< Lamentations 4 >

1 Aleph. How is the gold become dim, the finest colour is changed, the stones of the sanctuary are scattered in the top of every street?
Hwɛ sɛnea sikakɔkɔɔ ayera ne hyerɛn no ni Sikakɔkɔɔ ankasa na ho abiri saa! Wɔatoto aboɔdemmo kronkron apete wɔ abɔnten biara so.
2 Beth. The noble sons of Sion, and they that were clothed with the best gold: how are they esteemed as earthen vessels, the work of the potter’s hands?
Hwɛ sɛnea Sion mmabarima a wodi mu na anka wɔsom bo sɛ sikakɔkɔɔ no ayɛ, mprempren wɔfa wɔn sɛ dɔte nkuku, ɔnwemfo nsa ano adwuma!
3 Ghimel. Even the sea monsters have drawn out the breast, they have given suck to their young: the daughter of my people is cruel, like the ostrich in the desert.
Mpo adompo yi wɔn nufu ma wɔn mma num, nanso me nkurɔfo ayɛ atirimɔdenfo sɛ sohori a ɔwɔ sare so.
4 Daleth. The tongue of the sucking child hath stuck to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the little ones have asked for bread, and there was none to break it unto them.
Osukɔm nti, akokoaa tɛkrɛma fam ne dodo mu; mmofra no srɛ aduan, nanso obiara mfa mma wɔn.
5 He. They that were fed delicately have died in the streets; they that were brought up in scarlet have embraced the dung.
Wɔn a na anka wodi nnuan pa no ohia buruburoo aka wɔn wɔ mmɔnten so. Wɔn a wɔde sirikyi tetew wɔn no mprempren wɔdeda nso a wɔaboa ano so.
6 Vau. And the iniquity of the daughter of my people is made greater than the sin of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment, and hands took nothing in her.
Me nkurɔfo asotwe so sen Sodom a wotuu wɔn mpofirim no, a wɔannya ɔboafo biara de.
7 Zain. Her Nazarites were whiter than snow, purer than milk, more ruddy than the old ivory, fairer than the sapphire.
Na wɔn ahenemma ho twa sen sukyerɛmma, na wɔnan sen nufusu, na wɔn nipadua no bere, na ɛwɔ ahoɔden te sɛ abohemaa, na wɔte sɛ hoabo.
8 Heth. Their face is now made blacker than coals, and they are not known in the streets: their skin hath stuck to their bones, it is withered, and is become like wood.
Nanso mprempren de, wobiri sen wusiw bɔtɔ; na wonhu wɔn yiye wɔ mmɔnten so. Wɔn were atwintwam wɔ wɔn nnompe so; ho awo wosee sɛ abaa.
9 Teth. It was better with them that were slain by the sword, than with them that died with hunger: for these pined away being consumed for want of the fruits of the earth.
Wɔn a wɔtotɔɔ wɔ afoa ano no ye koraa sen wɔn a ɔkɔm kunkum wɔn; ɔkɔm tware wɔn ma wowuwu, esiane aduan a enni mfuw so nti.
10 Jod. The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Mmea a wɔwɔ ayamhyehye de wɔn nsa anoa wɔn ankasa mma, ayɛ wɔn aduan, bere a wɔsɛee me nkurɔfo no.
11 Caph. The Lord hath accomplished his wrath, he hath poured out his fierce anger: and he hath kindled a fire in Sion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof.
Awurade ada nʼabufuwhyew nyinaa adi; wahwie nʼabufuw a ano yɛ den no. Ɔsɔɔ ogya ano wɔ Sion ma ɛhyew ne fapem.
12 Lamed. The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world would not have believed, that the adversary and the enemy should enter in by the gates of Jerusalem.
Asase so ahemfo annye anni, wiase mu nnipa nso annye anni sɛ atamfo betumi ahyɛn Yerusalem apon mu.
13 Mem. For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her.
Nanso esii, nʼadiyifo no bɔne ne nʼasɔfo amumɔyɛ nti, wɔn na wohwiee atreneefo mogya guu wɔ kuropɔn no mu.
14 Nun. They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they were defiled with blood: and when they could not help walking in it, they held up their skirts.
Afei wɔkeka wɔ mmɔnten so te sɛ nnipa a wɔn ani afura. Mogya a ama wɔn ho agu fi no nti obiara suro sɛ ɔde ne ho bɛka wɔn ntade.
15 Samech. Depart you that are defiled, they cried out to them: Depart, get ye hence, touch not: for they quarrelled, and being removed, they said among the Gentiles: He will no more dwell among them.
Nnipa teɛteɛɛ mu gu wɔn so se, “Mumfi ha nkɔ! Mo ho ntew!” “Monkɔ, monkɔ! Mommfa mo ho nka yɛn.” Sɛ woguan kɔnenam a amanaman no mu nnipa ka se, “Wɔrentumi ntena ha bio.”
16 Phe. The face of the Lord hath divided them, he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, neither had they pity on the ancient.
Awurade ankasa abɔ wɔn ahwete; nʼani nni wɔn so bio. Wɔmmfa nidi mma asɔfo, na wɔn ani nsɔ mpanyimfo.
17 Ain. While we were yet standing, our eyes failed, expecting help for us in vain, when we looked attentively towards a nation that was not able to save.
Nea ɛka ho bio, yɛn ani anni ammoa yɛn, yɛpɛɛ sɛ yebenya mmoa, nanso ɛyɛɛ ɔkwa; yefi yɛn abantenten so de yɛn ani too ɔman a wɔrentumi nnye yɛn so.
18 Sade. Our steps have slipped in the way of our streets, our end draweth near: our days are fulfilled, for our end is come.
Nnipa dii yɛn ntɛntɛnso wɔ yɛn anammɔntu mu, enti yɛantumi annantew yɛn mmɔnten so. Yɛn awiei bɛnee, na wɔkan yɛn nna, efisɛ na yɛn awiei adu so.
19 Coph. Our persecutors were swifter than the eagles of the air: they pursued us upon the mountains, they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.
Yɛn ataafo ho yɛ hare sen akɔre a wɔwɔ wim; wɔtaa yɛn faa mmepɔw so na wɔtɛw yɛn wɔ sare so.
20 Res. The breath of our mouth, Christ the Lord, is taken in our sins: to whom we said: Under thy shadow we shall live among the Gentiles.
Nea Awurade asra no ngo, yɛn nkwa home ankasa no, kɔtɔɔ wɔn mfiri mu. Yegye dii sɛ ne nwini ase, yebenya nkwa wɔ amanaman no mu.
21 Sin. Rejoice, and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Hus: to thee also shall the cup come, thou shalt be made drunk, and naked.
Di ahurusi na ma wʼani nnye, Edom Babea, wo a wote Us asase so. Wɔde kuruwa no bɛma wo nso bi; wobɛbow na wɔabɔ wo adagyaw.
22 Thau. Thy iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Sion, he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he visited thy iniquity, O daughter of Edom, he hath discovered thy sins. The Prayer of Jeremias the Prophet.
Ɔbabea Sion, wʼasotwe bɛba awiei; ɔremma wo nkɔ so ntena nnommum mu. Nanso Ɔbabea Edom, obetua wo bɔne so ka na wada wʼamumɔyɛ adi.

< Lamentations 4 >