Okuhehela esilohenda
1 Omuwa, dhimbulukwa shoka twa ningilwa;
tu tala u mone ehutuko lyetu.
2 Uuthiga wetu owa yi kaayeni.
Omagumbo getu oga yi kaatyakala.
3 Otwa ningi oothigwa, katu na ootate;
oomeme oya fa aaselekadhi.
4 Omeya tatu ga nu, otatu ga futile;
iikuni tatu yi pumbwa, otayi tu pula ondando.
5 Ondjoko oyi li moothingo dhetu, otatu haulwa.
Otatu longo sigo eso, pwaa na oluthuwo.
6 Otwa yeluthile omaako getu kuEgipiti nenge kuAssur,
aniwa tu pewe iikulya ya gwana.
7 Ootate oya yono, ihe kaye po we.
Otse tatu si uudhigu woondjo dhawo.
8 Otatu lelwa kaapika
ihe kaku na ngoka te tu mangulula miikaha yawo.
9 Puupatekedhi woomwenyo dhetu tatu mono iikulya yetu
mokuhenuka egongamwele mombuga.
10 Oshipa shetu sha hanya sha fa eziko,
osha luudhikwa kepupyu lyondjala.
11 Oya gugitha aakulukadhi muSion,
aakadhona momikunda dhaJuda.
12 Oya tula aawagona kohake,
yo inaa simaneka aakuluntu yoomvi.
13 Aalumentu aagundjuka oya humbata iikweyithilomanya,
aamati otaa tonwa kiipandi yiikuni.
14 Aasamane kaye mo we momiyelo,
naagundjuka oye etha iiketala.
15 Enyanyu olya kana mo moomwenyo dhetu,
okutanta kwetu okwa shituka oondila.
16 Oshishani shesimano osha gu komitse dhetu.
Yaye tse, sho twa yono!
17 Molwashika oomwenyo dhetu dha ziyalala,
nomolwashika omeho getu ga siilila.
18 Molwashoka ondundu Sion ya mbugala,
noombandje tadhi yi lyatagula.
19 Ihe Omuwa, ongoye to kala po sigo aluhe,
oshipangelapundi shoye otashi kala okuza komapipi nomapipi.
20 Oshike to tu dhimbwa sigo aluhe?
Oshike to tu etha sigo osigo?
21 Tu galulila kungoye, Omuwa, notatu galukile ko.
Pepaleka omasiku getu ngashika muushitonale.
22 Nenge owe tu ekelehi mondjahi yaa na ondjele?
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?
