Lamentations 4
1 Oh how is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! how are the stones of the sanctuary poured out at the corners of every street.
Sɛdeɛ sikakɔkɔɔ a anka ɛhyerɛn no nie? Sikakɔkɔɔ amapa no ho abiri! Wɔatoto aboɔdemmoɔ kronkron apete wɔ mmɔntene biara so.
2 The precious sons of Zion, valued equal to pure gold, how are they now esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
Hwɛ sɛdeɛ Sion mmammarima a wɔdi mu na anka wɔsom bo sɛ sika kɔkɔɔ no ayɛ, seesei wɔfa wɔn sɛ dɔteɛ nkukuo, ɔnwomfoɔ nsa ano adwuma!
3 Even wild beasts offer the breast, they give suck to their young ones: the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.
Mpo sakraman yi wɔn nufoɔ ma wɔn mma enum, nanso me nkurɔfoɔ ayɛ atirimuɔdenfoɔ sɛ sohori a ɔwɔ ɛserɛ so.
4 The tongue of the suckling cleaveth to its palate by reason of thirst: babes ask for bread, there is not one to break it for them.
Osukɔm enti, akokoaa tɛkrɛma fam ne dodo mu; mmɔfra no su pɛ aduane, nanso obiara mfa mma wɔn.
5 Those that used to eat dainty food are desolate in the streets: they that were reared up on scarlet now embrace dunghills.
Wɔn a na anka wɔdi nnuane pa no ohia buruburo aka wɔn wɔ mmɔntene so. Wɔn a wɔde serekye tetee wɔn no seesei wɔdeda nso nkɔfie so.
6 For greater is the iniquity of the daughter of my people than the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as it were in a moment, and no human hands were laid on her.
Me nkurɔfoɔ asotwe so sene Sodom a wɔtuu wɔn mpofirim no deɛ, a wɔannya ɔboafoɔ biara no.
7 Her crowned princes were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more brilliant in body than pearls, more than the sapphire, their countenance:
Na wɔn ahenemma ho twa sene sukyerɛmma, na wɔhoa sene nufosuo, na wɔn onipadua no bere na ɛwɔ ahoɔden te sɛ abohemaa, na wɔte sɛ aboɔdemmoɔ.
8 Darker than black is now their visage; they are not to be recognized in the streets: their skin is shriveled fast upon their bones; it is dry, it is become like wood.
Nanso, seesei deɛ, wɔbiri sene wisiapunu; na wɔnhunu wɔn yie wɔ mmɔntene so. Wɔn wedeɛ atwintwam wɔ wɔn nnompe so; ɛho awo wesee sɛ abaa.
9 Happier are those slain by the sword than those slain by hunger; for those poured forth their blood, being pierced through, —[these perished] without the fruits of the field.
Wɔn a wɔtotɔ wɔ akofena ano no yɛ koraa sene wɔn a ɛkɔm kunkumm wɔn; ɛkɔm tware wɔn, ma wɔwuwu ɛsiane aduane a ɛnni mfuo so enti.
10 The hands of merciful women cooked their own children: they became food unto them in the downfall of the daughter of my people.
Mmaa a wɔwɔ ayamhyehyeɛ de wɔn nsa anoa wɔn ankasa mma, ayɛ wɔn aduane ɛberɛ a wɔsɛee me nkurɔfoɔ no.
11 The Lord hath let loose all his fury: he hath poured out the fierceness of his anger: and he hath kindled a fire in Zion, which hath devoured her foundations.
Awurade ada nʼabufuhyeɛ nyinaa adi; wahwie nʼabufuo a ano yɛ den no. Ɔsɔɔ ogya ano wɔ Sion ma ɛhyee ne fapem.
12 The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not believe that an adversary or an enemy could ever enter within the gates of Jerusalem.
Asase so ahemfo annye anni, ewiase mu nnipa nso annye anni sɛ atamfoɔ bɛtumi ahyɛne Yerusalem apono mu.
13 [But it hath happened] because of the sins of her prophets, the iniquities of her priests, that had shed in the midst of her the blood of the righteous.
Nanso ɛsiiɛ, nʼadiyifoɔ no bɔne ne nʼasɔfoɔ amumuyɛ enti, wɔn na wɔhwiee teneneefoɔ mogya guu wɔ kuropɔn no mu.
14 They wandered about blindly in the streets, they became defiled with blood; so that men were not able to touch their garments.
Afei wɔkeka wɔ mmɔntene so te sɛ nnipa a wɔn ani afira. Mogya a ama wɔn ho agu fi no enti obiara suro sɛ ɔde ne ho bɛka wɔn ntadeɛ.
15 Depart, ye unclean, they called out unto them: depart, depart, touch not. So they flee away and also wander about: men say among the nations, They shall no more sojourn there.
Nnipa teateaam gu wɔn so sɛ, “Momfiri ha nkɔ! Mo ho nnte! Monkɔ, monkɔ! Mommfa mo ho nka yɛn.” Sɛ wɔdwane kɔnenam a amanaman no mu nnipa ka sɛ, “Wɔrentumi ntena ha bio.”
16 The anger of the Lord hath divided them; he will no more look at them: the faces of the priests they respected not, and the elders they spared not.
Awurade ankasa abɔ wɔn ahwete; nʼani nni wɔn so bio. Wɔmmfa anidie mma asɔfoɔ, na wɔn ani nnsɔ mpanimfoɔ.
17 Even now our eyes anxiously wait for our valueless help: in our waiting have we waited for a nation that cannot help.
Deɛ ɛka ho bio, yɛn ani anni ammoa yɛn, yɛpɛɛ sɛ yɛbɛnya mmoa, nanso ɛyɛɛ ɔkwa; yɛfiri yɛn abantenten so de yɛn ani too ɔman a wɔrentumi nnye yɛn so.
18 They hunt our steps, that we cannot walk in our streets: our end is near, our days are full: for our end is come.
Nnipa dii yɛn ntɛntɛ wɔ yɛn anammɔntuo mu, enti yɛantumi annante yɛn mmɔntene so. Yɛn awieeɛ bɛneeɛ, na wɔkanee yɛn nna, ɛfiri sɛ na yɛn awieeɛ aduru so.
19 Swifter were our pursuers than the eagles of heaven: upon the mountains did they hotly follow us: in the wilderness did they lie in wait for us.
Yɛn ataafoɔ ho yɛ hare sene akɔdeɛ a wɔwɔ ewiem; wɔtaa yɛn faa mmepɔ so na wɔtɛɛ yɛn wɔ ɛserɛ so.
20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, was caught in their pits, he, of whom we said, Under his shadow shall we live among the nations.
Deɛ Awurade asra no ngo, yɛn ankasa yɛn nkwa no, ɔtɔɔ wɔn mfidie mu. Yɛgye dii sɛ ne nwunu ase yɛbɛnya nkwa wɔ amanaman no mu.
21 Be glad and rejoice, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of 'Uz: also unto thee shall the cup pass; thou wilt be drunken, and make thyself naked.
Di ahurisie na ma wʼani nnye, Ao Edom Ɔbabaa, wo a wote Us asase so. Wɔde kuruwa no bɛma wo nso bi; wobɛboro na wɔabɔ wo adagya.
22 Brought to an end is thy iniquity, O daughter of Zion; He will no more carry thee away into exile: He visiteth thy iniquity, O daughter of Edom; He layeth open thy sins.
Ao Ɔbabaa Sion, wʼasotwe bɛba awieeɛ; ɔremma wonkɔ so ntena nnommumfa mu. Nanso, Ao Ɔbabaa Edom, ɔbɛtua wo bɔne so ka na wada wʼamumuyɛ adi.
