Lamentations 4
1 How the gold has become dim! The most pure gold has changed! The stones of the sanctuary are poured out at the head of every street.
Yeka igolide eselilahlekelwe yikukhazimula kwalo, igolide elicolekileyo selijujukile! Amatshe aligugu angcwele aselahliwe ekuqaliseni kwemigwaqo yonke.
2 The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how they are esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
Yeka izinsizwa zaseZiyoni ezincomekayo, ezake zaba lesisindo njengegolide, okwamanje sezingathi zimbiza zebumba, umsebenzi wezandla zombumbi!
3 Even the jackals offer their breast. They nurse their young ones. But the daughter of my people has become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.
Ngitsho lamakhanka asemunyisa abantwabawo emabeleni awo, kodwa abantu bami kabaselazwelo njengezintshe enkangala.
4 The tongue of the nursing child clings to the roof of his mouth for thirst. The young children ask for bread, and no one breaks it for them.
Ngenxa yokoma, ulimi losane lunamathele elwangeni lomlomo; abantwana bancenga becela isinkwa kodwa kakho obaphayo.
5 Those who ate delicacies are desolate in the streets. Those who were brought up in purple embrace dunghills.
Labo ababesidla izibiliboco sebeyiziceli emigwaqweni. Labo abondliwa ebutifitifini sebelala esilotheni.
6 For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom, which was overthrown as in a moment. No hands were laid on her.
Isijeziso sabantu bakithi sikhulu kuleseSodoma, yona eyabhujiswa ngomzuzwana, akwaze kwaba lasandla esazama ukunceda.
7 Her nobles were purer than snow. They were whiter than milk. They were more ruddy in body than rubies. Their polishing was like sapphire.
Amakhosana abo ayekhazimula kulongqwaqwane, emhlophe nke kulochago, imizimba yabo ibomvana njengamatshe ohlobo lwerubhi, ukubukeka kwabo kunjengelitshe elikhazimulayo.
8 Their appearance is blacker than a coal. They are not known in the streets. Their skin clings to their bones. It is withered. It has become like wood.
Kodwa manje sebemnyama kulomsizi; kabasananzwa langubani emigwaqweni. Isikhumba sabo sesinamathele emathanjeni abo; sesome okogodo.
9 Those who are killed with the sword are better than those who are killed with hunger; for these pine away, stricken through, for lack of the fruits of the field.
Bangcono labo ababulawa ngenkemba, kulalabo abafa ngendlala; bazaca baphele, bekhukhuzwa yindlala ngoba kungelakudla okuvela emasimini.
10 The hands of the pitiful women have boiled their own children. They were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Ngezandla zabo abesifazane abalesihelo, bapheke abantwababo, babenza ukudla kwabo ngesikhathi abantu bakithi bebulawa.
11 Yahweh has accomplished his wrath. He has poured out his fierce anger. He has kindled a fire in Zion, which has devoured its foundations.
UThixo ubhodlisile intukuthelo yakhe; uluthulule ulaka lwakhe olwesabekayo. Uwulumathisile umlilo eZiyoni, watshisa izisekelo zayo.
12 The kings of the earth didn’t believe, neither did all the inhabitants of the world, that the adversary and the enemy would enter into the gates of Jerusalem.
Amakhosi omhlaba ayengakholwa, labantu basemhlabeni babengakholwa ukuthi izitha labahlaseli bangangena emasangweni eJerusalema.
13 It is because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the middle of her.
Kodwa kwenzakala ngenxa yezono zabaphrofethi bakhona, lamanyala abaphristi bakhona, abachitha igazi labalungileyo ngaphakathi kwalo iJerusalema.
14 They wander as blind men in the streets. They are polluted with blood, So that men can’t touch their garments.
Manje sebephumputha emigwaqweni njengabantu abayiziphofu. Sebengcoliswe ligazi kakuselamuntu ongathinta izembatho zabo.
15 “Go away!” they cried to them. “Unclean! Go away! Go away! Don’t touch! When they fled away and wandered, men said among the nations, “They can’t live here any more.”
Abantu bayabaxotsha bathi, “Sukani! Lingcolile! Sukani! Sukani! Lingasithinti!” Nxa bebaleka bentula, abantu bezizwe bathi, “Ngeke bahlale lapha njalo.”
16 Yahweh’s anger has scattered them. He will not pay attention to them any more. They didn’t respect the persons of the priests. They didn’t favor the elders.
UThixo ngokwakhe ubahlakazile; kasabalondolozi. Abaphristi kabasahlonitshwa, labadala kabasananzwa.
17 Our eyes still fail, looking in vain for our help. In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save.
Phezu kwalokho, amehlo ethu afiphala elindele ize engaboni sizo; siseziqongweni zethu zokulinda, salinda silindele isizwe esasingelancedo kithi.
18 They hunt our steps, so that we can’t go in our streets. Our end is near. Our days are fulfilled, for our end has come.
Abantu babesicwathela indawo zonke, ngakho sasesisesaba ukuhamba emigwaqweni yethu. Sasesiphelelwe, insuku zethu sezibaliwe, ngoba isiphetho sethu sesifikile.
19 Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the sky. They chased us on the mountains. They set an ambush for us in the wilderness.
Abasixotshayo babelejubane kulengqungqulu emkhathini; baxotshana lathi ezintabeni njalo basicathamela enkangala.
20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Yahweh, was taken in their pits; of whom we said, under his shadow we will live among the nations.
Ogcotshiweyo kaThixo, oyikuphila kwethu uqobo, wabanjwa emijibileni yabo. Sakhumbula ukuthi ngaphansi kwesithunzi sakhe sizahlala phakathi kwezizwe.
21 Rejoice and be glad, daughter of Edom, who dwells in the land of Uz. The cup will pass through to you also. You will be drunken, and will make yourself naked.
Jabula uthokoze, wena Ndodakazi yase-Edomi, wena ohlala elizweni lase-Uzi. Kodwa lakuwe izafika inkezo le; uzanatha udakwe, unqunulwe.
22 The punishment of your iniquity is accomplished, daughter of Zion. He will no more carry you away into captivity. He will visit your iniquity, daughter of Edom. He will uncover your sins.
Ndodakazi yaseZiyoni, isijeziso sakho sizaphela; akayikwelula isikhathi sokuthunjwa kwakho. Kodwa, maye kuwe Ndodakazi yase-Edomi, uzakujezisa ngesono sakho, achaye obala ububi bakho.
