Lamentations 5

1 Remember, Yahweh, what has come on us. Look, and see our reproach.

Awurade, kae nea aba yɛn so; hwɛ, na hu yɛn animguase.

2 Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our houses to aliens.

Wɔadan yɛn agyapade ama ahɔho, wɔde yɛn afi ama ananafo.

3 We are orphans and fatherless. Our mothers are as widows.

Yɛayɛ nyisaa na yenni agyanom, yɛn nanom yɛ akunafo.

4 We must pay for water to drink. Our wood is sold to us.

Ɛsɛ sɛ yɛtɔ nsu a yɛnom; yebenya nnyina a, gye sɛ yɛtɔ.

5 Our pursuers are on our necks. We are weary, and have no rest.

Wɔn a wɔtaa yɛn no abɛn yɛn pɛɛ; Yɛabrɛ na yennya ahomegye.

6 We have given our hands to the Egyptians, and to the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.

Yɛde yɛn ho maa Misraim ne Asiria sɛnea yebenya aduan a ɛbɛso yɛn.

7 Our fathers sinned, and are no more. We have borne their iniquities.

Yɛn agyanom yɛɛ bɔne, na wonni hɔ bio, na yɛn na wɔn asotwe abɛda yɛn so.

8 Servants rule over us. There is no one to deliver us out of their hand.

Nkoa di yɛn so, na obiara nni hɔ a obegye yɛn afi wɔn nsam.

9 We get our bread at the peril of our lives, because of the sword in the wilderness.

Yɛde yɛn nkwa bɔ afɔre de pɛ yɛn anoduan, afoa a ɛwɔ sare so no nti.

10 Our skin is black like an oven, because of the burning heat of famine.

Yɛn honam adɔ sɛ fononoo. Ɔkɔm ama atiridii abɔ yɛn.

11 They ravished the women in Zion, the virgins in the cities of Judah.

Wɔato mmea mmonnaa wɔ Sion, ne mmabun a wɔwɔ Yuda nkurow so.

12 Princes were hanged up by their hands. The faces of elders were not honored.

Wɔkyekyere mmapɔmma nsa na wɔasɛn wɔn; wɔmmfa nidi mma mpanyimfo.

13 The young men carry millstones. The children stumbled under loads of wood.

Mmerante yɛ adwumaden wɔ awiyammo so; na mmerantewa nan toto wɔ nnyina duruduru ase.

14 The elders have ceased from the gate, and the young men from their music.

Mpanyimfo ntena kuropɔn apon ano bio; mmerante agyae wɔn nnwonto.

15 The joy of our heart has ceased. Our dance is turned into mourning.

Ahosɛpɛw afi yɛn koma mu; yɛn asaw adan agyaadwotwa.

16 The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned!

Ahenkyɛw afi yɛn ti so. Yɛn ara, yennue sɛ yɛayɛ bɔne!

17 For this our heart is faint. For these things our eyes are dim:

Eyi nti yɛn koma atɔ beraw, eyinom nti yɛn ani so ayɛ kusuu

18 for the mountain of Zion, which is desolate. The foxes walk on it.

wɔ Sion bepɔw a ada mpan na sakraman nenam so no nti.

19 You, Yahweh, remain forever. Your throne is from generation to generation.

Wo, Awurade, di hene afebɔɔ; wʼahengua fi awo ntoatoaso kosi awo ntoatoaso.

20 Why do you forget us forever, and forsake us for so long a time?

Adɛn nti na wo werɛ fi yɛn daa yi? Adɛn nti na wagyaw yɛn, mmere tenten mu yi?

21 Turn us to yourself, Yahweh, and we will be turned. Renew our days as of old.

Ka yɛn bata wo ho bio, Awurade, na yɛatumi asan aba wo nkyɛn; yɛ yɛn nna foforo sɛ tete no

22 But you have utterly rejected us. You are very angry against us.

gye sɛ woapo yɛn koraa anaasɛ wo bo afuw yɛn mmoroso.