Lamentations 1 – NIRV & NEN

New International Reader’s Version

Lamentations 1:1-22

1The city of Jerusalem is so empty!

She used to be full of people.

But now she’s like a woman whose husband has died.

She used to be great among the nations.

She was like a queen among the kingdoms.

But now she is a slave.

2Jerusalem weeps bitterly at night.

Tears run down her cheeks.

None of her friends comforts her.

All those who were going to help her

have turned against her.

They have become her enemies.

3After Judah’s people had suffered greatly,

they were taken away as prisoners.

Now they live among the nations.

They can’t find any place to rest.

All those who were chasing them have caught up with them.

And they can’t get away.

4The roads to Zion are empty.

No one travels to her appointed feasts.

All the public places near her gates are deserted.

Her priests groan.

Her young women are sad.

And Zion herself weeps bitterly.

5Her enemies have become her masters.

They have an easy life.

The Lord has brought suffering to Jerusalem

because her people have committed so many sins.

Her children have been taken away as prisoners.

Her enemies have forced her people to leave their homes.

6The city of Zion used to be full of glory.

But now her glory has faded away.

Her princes are like deer.

They can’t find anything to eat.

They are almost too weak to get away

from those who hunt them down.

7Jerusalem’s people are suffering and wandering.

They remember all the treasures

they used to have.

But they fell into the hands of their enemies.

And no one was there to help them.

Their enemies looked at them.

They laughed because Jerusalem had been destroyed.

8Her people have committed many sins.

They have become impure.

All those who honored Jerusalem now look down on her.

They all look at her as if she were a naked woman.

The city groans and turns away in shame.

9Her skirts are dirty.

She didn’t think about how things might turn out.

Her fall from power amazed everyone.

And no one was there to comfort her.

She said, “Lord, please pay attention to how much I’m suffering.

My enemies have won the battle over me.”

10Jerusalem’s enemies took away

all her treasures.

Her people saw outsiders

enter her temple.

The Lord had commanded them

not to do that.

11All Jerusalem’s people groan

as they search for bread.

They trade their treasures for food

just to stay alive.

Jerusalem says, “Lord, look at me.

Think about my condition.

Everyone looks down on me.”

12Jerusalem also says, “All you who are passing by,

don’t you care about what has happened to me?

Just look at my condition.

Has anyone suffered the way I have?

The Lord has brought all this on me.

He has made me suffer.

His anger has burned against me.

13“He sent down fire from heaven.

It went deep down into my bones.

He spread a net to catch me by the feet.

He stopped me right where I was.

He made me empty.

I am sick all the time.

14“My sins have been made into a heavy yoke.

They were woven together by his hands.

They have been placed on my neck.

The Lord has taken away my strength.

He has handed me over to my enemies.

I can’t win the battle over them.

15“The Lord has refused to accept

any of my soldiers.

He has sent for an army

to crush my young men.

I am like grapes in the Lord’s winepress.

He has stomped on me,

even though I am his very own.

16“That’s why I am weeping.

Tears are flowing from my eyes.

No one is near to comfort me.

No one can heal my spirit.

My children don’t have anything.

My enemies are much too strong for me.”

17Zion reaches out her hands.

But no one is there to comfort her people.

The Lord has ordered that

the neighbors of Jacob’s people would become their enemies.

Jerusalem has become impure among them.

18Jerusalem says, “The Lord always does what is right.

But I refused to obey his commands.

Listen, all you nations.

Pay attention to how much I’m suffering.

My young men and women

have been taken away as prisoners.

19“I called out to those who were going to help me.

But they turned against me.

My priests and elders

died in the city.

They were searching for food

just to stay alive.

20Lord, see how upset I am!

I am suffering deep down inside.

My heart is troubled.

Again and again I have refused to obey you.

Outside the city, people are being killed by swords.

Inside, there is nothing but death.

21“People have heard me groan.

But no one is here to comfort me.

My enemies have heard about all my troubles.

What you have done makes them happy.

So please judge them, just as you said you would.

Let them become like me.

22“Please pay attention to all their sinful ways.

Punish them as you have punished me.

You judged me because I had committed so many sins.

I groan all the time.

And my heart is weak.”

Kiswahili Contemporary Version (Neno: Bibilia Takatifu)

Maombolezo 1:1-22

1 Sura hii imetungwa kila beti likianzia, na pia kila mstari katika lile beti, na herufi ya alfabeti ya Kiebrania zikifuatana tangu Aleph (A) hadi Taw (T); zote ni 22. 11:1 Isa 47:7-8; Ezr 4:20; Eze 5:5; Isa 3:26; Yer 42:2; Law 26:43; Mao 1:9Tazama jinsi mji ulivyoachwa ukiwa,

mji ambao zamani ulikuwa umejaa watu!

Jinsi ambavyo umekuwa kama mama mjane,

ambaye wakati fulani alikuwa maarufu miongoni mwa mataifa!

Yule ambaye alikuwa malkia miongoni mwa majimbo

sasa amekuwa mtumwa.

21:2 Za 6:6; Yer 4:30; Mik 7:5; Yer 30:14; 13:17; Mao 1:16; Ay 7:3Kwa uchungu, hulia sana usiku,

machozi yapo kwenye mashavu yake.

Miongoni mwa wapenzi wake wote

hakuna yeyote wa kumfariji.

Rafiki zake wote wamemsaliti,

wamekuwa adui zake.

31:3 Yer 13:19; Kum 28:64-65; Kut 15:9; Law 26:14, 32, 33Baada ya mateso na kufanyishwa kazi kikatili,

Yuda amekwenda uhamishoni.

Anakaa miongoni mwa mataifa,

hapati mahali pa kupumzika.

Wote ambao wanamsaka wamemkamata

katikati ya dhiki yake.

41:4 Isa 27:10; Yer 9:11; Yoe 1:8-13Barabara zielekeazo Sayuni zaomboleza,

kwa kuwa hakuna yeyote anayekuja

kwenye sikukuu zake zilizoamriwa.

Malango yake yote yamekuwa ukiwa,

makuhani wake wanalia kwa uchungu,

wanawali wake wanahuzunika,

naye yuko katika uchungu wa maumivu makuu.

51:5 Isa 22:5; Yer 10:20; 39:9; 30:14; Mao 3:39; Yer 30:15; 52:28-30; Za 5:10; Mao 2:17Adui zake wamekuwa mabwana zake,

watesi wake wana raha.

Bwana amemletea huzuni

kwa sababu ya dhambi zake nyingi.

Watoto wake wamekwenda uhamishoni,

mateka mbele ya adui.

61:6 Yer 13:18; Za 9:14; Law 26:36Fahari yote imeondoka

kutoka kwa Binti Sayuni.

Wakuu wake wako kama ayala

ambaye hapati malisho,

katika udhaifu wamekimbia

mbele ya anayewasaka.

71:7 2Fal 14:26; Yer 37:7; Mik 4:11; Mao 4:17; Yer 2:26Katika siku za mateso yake na kutangatanga,

Yerusalemu hukumbuka hazina zote

ambazo zilikuwa zake siku za kale.

Wakati watu wake walipoanguka katika mikono ya adui,

hapakuwepo na yeyote wa kumsaidia.

Watesi wake walimtazama

na kumcheka katika maangamizi yake.

81:8 Isa 59:2-13; Za 38:8; Yer 13:22-26; 2:22Yerusalemu ametenda dhambi sana

kwa hiyo amekuwa najisi.

Wote waliomheshimu wanamdharau,

kwa maana wameuona uchi wake.

Yeye mwenyewe anapiga kite

na kugeukia mbali.

91:9 Isa 47:7; Eze 24:13; Yer 13:18; Mhu 4:1; Yer 16:7; Za 25:18; Kum 32:29Uchafu wake umegandamana na nguo zake;

hakuwaza juu ya maisha yake ya baadaye.

Anguko lake lilikuwa la kushangaza,

hapakuwepo na yeyote wa kumfariji.

“Tazama, Ee Bwana, teso langu,

kwa maana adui ameshinda.”

101:10 Neh 13:1; Kum 23:3; Yer 51:51; Isa 64:11; Za 74:7-8Adui ametia mikono

juu ya hazina zake zote,

aliona mataifa ya kipagani

wakiingia mahali patakatifu pake,

wale uliowakataza kuingia

kwenye kusanyiko lako.

111:11 Za 38:8; Yer 38:9; 37:21; 52:6Watu wake wote wanalia kwa uchungu

watafutapo chakula;

wanabadilisha hazina zao kwa chakula

ili waweze kuendelea kuishi.

“Tazama, Ee Bwana, ufikiri,

kwa maana nimedharauliwa.”

121:12 Yer 18:16; Isa 10:4; Yer 30:24; Dan 9:12; Isa 13:13; Mit 24:21; Lk 21:22“Je, si kitu kwenu, ninyi nyote mpitao kando?

Angalieni kote mwone.

Je, kuna maumivu kama maumivu yangu

yale yaliyotiwa juu yangu,

yale Bwana aliyoyaleta juu yangu

katika siku ya hasira yake kali?

131:13 Ay 30:30; Za 102:3; Hab 3:16; Yer 44:6; Eze 12:13; Ay 18:8; Za 66:11; Hos 7:12“Kutoka juu alipeleka moto,

akaushusha katika mifupa yangu.

Aliitandia wavu miguu yangu

na akanirudisha nyuma.

Akanifanya mkiwa,

na mdhaifu mchana kutwa.

141:14 Isa 47:6; Yer 15:12; 32:5“Dhambi zangu zimefungwa kwenye nira,

kwa mikono yake zilifumwa pamoja.

Zimefika shingoni mwangu

na Bwana ameziondoa nguvu zangu.

Amenitia mikononi mwa wale

ambao siwezi kushindana nao.

151:15 Yer 37:10; Isa 41:2; 28:1; Yer 18:21; Ufu 14:19; Yer 14:17; Amu 6:11; Isa 63:3“Bwana amewakataa wapiganaji wa vita

wote walio kati yangu,

ameagiza jeshi dhidi yangu

kuwaponda vijana wangu wa kiume.

Katika shinikizo lake la divai Bwana amemkanyaga

Bikira Binti Yuda.

161:16 Za 119:136; Ay 7:3; Yer 16:7; 13:17; 14:17; Isa 22:4; Mao 3:48-49“Hii ndiyo sababu ninalia

na macho yangu yanafurika machozi.

Hakuna yeyote aliye karibu kunifariji,

hakuna yeyote wa kuhuisha roho yangu.

Watoto wangu ni wakiwa

kwa sababu adui ameshinda.”

171:17 Yer 4:31; Kut 23:21; Law 18:25-28Sayuni ananyoosha mikono yake,

lakini hakuna yeyote wa kumfariji.

Bwana ametoa amri kwa ajili ya Yakobo

kwamba majirani zake wawe adui zake;

Yerusalemu umekuwa

kitu najisi miongoni mwao.

181:18 1Sam 12:14; Kum 28:32; Neh 9:33; Ezr 9:15; Kut 9:27; Dan 9:7Bwana ni mwenye haki,

hata hivyo niliasi dhidi ya amri yake.

Sikilizeni, enyi mataifa yote,

tazameni maumivu yangu.

Wavulana wangu na wasichana wangu

wamekwenda uhamishoni.

191:19 Mao 2:20; Yer 14:15; 22:20“Niliita washirika wangu

lakini walinisaliti.

Makuhani wangu na wazee wangu

waliangamia mjini

walipokuwa wakitafuta chakula

ili waweze kuishi.

201:20 Yer 4:19; Kum 32:25; Eze 7:15; Ay 20:2; Mao 2:11; Isa 16:11; Hos 11:8“Angalia, Ee Bwana, jinsi nilivyo katika dhiki!

Nina maumivu makali ndani yangu,

nami ninahangaika moyoni mwangu,

kwa kuwa nimekuwa mwasi sana.

Huko nje, upanga unaua watu,

ndani, kipo kifo tu.

211:21 Za 38:8; Mao 2:15; Yer 30:16; Isa 47:11; Za 6:6“Watu wamesikia ninavyolia kwa uchungu,

lakini hakuna yeyote wa kunifariji.

Adui zangu wote wamesikia juu ya dhiki yangu,

wanafurahia lile ulilolitenda.

Naomba uilete siku uliyoitangaza

ili wawe kama mimi.

221:22 Neh 4:5; Za 6:6“Uovu wao wote na uje mbele zako;

uwashughulikie wao

kama vile ulivyonishughulikia mimi

kwa sababu ya dhambi zangu zote.

Kulia kwangu kwa uchungu ni kwingi

na moyo wangu umedhoofika.”