Lamentations 3
1 I am the man who hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
Mene ɔbarima a mahunu amane wɔ nʼabufuo abaa ano.
2 Me hath he driven out, and led into darkness, but not into light.
Wapam me afiri ne ho ama manante sum mu na ɛnyɛ hann mu;
3 Surely against me doth he turn again and again his hand all the day.
Ampa ara wama nsa so atia me mpɛn bebree, ɛda mu nyinaa.
4 He hath caused my flesh and my skin to wear out, he hath broken my bones.
Wama me wedeɛ ne me nam anyini Na wabubu me nnompe.
5 He hath built around me, and encompassed me with poison and hardship.
Waka me ahyɛ mu, ɔde nwononwono ne ahokyere atwa me ho ahyia.
6 In dark places hath he set me to dwell, like the dead of olden times.
Wama matena esum mu sɛ wɔn a wɔawuwu dada no.
7 He hath placed a fence round about me, that I cannot get out; he hath made heavy my chain.
Wato ɔfasuo atwa me ho ahyia enti mentumi nnwane; wagu me nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn ama matɔ baha.
8 Also when I cry aloud and make entreaty, he shutteth out my prayer.
Mpo sɛ mefrɛ anaasɛ mebɔ mpaeɛ srɛ mmoa a ɔsi me mpaeɛbɔ ano.
9 He hath fenced up my ways with hewn stone, my paths hath he made crooked.
Ɔde abotan asi me ɛkwan; wama mʼakwan ayɛ kɔntɔnkye.
10 A bear lying in wait is he to me, a lion in secret places.
Te sɛ sisi a ɔda hɔ retwɛn, te sɛ gyata a watɛ,
11 On my ways hath he placed thorns, and torn me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.
ɔtwee me firi ɛkwan no mu dwerɛɛ me na ɔgyaa me a menni mmoa biara.
12 He hath bent his bow, and placed me as a mark for the arrow.
Ɔkuntunuu ne tadua mu na ɔde ne bɛmma kyerɛɛ me so.
13 He hath caused to enter into my reins the children of his quiver.
Ɔde bɛmma a ɛfiri ne kotokuo mu hwiree mʼakoma mu.
14 I am become a laughing-stock to all my people, their [jeering] song all the day.
Meyɛɛ asredeɛ maa me nkurɔfoɔ nyinaa; wɔto akutia nnwom de di me ho fɛ ɛda mu nyinaa.
15 He hath sated me with bitter things, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.
Ɔde nhahan nwononwono ahyɛ me ma. Wama me bɔnwoma anom.
16 He hath also broken my teeth with gravel-stones, he hath covered me with ashes.
Ɔde aboseaa abubu me se; na watiatia me so wɔ mfuturo mu.
17 And my soul hath given up all thoughts of peace: I forget happiness.
Wɔama asomdwoeɛ abɔ me; na mewerɛ afiri yiedie.
18 And I said, Lost is my strength, my expectation also from the Lord.
Enti mese, “Mʼanimuonyam asa, deɛ mede mʼani too so Awurade mu no nyinaa.”
19 Remembering my affliction and [the cause of] my complaint, wormwood and poison.
Mekae mʼamanehunu wɔ mʼakyinkyini mu, nwononwono ne bɔnwoma mu.
20 Remembering [this] continually my soul is bowed down deeply within me.
Mekae yie, na me kra aboto wɔ me mu.
21 [Yet] this answer will I give to my heart: therefore will I wait [in confidence].
Nanso, mekae yei ne saa enti, mewɔ anidasoɔ.
22 It is through the Lord's kindness that we are not consumed, because his mercies have no end;
Awurade dɔ kɛseɛ enti yɛnnsɛeɛ. Nʼayamhyehyeɛ nni hwammɔ.
23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Ɛyɛ foforɔ anɔpa biara; wo nokorɛdie yɛ kɛseɛ.
24 The Lord is my portion, saith my soul, therefore will I wait for him.
Meka kyerɛ me ho sɛ, “Awurade yɛ me kyɛfa, enti mɛtwɛn no.”
25 The Lord is good unto those that hope in him, to the soul that seeketh him.
Awurade yɛ ma wɔn a wɔn anidasoɔ wɔ ne mu, onipa a ɔhwehwɛ noɔ no;
26 It is good that one should wait and this in silence for the salvation of the Lord.
Ɛyɛ sɛ wɔyɛ komm de twɛn Awurade nkwagyeɛ.
27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth;
Ɛyɛ ma ɔbarima sɛ ɔsoa kɔnnua no wɔ ne mmeranteɛ ɛberɛ mu.
28 That he sit in solitude and be silent; because He hath laid it upon him;
Ma ɔntena ase komm, ɛfiri sɛ Awurade de ato no so.
29 That he put his mouth in the dust; perhaps there still is hope;
Ma ɔmfa nʼanim nsie wɔ mfuturo mu, ebia anidasoɔ wɔ hɔ.
30 That he offer his cheek to him that smiteth him; that he be satisfied with reproach.
Ma ɔmfa nʼafono mma deɛ ɔpɛɛ sɛ ɔbɔ no na ɔnhyɛ no aniwuo.
31 For the Lord will not cast off for ever;
Na Awurade nto nnipa ntwene koraa.
32 But though he have caused grief, yet will he have mercy according to the abundance of his kindnesses.
Ɛwom, ɔde awerɛhoɔ ba deɛ, nanso ɔbɛnya ayamhyehyeɛ. Ne dɔ kɛseɛ no to rentwa da.
33 For he doth not afflict of his own will, and aggrieve the children of men.
Ɔfiri amemenemfe mu de amanehunu anaa awerɛhoɔ brɛ nnipa mma.
34 To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,
Sɛ wɔde wɔn nan dwerɛ nneduafoɔ a wɔwɔ asase no so a,
35 To pervert the justice [due to man] before the face of the Most High.
sɛ wɔtiatia obi ahofadie so wɔ Ɔsorosoroni no anim a,
36 To subvert a man in his contest—should the Lord not see this?
anaa sɛ wɔbu obi ntɛnkyea a, Awurade nhunu saa nneɛma yi anaa?
37 Who is he that saith aught, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord hath not ordained it?
Hwan na ɔbɛtumi aka na wama aba mu wɔ ɛberɛ a ɛnyɛ Awurade na ɔhyɛeɛ?
38 Do not out of the mouth of the Most High come both the evil things and the good?
Ɛnyɛ Ɔsorosoroni no anom na musuo ne nnepa firi anaa?
39 Wherefore should a living man complain? let every man complain because of his sins.
Adɛn enti na ɛsɛ sɛ ɔteasefoɔ nwiinwii ɛberɛ a wɔatwe nʼaso wɔ ne bɔne ho?
40 Let us search through and investigate our ways, and let us return to the Lord.
Momma yɛnhwehwɛ yɛn akwan mu na yɛnsɔ nhwɛ, na yɛnsane nkɔ Awurade nkyɛn.
41 Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.
Momma yɛmma yɛn akoma ne yɛn nsa so, nkyerɛ Onyankopɔn wɔ ɔsoro, na yɛnka sɛ:
42 We have indeed transgressed and rebelled: thou hast truly not pardoned.
“Yɛayɛ bɔne, na yɛate atua na woamfa ankyɛ.
43 Thou hast covered [us] with thy anger, and made pursuit after us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.
“Wode abufuo akata wo ho ataa yɛn; na wakunkum a woannya ahummɔborɔ.
44 Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that no prayer should pass through.
Wode wo ho asie omununkum mu enti mpaeɛbɔ biara nnuru wo nkyɛn.
45 As something loathsome and rejected hast thou rendered us in the midst of the people.
Woayɛ yɛn atantanneɛ ne wira wɔ amanaman no mu.
46 Wide have all our enemies opened against us their mouth.
“Yɛn atamfoɔ nyinaa abae wɔn anom tɛtrɛɛ de tia yɛn.
47 Terror and a snare are come upon us, [with] desolation and breaches.
Yɛabrɛ ne ahunahuna ne akukuruhweaseɛ, mmubuiɛ ne ɔsɛeɛ.”
48 With streams of water runneth my eye down, because of the breach of the daughter of my people.
Me nisuo sene sɛ asutene ɛfiri sɛ wɔasɛe me nkurɔfoɔ.
49 My eye trickleth down, and resteth not, without any intermission,
Me nisuo bɛsene ara, na ɛrennyae,
50 Till the Lord look down, and behold from heaven.
kɔsi sɛ Awurade bɛhwɛ afiri ɔsoro, na wahu.
51 My eye affecteth my soul because of all the daughters of my city.
Deɛ mehunu no ma me kra werɛ ho me kuropɔn no mu mmaa nyinaa enti.
52 Those who are my enemies, without a cause, have chased me about like a bird.
Mʼatamfoɔ a menyɛɛ wɔn hwee pampam me sɛ anomaa.
53 They have shut up in the dungeon my life, and have cast stones upon me.
Wɔpɛɛ sɛ wɔtwa me nkwa so na wɔsi me aboɔ wɔ amena mu;
54 Waters streamed over my head: I said, I am cut off.
nsuo bu faa me tiri so, na ɛyɛɛ me sɛdeɛ wɔrewie me.
55 I called on thy name, O Lord, out of the dungeon of the lowest depth.
Mebɔɔ wo din, Ao Awurade firi amena no ase tɔnn.
56 Thou didst hear my voice: hide not thy ear to give me enlargement at my cry.
Wotee me sufrɛ: “Nsi wʼaso wɔ me gyeɛ sufrɛ ho.”
57 Thou wast ever near on the day that I called on thee: thou saidst, Fear not.
Wotwe bɛnee me ɛberɛ a mefrɛɛ woɔ no, na wokaa sɛ, “Nsuro.”
58 Thou didst plead, O Lord, the causes of my soul: thou didst [before this] redeem my life.
Ao Awurade, wodii mʼasɛm maa me; na wogyee me nkwa.
59 Thou hast [now] seen, O Lord, the wrong I suffer: judge thou my cause.
Woahunu bɔne a wɔayɛ me, Ao Awurade. Di mʼasɛm ma me!
60 Thou hast seen all their vengeance, all their plans against me.
Woahunu wɔn aweretɔ no mu den, wɔn pɔ a wɔbɔ tia me no nyinaa.
61 Thou hast heard their reviling, O Lord, all their plans against me,
Ao Awurade, woate wɔn sopa, wɔn pɔ a wɔbɔ tia me no nyinaa,
62 The speeches of these that rise up against me, and their device against me all the day.
deɛ mʼatamfoɔ ka no sɛ asomusɛm na wɔka no brɛoo de tia me da mu nyinaa.
63 Oh look upon their sitting down, and their rising up: I am their [jeering] song.
Hwɛ wɔn! Sɛ wɔgyinagyina hɔ anaa sɛ wɔtete hɔ, wɔto akutia nnwom de di me ho fɛw.
64 Render unto them a recompense, O Lord, according to the work of their hands.
Fa deɛ ɛfata tua wɔn so ka, Ao Awurade, deɛ wɔn nsa ayɛ enti.
65 Give them confusion of heart, thy curse he upon them.
Pirim wɔn akoma, na ma wo nnome mmra wɔn so.
66 Pursue them in anger and destroy from under the heavens of the Lord.
Fa abufuo taa wɔn, na sɛe wɔn firi Awurade sorosoro ase.
