Maombolezo 4
1 Jinsi dhahabu ilivyopoteza mngʼao wake, dhahabu iliyo safi haingʼai! Vito vya thamani vimetawanywa kwenye mwanzo wa kila barabara.
How is dimmed the gold! changed the most fine gold! Poured out are the stones of the sanctuary, at the top of all the streets.
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 precious sons of Zion, they who were weighed against pure gold, How are they accounted 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.
Even wild dogs, draw out the breast, give suck to their whelps—The daughter of my people, hath become cruel, like the ostriches in 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 suckling, cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst, —Young children, have asked bread, there was none, to break, it to them.
5 Wale waliokula vyakula vya kifahari ni maskini barabarani. Wale waliokuzwa wakivaa nguo za zambarau sasa wanalalia majivu.
They who used to eat delicacies, are deserted in the streets, —They who used to be carried on crimson, have embraced heaps of refuse.
6 Adhabu ya watu wangu ni kubwa kuliko ile ya Sodoma, ambayo ilipinduliwa ghafula bila kuwepo mkono wa msaada.
And the punishment of the daughter of my people hath grown greater than the punishment of Sodom, —which was overthrown as in a moment, when no hands had been laid violently upon her.
7 Wakuu wao walikuwa wamengʼaa kuliko theluji na weupe kuliko maziwa, miili yao ilikuwa myekundu kuliko marijani, kuonekana kwao kama yakuti samawi.
Purer were her Nazirites than snow, whiter were they than milk, —more ruddy, in body, than coral, A sapphire, was their beauty of form.
8 Lakini sasa ni weusi kuliko masizi; hawatambulikani barabarani. Ngozi yao imeshikamana juu ya mifupa yao, imekuwa mikavu kama fimbo.
Darker than a coal, is their visage, They are not known in the streets—Their skin shrivelleth on their bones, is withered, become like a stick.
9 Wale waliouawa kwa upanga ni bora kuliko wale wanaokufa njaa; wanateseka kwa njaa, wanatokomea kwa kukosa chakula kutoka shambani.
Better are the slain of the sword, than the slain of the famine, —for, these, pine away, stricken through, wanting the produce of the field.
10 Kwa mikono yao wenyewe wanawake wenye huruma wanapika watoto wao wenyewe, waliokuwa chakula chao watu wangu walipoangamizwa.
The hands of compassionate women, have cooked their own children, —they have served as nourishment to them, in the grievous injury 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.
Yahweh hath completed his indignation, hath poured out the glow of his anger; and hath kindled a fire in Zion, which hath devoured her foundations.
12 Wafalme wa dunia hawakuamini, wala mtu yeyote wa duniani, kwamba adui na watesi wangeweza kuingia kwenye malango ya Yerusalemu.
Neither the kings of the earth, nor any of the inhabitants of the world, believed, that an adversary or an enemy, should enter, 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 is] for the sins of her prophets, the iniquities of her priests, —who have been pouring out, in her midst, 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 have wandered—blind—in the streets, have defiled themselves with blood; so that men may 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.”
Turn aside! Unclean! have they cried to them, Turn aside! Turn aside! Do not touch! because they have fled, yea, wandered, Men said among the nations, They will not again tarry;
16 Bwana mwenyewe amewatawanya; hawaangalii tena. Makuhani hawaonyeshwi heshima, wazee hawakubaliki.
The face of Yahweh, hath scattered them, He will look them out no more: The persons of the priests, they have not respected, To the elders, have they shown no favour.
17 Zaidi ya hayo, macho yetu yalichoka, kwa kutazamia bure msaada; tuliangalia kutoka minara yetu kwa taifa lisiloweza kutuokoa.
Silly shall our eyes fail, for our help that is vain: In our watchtower, have we watched—for a nation that will not save.
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 have laid snares for our steps, that we cannot walk in our own broadways: Drawn near hath our end, Fulfilled are our days, yea arrived hath our end.
19 Waliotufuatia walikuwa wepesi kuliko tai angani; walitusaka juu milimani na kutuvizia jangwani.
Swifter are our pursuers, than the eagles of the heavens, —Over the mountains, have they come hotly after us, In the wilderness, have they lain in wait for us.
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 fragrance of our nostrils, The Anointed of Yahweh, hath been captured in their pits, —of whom we had said—In his shade, shall we 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, thou inhabitress in the and of Uz, —Even unto thee, shall the cup pass along, thou shalt be drunken, and expose thy shame.
22 Ee Binti Sayuni, adhabu yako itaisha, hatarefusha muda wako wa kukaa uhamishoni. Lakini, ee Binti Edomu, ataadhibu dhambi yako, na atafunua uovu wako.
Completed is thy punishment, O daughter of Zion, He will no more carry thee away captive—He hath punished thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom, he hath stripped the veil from off thy sins.
