Lament for Israel's Princes

¹“Phakamisa wena isililo ngezikhulu zakwa-Israyeli, uthi:

²“ ‘Unyoko wayeyingonyamakazi enjani phakathi kwezingonyama! Yabuthisa phakathi kwamabhongo, yondla amawundlu ayo.

³Yakhulisa elinye lamawundlu ayo, laba yibhongo; lafunda ukubamba impango, ladla abantu.

⁴Izizwe zezwa ngalo, labanjwa emgodini wazo; zaliyisa ngezingwegwe ezweni laseGibithe.

⁵“ ‘Nxa isilindile, yabona ukuthi ithemba layo liphelile; yathatha elinye lamawundlu ayo, yalenza ibhongo.

⁶Lahambahamba phakathi kwezingonyama, liyibhongo; lafunda ukubamba impango, ladla abantu.

⁷Labhidliza izinqaba zabo, lachitha imizi yabo, izwe lachitheka nokugcwala kwalo ngomsindo wokubhonga kwalo.

⁸Izizwe zase zilihlelela nxazonke, zivela emazweni, zeneka phezu kwalo inetha, labanjwa emgodini wazo.

⁹Zalifaka endlwaneni evaliweyo ngezingwegwe, zaliyisa enkosini yaseBabele, zalingenisa ezinqabeni ukuba izwi lalo lingabe lisezwakala ezintabeni zakwa-Israyeli.

¹⁰“ ‘Unyoko wayenjengomvini, usahlezi ngokuthula, utshalwe ngasemanzini; wawunezithelo namahlumela ngenxa yamanzi amaningi.

¹¹Wawunezingatsha ezinamandla ezaba yizintonga zababusayo; isiqu sawo sasiphakeme phakathi kwamaqabunga amaningi, waze wabonakala phezulu phakathi kwamahlumela awo amaningi.

¹²Kepha wasishulwa ngokufutheka, waphonselwa phansi, umoya wasempumalanga womisa izithelo zawo; isiqu sawo esiqinileyo saphulwa, sabuna, umlilo wasiqeda.

¹³Manje usutshaliwe ehlane ezweni elishileyo nelomileyo.

¹⁴Umlilo uphumile esiqwini sawo, wadla amagatsha awo nezithelo zawo, kwaze kwangabe kusaba khona kuwo igatsha eliqinileyo, nantonga yokubusa.’ Lokhu kuyisililo; makube yisililo.”