Lamentations 3
1 I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
Mene ɔbarima a mahunu amane wɔ nʼabufuo abaa ano.
2 He has led me and caused me to walk in darkness, and not in light.
Wapam me afiri ne ho ama manante sum mu na ɛnyɛ hann mu;
3 Surely he turns his hand against me again and again all day long.
Ampa ara wama nsa so atia me mpɛn bebree, ɛda mu nyinaa.
4 He has made my flesh and my skin old. He has broken my bones.
Wama me wedeɛ ne me nam anyini Na wabubu me nnompe.
5 He has built against me, and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship.
Waka me ahyɛ mu, ɔde nwononwono ne ahokyere atwa me ho ahyia.
6 He has made me dwell in dark places, as those who have been long dead.
Wama matena esum mu sɛ wɔn a wɔawuwu dada no.
7 He has walled me about, so that I can’t go out. He has made my chain heavy.
Wato ɔfasuo atwa me ho ahyia enti mentumi nnwane; wagu me nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn ama matɔ baha.
8 Yes, when I cry, and call for help, he shuts out my prayer.
Mpo sɛ mefrɛ anaasɛ mebɔ mpaeɛ srɛ mmoa a ɔsi me mpaeɛbɔ ano.
9 He has walled up my ways with cut stone. He has made my paths crooked.
Ɔde abotan asi me ɛkwan; wama mʼakwan ayɛ kɔntɔnkye.
10 He is to me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in hiding.
Te sɛ sisi a ɔda hɔ retwɛn, te sɛ gyata a watɛ,
11 He has turned away my path, and pulled me in pieces. He has made me desolate.
ɔtwee me firi ɛkwan no mu dwerɛɛ me na ɔgyaa me a menni mmoa biara.
12 He has bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
Ɔkuntunuu ne tadua mu na ɔde ne bɛmma kyerɛɛ me so.
13 He has caused the shafts of his quiver to enter into my kidneys.
Ɔde bɛmma a ɛfiri ne kotokuo mu hwiree mʼakoma mu.
14 I have become a derision to all my people, and their song all day long.
Meyɛɛ asredeɛ maa me nkurɔfoɔ nyinaa; wɔto akutia nnwom de di me ho fɛ ɛda mu nyinaa.
15 He has filled me with bitterness. He has stuffed me with wormwood.
Ɔde nhahan nwononwono ahyɛ me ma. Wama me bɔnwoma anom.
16 He has also broken my teeth with gravel. He has covered me with ashes.
Ɔde aboseaa abubu me se; na watiatia me so wɔ mfuturo mu.
17 You have removed my soul far away from peace. I forgot prosperity.
Wɔama asomdwoeɛ abɔ me; na mewerɛ afiri yiedie.
18 I said, “My strength has perished, along with my expectation from Yahweh.”
Enti mese, “Mʼanimuonyam asa, deɛ mede mʼani too so Awurade mu no nyinaa.”
19 Remember my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the bitterness.
Mekae mʼamanehunu wɔ mʼakyinkyini mu, nwononwono ne bɔnwoma mu.
20 My soul still remembers them, and is bowed down within me.
Mekae yie, na me kra aboto wɔ me mu.
21 This I recall to my mind; therefore I have hope.
Nanso, mekae yei ne saa enti, mewɔ anidasoɔ.
22 It is because of Yahweh’s loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his mercies don’t fail.
Awurade dɔ kɛseɛ enti yɛnnsɛeɛ. Nʼayamhyehyeɛ nni hwammɔ.
23 They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness.
Ɛyɛ foforɔ anɔpa biara; wo nokorɛdie yɛ kɛseɛ.
24 “Yahweh is my portion,” says my soul. “Therefore I will hope in him.”
Meka kyerɛ me ho sɛ, “Awurade yɛ me kyɛfa, enti mɛtwɛn no.”
25 Yahweh is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.
Awurade yɛ ma wɔn a wɔn anidasoɔ wɔ ne mu, onipa a ɔhwehwɛ noɔ no;
26 It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of Yahweh.
Ɛyɛ sɛ wɔyɛ komm de twɛn Awurade nkwagyeɛ.
27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
Ɛyɛ ma ɔbarima sɛ ɔsoa kɔnnua no wɔ ne mmeranteɛ ɛberɛ mu.
28 Let him sit alone and keep silence, because he has laid it on him.
Ma ɔntena ase komm, ɛfiri sɛ Awurade de ato no so.
29 Let him put his mouth in the dust, if it is so that there may be hope.
Ma ɔmfa nʼanim nsie wɔ mfuturo mu, ebia anidasoɔ wɔ hɔ.
30 Let him give his cheek to him who strikes him. Let him be filled full of reproach.
Ma ɔmfa nʼafono mma deɛ ɔpɛɛ sɛ ɔbɔ no na ɔnhyɛ no aniwuo.
31 For the Lord will not cast off forever.
Na Awurade nto nnipa ntwene koraa.
32 For though he causes grief, yet he will have compassion according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses.
Ɛwom, ɔde awerɛhoɔ ba deɛ, nanso ɔbɛnya ayamhyehyeɛ. Ne dɔ kɛseɛ no to rentwa da.
33 For he does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.
Ɔfiri amemenemfe mu de amanehunu anaa awerɛhoɔ brɛ nnipa mma.
34 To crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth,
Sɛ wɔde wɔn nan dwerɛ nneduafoɔ a wɔwɔ asase no so a,
35 to turn away the right of a man before the face of the Most High,
sɛ wɔtiatia obi ahofadie so wɔ Ɔsorosoroni no anim a,
36 to subvert a man in his cause, the Lord doesn’t approve.
anaa sɛ wɔbu obi ntɛnkyea a, Awurade nhunu saa nneɛma yi anaa?
37 Who is he who says, and it comes to pass, when the Lord doesn’t command it?
Hwan na ɔbɛtumi aka na wama aba mu wɔ ɛberɛ a ɛnyɛ Awurade na ɔhyɛeɛ?
38 Doesn’t evil and good come out of the mouth of the Most High?
Ɛnyɛ Ɔsorosoroni no anom na musuo ne nnepa firi anaa?
39 Why should a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
Adɛn enti na ɛsɛ sɛ ɔteasefoɔ nwiinwii ɛberɛ a wɔatwe nʼaso wɔ ne bɔne ho?
40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to Yahweh.
Momma yɛnhwehwɛ yɛn akwan mu na yɛnsɔ nhwɛ, na yɛnsane nkɔ Awurade nkyɛn.
41 Let’s lift up our heart with our hands to God in the heavens.
Momma yɛmma yɛn akoma ne yɛn nsa so, nkyerɛ Onyankopɔn wɔ ɔsoro, na yɛnka sɛ:
42 “We have transgressed and have rebelled. You have not pardoned.
“Yɛayɛ bɔne, na yɛate atua na woamfa ankyɛ.
43 “You have covered us with anger and pursued us. You have killed. You have not pitied.
“Wode abufuo akata wo ho ataa yɛn; na wakunkum a woannya ahummɔborɔ.
44 You have covered yourself with a cloud, so that no prayer can pass through.
Wode wo ho asie omununkum mu enti mpaeɛbɔ biara nnuru wo nkyɛn.
45 You have made us an off-scouring and refuse in the middle of the peoples.
Woayɛ yɛn atantanneɛ ne wira wɔ amanaman no mu.
46 “All our enemies have opened their mouth wide against us.
“Yɛn atamfoɔ nyinaa abae wɔn anom tɛtrɛɛ de tia yɛn.
47 Terror and the pit have come on us, devastation and destruction.”
Yɛabrɛ ne ahunahuna ne akukuruhweaseɛ, mmubuiɛ ne ɔsɛeɛ.”
48 My eye runs down with streams of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Me nisuo sene sɛ asutene ɛfiri sɛ wɔasɛe me nkurɔfoɔ.
49 My eye pours down and doesn’t cease, without any intermission,
Me nisuo bɛsene ara, na ɛrennyae,
50 until Yahweh looks down, and sees from heaven.
kɔsi sɛ Awurade bɛhwɛ afiri ɔsoro, na wahu.
51 My eye affects my soul, because of all the daughters of my city.
Deɛ mehunu no ma me kra werɛ ho me kuropɔn no mu mmaa nyinaa enti.
52 They have chased me relentlessly like a bird, those who are my enemies without cause.
Mʼatamfoɔ a menyɛɛ wɔn hwee pampam me sɛ anomaa.
53 They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and have cast a stone on me.
Wɔpɛɛ sɛ wɔtwa me nkwa so na wɔsi me aboɔ wɔ amena mu;
54 Waters flowed over my head. I said, “I am cut off.”
nsuo bu faa me tiri so, na ɛyɛɛ me sɛdeɛ wɔrewie me.
55 I called on your name, Yahweh, out of the lowest dungeon.
Mebɔɔ wo din, Ao Awurade firi amena no ase tɔnn.
56 You heard my voice: “Don’t hide your ear from my sighing, and my cry.”
Wotee me sufrɛ: “Nsi wʼaso wɔ me gyeɛ sufrɛ ho.”
57 You came near in the day that I called on you. You said, “Don’t be afraid.”
Wotwe bɛnee me ɛberɛ a mefrɛɛ woɔ no, na wokaa sɛ, “Nsuro.”
58 Lord, you have pleaded the causes of my soul. You have redeemed my life.
Ao Awurade, wodii mʼasɛm maa me; na wogyee me nkwa.
59 Yahweh, you have seen my wrong. Judge my cause.
Woahunu bɔne a wɔayɛ me, Ao Awurade. Di mʼasɛm ma me!
60 You have seen all their vengeance and all their plans against me.
Woahunu wɔn aweretɔ no mu den, wɔn pɔ a wɔbɔ tia me no nyinaa.
61 You have heard their reproach, Yahweh, and all their plans against me,
Ao Awurade, woate wɔn sopa, wɔn pɔ a wɔbɔ tia me no nyinaa,
62 the lips of those that rose up against me, and their plots against me all day long.
deɛ mʼatamfoɔ ka no sɛ asomusɛm na wɔka no brɛoo de tia me da mu nyinaa.
63 You see their sitting down and their rising up. I am their song.
Hwɛ wɔn! Sɛ wɔgyinagyina hɔ anaa sɛ wɔtete hɔ, wɔto akutia nnwom de di me ho fɛw.
64 You will pay them back, Yahweh, according to the work of their hands.
Fa deɛ ɛfata tua wɔn so ka, Ao Awurade, deɛ wɔn nsa ayɛ enti.
65 You will give them hardness of heart, your curse to them.
Pirim wɔn akoma, na ma wo nnome mmra wɔn so.
66 You will pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of Yahweh.
Fa abufuo taa wɔn, na sɛe wɔn firi Awurade sorosoro ase.
