Lamentations 3
1 ALEPH. I am the man that sees poverty, through the rod of his wrath upon me.
Mene ɔbarima a mahunu amane wɔ nʼabufuo abaa ano.
2 He has taken me, and led me away into darkness, and not [into] light.
Wapam me afiri ne ho ama manante 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, ɛda mu nyinaa.
4 He has made old my flesh and my skin; he has broken my bones.
Wama me wedeɛ ne me nam anyini Na wabubu me nnompe.
5 BETH. He has built against me, and compassed my head, and brought travail [upon me].
Waka me ahyɛ mu, ɔde nwononwono ne ahokyere atwa me ho ahyia.
6 He has set me in dark places, as them that have long been dead.
Wama matena esum mu sɛ wɔn a wɔawuwu dada no.
7 He has builded against me, and I can’t come forth: he has made my brazen [chain] heavy.
Wato ɔfasuo atwa me ho ahyia enti mentumi nnwane; wagu me nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn ama matɔ baha.
8 GIMEL. Yes, [though] I cry and shout, he shuts out my prayer.
Mpo sɛ mefrɛ anaasɛ mebɔ mpaeɛ srɛ mmoa a ɔsi me mpaeɛbɔ ano.
9 DALETH. He has built up my ways, he has hedged my paths;
Ɔde abotan asi me ɛkwan; 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 watɛ,
11 He pursued [me] after I departed, and brought me to a stand: he has utterly ruined me.
ɔtwee me firi ɛkwan no mu dwerɛɛ me na ɔgyaa me a menni mmoa biara.
12 HE. He has bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
Ɔkuntunuu ne tadua 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 ɛfiri ne kotokuo mu hwiree mʼakoma mu.
14 I became a laughing stock to all my people; and their song all the day.
Meyɛɛ asredeɛ maa me nkurɔfoɔ nyinaa; wɔto akutia nnwom de di me ho fɛ ɛda mu nyinaa.
15 VAU. He has filled me with bitterness, he has drenched me with gall.
Ɔde nhahan nwononwono ahyɛ me ma. Wama me bɔnwoma anom.
16 And he has dashed out my teeth with gravel, he has fed me with ashes.
Ɔde aboseaa abubu me se; na watiatia me so wɔ mfuturo mu.
17 He has also removed my soul from peace: I forgot prosperity.
Wɔama asomdwoeɛ abɔ me; na mewerɛ afiri yiedie.
18 Therefore my success has perished, and my hope from the Lord.
Enti mese, “Mʼanimuonyam asa, deɛ 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 mʼakyinkyini mu, nwononwono ne bɔnwoma mu.
20 and my soul shall meditate with me.
Mekae yie, na me kra aboto wɔ me mu.
21 This will I lay up in my heart, therefore I will endure.
Nanso, mekae yei ne saa enti, mewɔ anidasoɔ.
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 kɛseɛ enti yɛnnsɛeɛ. Nʼayamhyehyeɛ nni hwammɔ.
23 [They are] new every morning: great is your faithfulness.
Ɛyɛ foforɔ anɔpa biara; wo nokorɛdie yɛ kɛseɛ.
24 The Lord is my portion, says my soul; therefore will I wait for him.
Meka kyerɛ me ho sɛ, “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 yɛ ma wɔn a wɔn anidasoɔ wɔ ne mu, onipa a ɔhwehwɛ noɔ no;
26 [is] good, and shall wait for, and quietly expect salvation of the Lord.
Ɛyɛ sɛ wɔyɛ komm de twɛn Awurade nkwagyeɛ.
27 TETH. [It is] good for a man when he bears a yoke in his youth.
Ɛyɛ ma ɔbarima sɛ ɔsoa kɔnnua no wɔ ne mmeranteɛ ɛberɛ mu.
28 He will sit alone, and be silent, because he has borne [it] upon him.
Ma ɔntena ase komm, ɛfiri sɛ Awurade de ato no so.
Ma ɔmfa nʼanim nsie wɔ mfuturo mu, ebia anidasoɔ 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 deɛ ɔpɛɛ sɛ ɔbɔ no na ɔnhyɛ no aniwuo.
31 For the Lord will not reject for ever.
Na Awurade nto nnipa ntwene koraa.
32 CHAPH. For he that has brought down will pity, and [that] according to the abundance of his mercy.
Ɛwom, ɔde awerɛhoɔ ba deɛ, nanso ɔbɛnya ayamhyehyeɛ. Ne dɔ kɛseɛ no to rentwa da.
33 He has not answered [in anger] from his heart, though he has brought low the children of a man.
Ɔfiri amemenemfe mu de amanehunu anaa awerɛhoɔ brɛ nnipa mma.
34 LAMED. To bring down under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,
Sɛ wɔde wɔn nan dwerɛ nneduafoɔ a wɔwɔ asase no so a,
35 to turn aside the judgment of a man before the face of the Most High,
sɛ wɔtiatia obi ahofadie so wɔ Ɔsorosoroni no anim a,
36 to condemn a man [unjustly] in his judgment, the Lord has not given commandment.
anaa sɛ wɔbu obi ntɛnkyea a, Awurade nhunu saa nneɛma yi anaa?
37 Who has thus spoken, and it has come to pass? the Lord has not commanded it.
Hwan na ɔbɛtumi aka na wama aba mu wɔ ɛberɛ a ɛnyɛ Awurade na ɔhyɛeɛ?
38 Out of the mouth of the Most High there shall not come forth evil and good.
Ɛnyɛ Ɔsorosoroni no anom na musuo ne nnepa firi anaa?
39 MEM. Why should a living man complain, a man concerning his sin?
Adɛn enti na ɛsɛ sɛ ɔteasefoɔ nwiinwii ɛberɛ 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 yɛnsane nkɔ Awurade nkyɛn.
41 Let us lift up our hearts with [our] hand to the lofty One in heaven.
Momma yɛmma yɛn akoma ne yɛn nsa so, nkyerɛ Onyankopɔn wɔ ɔsoro, na yɛnka sɛ:
42 We have sinned, we have transgressed; and you have not pardoned.
“Yɛayɛ bɔne, na yɛate atua na woamfa ankyɛ.
43 SAMECH. You has visited [us] in wrath, and driven us away: you has slain, you has not pitied.
“Wode abufuo akata wo ho ataa yɛn; na wakunkum a woannya ahummɔborɔ.
44 You have veiled yourself with a cloud because of prayer, that I might be blind,
Wode wo ho asie omununkum mu enti mpaeɛbɔ biara nnuru wo nkyɛn.
45 and be cast off. AIN. You have set us [alone] in the midst of the nations.
Woayɛ yɛn atantanneɛ ne wira wɔ amanaman no mu.
46 All our enemies have opened their mouth against us.
“Yɛn atamfoɔ nyinaa abae wɔn anom tɛtrɛɛ de tia yɛn.
47 Fear and wrath are come upon us, suspense and destruction.
Yɛabrɛ ne ahunahuna ne akukuruhweaseɛ, mmubuiɛ ne ɔsɛeɛ.”
48 Mine eye shall pour down torrents of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Me nisuo sene sɛ asutene ɛfiri sɛ wɔasɛe me nkurɔfoɔ.
49 PHE. Mine eye is drowned [with tears], and I will not be silent, so that there shall be no rest,
Me nisuo bɛsene ara, na ɛrennyae,
50 until the Lord look down, and behold from heaven.
kɔsi sɛ Awurade bɛhwɛ afiri ɔsoro, na wahu.
51 Mine eye shall prey upon my soul, because of all the daughters of the city.
Deɛ mehunu no ma me kra werɛ ho me kuropɔn no mu mmaa nyinaa enti.
52 TSADE. The fowlers chased me as a sparrow, all mine enemies destroyed my life in a pit without cause,
Mʼatamfoɔ a menyɛɛ wɔn hwee pampam me sɛ anomaa.
53 and laid a stone upon me.
Wɔpɛɛ sɛ wɔtwa me nkwa so na wɔsi me aboɔ wɔ amena mu;
54 Water flowed over my head: I said, I am cut off.
nsuo bu faa me tiri so, na ɛyɛɛ me sɛdeɛ wɔrewie me.
55 KOPH. I called upon your name, O Lord, out of the lowest dungeon.
Mebɔɔ wo din, Ao Awurade firi amena no ase tɔnn.
56 You heard my voice: close not your ears to my supplication.
Wotee me sufrɛ: “Nsi wʼaso wɔ me gyeɛ sufrɛ ho.”
57 You drew near to my help: in the day wherein I called upon you you said to me, Fear not.
Wotwe bɛnee me ɛberɛ a mefrɛɛ woɔ no, na wokaa sɛ, “Nsuro.”
58 RECHS. O Lord, you has pleaded the causes of my soul; you has redeemed my life.
Ao Awurade, wodii mʼasɛm maa me; na wogyee me nkwa.
59 You have seen, O Lord, my troubles: you have judged my cause.
Woahunu bɔne a wɔayɛ me, Ao Awurade. Di mʼasɛm ma me!
60 You have seen all their vengeance, [you have looked] on all their devices against me.
Woahunu wɔn aweretɔ no mu den, wɔn pɔ a wɔbɔ tia me no nyinaa.
61 CHSEN. You have heard their reproach [and] all their devices against me;
Ao Awurade, woate wɔn sopa, wɔn pɔ a wɔbɔ tia me no nyinaa,
62 the lips of them that rose up against me, and their plots against me all the day;
deɛ mʼatamfoɔ ka no sɛ asomusɛm 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 wɔgyinagyina hɔ anaa sɛ 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 deɛ ɛfata tua wɔn so ka, Ao Awurade, deɛ wɔn nsa ayɛ enti.
65 THAU. You will give them [as] a covering, the grief of my heart.
Pirim wɔn akoma, 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 abufuo taa wɔn, na sɛe wɔn firi Awurade sorosoro ase.
