Maombolezo 4
1 Jinsi dhahabu ilivyopoteza mngʼao wake, dhahabu iliyo safi haingʼai! Vito vya thamani vimetawanywa kwenye mwanzo wa kila barabara.
How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! The hallowed stones are cast forth at the head of every street.
2 Wana wa Sayuni wenye thamani, ambao mwanzo uzito wa thamani yao ulikuwa wa dhahabu, sasa wanaangaliwa kama vyungu vya udongo, kazi ya mikono ya mfinyanzi!
The noble sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, How are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
3 Hata mbweha hutoa matiti yao kunyonyesha watoto wao, lakini watu wangu wamekuwa wasio na huruma kama mbuni jangwani.
The very jackals reach forth the breast; they suckle their young; But the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches of the desert.
4 Kwa sababu ya kiu ulimi wa mtoto mchanga umegandamana na kaakaa la kinywa chake, watoto huomba mkate, lakini hakuna yeyote awapaye.
The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst; Young children ask for bread, and no man breaketh it for them.
5 Wale waliokula vyakula vya kifahari ni maskini barabarani. Wale waliokuzwa wakivaa nguo za zambarau sasa wanalalia majivu.
Those that fed on dainties are desolate in the streets; Those that have been brought up in scarlet embrace the dunghill.
6 Adhabu ya watu wangu ni kubwa kuliko ile ya Sodoma, ambayo ilipinduliwa ghafula bila kuwepo mkono wa msaada.
The punishment of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of Sodom, Which was overthrown in a moment, though no hands came against her.
7 Wakuu wao walikuwa wamengʼaa kuliko theluji na weupe kuliko maziwa, miili yao ilikuwa myekundu kuliko marijani, kuonekana kwao kama yakuti samawi.
Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk; More ruddy than coral was their body; Their visage was of sapphire.
8 Lakini sasa ni weusi kuliko masizi; hawatambulikani barabarani. Ngozi yao imeshikamana juu ya mifupa yao, imekuwa mikavu kama fimbo.
Now darker than a coal is their countenance; they are not known in the streets. Their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is become dry, like wood.
9 Wale waliouawa kwa upanga ni bora kuliko wale wanaokufa njaa; wanateseka kwa njaa, wanatokomea kwa kukosa chakula kutoka shambani.
More fortunate are the slain by the sword than the slain by famine; For these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.
10 Kwa mikono yao wenyewe wanawake wenye huruma wanapika watoto wao wenyewe, waliokuwa chakula chao watu wangu walipoangamizwa.
The hands of tender-hearted women cooked their own children; They were their food, in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
11 Bwana ametoa nafasi kamilifu ya ghadhabu yake; ameimwaga hasira yake kali. Amewasha moto katika Sayuni ambao umeteketeza misingi yake.
Jehovah hath spent upon them his fury; he hath poured out his fierce anger; He hath kindled a fire in Zion, which hath devoured its foundations.
12 Wafalme wa dunia hawakuamini, wala mtu yeyote wa duniani, kwamba adui na watesi wangeweza kuingia kwenye malango ya Yerusalemu.
The kings of the earth believed not, nor all the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary would enter, and the enemy, within the gates of Jerusalem.
13 Lakini hili lilitokea kwa sababu ya dhambi za manabii wake, na maovu ya makuhani wake, waliomwaga ndani yake damu ya wenye haki.
It was on account of the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, Who shed in the midst of her the blood of the righteous.
14 Sasa wanapapasa papasa barabarani kama watu ambao ni vipofu. Wamenajisiwa kabisa kwa damu, hata hakuna anayethubutu kugusa mavazi yao.
They stumbled like blind men through the streets, polluted with blood, So that men could not touch their garments.
15 Watu wanawapigia kelele, “Ondokeni! Ninyi ni najisi! Ondokeni! Ondokeni! Msituguse!” Wanapokimbia na kutangatanga huku na huko, watu miongoni mwa mataifa wanasema, “Hawawezi kukaa hapa zaidi.”
“Depart! unclean!” men cried to them. “Depart, depart, touch not!” As they fled, they stumbled; men said among the nations, “They shall dwell there no more.”
16 Bwana mwenyewe amewatawanya; hawaangalii tena. Makuhani hawaonyeshwi heshima, wazee hawakubaliki.
The anger of Jehovah hath scattered them; he will no more care for them; They paid no regard to the priests, they had no compassion for the elders.
17 Zaidi ya hayo, macho yetu yalichoka, kwa kutazamia bure msaada; tuliangalia kutoka minara yetu kwa taifa lisiloweza kutuokoa.
Still did our eyes fail, looking for help in vain; On our watch-tower did we watch for a nation that could not save us.
18 Watu walituvizia katika kila hatua hata hatukuweza kutembea katika barabara zetu. Mwisho wetu ulikuwa karibu, siku zetu zilikuwa zimetimia, kwa maana mwisho wetu ulikuwa umefika.
They laid snares for our steps, so that we could not go in our streets; Our end is near; our days are accomplished, yea, our end is come!
19 Waliotufuatia walikuwa wepesi kuliko tai angani; walitusaka juu milimani na kutuvizia jangwani.
Swifter were our pursuers than the eagles of heaven; They chased us upon the mountains; they laid wait for us in the wilderness.
20 Mpakwa mafuta wa Bwana, pumzi ya uhai wetu hasa, alinaswa katika mitego yao. Tulifikiri kwamba chini ya kivuli chake tungeliweza kuishi miongoni mwa mataifa.
The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Jehovah, was taken in their pits, Under whose shadow we said that we should live among the nations.
21 Shangilia na ufurahi, ee Binti Edomu, wewe unayeishi nchi ya Usi. Lakini kwako pia kikombe kitapitishwa, Utalewa na kuvuliwa nguo ubaki uchi.
Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz! Yet to thee also shall the cup come! thou shalt be drunken, and shalt expose thy nakedness.
22 Ee Binti Sayuni, adhabu yako itaisha, hatarefusha muda wako wa kukaa uhamishoni. Lakini, ee Binti Edomu, ataadhibu dhambi yako, na atafunua uovu wako.
Thy punishment is at an end, O daughter of Zion! no more will he carry thee into captivity; But thine iniquity will he punish, O daughter of Edom! he will uncover thy sins.
