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?
Mahwilongoni
1 Kumbulani imwi Yahwe tjakatishingikalila,
lingani, mubone kulengudzika kwedu!
2 Thaka yedu yatjibe ye bataya,
mizi yedu yatjibe ye bazhi.
3 Tatjibe siyang'wa dzisina botate,
bomme bedu batjibe tjilikadzi.
4 Tolipa vula yatinong'wa nge mari,
hwuni todziwana ngotenga.
5 Batatamili bedu bapa zwitshitshino zwedu,
tanyala atitowana kunyaluluka.
6 Takazwipa ku Egipiti ne Asiriya,
kuti tiwane zojiwa tigute.
7 Bobatategulu bedu bakatjinya ngono abatjipo,
ngono tolobgwa shamu ye matjinyo abo.
8 Balanda banotibusa,
akuna ungatisunungula mu simba labo.
9 Towana tjatingaja ngolonga matjilo edu mu mbhatsha,
ngekwe thumo mu tjilambanyika.
10 Makanda edu anopisa se vutho,
tina luzhazhamo nge zhala.
11 Bakadzi bakadzugwa mu Ziyoni,
baanadi mu mizi ye Juda.
12 Makulukota akasungiligwa,
sholotjena adzitotetiwa.
13 Bazhuzha banokombeledziwa kushinga ku gwiyo
balisana banodengadenga nge mitolo ye hwuni.
14 Sholotjena adzitjagala ku mikoba ye nzi nkulu,
bazhuzha abatjalidza zwilidzo zwabo.
15 Kushatha kwe mimoyo yedu kwakama,
zana kwedu kwatjishanduka tjililo.
16 Tjiala tjakawa mu misholo yedu.
Yee mme wee! Tapalala ngobe takatjinya!
17 Ngekwa ikoku mimoyo yedu yakatimbama,
ngekwe zwithu izwezwi mesho edu aatjabona ngolila,
18 ngoti Dombo le Ziyoni latjibe dongo,
phungubgwe dzozanila mulili.
19 Koga imwi Yahwe mobusa nge kusingapele,
tjigalo tjenyu tje bushe tjodwa mu tjizekugwana kunoti ku tjizekugwana.
20 Ini mugala mutikangang'wa kene?
Ini mungatifupatila tjibaka tjingapa kene?
21 Mutibgwilize kakale kumuli imwi Yahwe,
kuti ndizo tibgwilile,
bgwilizani mazhuba edu ange a ntolo!
22 Kene makatilashila tjatjose?
Ne kugwadzamoyo kwenyu nge kusina tjilizanyo kene?