Lamentations 3
1 I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
Mene ɔbarima a mahu amane wɔ nʼabufuw abaa ano.
2 He has led me and caused me to walk in darkness, and not in light.
Wapam me afi ne ho ama manantew sum mu na ɛnyɛ hann mu;
3 Surely he turns his hand against me, again and again all the day.
Ampa ara wama nsa so atia me mpɛn bebree, da mu nyinaa.
4 He has made my flesh and my skin old. He has broken my bones.
Wama me were ne me nam anyin Na wabubu me nnompe.
5 He has built against me, and encompassed me with gall and travail.
Waka me ahyɛ mu, na watua me ano ɔde nweenwen ne ahokyere atwa me ho ahyia.
6 He has made me to dwell in dark places, as those who have long been dead.
Wama matena sum mu sɛ wɔn a wɔawuwu dedaw no.
7 He has walled me around, that I cannot go forth. He has made my chain heavy.
Wato ɔfasu atwa me ho ahyia enti mintumi nguan; wagu me nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn ama matɔ beraw.
8 Yea, when I cry, and call for help, he shuts out my prayer.
Mpo sɛ mefrɛ anaasɛ mebɔ mpae srɛ mmoa a osiw me mpaebɔ ano.
9 He has walled up my ways with hewn stone. He has made my paths crooked.
Ɔde abotan asiw me kwan; wama mʼakwan ayɛ kɔntɔnkye.
10 He is to me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in concealed places.
Te sɛ sisi a ɔda hɔ retwɛn, te sɛ gyata a watɛw,
11 He has turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces. He has made me desolate.
ɔtwee me fii ɔkwan no mu bebaree me na ogyaw me a minni mmoa biara.
12 He has bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
Okuntun ne ta mu na ɔde ne bɛmma kyerɛɛ me so.
13 He has caused the shafts of his quiver to enter into my reins.
Ɔde bɛmma a efi ne kotoku mu hwirew me koma mu.
14 I have become a derision to all my people, and their song all the day.
Meyɛɛ akyiwade maa me nkurɔfo nyinaa; wɔto akutia nnwom de di me ho fɛw da mu nyinaa.
15 He has filled me with bitterness. He has sated me with wormwood.
Ɔde nhaban nweenwen ahyɛ me ma. Wama me bɔnwoma anom.
16 He has also broken my teeth with gravel stones. He has covered me with ashes.
Ɔde mmosea abubu me se; na watiatia me so wɔ mfutuma mu.
17 And thou have removed my soul far off from peace. I forgot prosperity.
Wɔama asomdwoe abɔ me; na me werɛ afi yiyedi.
18 And I said, My strength is perished, and my expectation from Jehovah.
Enti mise, “Mʼanuonyam asa, nea mede mʼani too so Awurade mu no nyinaa.”
19 Remember my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
Mekae mʼamanehunu wɔ mʼakyinkyinakyinkyin mu, nweenwen ne bɔnwoma mu.
20 My soul still has them in remembrance, and is bowed down within me.
Mekae yiye, na me kra abotow wɔ me mu.
21 This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope:
Nanso midwen eyi ho; saa nti mewɔ anidaso.
22 It is of Jehovah's loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassions do not fail.
Awurade dɔ kɛse nti yɛnsɛee ɛ. Nʼayamhyehye nni huammɔ.
23 They are new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness.
Ɛyɛ foforo anɔpa biara; wo nokwaredi yɛ kɛse.
24 Jehovah is my portion, says my soul, therefore I will hope in him.
Meka kyerɛ me ho se, “Awurade yɛ me kyɛfa, enti mɛtwɛn no.”
25 Jehovah is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.
Awurade ye ma wɔn a wɔn anidaso wɔ ne mu, onipa a ɔhwehwɛ no no;
26 It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of Jehovah.
Eye sɛ wɔyɛ komm de twɛn Awurade nkwagye.
27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
Eye ma ɔbarima sɛ ɔsoa konnua no wɔ ne mmerantebere mu.
28 Let him sit alone and keep silence, because he has laid it upon him.
Ma ɔntena ase komm, efisɛ Awurade de ato ne so.
29 Let him put his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope.
Ma ɔmfa nʼanim nsie wɔ mfutuma mu, ebia anidaso wɔ hɔ.
30 Let him give his cheek to him who smites him. Let him be filled full with reproach.
Ma ɔmfa nʼafono mma nea ɔpɛɛ sɛ ɔbɔ no no na ɔnhyɛ no aniwu.
31 For the Lord will not cast off forever.
Na Awurade ntow onipa biara nkyene koraa.
32 For though he causes grief, yet he will have compassion according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses.
Ɛwɔ mu, ɔde awerɛhow ba de, nanso obenya ayamhyehye. Ne dɔ kɛse no to rentwa da.
33 For he does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the sons of men.
Ofi amemenemfe mu de amanehunu anaa awerɛhow brɛ nnipa mma.
34 To crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth,
Sɛ wɔde wɔn nan dwerɛw nneduafo a wɔwɔ asase no so a,
35 to turn aside the right of a man before the face of the Most High,
sɛ wotiatia obi ahofadi so wɔ Ɔsorosoroni no anim a,
36 to subvert a man in his cause, the Lord does not approve.
anaa sɛ wobu obi ntɛnkyew a, Awurade renhu saa nneɛma yi ana?
37 Who is he that says, and it comes to pass, when the Lord does not command it?
Hena na obetumi aka na wama aba mu wɔ bere a ɛnyɛ Awurade na ɔhyɛe?
38 Out of the mouth of the Most High does there not come evil and good?
Ɛnyɛ Ɔsorosoroni no anom na mmusu ne nnepa fi ana?
39 Why does a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
Adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ ɔteasefo nwiinwii bere a wɔatwe nʼaso wɔ ne bɔne ho?
40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to Jehovah.
Momma yɛnhwehwɛ yɛn akwan mu na yɛnsɔ nhwɛ, na yɛnsan nkɔ Awurade nkyɛn.
41 Let us lift up our heart with our hands to God in the heavens.
Momma yɛmma yɛn koma ne yɛn nsa so, nkyerɛ Onyankopɔn wɔ ɔsoro, na yɛnka se:
42 We have transgressed and have rebelled. Thou have not pardoned.
“Yɛayɛ bɔne, na yɛatew atua na wamfa ankyɛ.
43 Thou have covered with anger and pursued us. Thou have slain; thou have not pitied.
“Wode abufuw akata wo ho ataa yɛn; na woakunkum a woannya ahummɔbɔ.
44 Thou have covered thyself with a cloud, so that no prayer can pass through.
Wode wo ho asie omununkum mu nti mpaebɔ biara nnu wo nkyɛn.
45 Thou have made us an off-scouring and refuse in the midst of the peoples.
Woayɛ yɛn atantanne ne nwura wɔ amanaman no mu.
46 All our enemies have opened their mouth wide against us.
“Yɛn atamfo nyinaa abaa wɔn anom tɛtrɛɛ de tia yɛn.
47 Fear and the pit have come upon us, devastation and destruction.
Yɛabrɛ ne ahunahuna ne akukuruhwease, mmubui ne ɔsɛe.”
48 My eye runs down with streams of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Me nusu sen sɛ asuten efisɛ wɔasɛe me nkurɔfo.
49 My eye pours down, and does not cease, without any intermission,
Me nusu bɛsen ara, na ɛrennyae,
50 till Jehovah looks down, and beholds from heaven.
kosi sɛ Awurade bɛhwɛ afi ɔsoro, na wahu.
51 My eye stirs my soul, because of all the daughters of my city.
Nea mihu no ma me kra werɛ how, me kuropɔn no mu mmea nyinaa nti.
52 They have chased me grievously like a bird, those who are my enemies without cause.
Mʼatamfo a menyɛɛ wɔn hwee pampam me sɛ anomaa.
53 They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and have cast a stone upon me.
Wɔpɛɛ sɛ wotwa me nkwa so na wosiw me abo wɔ amoa mu;
54 Waters flowed over my head. I said, I am cut off.
nsu bu faa me ti so, na ɛyɛɛ me sɛnea wɔrewie me.
55 I called upon thy name, O Jehovah, out of the lowest dungeon.
Mebɔɔ wo din, Awurade fii amoa no ase tɔnn.
56 Thou heard my voice. Hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.
Wotee me sufrɛ: “Nsiw wʼaso wɔ me gye sufrɛ ho.”
57 Thou drew near in the day that I called upon thee. Thou said, Fear not.
Wutwiw bɛn me bere a mefrɛɛ wo no, na wokae se, “Nsuro.”
58 O Lord, thou have pleaded the causes of my soul. Thou have redeemed my life.
Wo Awurade, wudii mʼasɛm maa me; na wugyee me nkwa.
59 O Jehovah, thou have seen my wrong. Judge thou my cause.
Woahu bɔne a wɔayɛ me, Awurade. Di mʼasɛm ma me!
60 Thou have seen all their vengeance and all their devices against me.
Woahu wɔn aweretɔ no mu den, wɔn pɔw a wɔbɔ tia me no nyinaa.
61 Thou have heard their reproach, O Jehovah, and all their devices against me,
Awurade, woate wɔn ntwirii, wɔn pɔw a wɔbɔ tia me no nyinaa,
62 the lips of those who rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.
nea mʼatamfo ka no asomsɛm na wɔka no brɛoo de tia me da mu nyinaa.
63 Behold thou their sitting down, and their rising up. I am their song.
Hwɛ wɔn! Sɛ wogyinagyina hɔ anaasɛ wɔtete hɔ, wɔto akutia nnwom de di me ho fɛw.
64 Thou will render to them a recompense, O Jehovah, according to the work of their hands.
Fa nea ɛfata tua wɔn so ka, Awurade, nea wɔn nsa ayɛ nti.
65 Thou will give them hardness of heart, thy curse to them.
Pirim wɔn koma, na ma wo nnome mmra wɔn so.
66 Thou will pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of Jehovah.
Fa abufuw taa wɔn, na sɛe wɔn fi Awurade ɔsorosoro ase.
