Cry From Inside Dust
Prayer of person wey dey suffer, wey im body don weak, wey e pour out im cry-cry before our Papa.
Prayer of one sick man: im days be like smoke, im bones dey burn, ashes na im bread, e dey wake for night like lonely sparrow wey dey on top roof. Halfway, e stop to talk about imsef and turn to how Zion go build again, and to one Papa wey go still dey after the heavens don wear out like cloth.
102 1Hear my prayer, our Papa; make my cry for help reach you. 2No hide your face from me for di day wey trouble catch me. Turn your ear come my side; for di day wey I call, answer me sharp-sharp.
3For my days dey vanish like smoke, and my bones dey burn like furnace. 4My heart don beat down and dry up like grass; I even forget to chop my bread. 5Because of di way I dey groan, I don waste finish to only skin and bones. 6I be like desert owl for wilderness, like owl wey dey among di broken-down places. a a v6 Di desert owl and di owl wey dey among di ruins na birds wey dey live for empty, lonely places wey people don leave — strong picture of complete loneliness and how dem abandon person. 7I dey lie down but sleep no dey catch me; I don be like one lonely sparrow wey dey siddon for roof top. 8Di whole day my enemies dey mock me; dem wey dey vex against me dey use my name take curse people. 9For I dey chop ashes like bread and I dey mix my drink with tears, 10because of your anger and your fury; for you lift me up and throway me. 11My days be like shadow wey dey stretch long, and I dey dry up like grass.
12But you, our Papa, dey siddon for throne forever; your name dey stand for all generations. 13You go rise up, and your belle go dey pain you for Zion, for na time to show am favour don reach; di time wey you fix don come. 14For your servants dey take joy for her stones and dem belle dey pain dem for her dust. 15Di nations go fear di name of our Papa, and all di kings of di earth go fear your glory. 16For our Papa go build Zion up; e go show imsef for im glory. 17E go listen to di prayer of dem wey no get anything and e no go despise dem begging.
18Make dem write dis one down for generation wey dey come, so dat people wey never even dey born go fit praise our Papa: 19dat e look down from im holy high place; from heaven our Papa look di earth, 20to hear di groaning of di prisoner, to set free dem wey dem don judge to die, 21so dat dem go fit talk di name of our Papa for Zion, and im praise for Jerusalem, 22wen di peoples and di kingdoms gather together to worship our Papa.
23E don break my strength for di road; e don cut my days short. 24So I talk say, “My Papa, no carry me go for di middle of my life—you wey your years dey stand through all generations.” 25Long time ago you lay di foundations of di earth, and di heavens na di work of your hands. b b v25 Hebrews 1:10-12 take dis words apply am to Jesus — our Oga Jesus, di Pikin wey no dey end, wey through am our Papa take make all things. 26Dem go perish, but you go remain; dem all go wear out like cloth. You go change dem like clothes, and dem go pass away. 27But you be di same, and your years no go ever end. 28Di children of your servants go dwell safe, and dem pikin dem go stand firm before you.
