Lamentations 3
1 I [am] the man [that] hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
Mene ɔbarima a mahu amane wɔ nʼabufuw abaa ano.
2 He hath led me, and brought [me into] darkness, but not [into] light.
Wapam me afi ne ho ama manantew sum mu na ɛnyɛ hann mu;
3 Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand [against me] all the day.
Ampa ara wama nsa so atia me mpɛn bebree, da mu nyinaa.
4 My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.
Wama me were ne me nam anyin Na wabubu me nnompe.
5 He hath builded against me, and compassed [me] with gall and travail.
Waka me ahyɛ mu, na watua me ano ɔde nweenwen ne ahokyere atwa me ho ahyia.
6 He hath set me in dark places, as [they that be] dead of old.
Wama matena sum mu sɛ wɔn a wɔawuwu dedaw no.
7 He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.
Wato ɔfasu atwa me ho ahyia enti mintumi nguan; wagu me nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn ama matɔ beraw.
8 Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.
Mpo sɛ mefrɛ anaasɛ mebɔ mpae srɛ mmoa a osiw me mpaebɔ ano.
9 He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.
Ɔde abotan asiw me kwan; wama mʼakwan ayɛ kɔntɔnkye.
10 He [was] unto me [as] a bear lying in wait, [and as] a lion in secret places.
Te sɛ sisi a ɔda hɔ retwɛn, te sɛ gyata a watɛw,
11 He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.
ɔtwee me fii ɔkwan no mu bebaree me na ogyaw me a minni mmoa biara.
12 He hath 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 hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.
Ɔde bɛmma a efi ne kotoku mu hwirew me koma mu.
14 I was 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 hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.
Ɔde nhaban nweenwen ahyɛ me ma. Wama me bɔnwoma anom.
16 He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.
Ɔde mmosea abubu me se; na watiatia me so wɔ mfutuma mu.
17 And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.
Wɔama asomdwoe abɔ me; na me werɛ afi yiyedi.
18 And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD:
Enti mise, “Mʼanuonyam asa, nea mede mʼani too so Awurade mu no nyinaa.”
19 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
Mekae mʼamanehunu wɔ mʼakyinkyinakyinkyin mu, nweenwen ne bɔnwoma mu.
20 My soul hath [them] still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
Mekae yiye, na me kra abotow wɔ me mu.
21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
Nanso midwen eyi ho; saa nti mewɔ anidaso.
22 [It is of] the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
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 The LORD [is] my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
Meka kyerɛ me ho se, “Awurade yɛ me kyɛfa, enti mɛtwɛn no.”
25 The LORD [is] good unto them that wait for him, to the soul [that] seeketh him.
Awurade ye ma wɔn a wɔn anidaso wɔ ne mu, onipa a ɔhwehwɛ no no;
26 [It is] good that [a man] should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
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 He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne [it] upon him.
Ma ɔntena ase komm, efisɛ Awurade de ato ne so.
29 He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.
Ma ɔmfa nʼanim nsie wɔ mfutuma mu, ebia anidaso wɔ hɔ.
30 He giveth [his] cheek to him that smiteth him: he is 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 for ever:
Na Awurade ntow onipa biara nkyene koraa.
32 But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.
Ɛwɔ mu, ɔde awerɛhow ba de, nanso obenya ayamhyehye. Ne dɔ kɛse no to rentwa da.
33 For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.
Ofi amemenemfe mu de amanehunu anaa awerɛhow brɛ nnipa mma.
34 To crush under his feet 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 approveth not.
anaa sɛ wobu obi ntɛnkyew a, Awurade renhu saa nneɛma yi ana?
37 Who [is] he [that] saith, and it cometh to pass, [when] the Lord commandeth [it] not?
Hena na obetumi aka na wama aba mu wɔ bere a ɛnyɛ Awurade na ɔhyɛe?
38 Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?
Ɛnyɛ Ɔsorosoroni no anom na mmusu ne nnepa fi ana?
39 Wherefore doth 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 the LORD.
Momma yɛnhwehwɛ yɛn akwan mu na yɛnsɔ nhwɛ, na yɛnsan nkɔ Awurade nkyɛn.
41 Let us lift up our heart with [our] hands unto 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 hast not pardoned.
“Yɛayɛ bɔne, na yɛatew atua na wamfa ankyɛ.
43 Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.
“Wode abufuw akata wo ho ataa yɛn; na woakunkum a woannya ahummɔbɔ.
44 Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that [our] prayer should not pass through.
Wode wo ho asie omununkum mu nti mpaebɔ biara nnu wo nkyɛn.
45 Thou hast made us [as] the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people.
Woayɛ yɛn atantanne ne nwura wɔ amanaman no mu.
46 All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.
“Yɛn atamfo nyinaa abaa wɔn anom tɛtrɛɛ de tia yɛn.
47 Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction.
Yɛabrɛ ne ahunahuna ne akukuruhwease, mmubui ne ɔsɛe.”
48 Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Me nusu sen sɛ asuten efisɛ wɔasɛe me nkurɔfo.
49 Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,
Me nusu bɛsen ara, na ɛrennyae,
50 Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven.
kosi sɛ Awurade bɛhwɛ afi ɔsoro, na wahu.
51 Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.
Nea mihu no ma me kra werɛ how, me kuropɔn no mu mmea nyinaa nti.
52 Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause.
Mʼatamfo a menyɛɛ wɔn hwee pampam me sɛ anomaa.
53 They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me.
Wɔpɛɛ sɛ wotwa me nkwa so na wosiw me abo wɔ amoa mu;
54 Waters flowed over mine head; [then] 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 LORD, out of the low dungeon.
Mebɔɔ wo din, Awurade fii amoa no ase tɔnn.
56 Thou hast 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 drewest near in the day [that] I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.
Wutwiw bɛn me bere a mefrɛɛ wo no, na wokae se, “Nsuro.”
58 O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.
Wo Awurade, wudii mʼasɛm maa me; na wugyee me nkwa.
59 O LORD, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.
Woahu bɔne a wɔayɛ me, Awurade. Di mʼasɛm ma me!
60 Thou hast seen all their vengeance [and] all their imaginations against me.
Woahu wɔn aweretɔ no mu den, wɔn pɔw a wɔbɔ tia me no nyinaa.
61 Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, [and] all their imaginations against me;
Awurade, woate wɔn ntwirii, wɔn pɔw a wɔbɔ tia me no nyinaa,
62 The lips of those that 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 their sitting down, and their rising up; I [am] their musick.
Hwɛ wɔn! Sɛ wogyinagyina hɔ anaasɛ wɔtete hɔ, wɔto akutia nnwom de di me ho fɛw.
64 Render unto them a recompence, O LORD, according to the work of their hands.
Fa nea ɛfata tua wɔn so ka, Awurade, nea wɔn nsa ayɛ nti.
65 Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them.
Pirim wɔn koma, na ma wo nnome mmra wɔn so.
66 Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the LORD.
Fa abufuw taa wɔn, na sɛe wɔn fi Awurade ɔsorosoro ase.
