A Prayer for Mercy
1 Remember, O Lord, what has happened to us.
Look at us, and see our disgrace.
2 Our property is in the hands of strangers;
foreigners are living in our homes.
3 Our fathers have been killed by the enemy,
and now our mothers are widows.
4 We must pay for the water we drink;
we must buy the wood we need for fuel.
5 Driven hard like donkeys or camels,
we are tired, but are allowed no rest.
6 To get food enough to stay alive,
we went begging to Egypt and Assyria.
7 Our ancestors sinned, but now they are gone,
and we are suffering for their sins.
8 Our rulers are no better than slaves,
and no one can save us from their power.
9 Murderers roam through the countryside;
we risk our lives when we look for food.
10 Hunger has made us burn with fever
until our skin is as hot as an oven.
11 Our wives have been raped on Mount Zion itself;
in every Judean village our daughters have been forced to submit.
12 Our leaders have been taken and hanged;
our elders are shown no respect.
13 Our young men are forced to grind grain like slaves;
boys go staggering under heavy loads of wood.
14 The old people no longer sit at the city gate,
and the young people no longer make music.
15 Happiness has gone out of our lives;
grief has taken the place of our dances.
16 Nothing is left of all we were proud of.
We sinned, and now we are doomed.
17 We are sick at our very hearts
and can hardly see through our tears,
18 because Mount Zion lies lonely and deserted,
and wild jackals prowl through its ruins.
19 But you, O Lord, are king forever
and will rule to the end of time.
20 Why have you abandoned us so long?
Will you ever remember us again?
21 Bring us back to you, Lord! Bring us back!
Restore our ancient glory.
22 Or have you rejected us forever?
Is there no limit to your anger?
Ongumbiro yotjari
1 Muhona, zemburuka imbi
mbya tjitwa ku eṱe. Tara ku eṱe,
nu u mune okuyambururwa kwetu.
2 Ehi rotjirumatwa tjetu ri ri
momake wovozonganda;
ovandu vambangu va tura mozondjuwo zetu.
3 Oweṱe ozosewa, ootate va ṱa i ovanavita,
nambano oomama ovahepundu.
4 Eṱe matu sokusuta omeva ngu tu nwa;
matu sokuranda ozonguṋe nḓu tu
hepa okuyakisa na zo omuriro.
5 Tu hingwa atu nomitenge kozosengo,
nu twa urwa, nungwari katu pewa orusuvo.
6 Okukamuna ovikurya vyokutja tu kare
nomuinyo twa ya kOengipte na Asirie.
7 Ootate mukururume va turire ondjo,
nambano owo kave tji po,
neṱe tu hihamisirwa omauvi wawo.
8 Eṱe tu honaparerwa i ovakarere,
nu kape na ngu tu yama kouvara wawo.
9 Ovazepe ve ryanga okutuurunga ehi;
ominyo vyetu vi ri moumba,
tji matu paha ovikurya.
10 Ondjara ye tu nyosa otja otjipyu tjotjindjumba,
nga omikova vyetu tji vya pi,
tji vya pupyara otja ezuko.
11 Ovakazendu vetu va tjererwa
kondundu ya Sion oini,
novakazona vetu wina motjirongo atjihe tja Juda.
12 Ovaingona vetu va twarewa
nave katurikwa komiti;
ovakururume vetu kaave raisirwa ondengero.
13 Ovarumendu vetu omitanda ave ṋiṋikiziwa
okukweya ovikokotwa otja ovakarere;
ovazandu ave pungarisiwa i
omitwaro omizeu vyozonguṋe.
14 Ovakururume kave tji haama
pomuvero wotjihuro rukwao,
nomitanda kavi tji nyanda ovihumba.
15 Katu tji nenyando rukwao mominyo vyetu;
omutambo ombwa rira omuhiva wetu.
16 Kape notjiṋa tji tja sewa po ku
imbi avihe mbi twe ritongamisira.
Eṱe twa tjita ourunde, nambano matu ṱu.
17 Mena rotjiṋa hi eṱe opu twa
verera omitima vyetu tjinene,
nu katu sora okumuna mena romahoze wetu.
18 Ondundu ya Sion tjinga ai ri
aiyerike nu aya sewa tjo,
nozombandje amaze ryanga mu yo.
19 Nungwari ove Muhona,
oove Ombara nga aruhe,
nu mo honapara okuza
komuhoko nga komuhoko.
20 Okutjavi tji we tu esa orure nai?
Moo ketuzemburuka rukwao are?
21 Tu kotora kove, Muhona!
Tu kotora! Yarura ko ena retu
enene ndi twa ri na ro rukuru.
22 Poo we tu imbirahi nga aruhe?
Kaku tji nomaandero komazenge woye are?
