There Is Still Hope
The Prophet Speaks:
1 I have suffered much
because God was angry.
2 He chased me into a dark place,
where no light could enter.
3 I am the only one he punishes
over and over again,
without ever stopping.
4 God caused my skin and flesh
to waste away,
and he crushed my bones.
5 He attacked and surrounded me
with hardships and trouble;
6 he forced me to sit in the dark
like someone long dead.
7 God built a fence around me
that I cannot climb over,
and he chained me down.
8 Even when I shouted
and prayed for help,
he refused to listen.
9 God put big rocks in my way
and made me follow
a crooked path.
10 God was like a bear or a lion
waiting in ambush for me;
11 he dragged me from the road,
then tore me to shreds.
12 God took careful aim
and shot his arrows
13 straight through my heart.
14 I am a joke to everyone—
no one ever stops
making fun of me.
15 God has turned my life sour.
16 He made me eat gravel
and rubbed me in the dirt.
17 I cannot find peace
or remember happiness.
18 I tell myself, “I am finished!
I can't count on the Lord
to do anything for me.”
19 Just thinking of my troubles
and my lonely wandering
makes me miserable.
20 That's all I ever think about,
and I am depressed.
21 Then I remember something
that fills me with hope.
22 The Lord's kindness never fails!
If he had not been merciful,
we would have been destroyed.
23 The Lord can always be trusted
to show mercy each morning.
24 Deep in my heart I say,
“The Lord is all I need;
I can depend on him!”
25 The Lord is kind to everyone
who trusts and obeys him.
26 It is good to wait patiently
for the Lord to save us.
27 When we are young,
it is good to struggle hard
28 and to sit silently alone,
if this is what
the Lord intends.
29 Being rubbed in the dirt
can teach us a lesson;
30 we can also learn from insults
and hard knocks.
31 The Lord won't always reject us!
32 He causes a lot of suffering,
but he also has pity
because of his great love.
33 The Lord doesn't enjoy
sending grief or pain.
34 Don't trample prisoners
under your feet
35 or cheat anyone out of
what is rightfully theirs.
God Most High sees everything,
36 and he knows when you refuse
to give someone a fair trial.
37 No one can do anything
without the Lord's approval.
38 Good and bad each happen
at the command
of God Most High.
39 We're still alive!
We shouldn't complain
when we are being punished
for our sins.
40 Instead, we should think
about the way we are living,
and turn back to the Lord.
41 When we lift our hands
in prayer to God in heaven,
we should offer him our hearts
and say, 42 “We've sinned!
We've rebelled against you,
and you haven't forgiven us!
43 Anger is written all over you,
as you pursue and slaughter us
without showing pity.
44 You are behind a wall of clouds
that blocks out our prayers.
45 You allowed nations
to treat us like garbage;
46 our enemies curse us.
47 We are terrified and trapped,
caught and crushed.”
48 My people are destroyed!
Tears flood my eyes,
49 and they won't stop
50 until the Lord looks down
from heaven and helps.
51 I am horrified when I see
what enemies have done
to the young women of our city.
52 No one had reason to hate me,
but I was hunted down
like a bird.
53 Then they tried to kill me
by tossing me into a pit
and throwing stones at me.
54 Water covered my head—
I thought I was gone.
55 From the bottom of the pit,
I prayed to you, Lord.
56 I begged you to listen.
“Help!” I shouted. “Save me!”
You answered my prayer
57 and came when I was in need.
You told me, “Don't worry!”
58 You rescued me
and saved my life.
59 You saw them abuse me, Lord,
so make things right.
60 You know every plot
they have made against me.
61 Yes, you know their insults
and their evil plans.
62 All day long they attack
with words and whispers.
63 No matter what they are doing,
they keep on mocking me.
64 Pay them back for everything
they have done, Lord!
65 Put your curse on them
and make them suffer.
66 Get angry and go after them
until not a trace is left
under the heavens.
1 Aame omulumenhu ou nda monifwa oluhepo koshikumbwati shoupyuhandu waye. 2 Oye okwa endifa nge ndele a twala nge momilaulu muhe nouyelele. 3 Heeno, efimbo alishe ta pilulile nge eke laye, heeno, efiku alishe. 4 Onhumba yange noshipa shange, Ye okwe i kunya, nomakipa ange Ye a teyaula po. 5 Oye okwa tungila nge omafitiko, a dingililifa nge noudiyo noudjuu. 6 Oye okwa kaleka omutumba monhele yomilaulu ngaashi oonakufya ava vonalenale. 7 Oye okwa idilila nge nekumangubu, osho ame itandi dulu okudja mo. Nokwa tula nge momalyenge madjuu oshikushu. 8 Nande handi ingida nonande handi ifana, Ye ita udu eindilo lange. 9 Eendjila dange okwe di fitikifa omakumamanya a hongwa, a ngolyola omalila ange. 10 Oye oku li oshilyani eshi sha nangela nge, onghoshi moshihondameno. 11 Oye okwa kandula po eendjila dange nokwa pombaula nge nokwa tokeka nge. 12 Oye a shila outa waye, nokwa ninga nge etanga loikuti yaye. 13 Oikuti yomonywa yaye e i yasha meefiyo dange. 14 Ame onda ninga oshiyolifa koshiwana shange ashishe, eimbilosheko omutenya aushe. 15 Oye okwa kutifa nge noinima ilula nokwa nwefa nge edimba. 16 Ndele Oye okwa kokotifa nge oumanya ndele a teya po omayoo ange, Ye okwa delaula nge momute. 17 Ndele oove omwenyo wange, owe u nyeka ombili, ame onda dimbwa ouwa. 18 Heeno, ame onda tile: “Etumbalo lange ola fiya nge po, nelineekelo lange kOmwene.”
19 Diladila oluhepo lange nokukalakala kwange, nedimba noudiyo. 20 Ngeenge omwenyo wange tau diladila oshinima eshi, otau nyongama mwaame. 21 Eshi handi shi tula momutima wange, onghee ndi nelineekelo: 22 molwouwanghenda wOmwene fye inatu kombwa po sheke, osheshi omafilonghenda aye kaena apa taa xulu po; 23 oo mape ongula keshe. Oudiinini woye ounene. 24 Omwenyo wange tau ti: “Omwene Oye oshitukulwa shange, onghee ame ohandi ka tula muye elineekelo lange.” 25 Omwene ota ningile ouwa kwaava tava tula muye elineekelo lavo nokomwenyo ou tau mu kongo. 26 Osho oshiwa okulineekela ekwafo lOmwene melimweneneno. 27 Osho osha wapalela omulumenhu a humbate ondjoko mounyasha waye. 28 Ne likalele omutumba ndele na mwene, eshi Oye e i mu lekifa. 29 Oye na twike okanya kaye mondwi, shiimba ope neteelelo. 30 Oye na yandje olupandu kwaau te mu denge, oye na kale a wana omasheko. 31 Osheshi Omwene ita ekeleshi fiyo alushe. 32 Ndelenee Ye ngeenge a nyikifa oluhodi, Oye ta filonghenda yo molwounene womauwanghenda aye. 33 Osheshi hakomutima Ye ta fininike nokunyikifa oluhodi ovana vovanhu.
34 Eshi eenghwate adishe domoshilongo tadi lyatelwa koshi yeemhadi, 35 eshi vo hava endameke ouyuki womulumenhu koshipala shaau wOkombadambada, 36 eshi vo hava lundulula eendjovo doihokolola yomunhu, mbela Omwene ke di wete? 37 Olyelye ota popi ndele tashi ningwa, Omwene ngeenge ine shi popya? 38 Owii nouwa itau di mo mokanya kaau wOkombadambada? 39 Oshike omunhu ta keme mokukala kwaye. Keshe umwe na keme molwoulunde waye. 40 Natu lipulaapuleni eendjila detu noku di hadahada, fye tu lialuke kOmwene. 41 Natu yeluleni omitima pamwe nomake kuKalunga komeulu, tu tye: 42 “Ofye otwa tauluka ndele twa kala tu noita. Ove ino tu dimina po. 43 Ove owe li tuvikila nehandu ndele we tu taataa. Ove wa dipaa uhe nonghenda. 44 Ove mwene we li tuvikila noshilemo, opo eindilo nande limwe itali dulu okupitila mo. 45 Ove we tu ninga oshala nomafikofikinini mokati koiwana. 46 Ovatondi vetu aveshe ove tu ekamekela omakanya avo. 47 Oshitukulwa shetu ehalwifwa nombwili nehanauko nenyonauno. 48 Omakungulukilo omeva taa kunguluka momesho ange, molwenyonauko lomona okakadona koshiwana shange. 49 Eisho lange tali kunguluka lihe nefudepo, ndele itali dimbuka, 50 fiyo Omwene meulu ta kevauka ndele ta taalele poshi. 51 Eisho lange tali etele nge ouyehame molwoukadona aveshe vomoshilando shange.
52 “Venya ovo va ninga ovatondadi vange ngaho, ohava taataa nge ngaashi odila. 53 Omwenyo wange vo ove u idilila mondungu, ndele ova kupula nge nomamanya. 54 Omeva okwa tondoka kombada yomutwe wange, ame nda tya: ‘Nda xula po!’ 55 Moule wondungu ame onda ifana edina loye, Omwene. 56 Ove wa uda ondaka yange: ‘Onghuwo yange ove ino i fitikila okutwi kwoye.’ 57 Ove wa ehena popepi mefiku olo ame nde ku ifana, ndele wa tile: ‘Ino kala wa tila!’ 58 Oove Omwene, wa popila nge mokuhokololifa kwange. Wa mangulula omwenyo wange. 59 Oove Omwene, u wete omafininiko ange, ame handi hepekwa nao. Yukifile nge! 60 Ove wa mona ko onghonehalo lavo, omadiladilo avo aeshe oo e nondubo naame. 61 Omwene, omashekondjovo avo Ove we a uda, omadiladilo avo aeshe oo e nondubo naame. 62 Omilungu davo nomauko avo ovatondi vange ohava kondjifa nge efiku alishe. 63 Vo ngeenge ve li omutumba ile tava penduka po, tala, aame eimbilosheko lavo. 64 Omwene, va alulila shi fike poilonga yomake avo. 65 Kukutika eemwenyo davo, etulomutima loye nali va hange. 66 Va shikulifa ehandu loye, Ove u va fe mo okoshi yeulu lOmwene.”
