Lamentations 4
1 ALEPH. How will the gold be tarnished, [and] the fine silver changed! the sacred stones have been poured forth at the top of all the streets.
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 precious sons of Zion, who were equalled in value with gold, how are they counted as earthen vessels, the works of the hands of the potter!
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 GIMEL. Nay, serpents have drawn out the breasts, they give suck to their young, the daughters of my people are incurably cruel, as an ostrich in a 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 cleaves to the roof of its mouth for thirst: the little children ask for bread, [and] there is none to break [it] to them.
Osukɔm nti, akokoaa tɛkrɛma fam ne dodo mu; mmofra no srɛ aduan, nanso obiara mfa mma wɔn.
5 HE. They that feed on dainties are desolate in the streets: they that used to be nursed in scarlet have clothed themselves with 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 has been increased beyond the iniquities of Sodoma, [the city] that was overthrown very suddenly, and none laboured against her [with their] hands.
Me nkurɔfo asotwe so sen Sodom a wotuu wɔn mpofirim no, a wɔannya ɔboafo biara de.
7 ZAIN. Her Nazarites were made purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were purified [as] with fire, their polishing was superior to sapphire stone.
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 countenance is become blacker than smoke; they are not known in the streets: their skin has cleaved to their bones; they are withered, they are become as a stick.
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. The slain with the sword were better than they that were slain with hunger: they have departed, pierced through from [lack of] the fruits of the field.
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 tender-hearted women have sodden their own children: they became meat for them 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 CHAPH. The Lord has accomplished his wrath; he has poured out fierce anger, and has kindled a fire in Sion, and it has devoured her foundations.
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, [even] all that dwell in the world, believed not that an enemy and oppressor would enter through 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] iniquities of her priests, who shed righteous blood 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. her watchmen staggered in the streets, they were defiled with blood in their weakness, they touched their raiment [with it].
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 from the unclean ones: call you them: depart, depart, touch [them] not: for they are on fire, yes, they stagger: say you among the nations, They shall no more sojourn [there].
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 AIN. The presence of the Lord [was] their portion; [but] he will not again look upon them: they regarded not the person of the priests, they pitied not the prophets.
Awurade ankasa abɔ wɔn ahwete; nʼani nni wɔn so bio. Wɔmmfa nidi mma asɔfo, na wɔn ani nsɔ mpanyimfo.
17 PHE. While we yet lived our eyes failed, while we looked in vain for our help. TSADE. We looked to a nation that could not 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 We have hunted [for] our little ones, that they should not walk in our streets. KOPH. Our time has drawn near, our days are fulfilled, our time 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 Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the sky, they flew on the mountains, in the wilderness they laid wait for us.
Yɛn ataafo ho yɛ hare sen akɔre a wɔwɔ wim; wɔtaa yɛn faa mmepɔw so na wɔtɛw yɛn wɔ sare so.
20 RECHS. The breath of our nostrils, [our] anointed Lord, was taken in their destructive snares, of whom we said, In his 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 CHSEN. Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Idumea, that dwell in the land: yet the cup of the Lord shall pass through to you: you shall be drunken, and pour forth.
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. O daughter of Sion, your iniquity has come to an end; he shall no more carry you captive: he has visited your iniquities, O daughter of Edom; he has discovered your sins.
Ɔbabea Sion, wʼasotwe bɛba awiei; ɔremma wo nkɔ so ntena nnommum mu. Nanso Ɔbabea Edom, obetua wo bɔne so ka na wada wʼamumɔyɛ adi.
