< Lamentations 3 >

1 ALEPH. I am the man that sees poverty, through the rod of his wrath upon me.
Ngiyindodaebone inhlupheko ngentonga yolaka lwayo.
2 He has taken me, and led me away into darkness, and not [into] light.
Ingikhokhele yangihambisa emnyameni kodwa hatshi ekukhanyeni.
3 Nay, against me has he turned his hand all the day.
Isibili iphenduke yamelana lami; iphendule isandla sayo imelene lami usuku lonke.
4 He has made old my flesh and my skin; he has broken my bones.
Igugisile inyama yami lesikhumba sami; yephulile amathambo ami.
5 BETH. He has built against me, and compassed my head, and brought travail [upon me].
Yakhile imelene lami, yangihanqa ngenyongo lobunzima.
6 He has set me in dark places, as them that have long been dead.
Ingihlalise endaweni ezimnyama, njengabafa endulo.
7 He has builded against me, and I cannot come forth: he has made my brazen [chain] heavy.
Ingibiyele ukuze ngingaphumi, yenza iketane lami lethusi laba nzima.
8 GIMEL. Yea, [though] I cry and shout, he shuts out my prayer.
Njalo nxa ngikhala ngimemeza, ivalela phandle umkhuleko wami.
9 DALETH. He has built up my ways, he has hedged my paths;
Ibiyele indlela yami ngamatshe abaziweyo, yenza izindlela zami zagoba.
10 he has troubled me, [as] a she-bear lying in wait: he is to me [as] a lion in secret places.
Yaba kimi njengebhere elicathemeyo, isilwane ezindaweni zensitha.
11 He pursued [me] after I departed, and brought me to a stand: he has utterly ruined me.
Iphambule izindlela zami, yangidabudabula, yangenza unxiwa.
12 HE. He has bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
Igobisile idandili layo, yangimisa njengento yokunenjwa ngomtshoko.
13 He has caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.
Yenze amadodana esamba semitshoko yayo angena ezinsweni zami.
14 I became a laughing-stock to all my people; and their song all the day.
Ngaba yinhlekisa kibo bonke abantu bakithi, ingoma yabo usuku lonke.
15 VAU. He has filled me with bitterness, he has drenched me with gall.
Ingisuthise ngezinto ezibabayo, yanginathisa umhlonyane.
16 And he has dashed out my teeth with gravel, he has fed me with ashes.
Njalo ichoboze amazinyo ami ngokhethe, yangigiga emlotheni.
17 He has also removed my soul from peace: I forgot prosperity.
Njalo wena walahla umphefumulo wami khatshana lokuthula; ngikhohlwe okuhle.
18 Therefore my success has perished, and my hope from the Lord.
Ngakho ngithi: Kubhubhile amandla ami lethemba lami eNkosini.
19 ZAIN. I remembered by reason of my poverty, and because of persecution my bitterness and gall shall be remembered;
Khumbula inhlupheko yami lokuzulazula kwami, umhlonyane lenyongo.
20 and my soul shall meditate with me.
Umphefumulo wami uhlala ukukhumbula, njalo ukhotheme phakathi kwami.
21 This will I lay up in my heart, therefore I will endure.
Lokhu ngiyakubuyisela enhliziyweni yami, ngakho-ke ngiyathemba.
22 HETH. [It is] the mercies of the Lord, that he has not failed me, because his compassions are not exhausted. Pity [us], O Lord, early [every] month: for we are not brought to an end, because his compassions are not exhausted.
Kuyizihawu zeNkosi ukuthi kasiqedwanga, ngoba izisa zakhe kazipheli;
23 [They are] new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
zintsha ikuseni yonke; lukhulu uthembeko lwayo.
24 The Lord is my portion, says my soul; therefore will I wait for him.
INkosi iyisabelo sami, kutsho umphefumulo wami; ngakho-ke ngizathemba kiyo.
25 TETH. The Lord is good to them that wait for him: the soul which shall seek him
INkosi ilungile kwabayilindelayo, kumphefumulo oyidingayo.
26 [is] good, and shall wait for, and quietly expect salvation of the Lord.
Kuhle ukuthi umuntu athembe, njalo ngokuthula kusindiso lweNkosi.
27 TETH. [It is] good for a man when he bears a yoke in his youth.
Kuhle emuntwini ukuthi athwale ijogwe ebutsheni bakhe.
28 He will sit alone, and be silent, because he has borne [it] upon him.
Kahlale yedwa, athule, ngoba isimethese lona.
Kabeke umlomo wakhe othulini; mhlawumbe kungaba khona ithemba.
30 JOD. He will give [his] cheek to him that smites him: he will be filled full with reproaches.
Kanikele isihlathi sakhe komtshayayo; asuthe inhlamba.
31 For the Lord will not reject for ever.
Ngoba iNkosi kayiyikulahla kuze kube phakade.
32 CHAPH. For he that has brought down will pity, and [that] according to the abundance of his mercy.
Ngoba lanxa idabukisile, kanti izakuba lesihawu ngobunengi bezisa zayo.
33 He has not answered [in anger] from his heart, though he has brought low the children of a man.
Ngoba kayihluphi ngenhliziyo yayo idabukise abantwana babantu;
34 LAMED. To bring down under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,
ukuchoboza ngaphansi kwenyawo zayo zonke izibotshwa zomhlaba;
35 to turn aside the judgment of a man before the face of the Most High,
ukuphambukisa ilungelo lomuntu phambi kobuso boPhezukonke;
36 to condemn a man [unjustly] in his judgment, the Lord has not given commandment.
ukuphambanisa umuntu kudaba lwakhe, iNkosi kayikuboni yini?
37 Who has thus spoken, and it has come to pass? the Lord has not commanded it.
Ngubani ongakukhuluma, njalo kwenzeke, nxa iNkosi ingakulayanga?
38 Out of the mouth of the Most High there shall not come forth evil and good.
Kakuphumi ububi lokuhle emlonyeni woPhezukonke yini?
39 MEM. Why should a living man complain, a man concerning his sin?
Ngakho usolelani umuntu ophilayo, umuntu ngezono zakhe?
40 NUN. Our way has been searched out and examined, and we will turn to the Lord.
Asihlole silinge izindlela zethu, sibuyele eNkosini.
41 Let us lift up our hearts with [our] hand to the lofty One in heaven.
Asiphakamisele inhliziyo lezandla zethu kuNkulunkulu emazulwini.
42 We have sinned, we have transgressed; and thou hast not pardoned.
Thina siphambukile, saba lenkani; wena kawuthethelelanga.
43 SAMECH. Thou has visited [us] in wrath, and driven us away: thou has slain, thou has not pitied.
Wembese ngolaka, waxotshana lathi, wabulala, kawuhawukelanga.
44 Thou hast veiled thyself with a cloud because of prayer, that I might be blind,
Uzembese ngeyezi, ukuze kungedluli umkhuleko.
45 and be cast off. AIN. Thou hast set us [alone] in the midst of the nations.
Usenze saba yimfucuza lezibi phakathi kwezizwe.
46 All our enemies have opened their mouth against us.
Zonke izitha zethu zivule umlomo wazo zimelene lathi.
47 Fear and wrath are come upon us, suspense and destruction.
Ukwesaba lomgodi kukhona phambi kwethu, incithakalo lokwephuka.
48 Mine eye shall pour down torrents of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Ilihlo lami lehlisa imifula yamanzi ngokuchitheka kwendodakazi yabantu bami.
49 PHE. Mine eye is drowned [with tears], and I will not be silent, so that there shall be no rest,
Ilihlo lami liyajuluka, kaliyekeli, kungelakuma,
50 until the Lord look down, and behold from heaven.
ize ikhangele phansi ibone iNkosi isezulwini.
51 Mine eye shall prey upon my soul, because of all the daughters of the city.
Ilihlo lami lenza umphefumulo wami ube buhlungu ngenxa yawo wonke amadodakazi omuzi wakithi.
52 TSADE. The fowlers chased me as a sparrow, all mine enemies destroyed my life in a pit without cause,
Izitha zami zingizingele kabuhlungu njengenyoni, kungelasizatho.
53 and laid a stone upon me.
Bayiqumile impilo yami emgodini, baphosa ilitshe phezu kwami.
54 Water flowed over my head: I said, I am cut off.
Amanzi ageleza phezu kwekhanda lami; ngathi: Ngiqunyiwe.
55 KOPH. I called upon thy name, O Lord, out of the lowest dungeon.
Ngabiza ibizo lakho, Nkosi, ngisemgodini phansi;
56 Thou heardest my voice: close not thine ears to my supplication.
wezwa ilizwi lami; ungafihli indlebe yakho ekuphefumuleni kwami, ekukhaleleni kwami usizo.
57 Thou drewest nigh to my help: in the day wherein I called upon thee thou saidst to me, Fear not.
Wasondela ngosuku lapho ngikubiza, wathi: Ungesabi.
58 RECHS. O Lord, thou has pleaded the causes of my soul; thou has redeemed my life.
Nkosi, uzimele izindaba zomphefumulo wami, wahlenga impilo yami.
59 Thou hast seen, O Lord, my troubles: thou hast judged my cause.
Nkosi, ubonile ukoniwa kwami; yahlulela udaba lwami.
60 Thou hast seen all their vengeance, [thou hast looked] on all their devices against me.
Ubonile yonke impindiselo yabo, wonke amacebo abo amelene lami.
61 CHSEN. Thou hast heard their reproach [and] all their devices against me;
Uzwile inhlamba yabo, Nkosi, wonke amacebo abo amelene lami,
62 the lips of them that rose up against me, and their plots against me all the day;
indebe zabangivukelayo, lokuzindla kwabo kumelene lami lonke usuku.
63 their sitting down and their rising up: look thou upon their eyes.
Khangela ukuhlala kwabo, lokusukuma kwabo; ngiyingoma yabo.
64 Thou wilt render them a recompense, O Lord, according to the works of their hands.
Buyisela kibo impindiselo, Nkosi, njengokomsebenzi wezandla zabo.
65 THAU. Thou wilt give them [as] a covering, the grief of my heart.
Banike ubulukhuni benhliziyo, isiqalekiso sakho kibo.
66 Thou wilt persecute them in anger, and wilt consume them from under the heaven, O Lord.
Xotshana labo ngolaka, ubabhubhise bangabi ngaphansi kwamazulu eNkosi.

< Lamentations 3 >