Maombolezo 4
1 Jinsi dhahabu ilivyopoteza mngʼao wake, dhahabu iliyo safi haingʼai! Vito vya thamani vimetawanywa kwenye mwanzo wa kila barabara.
The gold has become tarnished; how the purest gold has changed! The holy stones are scattered at the corner 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 precious sons of Zion were worth their weight in pure gold, but now they are worth no more than clay jars, the work of the potter's hands!
3 Hata mbweha hutoa matiti yao kunyonyesha watoto wao, lakini watu wangu wamekuwa wasio na huruma kama mbuni jangwani.
Even the jackals offer the breast to nurse their cubs, but the daughter of my people has 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 nursing baby sticks to the roof of his mouth by thirst; the children ask for food, but there is none for them.
5 Wale waliokula vyakula vya kifahari ni maskini barabarani. Wale waliokuzwa wakivaa nguo za zambarau sasa wanalalia majivu.
Those who used to feast on the finest food now starve in the streets. Those who were brought up wearing scarlet clothing now lie on piles of ashes.
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 that of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment and no hands were wrung for her.
7 Wakuu wao walikuwa wamengʼaa kuliko theluji na weupe kuliko maziwa, miili yao ilikuwa myekundu kuliko marijani, kuonekana kwao kama yakuti samawi.
Her leaders were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, their form was like sapphire.
8 Lakini sasa ni weusi kuliko masizi; hawatambulikani barabarani. Ngozi yao imeshikamana juu ya mifupa yao, imekuwa mikavu kama fimbo.
Their appearance now is darker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones; it has become as dry as wood.
9 Wale waliouawa kwa upanga ni bora kuliko wale wanaokufa njaa; wanateseka kwa njaa, wanatokomea kwa kukosa chakula kutoka shambani.
Those who have been killed by the sword were happier than those killed by hunger, who wasted away, pierced by the lack of any harvest from 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 boiled their own children; they became their food during the time when the daughter of my people was being destroyed.
11 Bwana ametoa nafasi kamilifu ya ghadhabu yake; ameimwaga hasira yake kali. Amewasha moto katika Sayuni ambao umeteketeza misingi yake.
Yahweh showed all his wrath; he poured out his fierce anger. He kindled a fire in Zion that consumed her 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 did not believe, nor did any of the inhabitants of the world believe, that enemies or opponents could 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.
This happened because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests who have shed the blood of the righteous in her midst.
14 Sasa wanapapasa papasa barabarani kama watu ambao ni vipofu. Wamenajisiwa kabisa kwa damu, hata hakuna anayethubutu kugusa mavazi yao.
They wandered, blind, through the streets. They were so defiled by that blood that no one was allowed to touch their clothes.
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.”
“Away! Unclean!” people cried at them. “Away! Away! Do not touch!” So they wandered about; people said among the nations, “They can stay here no longer.”
16 Bwana mwenyewe amewatawanya; hawaangalii tena. Makuhani hawaonyeshwi heshima, wazee hawakubaliki.
Yahweh himself scattered them; he does not watch over them anymore. They do not honor the priests, and they did not show any favor to the elders.
17 Zaidi ya hayo, macho yetu yalichoka, kwa kutazamia bure msaada; tuliangalia kutoka minara yetu kwa taifa lisiloweza kutuokoa.
Our eyes failed, looking in vain for help; from our watchtowers we watched for a nation that could not rescue 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 followed our steps, we could not walk in our streets. Our end was near and our days were numbered, our end had come.
19 Waliotufuatia walikuwa wepesi kuliko tai angani; walitusaka juu milimani na kutuvizia jangwani.
Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles in the sky. They chased us to the mountains and lay in 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 in our nostrils—Yahweh's anointed one—he was the one who was captured in their pits; of whom it was said, “Under his shadow we will 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, daughter of Edom, you who live in the land of Uz. But to you also the cup will be passed; you will be drunk and strip yourself naked.
22 Ee Binti Sayuni, adhabu yako itaisha, hatarefusha muda wako wa kukaa uhamishoni. Lakini, ee Binti Edomu, ataadhibu dhambi yako, na atafunua uovu wako.
Daughter of Zion, your punishment will come to an end; he will not extend your exile. But daughter of Edom, he will punish; he will uncover your sins.
