Lamentations 3
1 I am the man who has experienced suffering under the rod of God's anger.
Ngiyindodaebone inhlupheko ngentonga yolaka lwayo.
2 He has driven me away, forcing me to walk in darkness instead of the light.
Ingikhokhele yangihambisa emnyameni kodwa hatshi ekukhanyeni.
3 In fact he hits me again and again all day long.
Isibili iphenduke yamelana lami; iphendule isandla sayo imelene lami usuku lonke.
4 He has worn me out; he has broken me in pieces.
Igugisile inyama yami lesikhumba sami; yephulile amathambo ami.
5 He has besieged me, surrounding me with bitterness and misery.
Yakhile imelene lami, yangihanqa ngenyongo lobunzima.
6 He has forced me to live in darkness like those long dead.
Ingihlalise endaweni ezimnyama, njengabafa endulo.
7 He has built a wall around me so I can't escape; he has bound me with heavy chains.
Ingibiyele ukuze ngingaphumi, yenza iketane lami lethusi laba nzima.
8 Even when I keep on crying out for help, he refuses to listen to my prayer.
Njalo nxa ngikhala ngimemeza, ivalela phandle umkhuleko wami.
9 He has put stone blocks in my way and sends me down crooked paths.
Ibiyele indlela yami ngamatshe abaziweyo, yenza izindlela zami zagoba.
10 He is a bear that lies in wait for me, a lion in hiding ready to attack,
Yaba kimi njengebhere elicathemeyo, isilwane ezindaweni zensitha.
11 He dragged me from my path and ripped me to pieces, leaving me helpless.
Iphambule izindlela zami, yangidabudabula, yangenza unxiwa.
12 He loaded his bow with an arrow and used me as his target,
Igobisile idandili layo, yangimisa njengento yokunenjwa ngomtshoko.
13 He shot me in my kidneys with his arrows.
Yenze amadodana esamba semitshoko yayo angena ezinsweni zami.
14 Now everyone laughs at me, singing songs that mock me all day long.
Ngaba yinhlekisa kibo bonke abantu bakithi, ingoma yabo usuku lonke.
15 He has filled me with bitterness; he has filled me up with bitter wormwood.
Ingisuthise ngezinto ezibabayo, yanginathisa umhlonyane.
16 He has broken my teeth with grit; he has trampled me in the dust.
Njalo ichoboze amazinyo ami ngokhethe, yangigiga emlotheni.
17 Peace has been torn away from me; I've forgotten all that's good in life.
Njalo wena walahla umphefumulo wami khatshana lokuthula; ngikhohlwe okuhle.
18 That's why I say, “My expectation of a long life is gone, along with all that I hoped for from Lord.
Ngakho ngithi: Kubhubhile amandla ami lethemba lami eNkosini.
19 Don't forget everything I've suffered in my wandering, as bitters as wormwood and poison.
Khumbula inhlupheko yami lokuzulazula kwami, umhlonyane lenyongo.
20 I certainly haven't forgotten. I remember it all too well, so I sink into depression.
Umphefumulo wami uhlala ukukhumbula, njalo ukhotheme phakathi kwami.
21 But I still hope when I think about this:
Lokhu ngiyakubuyisela enhliziyweni yami, ngakho-ke ngiyathemba.
22 It's because of the Lord's trustworthy love that our lives are not finished, for through his merciful actions he never lets us down.
Kuyizihawu zeNkosi ukuthi kasiqedwanga, ngoba izisa zakhe kazipheli;
23 He renews them every morning. How wonderfully trustworthy you are, Lord!
zintsha ikuseni yonke; lukhulu uthembeko lwayo.
24 The Lord is all I need,” I tell myself, “so I will put my hope in him.”
INkosi iyisabelo sami, kutsho umphefumulo wami; ngakho-ke ngizathemba kiyo.
25 The Lord is good to those who trust in him, to anyone who seeks to follow him.
INkosi ilungile kwabayilindelayo, kumphefumulo oyidingayo.
26 It is good to wait quietly for the Lord's salvation.
Kuhle ukuthi umuntu athembe, njalo ngokuthula kusindiso lweNkosi.
27 It is good for people to learn to patiently bear discipline while they're still young.
Kuhle emuntwini ukuthi athwale ijogwe ebutsheni bakhe.
28 They should sit by themselves in silence, because it's God who has disciplined them.
Kahlale yedwa, athule, ngoba isimethese lona.
29 They should bow low with their faces to the ground, for there may still be hope.
Kabeke umlomo wakhe othulini; mhlawumbe kungaba khona ithemba.
30 They should turn a cheek to someone who wants to slap them; they should take the insults of others.
Kanikele isihlathi sakhe komtshayayo; asuthe inhlamba.
31 For the Lord won't abandon us forever.
Ngoba iNkosi kayiyikulahla kuze kube phakade.
32 Even though he may bring sadness, he shows us mercy because his trustworthy love is so great.
Ngoba lanxa idabukisile, kanti izakuba lesihawu ngobunengi bezisa zayo.
33 For he doesn't willingly hurt people, or cause them grief.
Ngoba kayihluphi ngenhliziyo yayo idabukise abantwana babantu;
34 Whether it's mistreating all the prisoners of the land,
ukuchoboza ngaphansi kwenyawo zayo zonke izibotshwa zomhlaba;
35 Or denying someone their rights as the Most High watches,
ukuphambukisa ilungelo lomuntu phambi kobuso boPhezukonke;
36 Or cheating someone in their legal case—these things the Lord doesn't approve of.
ukuphambanisa umuntu kudaba lwakhe, iNkosi kayikuboni yini?
37 Who spoke and it came into existence? Wasn't it the Lord who commanded it?
Ngubani ongakukhuluma, njalo kwenzeke, nxa iNkosi ingakulayanga?
38 When the Most High speaks it can be a disaster or a blessing.
Kakuphumi ububi lokuhle emlonyeni woPhezukonke yini?
39 Why should any human being complain about the results of their sins?
Ngakho usolelani umuntu ophilayo, umuntu ngezono zakhe?
40 We should look at ourselves, examine what we're doing, and return to the Lord.
Asihlole silinge izindlela zethu, sibuyele eNkosini.
41 Let's not just hold up our hands to God in heaven, but our minds as well, saying,
Asiphakamisele inhliziyo lezandla zethu kuNkulunkulu emazulwini.
42 “We are the ones who sinned; we are the ones who rebelled; and you haven't forgiven us!”
Thina siphambukile, saba lenkani; wena kawuthethelelanga.
43 You have wrapped yourself in anger and chased us down, killing without mercy. You have killed without pity.
Wembese ngolaka, waxotshana lathi, wabulala, kawuhawukelanga.
44 You have wrapped yourself with a cloud that no prayer can penetrate.
Uzembese ngeyezi, ukuze kungedluli umkhuleko.
45 You have made us waste and refuse to the nations around.
Usenze saba yimfucuza lezibi phakathi kwezizwe.
46 All our enemies open their mouths to criticize us.
Zonke izitha zethu zivule umlomo wazo zimelene lathi.
47 We're terrified and trapped, devastated and destroyed.
Ukwesaba lomgodi kukhona phambi kwethu, incithakalo lokwephuka.
48 Tears stream from my eyes over the death of my people.
Ilihlo lami lehlisa imifula yamanzi ngokuchitheka kwendodakazi yabantu bami.
49 My eyes overflow with tears all the time. They won't stop
Ilihlo lami liyajuluka, kaliyekeli, kungelakuma,
50 Until the Lord looks down from heaven and sees what's going on.
ize ikhangele phansi ibone iNkosi isezulwini.
51 What I've seen torments me because of what's happened to all the women in my city.
Ilihlo lami lenza umphefumulo wami ube buhlungu ngenxa yawo wonke amadodakazi omuzi wakithi.
52 For no reason my enemies trapped me like a bird.
Izitha zami zingizingele kabuhlungu njengenyoni, kungelasizatho.
53 They tried to kill me by tossing me into a pit and throwing stones at me.
Bayiqumile impilo yami emgodini, baphosa ilitshe phezu kwami.
54 Water flooded over my head, and I thought I was going to die.
Amanzi ageleza phezu kwekhanda lami; ngathi: Ngiqunyiwe.
55 I called out for you, Lord, from deep inside the pit.
Ngabiza ibizo lakho, Nkosi, ngisemgodini phansi;
56 You heard me when I prayed, “Please don't ignore my cry for help.”
wezwa ilizwi lami; ungafihli indlebe yakho ekuphefumuleni kwami, ekukhaleleni kwami usizo.
57 You came to me when I called you, and you told me, “Don't be afraid!”
Wasondela ngosuku lapho ngikubiza, wathi: Ungesabi.
58 You have taken my case and defended me; you have saved my life!
Nkosi, uzimele izindaba zomphefumulo wami, wahlenga impilo yami.
59 Lord, you have seen the injustices done to me; please vindicate me!
Nkosi, ubonile ukoniwa kwami; yahlulela udaba lwami.
60 You have observed how vengeful they are and how often they've plotted against me.
Ubonile yonke impindiselo yabo, wonke amacebo abo amelene lami.
61 Lord, you have heard how they've insulted me, and what they've plotted against me,
Uzwile inhlamba yabo, Nkosi, wonke amacebo abo amelene lami,
62 How my enemies talk against me and complain about me all the time!
indebe zabangivukelayo, lokuzindla kwabo kumelene lami lonke usuku.
63 Just look! Whether they're sitting down and or standing up, they go on making fun of me in their songs.
Khangela ukuhlala kwabo, lokusukuma kwabo; ngiyingoma yabo.
64 Pay them back as they deserve, Lord, for all they've done!
Buyisela kibo impindiselo, Nkosi, njengokomsebenzi wezandla zabo.
65 Give them a covering for their minds! May your curse be on them!
Banike ubulukhuni benhliziyo, isiqalekiso sakho kibo.
66 Chase them down in your anger, Lord, and get rid of them from the earth!
Xotshana labo ngolaka, ubabhubhise bangabi ngaphansi kwamazulu eNkosi.
