Izililo 5
1 Khumbula, Nkosi, ukuthi kwenzakaleni kithi; khangela, ubone ihlazo lethu.
Remember, Jehovah, what has come on us. Look, and see our disgrace.
2 Ilifa lethu seliphendulelwe kwabezizwe, izindlu zethu kwabemzini.
Our inheritance is turned over to strangers, our houses to foreigners.
3 Siyizintandane, kungelababa; omama banjengabafelokazi.
We are orphans and fatherless. Our mothers are like widows.
4 Amanzi ethu siwanathile ngemali; inkuni zethu ziza ngentengo.
We have to pay for a drink of water; our wood is sold to us.
5 Sizingelwa ezintanyeni zethu, sidiniwe, kasilakuphumula.
Our pursuers are on our necks; we are weary, and have no rest.
6 Sinike isandla sethu kwabeGibhithe, labeAsiriya, ukuze sisuthiswe ngesinkwa.
We have submitted to the Egyptians and to the Assyrians, to get enough bread.
7 Obaba bona, kabasekho, njalo thina sithwele iziphambeko zabo.
Our fathers sinned, and are no more; but we have borne their iniquities.
8 Izigqili ziyasibusa, kakho ongasihluthuna esandleni sazo.
Servants rule over us: There is none to deliver us out of their hand.
9 Sizuza isinkwa sethu ngengozi yempilo yethu, ngenxa yenkemba yenkangala.
We get our bread at the peril of our lives, because of the sword in the wilderness.
10 Ijwabu lethu limnyama njengeziko ngenxa yokutshisa okukhulu kwendlala.
Our skin is hot like an oven, because of the burning heat of famine.
11 Badlova abesifazana eZiyoni, izintombi ezimsulwa emizini yakoJuda.
They raped the women in Zion, the virgins in the cities of Judah.
12 Iziphathamandla zaphanyekwa ngesandla sazo; ubuso babadala kabuhlonitshwanga.
Princes were hung by their hands; elders were shown no respect.
13 Amajaha athwala amatshe okuchola, labafana bakhubeka ngaphansi kwenkuni.
The young men grind at the mill; the boys stagger under loads of wood.
14 Abadala baphelile esangweni, amajaha ekuhlabeleleni.
The elders have gone from the gate, the young men from their music.
15 Intokozo yenhliziyo yethu iphelile, ukugida kwethu kwaphenduka ukulila.
The joy of our heart has ceased; our dancing is turned into mourning.
16 Umqhele wekhanda lethu uwile; hawu, maye kithi, ngoba sonile!
The crown is fallen from our head; woe to us, for we have sinned.
17 Ngenxa yalokhu inhliziyo yethu iphela amandla; ngenxa yalezizinto amehlo ethu afiphele.
For this our heart is faint; for these things our eyes grow dim.
18 Ngenxa yentaba yeZiyoni elunxiwa, amakhanka ahamba phezu kwayo.
For the mountain of Zion, which is desolate; the foxes walk on it.
19 Wena, Nkosi, uhlezi kuze kube nininini, isihlalo sakho sobukhosi sisuka esizukulwaneni sisiya esizukulwaneni.
But you, Jehovah, abide forever; your throne is from generation to generation.
20 Usikhohlweleni njalonjalo, usidela okobude bezinsuku?
Why do you keep on forgetting us? Why do you forsake us so long?
21 Siphendulele kuwe, Nkosi, sizaphenduka; yenza insuku zethu zibe zintsha njengasendulo.
Restore us to you, Jehovah, and we shall be restored; renew our days as in former times,
22 Kodwa ususilahlile isibili; usithukuthelele kakhulukazi.
unless you have completely rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure.
