Lamentations 3
1 I am the man that has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
Ngiyindodaebone inhlupheko ngentonga yolaka lwayo.
2 He has led me and caused me to walk in darkness, and not in light.
Ingikhokhele yangihambisa emnyameni kodwa hatshi ekukhanyeni.
3 Surely against me he turns his hand again and again all the day.
Isibili iphenduke yamelana lami; iphendule isandla sayo imelene lami usuku lonke.
4 My flesh and my skin he has made old; he has broken my bones.
Igugisile inyama yami lesikhumba sami; yephulile amathambo ami.
5 He has built against me, and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship.
Yakhile imelene lami, yangihanqa ngenyongo lobunzima.
6 He has made me to dwell in dark places, like those that have been long dead.
Ingihlalise endaweni ezimnyama, njengabafa endulo.
7 He has walled me in, so I can't escape; he has made my chains heavy.
Ingibiyele ukuze ngingaphumi, yenza iketane lami lethusi laba nzima.
8 Yes, when I cry, and call for help, he shuts out my prayer.
Njalo nxa ngikhala ngimemeza, ivalela phandle umkhuleko wami.
9 He has walled up my ways with cut stone; he has made my paths crooked.
Ibiyele indlela yami ngamatshe abaziweyo, yenza izindlela zami zagoba.
10 He is to me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in hiding.
Yaba kimi njengebhere elicathemeyo, isilwane ezindaweni zensitha.
11 He has obstructed my path, and torn me in pieces; he has made me desolate.
Iphambule izindlela zami, yangidabudabula, yangenza unxiwa.
12 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 pierce my inward parts.
Yenze amadodana esamba semitshoko yayo angena ezinsweni zami.
14 I have become a laughingstock to all peoples, and their song all the day.
Ngaba yinhlekisa kibo bonke abantu bakithi, ingoma yabo usuku lonke.
15 He has filled me with bitterness, he has given me in full measure wormwood.
Ingisuthise ngezinto ezibabayo, yanginathisa umhlonyane.
16 He has also broken my teeth with gravel; he has pressed me down in the dust.
Njalo ichoboze amazinyo ami ngokhethe, yangigiga emlotheni.
17 You have removed my soul far away from peace; I have forgotten what prosperity is.
Njalo wena walahla umphefumulo wami khatshana lokuthula; ngikhohlwe okuhle.
18 And I said, "My strength and my hope has perished from the LORD."
Ngakho ngithi: Kubhubhile amandla ami lethemba lami eNkosini.
19 Remember my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
Khumbula inhlupheko yami lokuzulazula kwami, umhlonyane lenyongo.
20 My soul considers them, and is depressed.
Umphefumulo wami uhlala ukukhumbula, njalo ukhotheme phakathi kwami.
21 But this I call to my mind; therefore I have hope:
Lokhu ngiyakubuyisela enhliziyweni yami, ngakho-ke ngiyathemba.
22 The LORD's faithful love does not cease; his compassion does not fail.
Kuyizihawu zeNkosi ukuthi kasiqedwanga, ngoba izisa zakhe kazipheli;
23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
zintsha ikuseni yonke; lukhulu uthembeko lwayo.
24 "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him."
INkosi iyisabelo sami, kutsho umphefumulo wami; ngakho-ke ngizathemba kiyo.
25 The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him.
INkosi ilungile kwabayilindelayo, kumphefumulo oyidingayo.
26 It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
Kuhle ukuthi umuntu athembe, njalo ngokuthula kusindiso lweNkosi.
27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke while he is young.
Kuhle emuntwini ukuthi athwale ijogwe ebutsheni bakhe.
28 Let him sit alone and keep silence when he is disciplining him.
Kahlale yedwa, athule, ngoba isimethese lona.
29 Let him put his mouth to the dust, there may yet be hope.
Kabeke umlomo wakhe othulini; mhlawumbe kungaba khona ithemba.
30 Let him give his cheek to him who strikes him; let him be filled with insults.
Kanikele isihlathi sakhe komtshayayo; asuthe inhlamba.
31 For the LORD will not reject forever.
Ngoba iNkosi kayiyikulahla kuze kube phakade.
32 For though he may cause grief, yet he will have compassion according to the abundance of his loving kindness.
Ngoba lanxa idabukisile, kanti izakuba lesihawu ngobunengi bezisa zayo.
33 For he is not predisposed to bring affliction or suffering to human beings.
Ngoba kayihluphi ngenhliziyo yayo idabukise abantwana babantu;
34 To crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth;
ukuchoboza ngaphansi kwenyawo zayo zonke izibotshwa zomhlaba;
35 to deprive a man of justice before the face of the Most High,
ukuphambukisa ilungelo lomuntu phambi kobuso boPhezukonke;
36 to subvert a man in his cause, the LORD does not approve.
ukuphambanisa umuntu kudaba lwakhe, iNkosi kayikuboni yini?
37 Who can speak a thing and have it come to pass, unless the LORD has commanded it?
Ngubani ongakukhuluma, njalo kwenzeke, nxa iNkosi ingakulayanga?
38 Doesn't both calamity and good come out of the mouth of the Most High?
Kakuphumi ububi lokuhle emlonyeni woPhezukonke yini?
39 Why does a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
Ngakho usolelani umuntu ophilayo, umuntu ngezono zakhe?
40 Let us examine and search our ways, and return to the LORD.
Asihlole silinge izindlela zethu, sibuyele eNkosini.
41 Let us lift up our heart with our hands to God in the heavens.
Asiphakamisele inhliziyo lezandla zethu kuNkulunkulu emazulwini.
42 We have transgressed and have rebelled, and you have not forgiven.
Thina siphambukile, saba lenkani; wena kawuthethelelanga.
43 You have covered yourself with anger and pursued us; you killed without sparing.
Wembese ngolaka, waxotshana lathi, wabulala, kawuhawukelanga.
44 You have covered yourself with a cloud, so that no prayer can pass through.
Uzembese ngeyezi, ukuze kungedluli umkhuleko.
45 You have made us rubbish and refuse in the midst of the peoples.
Usenze saba yimfucuza lezibi phakathi kwezizwe.
46 All our enemies have opened their mouth wide against us.
Zonke izitha zethu zivule umlomo wazo zimelene lathi.
47 Fear and the pit have come on us, devastation and destruction.
Ukwesaba lomgodi kukhona phambi kwethu, incithakalo lokwephuka.
48 Streams of tears run down from my eyes because of the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Ilihlo lami lehlisa imifula yamanzi ngokuchitheka kwendodakazi yabantu bami.
49 My tears flow and do not cease, without respite,
Ilihlo lami liyajuluka, kaliyekeli, kungelakuma,
50 until the LORD looks down and sees from heaven.
ize ikhangele phansi ibone iNkosi isezulwini.
51 My eyes bring my soul grief, because of all the daughters of my city.
Ilihlo lami lenza umphefumulo wami ube buhlungu ngenxa yawo wonke amadodakazi omuzi wakithi.
52 They have chased me relentlessly like a bird, those who are my enemies without cause.
Izitha zami zingizingele kabuhlungu njengenyoni, kungelasizatho.
53 They have cut off my life in a pit, and have cast a stone on me.
Bayiqumile impilo yami emgodini, baphosa ilitshe phezu kwami.
54 Waters flowed over my head; I said, 'I am finished.'
Amanzi ageleza phezu kwekhanda lami; ngathi: Ngiqunyiwe.
55 I called on your name, LORD, out of the depths of the pit.
Ngabiza ibizo lakho, Nkosi, ngisemgodini phansi;
56 You heard my voice; do not hide your ear at my sighs, to my cry.
wezwa ilizwi lami; ungafihli indlebe yakho ekuphefumuleni kwami, ekukhaleleni kwami usizo.
57 You drew near in the day that I called on you; you said, "Do not be afraid."
Wasondela ngosuku lapho ngikubiza, wathi: Ungesabi.
58 LORD, you have taken up the case for my soul; you have redeemed my life.
Nkosi, uzimele izindaba zomphefumulo wami, wahlenga impilo yami.
59 You have seen, LORD, the wrong done to me; judge my case.
Nkosi, ubonile ukoniwa kwami; yahlulela udaba lwami.
60 You have seen all their vengeance and all their plots against me.
Ubonile yonke impindiselo yabo, wonke amacebo abo amelene lami.
61 You have heard their insults, LORD, and all their plots against me.
Uzwile inhlamba yabo, Nkosi, wonke amacebo abo amelene lami,
62 The lips of those that rose up against me, and their plots against me all day long.
indebe zabangivukelayo, lokuzindla kwabo kumelene lami lonke usuku.
63 Look their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their mocking song.
Khangela ukuhlala kwabo, lokusukuma kwabo; ngiyingoma yabo.
64 You will render to them what they deserve, LORD, according to the work of their hands.
Buyisela kibo impindiselo, Nkosi, njengokomsebenzi wezandla zabo.
65 You will give them hardness of heart as your curse to them.
Banike ubulukhuni benhliziyo, isiqalekiso sakho kibo.
66 You will pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of the LORD.
Xotshana labo ngolaka, ubabhubhise bangabi ngaphansi kwamazulu eNkosi.
