Kukumbila bhatsho
1 Imwi Yahwe, Ndzimu we jidzo langu,
ndolila ndili mbeli kwenyu siku ne sikati.
2 Ndokumbila kuti ntembezelo wangu uzhe mbeli kwenyu,
hwililani tjililo tjangu.
3 Ngobe meya yangu izhele kudziyidzika,
ne butjilo gwangu gosedzela ku gomba le lufu.
4 Ndobaligwa muna ibabo banoyenda ku gomba le lufu.
Ndonga nlume usina simba,
5 ndonga ibabo bakalashigwa bapakati kwe bafi,
ndonga bakabulawa balele mu zwikumbu,
ndonga ibabo basingatjaalakane,
ngobe bakathubugwa mu kuwana bhatsho yenyu.
6 Makandibiga pasi pasi kwe gomba,
mukatikati kwakati zwititi.
7 Bushongola gwenyu gondilemela,
kakale gondivuna mitshibha.
8 Makathama kuti bakwinya bangu bandiambuke
makandithama abe tjithu tjinobatjisa.
Ndakabhatshigwa kuti ndizo ndisitongo pudzumuka.
9 Mesho angu apofupadziwa nge buyendasi.
Zhuba nge zhuba ndomudana, imwi Yahwe,
ndosuka maboko anngu mbeli kwenyu.
10 Apa moshingila bafi matjenamiso kene?
Apa mitutshi inomilika kumukudza kene?
11 Apa ludo gwenyu gusingazunguzike
golebgwa mu bugalo gwe bafi kene?
Kene kugalikabgwe kwenyu
kolebgwa mu gomba le golomodzo kene?
12 Apa makaabadzo enyu anozibgwa mu zhalima,
kene mishingo yenyu ye ndulamo inolebgwa
ngekwayo mu shango ye kukanganika kene?
13 Koga imi, imwi Yahwe, ndolilila kumuli,
mangwanana ntembezelo wangu
ndowoyisa mbeli kwenyu.
14 Imwi Yahwe, apa ini mundilashila kutjena kene?
Ini mundisumbikila buso gwenyu kene?
15 Tjinga kudwa mu butjetjana gwangu
ndili mu busungwa kakale ndili pejo nge lufu,
ndakadziyidziwa nge kutjisa kwenyu
ngono ndatjizwitoboka.
16 Bushongola gwenyu gondikulila,
kutjisa kwenyu kondikolomola.
17 Zhuba lose zwakandipoteleka
se nsundila zwakandifukidza.
18 Makathama kuti bazwalani bangu bandiambuke,
zhalima ndilo nzwalani wangu nkulu.
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.