A Cry for Help
1 Lord God, my savior, I cry out all day,
and at night I come before you.
2 Hear my prayer;
listen to my cry for help!
3 So many troubles have fallen on me
that I am close to death.
4 I am like all others who are about to die;
all my strength is gone.
5 I am abandoned among the dead;
I am like the slain lying in their graves,
those you have forgotten completely,
who are beyond your help.
6 You have thrown me into the depths of the tomb,
into the darkest and deepest pit.
7 Your anger lies heavy on me,
and I am crushed beneath its waves.
8 You have caused my friends to abandon me;
you have made me repulsive to them.
I am closed in and cannot escape;
9 my eyes are weak from suffering.
Lord, every day I call to you
and lift my hands to you in prayer.
10 Do you perform miracles for the dead?
Do they rise up and praise you?
11 Is your constant love spoken of in the grave
or your faithfulness in the place of destruction?
12 Are your miracles seen in that place of darkness
or your goodness in the land of the forgotten?
13 Lord, I call to you for help;
every morning I pray to you.
14 Why do you reject me, Lord?
Why do you turn away from me?
15 Ever since I was young, I have suffered and been near death;
I am worn out from the burden of your punishments.
16 Your furious anger crushes me;
your terrible attacks destroy me.
17 All day long they surround me like a flood;
they close in on me from every side.
18 You have made even my closest friends abandon me,
and darkness is my only companion.
Ondjuriro yombatero
Eimburiro. Epsalme rovazandu va Kora. Komuimburise.
1 Muhona Ndjambi, omuvatere wandje,
ami aruhe me ku kove,
nouṱuku me uru komurungu woye.
2 Zuvira ongumbiro yandje;
puratena kondjuriro yandje
yokuningira ombatero!
3 Omaumba omengi ya wira kombanda yandje,
nga tji mbi ri popezu nonḓiro.
4 Ami mbi ri otja ovandu
avehe mba mbe ri pokukoka;
omasa wandje aehe ya yanda mba.
5 Ami mba isiwa mokati kovakoke;
mbi ri otja ovaṱi mbe ri momaendo wawo.
Ove ko tji rizemburuka na wo rukwao,
ombatero yoye kai vaza ku wo.
6 We ndji yumba mourekoto weyendo,
motjitoto tjonḓorera notjikoto tjinene.
7 Omazenge woye ya havere kombanda yandje,
nove we ndji ṋiṋikizire pehi
nozongazona zoye azehe.
8 Ove wa humburura ovatjiwasane
vandje kokure na ami;
we ndji ririsa otjiyaukise ku wo.
Mbi ri momapando, notji mbi hi nomatauriro;
9 omeho wandje ya
ngundiparisiwa i omatetarero.
Muhona, eyuva arihe mbi kwa kove,
nu mbi yera omake wandje kove mongumbiro.
10 Mo tjiti ovihimise kovakoke are?
Ovaṱi indu mave penduka okukutanga are?
11 Otjari tjoye maatji kaserekarerwa meyendo,
nouṱakame woye maau
kaserekarerwa motjovakoke are?
12 Oviungura vyoye ovihimise
mavi tjiukwa monḓorera,
poo ousemba woye mehi rovazembwa are?
13 Nungwari, Muhona,
ami me ku ombatero kove,
omuhuka auhe me kumbu kove.
14 Mo ndji nakaurire tjike, Muhona?
Mo horekere tjike omurungu woye ku ami?
15 Okuza kouṱiṱi wandje ami mba ningisa
ondjenda nu mba ri pokukoka;
mba pungarisiwa i omutwaro womberero yoye.
16 Omapindi woye omazeu maye ndji ṱukuṱura,
nondirisiro yoye mai ndji yandeke.
17 Oyo mai ndji kovere eyuva
arihe tjimuna omupupo
mbu mau ya kombanda yandje okuza kominda avihe.
18 Ove wa humburura omapanga novatjiwasane vandje
kokure na ami,
nonḓorera porwayo ondji ri epanga randje.
