Izililo 5
1 Khumbula, Nkosi, ukuthi kwenzakaleni kithi; khangela, ubone ihlazo lethu.
Remember, O Yahweh, what hath befallen us, Look around, and see our reproach:
2 Ilifa lethu seliphendulelwe kwabezizwe, izindlu zethu kwabemzini.
Our inheritance, turned over to foreigners, our houses, to aliens.
3 Siyizintandane, kungelababa; omama banjengabafelokazi.
Orphans, have we become, and fatherless, our mothers, are widows indeed.
4 Amanzi ethu siwanathile ngemali; inkuni zethu ziza ngentengo.
Our water—for silver, have we drunk, our wood—for a price, cometh in.
5 Sizingelwa ezintanyeni zethu, sidiniwe, kasilakuphumula.
Upon our necks, are our pursuers, We labour, and there is allowed us no rest.
6 Sinike isandla sethu kwabeGibhithe, labeAsiriya, ukuze sisuthiswe ngesinkwa.
To Egypt, have we stretched out our hand, to Assyria, to be satisfied with bread.
7 Obaba bona, kabasekho, njalo thina sithwele iziphambeko zabo.
Our fathers, sinned, and are not, and, we, their iniquities, have borne.
8 Izigqili ziyasibusa, kakho ongasihluthuna esandleni sazo.
Slaves, have ruled over us, There is none to set free from their hand.
9 Sizuza isinkwa sethu ngengozi yempilo yethu, ngenxa yenkemba yenkangala.
At the risk of our life, do we bring in our bread, because of the sword of the desert.
10 Ijwabu lethu limnyama njengeziko ngenxa yokutshisa okukhulu kwendlala.
Our skin, as with a furnace, is scorched, because of the hot winds of famine.
11 Badlova abesifazana eZiyoni, izintombi ezimsulwa emizini yakoJuda.
Women—in Zion, were ravished, virgins, in the cities of Judah!
12 Iziphathamandla zaphanyekwa ngesandla sazo; ubuso babadala kabuhlonitshwanga.
Princes, by their hand, have been hanged, The faces of elders, not honoured.
13 Amajaha athwala amatshe okuchola, labafana bakhubeka ngaphansi kwenkuni.
Young men, a millstone, have lifted, and, youths, under wood, have staggered.
14 Abadala baphelile esangweni, amajaha ekuhlabeleleni.
Elders, from the gates, have ceased. Young men, from their music.
15 Intokozo yenhliziyo yethu iphelile, ukugida kwethu kwaphenduka ukulila.
Ceased hath the joy of our hearts, Changed to mourning, our dance.
16 Umqhele wekhanda lethu uwile; hawu, maye kithi, ngoba sonile!
Fallen is the crown of our head. Surely woe to us, for we have sinned.
17 Ngenxa yalokhu inhliziyo yethu iphela amandla; ngenxa yalezizinto amehlo ethu afiphele.
For this cause, faint is our heart, For these things, dimmed are our eyes:
18 Ngenxa yentaba yeZiyoni elunxiwa, amakhanka ahamba phezu kwayo.
Because of Mount Zion, which is desolate, jackals, have gone prowling therein.
19 Wena, Nkosi, uhlezi kuze kube nininini, isihlalo sakho sobukhosi sisuka esizukulwaneni sisiya esizukulwaneni.
Thou, O Yahweh, unto times age-abiding, dost remain, Thy throne, from generation to generation:
20 Usikhohlweleni njalonjalo, usidela okobude bezinsuku?
Wherefore shouldst thou perpetually forget us? forsake us, to length of days?
21 Siphendulele kuwe, Nkosi, sizaphenduka; yenza insuku zethu zibe zintsha njengasendulo.
Bring us back, O Yahweh, unto thyself, and we will come back! Renew our days, as of old;
22 Kodwa ususilahlile isibili; usithukuthelele kakhulukazi.
For though thou hast not, utterly rejected, us, thou art wroth with us—exceedingly!
