Lamentations 5
1 Remember, O Lord, what has happened to us: behold, and look on our reproach.
Khumbula, Nkosi, ukuthi kwenzakaleni kithi; khangela, ubone ihlazo lethu.
2 Our inheritance has been turned away to aliens, our houses to strangers:
Ilifa lethu seliphendulelwe kwabezizwe, izindlu zethu kwabemzini.
3 we are become orphans, we have no father, our mothers are as widows.
Siyizintandane, kungelababa; omama banjengabafelokazi.
4 We have drunk our water for money; our wood is sold to us [for a burden] on our neck:
Amanzi ethu siwanathile ngemali; inkuni zethu ziza ngentengo.
5 we have been persecuted, we have laboured, we have had no rest.
Sizingelwa ezintanyeni zethu, sidiniwe, kasilakuphumula.
6 Egypt gave the hand [to us], Assur to their own satisfaction.
Sinike isandla sethu kwabeGibhithe, labeAsiriya, ukuze sisuthiswe ngesinkwa.
7 Our fathers sinned, [and] are not: we have borne their iniquities.
Obaba bona, kabasekho, njalo thina sithwele iziphambeko zabo.
8 Servants have ruled over us: there is none to ransom [us] out of their hand.
Izigqili ziyasibusa, kakho ongasihluthuna esandleni sazo.
9 We shall bring in our bread with [danger of] our lives, because of the sword of the wilderness.
Sizuza isinkwa sethu ngengozi yempilo yethu, ngenxa yenkemba yenkangala.
10 Our skin is blackened like an oven; they are convulsed, because of the storms of famine.
Ijwabu lethu limnyama njengeziko ngenxa yokutshisa okukhulu kwendlala.
11 They humbled the women in Sion, the virgins in the cities of Juda.
Badlova abesifazana eZiyoni, izintombi ezimsulwa emizini yakoJuda.
12 Princes were hanged up by their hands: the elders were not honoured.
Iziphathamandla zaphanyekwa ngesandla sazo; ubuso babadala kabuhlonitshwanga.
13 The chosen men lifted up [the voice in] weeping, and the youths fainted under the wood.
Amajaha athwala amatshe okuchola, labafana bakhubeka ngaphansi kwenkuni.
14 And the elders ceased from the gate, the chosen men ceased from their music.
Abadala baphelile esangweni, amajaha ekuhlabeleleni.
15 The joy of our heart has ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.
Intokozo yenhliziyo yethu iphelile, ukugida kwethu kwaphenduka ukulila.
16 The crown has fallen [from] our head: yea, woe to us! for we have sinned.
Umqhele wekhanda lethu uwile; hawu, maye kithi, ngoba sonile!
17 For this has grief come; our heart is sorrowful: for this our eyes are darkened.
Ngenxa yalokhu inhliziyo yethu iphela amandla; ngenxa yalezizinto amehlo ethu afiphele.
18 Over the mountain of Sion, because it is made desolate, foxes have walked therein.
Ngenxa yentaba yeZiyoni elunxiwa, amakhanka ahamba phezu kwayo.
19 But thou, O Lord, shalt dwell for ever; thy throne [shall endure] to generation and generation.
Wena, Nkosi, uhlezi kuze kube nininini, isihlalo sakho sobukhosi sisuka esizukulwaneni sisiya esizukulwaneni.
20 Wherefore wilt thou utterly forget us, and abandon us a long time?
Usikhohlweleni njalonjalo, usidela okobude bezinsuku?
21 Turn us, O Lord, to thee, and we shall be turned; and renew our days as before.
Siphendulele kuwe, Nkosi, sizaphenduka; yenza insuku zethu zibe zintsha njengasendulo.
22 For thou hast indeed rejected us; thou hast been very wroth against us.
Kodwa ususilahlile isibili; usithukuthelele kakhulukazi.
