Maombolezo 4
1 Dhahabu imechakaa; jinsi gani dhahabu safi imebadilika! Mawe matakatifu yamezagaa katika kila njia ya mtaa.
[ALEPH-BET] How the gold has become dim, Changed the best—the pure gold! Stones of the sanctuary are poured out At the head of all out-places.
2 Wana wa dhamani wa Sayuni walikuwa na dhamani ya uzito wa dhahabu safi, lakini sasa hawana dhamani zaidi ya majagi ya udogo, kazi ya mikono ya mfinyazi!
The precious sons of Zion, Who are comparable with fine gold, How they have been reckoned earthen bottles, Work of the hands of a potter.
3 Ata mbwa wa mitaani wanatoa maziwa yao kuwanyonyesha watoto wao, lakini binti wa watu wangu amekuwa katili, kama mbuni katika jangwa.
Even dragons have drawn out the breast, They have suckled their young ones, The daughter of my people has become cruel, Like the ostriches in a wilderness.
4 Ulimi wa mtoto mchanga anaye nyonya unagota juu mdomo wake kwa kiu; watoto wanaomba chakula, lakini hakuna kwa ajili yao.
The tongue of a suckling has cleaved to his palate with thirst, Infants asked for bread, they have no dealer [of it] out.
5 Wao walizoea kula chakula cha gharama sasa wana shinda njaa mitaani; wao walio lelewa kwa kuvaa nguo za zambarau, sasa wamelala katika majalala.
Those eating of delicacies have been desolate in out-places, Those supported on scarlet have embraced dunghills.
6 Hukumu ya binti wa watu wangu ni kubwa kuliko hiyo ya Sodoma, na ilipinduliwa kwa dakika na hakuna aliye yanyua mkono kumsaidia.
And greater is the iniquity of the daughter of my people, Than the sin of Sodom, That was overturned as [in] a moment, And no hands were stayed on her.
7 Viongozi wake walikuwa wasafi kuliko theluji, weupe kuliko maziwa; miili yao ilikuwa imara kuliko jiwe, mwili wao ulikuwa kama yakuti samawi.
Purer were her Nazarites than snow, Whiter than milk, ruddier of body than rubies, Of sapphire their form.
8 Muonekano wao umekuwa mweusi kama giza; hawatambuliki mitaani. Ngozi zao zimesinya kwenye mifupa yao; imekuwa kavu kama kuni.
Their face has been darker than blackness, They have not been known in out-places, Their skin has cleaved to their bone, It has withered—it has been as wood.
9 Hao walio uawa kwa upanga walikuwa na furaha zaidi kuliko hao walio kufa kwa njaa, walio potea, wakatobolewa kwa ukosefu wa mavuno shambani.
Better have been the pierced of a sword Than the pierced of famine, For these flow away, pierced through, Without the increase of the field.
10 Mikono ya wanawake wenye huruma imewachemsha watoto wao; wamekuwa chakula chao wakati ambapo binti wa watu wangu alipo kuwa akiharibiwa.
The hands of merciful women have boiled their own children, They have been for food to them, In the destruction of the daughter of my people.
11 Yahweh alionyesha gadhabu yake yote; alimwaga hasira yake kali. Aliwasha moto Sayuni uliteketeza misingi yake.
YHWH has completed His fury, He has poured out the fierceness of His anger, And He kindles a fire in Zion, And it devours her foundations.
12 Wafalme wa dunia hawaku amini, wala wakazi wa dunia, kwamba maadui au wapinzani waliweza kuingia malangoni ya Yerusalemu.
The kings of earth did not believe, And any of the inhabitants of the world, That an adversary and enemy would come Into the gates of Jerusalem.
13 Haya yalitokea kwasababu ya dhambi za manabii na na maasi ya makuhani walio mwaga damu ya wenye haki mbele zake.
Because of the sins of her prophets, The iniquities of her priests, Who are shedding in her midst the blood of the righteous,
14 Walitanga, kwa upofu, mitaani. Walikuwa wamejitia unajisi kwa damu hiyo ambapo hakuna aliye ruhusiwa kushika nguo zao.
They have wandered naked in out-places, They have been defiled with blood, Without [any] being able to touch their clothing,
15 “Kaa mbali! Wewe mnajisi!” Watu waliwapazia sauti. “Kaa mbali! Kaa mbali! Usiguse!” Hivyo wakatanga; watu walisema miongoni mwa mataifa, “Hawawezi kukaa hapa tena.”
“Turn aside—unclean,” they called to them, “Turn aside, turn aside, do not touch,” For they fled—indeed, they have wandered, They have said among nations: “They do not add to sojourn.”
16 Yahweh mwenyewe akawatawanyisha; hawatazami tena. Hawa waheshimu makuhani, na hawaonyeshi upendeleo kwa wazee.
The face of YHWH has divided them, He does not add to behold them, They have not lifted up the face of priests, They have not favored [the] old and elderly.
17 Macho yetu yalikwama, yakitazama bure kwa msaada; kutoka minara yetu ya ulinzi tulitazama taifa lisilo weza tuokoa.
While we exist—consumed are our eyes for our vain help, In our watchtower we have watched for a nation [that] does not save.
18 Walifuata hatua zetu, hatukuweza kutembea mitaani mwetu. Mwisho wetu ulikuwa karibu na siku zetu zilihesabiwa, mwisho wetu ulifika.
They have hunted our steps from going in our broad-places, Near has been our end, fulfilled our days, For our end has come.
19 Walio tukimbiza walikuwa wepesi kuliko tai wa aangani. Walitukimbiza kwenye milima na kutuwinda nyikani.
Swifter have been our pursuers, Than the eagles of the heavens, On the mountains they have burned [after] us, In the wilderness they have laid wait for us.
20 Pumzi katika pua zetu - mpakwa mafuta wa Yahweh - ndiye aliye kamatwa katika shimo; ambaye ndiye aliye semewa, “Chini ya kivuli chake tutaishi miongoni mwa mataifa.”
The breath of our nostrils—the anointed of YHWH, Has been captured in their pits, of whom we said: “We live among nations in his shadow.”
21 Shangilia na ufurahi, binti wa Edomu, wewe unaye ishi nchi ya Uzi. Lakini kwako pia kikombe kitapitishwa; utalewa na kuvua nguo.
Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, Dwelling in the land of Uz, Even to you a cup passes over, You are drunk, and make yourself naked.
22 Binti wa Sayuni, hukumu yako itafika mwisho, hataongeza mateka yako lakini binti wa Edomu, ata muhadhibu; ata funua dhambi zako.
Completed [is] your iniquity, daughter of Zion, He does not add to remove you, He has inspected your iniquity, O daughter of Edom, He has removed [you] because of your sins!
