Lamentations 3
1 ALEPH. I am the man that sees poverty, through the rod of his wrath upon me.
Mene ɔbarima a mahu amane wɔ nʼabufuw abaa ano.
2 He has taken me, and led me away into darkness, and not [into] light.
Wapam me afi ne ho ama manantew sum mu na ɛnyɛ hann mu;
3 Nay, against me has he turned his hand all the day.
Ampa ara wama nsa so atia me mpɛn bebree, da mu nyinaa.
4 He has made old my flesh and my skin; he has broken my bones.
Wama me were ne me nam anyin Na wabubu me nnompe.
5 BETH. He has built against me, and compassed my head, and brought travail [upon me].
Waka me ahyɛ mu, na watua me ano ɔde nweenwen ne ahokyere atwa me ho ahyia.
6 He has set me in dark places, as them that have long been dead.
Wama matena sum mu sɛ wɔn a wɔawuwu dedaw no.
7 He has builded against me, and I can’t come forth: he has made my brazen [chain] heavy.
Wato ɔfasu atwa me ho ahyia enti mintumi nguan; wagu me nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn ama matɔ beraw.
8 GIMEL. Yes, [though] I cry and shout, he shuts out my prayer.
Mpo sɛ mefrɛ anaasɛ mebɔ mpae srɛ mmoa a osiw me mpaebɔ ano.
9 DALETH. He has built up my ways, he has hedged my paths;
Ɔde abotan asiw me kwan; wama mʼakwan ayɛ kɔntɔnkye.
10 he has troubled me, [as] a she-bear lying in wait: he is to me [as] a lion in secret places.
Te sɛ sisi a ɔda hɔ retwɛn, te sɛ gyata a watɛw,
11 He pursued [me] after I departed, and brought me to a stand: he has utterly ruined me.
ɔtwee me fii ɔkwan no mu bebaree me na ogyaw me a minni mmoa biara.
12 HE. 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 arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.
Ɔde bɛmma a efi ne kotoku mu hwirew me koma mu.
14 I became a laughing stock 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 VAU. He has filled me with bitterness, he has drenched me with gall.
Ɔde nhaban nweenwen ahyɛ me ma. Wama me bɔnwoma anom.
16 And he has dashed out my teeth with gravel, he has fed me with ashes.
Ɔde mmosea abubu me se; na watiatia me so wɔ mfutuma mu.
17 He has also removed my soul from peace: I forgot prosperity.
Wɔama asomdwoe abɔ me; na me werɛ afi yiyedi.
18 Therefore my success has perished, and my hope from the Lord.
Enti mise, “Mʼanuonyam asa, nea mede mʼani too so Awurade mu no nyinaa.”
19 ZAIN. I remembered by reason of my poverty, and because of persecution my bitterness and gall shall be remembered;
Mekae mʼamanehunu wɔ mʼakyinkyinakyinkyin mu, nweenwen ne bɔnwoma mu.
20 and my soul shall meditate with me.
Mekae yiye, na me kra abotow wɔ me mu.
21 This will I lay up in my heart, therefore I will endure.
Nanso midwen eyi ho; saa nti mewɔ anidaso.
22 HETH. [It is] the mercies of the Lord, that he has not failed me, because his compassions are not exhausted. Pity [us], O Lord, early [every] month: for we are not brought to an end, because his compassions are not exhausted.
Awurade dɔ kɛse nti yɛnsɛee ɛ. Nʼayamhyehye nni huammɔ.
23 [They are] new every morning: great is your faithfulness.
Ɛyɛ foforo anɔpa biara; wo nokwaredi yɛ kɛse.
24 The Lord is my portion, says my soul; therefore will I wait for him.
Meka kyerɛ me ho se, “Awurade yɛ me kyɛfa, enti mɛtwɛn no.”
25 TETH. The Lord is good to them that wait for him: the soul which shall seek him
Awurade ye ma wɔn a wɔn anidaso wɔ ne mu, onipa a ɔhwehwɛ no no;
26 [is] good, and shall wait for, and quietly expect salvation of the Lord.
Eye sɛ wɔyɛ komm de twɛn Awurade nkwagye.
27 TETH. [It is] good for a man when he bears a yoke in his youth.
Eye ma ɔbarima sɛ ɔsoa konnua no wɔ ne mmerantebere mu.
28 He will sit alone, and be silent, because he has borne [it] upon him.
Ma ɔntena ase komm, efisɛ Awurade de ato ne so.
Ma ɔmfa nʼanim nsie wɔ mfutuma mu, ebia anidaso wɔ hɔ.
30 JOD. He will give [his] cheek to him that smites him: he will be filled full with reproaches.
Ma ɔmfa nʼafono mma nea ɔpɛɛ sɛ ɔbɔ no no na ɔnhyɛ no aniwu.
31 For the Lord will not reject for ever.
Na Awurade ntow onipa biara nkyene koraa.
32 CHAPH. For he that has brought down will pity, and [that] according to the abundance of his mercy.
Ɛwɔ mu, ɔde awerɛhow ba de, nanso obenya ayamhyehye. Ne dɔ kɛse no to rentwa da.
33 He has not answered [in anger] from his heart, though he has brought low the children of a man.
Ofi amemenemfe mu de amanehunu anaa awerɛhow brɛ nnipa mma.
34 LAMED. To bring down 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 judgment of a man before the face of the Most High,
sɛ wotiatia obi ahofadi so wɔ Ɔsorosoroni no anim a,
36 to condemn a man [unjustly] in his judgment, the Lord has not given commandment.
anaa sɛ wobu obi ntɛnkyew a, Awurade renhu saa nneɛma yi ana?
37 Who has thus spoken, and it has come to pass? the Lord has not commanded 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 there shall not come forth evil and good.
Ɛnyɛ Ɔsorosoroni no anom na mmusu ne nnepa fi ana?
39 MEM. Why should a living man complain, a man concerning his sin?
Adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ ɔteasefo nwiinwii bere a wɔatwe nʼaso wɔ ne bɔne ho?
40 NUN. Our way has been searched out and examined, and we will turn to the Lord.
Momma yɛnhwehwɛ yɛn akwan mu na yɛnsɔ nhwɛ, na yɛnsan nkɔ Awurade nkyɛn.
41 Let us lift up our hearts with [our] hand to the lofty One in heaven.
Momma yɛmma yɛn koma ne yɛn nsa so, nkyerɛ Onyankopɔn wɔ ɔsoro, na yɛnka se:
42 We have sinned, we have transgressed; and you have not pardoned.
“Yɛayɛ bɔne, na yɛatew atua na wamfa ankyɛ.
43 SAMECH. You has visited [us] in wrath, and driven us away: you has slain, you has not pitied.
“Wode abufuw akata wo ho ataa yɛn; na woakunkum a woannya ahummɔbɔ.
44 You have veiled yourself with a cloud because of prayer, that I might be blind,
Wode wo ho asie omununkum mu nti mpaebɔ biara nnu wo nkyɛn.
45 and be cast off. AIN. You have set us [alone] in the midst of the nations.
Woayɛ yɛn atantanne ne nwura wɔ amanaman no mu.
46 All our enemies have opened their mouth against us.
“Yɛn atamfo nyinaa abaa wɔn anom tɛtrɛɛ de tia yɛn.
47 Fear and wrath are come upon us, suspense and destruction.
Yɛabrɛ ne ahunahuna ne akukuruhwease, mmubui ne ɔsɛe.”
48 Mine eye shall pour down torrents of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Me nusu sen sɛ asuten efisɛ wɔasɛe me nkurɔfo.
49 PHE. Mine eye is drowned [with tears], and I will not be silent, so that there shall be no rest,
Me nusu bɛsen ara, na ɛrennyae,
50 until the Lord look down, and behold from heaven.
kosi sɛ Awurade bɛhwɛ afi ɔsoro, na wahu.
51 Mine eye shall prey upon my soul, because of all the daughters of the city.
Nea mihu no ma me kra werɛ how, me kuropɔn no mu mmea nyinaa nti.
52 TSADE. The fowlers chased me as a sparrow, all mine enemies destroyed my life in a pit without cause,
Mʼatamfo a menyɛɛ wɔn hwee pampam me sɛ anomaa.
53 and laid a stone upon me.
Wɔpɛɛ sɛ wotwa me nkwa so na wosiw me abo wɔ amoa mu;
54 Water flowed over my head: I said, I am cut off.
nsu bu faa me ti so, na ɛyɛɛ me sɛnea wɔrewie me.
55 KOPH. I called upon your name, O Lord, out of the lowest dungeon.
Mebɔɔ wo din, Awurade fii amoa no ase tɔnn.
56 You heard my voice: close not your ears to my supplication.
Wotee me sufrɛ: “Nsiw wʼaso wɔ me gye sufrɛ ho.”
57 You drew near to my help: in the day wherein I called upon you you said to me, Fear not.
Wutwiw bɛn me bere a mefrɛɛ wo no, na wokae se, “Nsuro.”
58 RECHS. O Lord, you has pleaded the causes of my soul; you has redeemed my life.
Wo Awurade, wudii mʼasɛm maa me; na wugyee me nkwa.
59 You have seen, O Lord, my troubles: you have judged my cause.
Woahu bɔne a wɔayɛ me, Awurade. Di mʼasɛm ma me!
60 You have seen all their vengeance, [you have looked] on all their devices against me.
Woahu wɔn aweretɔ no mu den, wɔn pɔw a wɔbɔ tia me no nyinaa.
61 CHSEN. You have heard their reproach [and] all their devices against me;
Awurade, woate wɔn ntwirii, wɔn pɔw a wɔbɔ tia me no nyinaa,
62 the lips of them that rose up against me, and their plots against me all the day;
nea mʼatamfo ka no asomsɛm na wɔka no brɛoo de tia me da mu nyinaa.
63 their sitting down and their rising up: look you upon their eyes.
Hwɛ wɔn! Sɛ wogyinagyina hɔ anaasɛ wɔtete hɔ, wɔto akutia nnwom de di me ho fɛw.
64 You will render them a recompense, O Lord, according to the works of their hands.
Fa nea ɛfata tua wɔn so ka, Awurade, nea wɔn nsa ayɛ nti.
65 THAU. You will give them [as] a covering, the grief of my heart.
Pirim wɔn koma, na ma wo nnome mmra wɔn so.
66 You will persecute them in anger, and will consume them from under the heaven, O Lord.
Fa abufuw taa wɔn, na sɛe wɔn fi Awurade ɔsorosoro ase.
