Amahubo 102
1 Nkosi, zwana umkhuleko wami, lokukhala kwami kakuze kuwe.
Yahweh, listen to what I am praying; hear me while I cry out to you!
2 Ungangifihleli ubuso bakho osukwini lohlupho lwami; beka indlebe yakho kimi; mhla ngibiza ungiphendule masinyane.
Do not (turn away/hide yourself) from me when I (have troubles/am distressed)! Listen to me, and answer me quickly now, when I am calling out to you!
3 Ngoba insuku zami ziyanyamalala njengentuthu, lamathambo ami ayatsha njengeziko.
My life is ending, like smoke that disappears [SIM]; I have [a high fever which] burns my body like a fire burns [SIM].
4 Inhliziyo yami itshayiwe, yabuna njengotshani, ngaze ngakhohlwa ukudla isinkwa sami.
[I feel like] I am drying up like grass [SIM] that has been beaten/trampled down, and I no longer have a desire to eat food.
5 Ngenxa yelizwi lokububula kwami amathambo ami anamathela esikhumbeni sami.
I groan loudly, and my bones can be seen under my skin [because I have become very thin].
6 Ngifanana lewunkwe yenkangala, senginjengesikhova sezindawo ezidilikileyo.
I am like a [lonely and despised] vulture in the desert, like an owl by itself in the abandoned ruins [of a building/city].
7 Ngiyalinda, senginjengenyoni ehlezi yodwa ephahleni.
I lie awake [at night]; [because there is no one to comfort me], I am like a lonely bird [sitting] on a housetop [SIM].
8 Izitha zami ziyangithuka usuku lonke; abangihlanyelayo bafunga ngami.
All during the day my enemies insult me; those who make fun of me mention my name [and say, “May you be like him”] when they curse people.
9 Ngoba ngidle umlotha njengesinkwa, ngixubanise okunathwayo kwami lezinyembezi,
Because you are very angry [DOU] with me, now [I sit in] ashes [while I am suffering greatly]; and those ashes [fall on] the bread/food that I eat, and what I drink has my tears mixed with it. [It is as though] you have picked me up and thrown me away!
10 ngenxa yentukuthelo yakho lolaka lwakho; ngoba ungiphakamisile, wasungilahla phansi.
11 Insuku zami zinjengesithunzi eselulekayo, njalo mina ngiyabuna njengotshani.
My time to remain alive is like an evening shadow [that will soon be gone] [SIM]. I am withering like grass withers [in the hot sun].
12 Kodwa wena, Nkosi, uzahlala kuze kube nininini, lesikhumbuzo sakho kusizukulwana lesizukulwana.
But Yahweh, you are our king who rules [MTY] forever; people who are not yet born will remember you.
13 Wena uzavuka uhawukele iZiyoni; ngoba isikhathi sokuyitshengisa umusa, yebo, isikhathi esimisiweyo sesifikile.
You will arise and be merciful to [the people of] [MTY] Jerusalem; it is now time for you to do that; this is the time for you to be kind to them.
14 Ngoba inceku zakho ziyawathanda amatshe ayo, zilesihawu ethulini lwayo.
Even though (the city has been destroyed/our enemies have destroyed our city), we who serve you still love the stones that [were formerly] in the city walls; because now there is rubble everywhere, we, your people, are very sad when we see it.
15 Khona izizwe zizalesaba ibizo leNkosi, lamakhosi wonke omhlaba udumo lwayo.
Yahweh, [some day the people of other] nations will revere you [MTY]; all the kings on earth will see that you are very glorious/great.
16 Lapho iNkosi izayakha iZiyoni, izabonakala enkazimulweni yayo.
You will rebuild Jerusalem, and you will appear there with your glory/brightness.
17 Izaphendukela emkhulekweni wongelalutho, kayiyikudelela umthandazo wabo.
You will listen to the prayers of your people who are homeless, and you will (not ignore them/do what they request) [LIT] when they plead with you to help them.
18 Lokhu kuzabhalelwa isizukulwana esilandelayo, labantu abazadalwa bazadumisa iNkosi.
Yahweh, [I want to] write these words in order that people in future years [will know what] you have done, in order that people who are not born yet will praise you.
19 Ngoba yakhangela phansi isekuphakameni kwendawo yayo engcwele; iNkosi isemazulwini yakhangela emhlabeni,
They will know that you looked down from your holy/sacred place in heaven [DOU] and saw [what was happening on] the earth.
20 ukuzwa ukububula kwesibotshwa, ukukhulula abamiselwa ukufa;
They will know that you hear prisoners groaning and that you will set free those who have been told, “You will be executed.”
21 ukulandisa ibizo leNkosi eZiyoni, lendumiso yayo eJerusalema,
As a result, people in Jerusalem will praise you [DOU] for what you [have done]
22 lapho izizwe zibuthana ndawonye, lemibuso, ukuyikhonza iNkosi.
when many people [from other people-groups] and [those who are citizens of other] kingdoms gather to worship you.
23 Yathoba amandla ami endleleni, yafinyeza insuku zami.
[But now] you have caused me to become weak while I am still young; [I think that] I will (not live much longer/ very long/soon die).
24 Ngathi: Nkulunkulu wami, ungangisusi phakathi kwensuku zami, iminyaka yakho isesizukulwaneni lezizukulwana.
I say to you, “My God, do not cause me to die now, before I become old! You live forever!
25 Endulo wawusekela umhlaba, lamazulu angumsebenzi wezandla zakho.
You created the world long ago, and you made (the heavens/everything in the sky) with your own hands.
26 Lokho kuzabhubha, kodwa wena uzakuma. Kuzaguga-ke konke njengesembatho, njengesigqoko uzakuguqula, njalo kuzaguqulwa.
The earth and the heavens/sky will disappear, but you will remain. They will wear out like clothes wear out. You will get rid of them like [people get rid of] old clothes, and they will no longer exist,
27 Kodwa wena unguwe njalo, leminyaka yakho kayipheli.
but you are [not like the things that you created], [because you are] always the same; you never die.
28 Abantwana benceku zakho bazahlala, lenzalo yazo izaqiniswa phambi kwakho.
[Some day] our children will live safely [in Jerusalem], and their descendants will be protected in your presence.”
