Lamentations 5
1 Remember, O YHWH, what has befallen us, Look attentively, and see our reproach.
Ao Awurade, kae deɛ aba yɛn so; hwɛ, na hunu yɛn animguaseɛ.
2 Our inheritance has been turned to strangers, Our houses to foreigners.
Wɔadane yɛn agyapadeɛ ama ahɔhoɔ, wɔde yɛn afie ama ananafoɔ.
3 Orphans we have been—without a father, our mothers [are] as widows.
Yɛayɛ nwisiaa na yɛnni agyanom, yɛn maamenom ayɛ sɛ akunafoɔ.
4 We have drunk our water for money, Our wood comes for a price.
Ɛsɛ sɛ yɛtɔ nsuo a yɛnom; yɛbɛnya nnyina a, gye sɛ yɛtɔ.
5 For our neck we have been pursued, We have labored—there has been no rest for us.
Wɔn a wɔtaa yɛn no abɛn yɛn pɛɛ; Yɛabrɛ na yɛnnya ahomegyeɛ.
6 [To] Egypt we have given a hand, [To] Asshur, to be satisfied with bread.
Yɛde yɛn ho maa Misraim ne Asiria sɛdeɛ yɛbɛnya aduane a ɛbɛso yɛn.
7 Our fathers have sinned—they are not, We have borne their iniquities.
Yɛn agyanom yɛɛ bɔne, na wɔnni hɔ bio, na yɛn na wɔn asotwe abɛda yɛn so.
8 Servants have ruled over us, There is no deliverer from their hand.
Nkoa di yɛn so, na obiara nni hɔ a ɔbɛgye yɛn afiri wɔn nsam.
9 With our lives we bring in our bread, Because of the sword of the wilderness.
Yɛde yɛn nkwa bɔ afɔdeɛ de pɛ yɛn anoduane, akofena a ɛwɔ ɛserɛ so no enti.
10 Our skin as an oven has been burning, Because of the raging of the famine.
Yɛn honam adɔ sɛ fononoo. Ɛkɔm ama huraeɛ abɔ yɛn.
11 Wives in Zion they have humbled, Virgins—in cities of Judah.
Wɔato mmaa monnaa wɔ Sion, ne mmaabunu a wɔwɔ Yuda nkuro so.
12 Princes have been hanged by their hand, Elderly faces have not been honored.
Wɔkyekyere mmapɔmma nsa na wɔasɛn wɔn; wɔmmfa anidie mma mpanimfoɔ.
13 They have taken young men to grind, And youths have stumbled with wood.
Mmeranteɛ yɛ adwuma den wɔ ayuoyammoɔ so; na mmerantewaa nan toto wɔ nnyina duruduru ase.
14 Elderly have ceased from the gate, Young men from their song.
Mpanimfoɔ ntena kuropɔn apono ano bio; mmeranteɛ agyae wɔn nnwontoɔ.
15 The joy of our heart has ceased, Our dancing has been turned to mourning.
Ahosɛpɛ afiri yɛn akoma mu; yɛn asa adane agyaadwotwa.
16 The crown has fallen [from] our head, Woe [is] now to us, for we have sinned.
Ahenkyɛ afiri yɛn tiri so. Yɛn ara, yɛnnue sɛ yɛayɛ bɔne!
17 Our heart has been sick for this, Our eyes have been dim for these.
Yei enti yɛn akoma atɔ piti, yeinom enti yɛn ani so ayɛ kusuu
18 For the Mount of Zion—that is desolate, Foxes have gone up on it.
wɔ Sion bepɔ a ada mpan na sakraman nenam soɔ no enti.
19 You, O YHWH, remain for all time, Your throne to generation and generation.
Wo, Ao Awurade, di ɔhene afebɔɔ; wʼahennwa firi awoɔ ntoatoasoɔ kɔsi awoɔ ntoatoasoɔ.
20 Why do You forget us forever? You forsake us for [the] length of [our] days!
Adɛn enti na wo werɛ firi yɛn daa yi? Adɛn enti na wagya yɛn mmerɛ tenten mu yi?
21 Turn us back, O YHWH, to You, And we turn back, renew our days as of old.
Ka yɛn bata wo ho bio, Ao, Awurade, na yɛatumi aba wo nkyɛn; yɛ yɛn nna foforɔ sɛ tete no
22 For have You utterly rejected us? You have been angry against us—exceedingly?
agye sɛ wapo yɛn koraa anaa sɛ wo bo afu yɛn mmorosoɔ.
