzi; inkezo izadlulela lakuwe, uzadakwa, uzinqunule.
Rejoice and be glad, daughter of Edom, who dwells in the land of Uz. The cup will pass through to you also. You will be drunken, and will make yourself naked.
22 Ububi bakho buphelile, ndodakazi yeZiyoni; kasayikukuthumba; uzahambela ububi bakho, ndodakazi yeEdoma; uzakwembula izono zakho.
The punishment of your iniquity is accomplished, daughter of Zion. He will no more carry you away into captivity. He will visit your iniquity, daughter of Edom. He will uncover your sins.
