Lamentations 1

1Kuthule kuthe cwaka!
Yeka lelidolobho elalinyakazela abantu!
Selinjengomfelokazi,
kanti lalilodumo phakathi kwezizwe.
Lona elaliyindlovukazi phakathi kwezigodi,
khathesi seliyisigqili.

2Linjengowesifazane okhala kabuhlungu ebusuku,
inyembezi zithe hlikilili ezihlathini.
Kakho phakathi kwazo
zonke izithandwa zakhe ongamduduza.
Bonke abangane bakhe bamhlamukele;
sebeyizitha zakhe.

3UJuda useye ebugqilini
ngemva kokuhlupheka lokudonsa nzima.
Usehlala phakathi kwabezizwe;
akatholi ndawo yokuphumula.
Bonke abamzingelayo bamxhumile
ephakathi kokuhlupheka kwakhe.

4Iyalila imigwaqo eya eZiyoni,
ngoba kasekho ozayo emikhosini yalo emisiweyo.
Wonke amasango alo asekhohlakele,
abaphristi balo bayabubula,
amantombazana alo ayagomela,
lona lidabukile kakhulu.

5Izitha zalo sezingababusi balo;
ziyaklamasa.
UThixo ulehlisele usizi
ngenxa yezono zalo ezinengi.
Abantwabalo bathunjiwe,
baba yizigqili zezitha.

6Kuphelile konke ukubenyezela
kweNdodakazi yaseZiyoni.
Amakhosana ayo asenjengezimpala
ezingatholi amadlelo;
zibalekile zilambile zingelamandla
zibalekela umzingeli.

7Ngezinsuku zokuhlupheka lokuntula,
iJerusalema iyayikhumbula inotho
eyayingeyayo ngensuku zayo.
Kuthe abantu bayo sebewela ezandleni zezitha,
akubanga khona ongayinceda.
Zayikhangela nje izitha zayo
zahleka ukuchitheka kwayo.

8IJerusalema yonile kakhulu,
ngakho isingcolile.
Bonke ababeyihlonipha sebeyidelela,
ngoba sebebonile ubuze bayo;
yona ngokwayo ibubula
ize ifulathele.

9Ukungcola kwayo kwabhixa izidwaba zayo;
kayinakanga ikusasa yayo.
Ukuwa kwayo kwesabeka,
kungekho oyiduduzayo.
“Oh Thixo, ake ukhangele ukuhlupheka kwami,
ngoba isitha sesinqobile.”

10Isitha saphanga
yonke inotho yayo;
yabona izizwe ezingakholwayo
zingena endlini yayo engcwele,
bona labo owabanqabela
ukungena phakathi kwebandla lakho.

11Bonke abantu bayo bayagomela
behamba bedinga ukudla;
bathengisa inotho yabo eligugu ngokudla
ukuze bangafi.
“Oh Thixo, ake ungihawukele
ngoba sengidelelwa.”

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

13Wehlisa umlilo uvela phezulu,
wawehlisela phakathi kwamathambo ami.
Wangithiya ezinyaweni ngomambule,
wangibuyisela emuva.
Wangenza ngaba lesizungu,
ngaswela amandla ilanga lonke.

14Izono zami zisongwe zaba lijogwe;
ngezandla zakhe wazelukela ndawonye.
Zetheswe entanyeni yami,
uThixo wangiqeda amandla.
Usengifuqele kulabo
engingeke ngimelane labo.

15UThixo kabemukelanga
bonke abangabebutho lami;
usebize impi ukuthi ingihlasele,
ichoboze zonke izinsizwa zami.
Esihluzweni sakhe sewayini, uThixo unyathelele phansi
iNdodakazi yakoJuda eGcweleyo.

16Yikho ngilila,
amehlo ami empompoza inyembezi.
Kakho oseduze ongangiduduza,
kakho ongavusa umphefumulo wami.
Abantwabami sebeswela
ngoba isitha sinqobile.”

17IZiyoni yelulile isandla sayo
kodwa kakho oyiduduzayo.
UThixo usekumisile ngoJakhobe
ukuthi abakhelene laye babe yizitha zakhe;
iJerusalema isiphenduke
yaba yinto engcolileyo kubo.

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

19Ngakhala kulabo engidlelana labo,
kodwa banginina.
Abaphristi bami labadala bami
babhubhela phakathi kwedolobho
besadinga ukudla,
ukuze baziphilise.

20Ake ubone, Oh Thixo, ukuthi ngihlupheka njani!
Ngiyatsha ngaphakathi kwami,
ngidungekile enhliziyweni yami,
ngoba bengilihlongandlebe.
Ngaphandle, inkemba iyadabukisa;
ngaphakathi, yikufa kodwa.

21Abantu bakuzwile ukububula kwami,
kodwa kakho ongangiduduza.
Zonke izitha zami zikuzwile ukuhlupheka kwami;
ziyathokoza ngalokhu okwenzileyo.
Sengathi ungalufikisa lolusuku owalumisayo,
ukuze labo babe njengami.

22Abuvele kuwe bonke ububi babo;
yenza kubo konke
okwenzileyo kimi
ngenxa yezono zami zonke.
Kunengi ukububula kwami,
lenhliziyo yami iphela amandla.”