Kwadwom 5
1 Ao Awurade, kae deɛ aba yɛn so; hwɛ, na hunu yɛn animguaseɛ.
Remember, Yahweh, what has come on us. Look, and see our reproach.
2 Wɔadane yɛn agyapadeɛ ama ahɔhoɔ, wɔde yɛn afie ama ananafoɔ.
Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our houses to aliens.
3 Yɛayɛ nwisiaa na yɛnni agyanom, yɛn maamenom ayɛ sɛ akunafoɔ.
We are orphans and fatherless. Our mothers are as widows.
4 Ɛsɛ sɛ yɛtɔ nsuo a yɛnom; yɛbɛnya nnyina a, gye sɛ yɛtɔ.
We must pay for water to drink. Our wood is sold to us.
5 Wɔn a wɔtaa yɛn no abɛn yɛn pɛɛ; Yɛabrɛ na yɛnnya ahomegyeɛ.
Our pursuers are on our necks. We are weary, and have no rest.
6 Yɛde yɛn ho maa Misraim ne Asiria sɛdeɛ yɛbɛnya aduane a ɛbɛso yɛn.
We have given our hands to the Egyptians, and to the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.
7 Yɛn agyanom yɛɛ bɔne, na wɔnni hɔ bio, na yɛn na wɔn asotwe abɛda yɛn so.
Our fathers sinned, and are no more. We have borne their iniquities.
8 Nkoa di yɛn so, na obiara nni hɔ a ɔbɛgye yɛn afiri wɔn nsam.
Servants rule over us. There is no one to deliver us out of their hand.
9 Yɛde yɛn nkwa bɔ afɔdeɛ de pɛ yɛn anoduane, akofena a ɛwɔ ɛserɛ so no enti.
We get our bread at the peril of our lives, because of the sword in the wilderness.
10 Yɛn honam adɔ sɛ fononoo. Ɛkɔm ama huraeɛ abɔ yɛn.
Our skin is black like an oven, because of the burning heat of famine.
11 Wɔato mmaa monnaa wɔ Sion, ne mmaabunu a wɔwɔ Yuda nkuro so.
They ravished the women in Zion, the virgins in the cities of Judah.
12 Wɔkyekyere mmapɔmma nsa na wɔasɛn wɔn; wɔmmfa anidie mma mpanimfoɔ.
Princes were hanged up by their hands. The faces of elders were not honored.
13 Mmeranteɛ yɛ adwuma den wɔ ayuoyammoɔ so; na mmerantewaa nan toto wɔ nnyina duruduru ase.
The young men carry millstones. The children stumbled under loads of wood.
14 Mpanimfoɔ ntena kuropɔn apono ano bio; mmeranteɛ agyae wɔn nnwontoɔ.
The elders have ceased from the gate, and the young men from their music.
15 Ahosɛpɛ afiri yɛn akoma mu; yɛn asa adane agyaadwotwa.
The joy of our heart has ceased. Our dance is turned into mourning.
16 Ahenkyɛ afiri yɛn tiri so. Yɛn ara, yɛnnue sɛ yɛayɛ bɔne!
The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned!
17 Yei enti yɛn akoma atɔ piti, yeinom enti yɛn ani so ayɛ kusuu
For this our heart is faint. For these things our eyes are dim:
18 wɔ Sion bepɔ a ada mpan na sakraman nenam soɔ no enti.
for the mountain of Zion, which is desolate. The foxes walk on it.
19 Wo, Ao Awurade, di ɔhene afebɔɔ; wʼahennwa firi awoɔ ntoatoasoɔ kɔsi awoɔ ntoatoasoɔ.
You, Yahweh, remain forever. Your throne is from generation to generation.
20 Adɛn enti na wo werɛ firi yɛn daa yi? Adɛn enti na wagya yɛn mmerɛ tenten mu yi?
Why do you forget us forever, and forsake us for so long a time?
21 Ka yɛn bata wo ho bio, Ao, Awurade, na yɛatumi aba wo nkyɛn; yɛ yɛn nna foforɔ sɛ tete no
Turn us to yourself, Yahweh, and we will be turned. Renew our days as of old.
22 agye sɛ wapo yɛn koraa anaa sɛ wo bo afu yɛn mmorosoɔ.
But you have utterly rejected us. You are very angry against us.
