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?
1 Akutu Omwene, dimbulukwa eshi twa ningwa; tala, Ove u mone okudinwa kwetu. 2 Oshitukulwa shetu shefyuululo osha ninga shovanailongo, omaumbo etu a nangalwa kwaava va dja koilongo. 3 Ofye twa fiwa po eefiye, tuhe na tate; oomeme ove li ngaashi ovafiyekadi. 4 Omeva etu okunwa ofye hatu a futu, oikuni yetu ohatu i pelwa ondado. 5 Ovahepeki vetu ove li kofingo yetu, fye twa loloka, ndele ihatu pewa etulumuko. 6 Omake etu otwe a twala kuEgipiti nokuAsiria, tu kute omungome. 7 Ootate ova nyona; kave po vali. Ofye ohatu humbata owii wavo. 8 Ovapika have tu pangele; kape nomunhu te tu nakula momake avo. 9 Ohatu likongele omungome wetu tu li poshiponga shefyo nokuhenuka eongamukonda mombuwa. 10 Oshipa shetu osha hanya sha fediko, sha laulikwa kehanyo londjala. 11 Ovo va fifa ohoni ovalikadi vomuSion, noukadona vomomikunda daJuda. 12 Omake avo a ponda ovapangeli, ndele ovakulunhu inava fimanekwa. 13 Ovamati ohava humbata omamanya oshini; ovana ovamati tava tonwa komitengi doikuni. 14 Ovakulunhu kave po vali poshivelo, novamati vehe na vali ouxumbafeta vavo. 15 Enyaku lomitima detu kali po, okudana oudano wetu kwa shituka oluhodi. 16 Omutumbo wa wa komutwe wetu. Woo fye, eshi twa nyona! 17 Molwaashi omutima wetu tau vele. Molwaashi omesho etu a laula! 18 Omolwomhunda yaSion ya tokekwa, haku endwaendwa ashike kouvandje.
19 Oove Omwene, ho kala fiyo alushe. Olukalwapangelo loye tali kala fiyo okoludalo noludalo. 20 Omolwashike Ove wa hala oku tu dimbwa po efimbo alishe, noku tu efa oule womafiku male? 21 Tu alulila kwoove, Omwene, opo fye ohatu ka alukila ko; shitukifa omafiku etu a kale ngaashi shito. 22 Ile ove we tu ekelashi tuu filu? Ehandu loye ole tu nenepalela tuu ngaha?