Lamentations 1

1 Jerusalem was [once] full of people, but now it is deserted. [Once] it was honored by people all over the world, but now it is [grieving/abandoned] like [SIM] a widow. [Once] it was [honored like] [MET] a princess [is honored] among the nations, but now [we who live here] have become slaves.

Kuthule kuthe cwaka! Yeka lelidolobho elalinyakazela abantu! Selinjengomfelokazi, kanti lalilodumo phakathi kwezizwe. Lona elaliyindlovukazi phakathi kwezigodi, khathesi seliyisigqili.

2 We [PRS] weep bitterly [all] night long, with tears flowing down our cheeks. Among [the people in] all [the nations] that loved Jerusalem there are none that comfort us [now]. All [the rulers of those nations that were previously] our allies have betrayed us, and they are all now enemies [of the people of Jerusalem].

Linjengowesifazane okhala kabuhlungu ebusuku, inyembezi zithe hlikilili ezihlathini. Kakho phakathi kwazo zonke izithandwa zakhe ongamduduza. Bonke abangane bakhe bamhlamukele; sebeyizitha zakhe.

3 [The people of] Judah have been (exiled/forced to go to other countries) and caused to suffer greatly as slaves. They live in [other] nations where they do not have peace/safety. Their enemies seized them, and there was no way for them to escape.

UJuda useye ebugqilini ngemva kokuhlupheka lokudonsa nzima. Usehlala phakathi kwabezizwe; akatholi ndawo yokuphumula. Bonke abamzingelayo bamxhumile ephakathi kokuhlupheka kwakhe.

4 The roads to Zion [Hill] are empty [PRS] because no one comes [here] to [celebrate] the sacred festivals. The city gates are deserted, and the priests groan. The young women [of Jerusalem] cry [because] they are suffering greatly.

Iyalila imigwaqo eya eZiyoni, ngoba kasekho ozayo emikhosini yalo emisiweyo. Wonke amasango alo asekhohlakele, abaphristi balo bayabubula, amantombazana alo ayagomela, lona lidabukile kakhulu.

5 Our enemies have conquered the city, and [now] they prosper. Yahweh has punished [the people of] Jerusalem because of all the sins that they have committed. The children [of Jerusalem] have been captured and taken [to other countries].

Izitha zalo sezingababusi balo; ziyaklamasa. UThixo ulehlisele usizi ngenxa yezono zalo ezinengi. Abantwabalo bathunjiwe, baba yizigqili zezitha.

6 Jerusalem was a beautiful city, but it is not beautiful now. The leaders [of the city] are like [SIM] deer that are starving because of being unable to find any grass [to eat]. They are very weak, with the result that they are unable to run from their enemies.

Kuphelile konke ukubenyezela kweNdodakazi yaseZiyoni. Amakhosana ayo asenjengezimpala ezingatholi amadlelo; zibalekile zilambile zingelamandla zibalekela umzingeli.

7 [The people of] Jerusalem are sad and scattered, and they think about the previous greatness of the city. [But now] our enemies have captured the city, and there is no one to help the people. Our enemies destroyed the city and laughed while they were doing that.

Ngezinsuku zokuhlupheka lokuntula, iJerusalema iyayikhumbula inotho eyayingeyayo ngensuku zayo. Kuthe abantu bayo sebewela ezandleni zezitha, akubanga khona ongayinceda. Zayikhangela nje izitha zayo zahleka ukuchitheka kwayo.

8 [The people of] [PRS] Jerusalem have sinned very much; [it is as though] [MET] the city has become [like] a filthy [rag]. All those who [previously] honored the city [now] despise it, because they see that it has become very disgraced [MET]. Now [the people of] the city groan, and they cover their faces [because they are very ashamed].

IJerusalema yonile kakhulu, ngakho isingcolile. Bonke ababeyihlonipha sebeyidelela, ngoba sebebonile ubuze bayo; yona ngokwayo ibubula ize ifulathele.

9 The city has become filthy because of [PRS] the sins that the people have committed; they did not think about what could happen to the city. [Now] the city has been destroyed, and there is no one to comfort [the people]. [The people cry out saying], “Yahweh, look at how we are suffering because our enemies have defeated us!”

Ukungcola kwayo kwabhixa izidwaba zayo; kayinakanga ikusasa yayo. Ukuwa kwayo kwesabeka, kungekho oyiduduzayo. “Oh Thixo, ake ukhangele ukuhlupheka kwami, ngoba isitha sesinqobile.”

10 Our enemies have taken away all our treasures, all the valuable things that we owned. We have seen [soldiers from other] nations, [men who do not worship Yahweh], enter our sacred temple, [the place] where foreigners/non-Israelis were (forbidden/not allowed) to enter.

Isitha saphanga yonke inotho yayo; yabona izizwe ezingakholwayo zingena endlini yayo engcwele, bona labo owabanqabela ukungena phakathi kwebandla lakho.

11 The people of the city groan while they search for food; they have given their treasures to get food [to eat] to remain alive. [They say], “Yahweh, look [at us], and see that we are despised!”

Bonke abantu bayo bayagomela behamba bedinga ukudla; bathengisa inotho yabo eligugu ngokudla ukuze bangafi. “Oh Thixo, ake ungihawukele ngoba sengidelelwa.”

12 You people who pass by, you do not [RHQ] seem to care at all [about what has happened to us]. Look around and see that there are no other [RHQ] people who are suffering like we are. Yahweh has caused us to suffer because he was extremely angry [with us].

“Kakusilutho kini yini lina lonke elidlula lapha? Ake likhangele nje libone. Kambe kukhona ukuhlupheka okulingana lokwami, khona lokhu engakwehliselwayo, nguThixo ngosuku lokuvutha kolaka lwakhe?

13 [It is as though] he sent a fire from heaven [MTY] that burned in our bones; [it is as though] [MET] he has placed a trap for our feet, and has prevented us from walking any further. He has abandoned us; we are weak/miserable [every day], all day long.

Wehlisa umlilo uvela phezulu, wawehlisela phakathi kwamathambo ami. Wangithiya ezinyaweni ngomambule, wangibuyisela emuva. Wangenza ngaba lesizungu, ngaswela amandla ilanga lonke.

14 He caused the sins that we have committed to be [like] a heavy load for us to carry; [it is as though] [MET] he tied them around our necks. Previously we were strong, but he has caused us to become weak. He has allowed our enemies to capture us, and we were not able to do anything to resist them.

Izono zami zisongwe zaba lijogwe; ngezandla zakhe wazelukela ndawonye. Zetheswe entanyeni yami, uThixo wangiqeda amandla. Usengifuqele kulabo engingeke ngimelane labo.

15 Yahweh looked at our mighty soldiers and laughed at them. He has summoned a great army to [come and] crush our young soldiers. [It is as though] [MET] Yahweh has trampled on [us] people of Judah like [SIM] [people trample] on grapes in a pit [to make wine].

UThixo kabemukelanga bonke abangabebutho lami; usebize impi ukuthi ingihlasele, ichoboze zonke izinsizwa zami. Esihluzweni sakhe sewayini, uThixo unyathelele phansi iNdodakazi yakoJuda eGcweleyo.

16 I weep because of [all] those things; my eyes are filled with tears. There is no one to comfort me; those who could encourage me are far away. Our enemies have conquered [us], so our children have nothing good to (hope for/expect to happen).

Yikho ngilila, amehlo ami empompoza inyembezi. Kakho oseduze ongangiduduza, kakho ongavusa umphefumulo wami. Abantwabami sebeswela ngoba isitha sinqobile.”

17 [We people of] [PRS] Jerusalem reach out our hands [to get help], but there is no one to comfort us. Yahweh has decided concerning [us descendants of] Jacob that the people in nearby nations will become our enemies; so they consider that Jerusalem has become [like] [MET] a filthy rag.

IZiyoni yelulile isandla sayo kodwa kakho oyiduduzayo. UThixo usekumisile ngoJakhobe ukuthi abakhelene laye babe yizitha zakhe; iJerusalema isiphenduke yaba yinto engcolileyo kubo.

18 But what Yahweh has done [to us] is fair, because we have rebelled against obeying the commands that he gave [us]. You people everywhere, listen [to us]; [look and] see that we are suffering [greatly]. We had [many] sons and daughters, but they have been captured and forced to go to distant countries.

“UThixo ulungile, kodwa ngaphikisana lomlayo wakhe. Lalelani bantu lonke; khangelani ukuhawula kwami. Izinsizwa lezintombi zami zonke sezaya ekuthunjweni.

19 We pleaded with our allies [to help us], but they [all] refused. Our priests and our leaders have died [from hunger] in the city while they were searching for food [to eat] to remain alive.

Ngakhala kulabo engidlelana labo, kodwa banginina. Abaphristi bami labadala bami babhubhela phakathi kwedolobho besadinga ukudla, ukuze baziphilise.

20 Yahweh, see that we are suffering very much. [It is as though] our inner beings are tormented. We are sad [SYN] because we have rebelled [against you]. Our enemies kill people in the streets with their swords; people are dying [because they have no food to eat].

Ake ubone, Oh Thixo, ukuthi ngihlupheka njani! Ngiyatsha ngaphakathi kwami, ngidungekile enhliziyweni yami, ngoba bengilihlongandlebe. Ngaphandle, inkemba iyadabukisa; ngaphakathi, yikufa kodwa.

21 People have heard us while we groaned, but no one [came to] comfort us. [Yahweh, ] you caused us to experience this [disaster], and our enemies are happy to see what you have done [to us]. But cause it soon to be the time that you have promised, when our enemies will suffer like we have suffered!

Abantu bakuzwile ukububula kwami, kodwa kakho ongangiduduza. Zonke izitha zami zikuzwile ukuhlupheka kwami; ziyathokoza ngalokhu okwenzileyo. Sengathi ungalufikisa lolusuku owalumisayo, ukuze labo babe njengami.

22 [Yahweh, ] see all the evil things that they have done and punish them! [Punish them] like you have punished us for all the sins that we committed! [We say this to you] because we suffer and groan very much, and we (faint/are very sad).

Abuvele kuwe bonke ububi babo; yenza kubo konke okwenzileyo kimi ngenxa yezono zami zonke. Kunengi ukububula kwami, lenhliziyo yami iphela amandla.”