1 “Ondjandero yomuinyo wandje i ri popezu.
Ami hi nokusora okusuvana;
kape notjiṋa tji tja sewa po ku
ami posi ye yendo porwaro.
2 Ami mba rire omunyekererwa;
me tarere, owo tji mave
ndji nyekerere tjinene.
3 Ami owami omuṱakame, Ndjambi.
Yakura omambo wandje.
Kape na warwe ngu ma zeuparisa
omambo nga ngu me hungire.
4 Ove wa pata omitima vyawo kokuzuva,
o ve yandjere ko kutja
ve ndji havere nambano.
5 Omuano omukuru mau tja nai:
Omundu u wovisa omapanga
we mokuvepa ovimariva
novanatje ve ve muna ouzeu motjiṋa hi.
6 Nambano Ndjambi we
ndji isa po omunyekererwa kovandu,
nowo mave ya nave
ndji tjekere omate momurungu.
7 Oruhoze rwandje rwa hara
okundjipoṱuparisa;
omaoko nomarama wandje
ya rambuka tjimuna otjizire.
8 Imba mbe tja owo ovaṱakame va uruma,
nu owo avehe ve ndji
pangura kutja owami omurunde.
9 Imba mbe tja owo ovatengwandu
ve panḓera pokutja ve ri osemba.
10 Nungwari avehe vawo tji ve
ya nave kurama komurungu wandje,
ami himee munu nangarire
umwe wawo ngu nozondunge.
11 “Omayuva wandje ya kapita;
omeripuriro wandje ya yanda mba;
nu hi tji nomaundjiro rukwao.
12 Nungwari omapanga wandje
maye tja ouṱuku owo omutenya;
owo mave tja ondjerera i ri popezu,
nungwari ami me tjiwa
kutja me kara monḓorera.
13 Omaundjiro wandje otjovakoke porwatjo,
mu me rangavara mozomboṱu monḓorera.
14 Eyendo, me tja ondi ri tate,
nomativa ngu maye ndji ri, me tja
onge ri mama novaṱena kwandje.
15 Ku ku nomaundjiro ku ami, ku pi?
Owaṋi ngu me ndji munine ouṋingandu?
16 Omaundjiro kaye nokuyenda puna ami,
tji me pundu motjovakoke.”
1 My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me. 2 Are there not mockers with me? and doth not mine eye continue in their provocation? 3 Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee; who is he that will strike hands with me? 4 For thou hast hid their heart from understanding: therefore shalt thou not exalt them . 5 He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail. 6 He hath made me also a byword of the people; and aforetime I was as a tabret. 7 Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, and all my members are as a shadow. 8 Upright men shall be astonied at this, and the innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite. 9 The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.
10 But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find one wise man among you. 11 My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart. 12 They change the night into day: the light is short because of darkness. 13 If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness. 14 I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister. 15 And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it? 16 They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust.
