A lament over Israel’s princes
1‘Take up a lament concerning the princes of Israel 2and say:
‘ “What a lioness was your mother
among the lions!
She lay down among them
and reared her cubs.
3She brought up one of her cubs,
and he became a strong lion.
He learned to tear the prey
and he became a man-eater.
4The nations heard about him,
and he was trapped in their pit.
They led him with hooks
to the land of Egypt.
5‘ “When she saw her hope unfulfilled,
her expectation gone,
she took another of her cubs
and made him a strong lion.
6He prowled among the lions,
for he was now a strong lion.
He learned to tear the prey
and he became a man-eater.
7He broke down19:7 Targum (see Septuagint); Hebrew He knew their strongholds
and devastated their towns.
The land and all who were in it
were terrified by his roaring.
8Then the nations came against him,
those from regions round about.
They spread their net for him,
and he was trapped in their pit.
9With hooks they pulled him into a cage
and brought him to the king of Babylon.
They put him in prison,
so his roar was heard no longer
on the mountains of Israel.
10‘ “Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard19:10 Two Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts your blood
planted by the water;
it was fruitful and full of branches
because of abundant water.
11Its branches were strong,
fit for a ruler’s sceptre.
It towered high
above the thick foliage,
conspicuous for its height
and for its many branches.
12But it was uprooted in fury
and thrown to the ground.
The east wind made it shrivel,
it was stripped of its fruit;
its strong branches withered
and fire consumed them.
13Now it is planted in the desert,
in a dry and thirsty land.
14Fire spread from one of its main19:14 Or from under its branches
and consumed its fruit.
No strong branch is left on it
fit for a ruler’s sceptre.”
This is a lament and is to be used as a lament.’
Nyimbo ya Maliro a Akalonga a Israeli
1“Imba nyimbo ya madandawulo, kuyimbira akalonga a ku Israeli. 2Uzinena kuti,
“ ‘Amayi ako anali ndani?
Anali ngati mkango waukazi!
Iwo unabwatama pakati pa mikango yayimuna;
unkalera ana ake pakati pa misona.
3Unalera mmodzi mwa ana ake,
ndipo mwanayo anasanduka mkango wamphamvu.
Unaphunzira kugwira nyama,
ndipo unayamba kudya anthu.
4Anthu amitundu anamva za mkangowo,
ndipo tsiku lina unagwa mʼmbuna mwawo.
Iwo anawukoka ndi ngowe
kupita nawo ku dziko la Igupto.
5“ ‘Amayi aja ataona kuti mwana ankamukhulupirira uja wagwidwa ndi kuti chiyembekezo chake chapita padera,
amayiwo anatenganso mwana wina
namusandutsa mkango wamphamvu.
6Unkayendayenda pakati pa mikango inzake,
pakuti tsopano unali mkango wamphamvu.
Unaphunzira kugwira nyama
ndipo unayamba kudya anthu.
7Unagwetsa malinga awo,
ndikuwononga mizinda yawo.
Onse a mʼdzikomo
anachita mantha chifukwa cha kubangula kwake.
8Pamenepo mitundu ya anthu, makamaka ochokera madera ozungulira,
inabwera kudzalimbana nawo.
Anawutchera ukonde wawo,
ndipo tsiku lina unagwera mʼmbuna mwawo.
9Anawukoka ndi ngowe nawuponya mʼchitatanga.
Anabwera nawo kwa mfumu ya ku Babuloni
ndipo mfumuyo inawuponya mʼndende
ndi cholinga choti liwu lake lisamamvekenso
ku mapiri a Israeli.
10“ ‘Amayi ako anali ngati mpesa mʼmunda wamphesa
wodzalidwa mʼmbali mwa madzi.
Unabereka bwino ndipo unali ndi nthambi zambiri
chifukwa cha kuchuluka kwa madzi.
11Nthambi zake zinali zolimba,
zoyenera kupangira ndodo yaufumu.
Unatalika nusomphoka pakati pa
zomera zina.
Unkaoneka bwino chifukwa cha kutalika kwake,
ndi nthambi zake zambiri.
12Koma unazulidwa mwaukali
ndipo unagwetsedwa pansi.
Unawuma ndi mphepo ya kummawa,
zipatso zake zinayoyoka;
nthambi zake zolimba zinafota
ndipo moto unapsereza mtengo wonse.
13Ndipo tsopano anawuwokeranso ku chipululu,
dziko lowuma ndi lopanda madzi.
14Moto unatulukanso mu mtengomo
ndi kupsereza nthambi ndi zipatso zake.
Palibe nthambi yolimba inatsala pa mtengowo
yoyenera kupangira ndodo yaufumu.
Imeneyi ndi nyimbo yachisoni ndipo yasanduka nyimbo ya pa maliro.’ ”
