Lamentations 3
1 I, am the man, that hath seen affliction, by the rod of his indignation;
Mene ɔbarima a mahu amane wɔ nʼabufuw abaa ano.
2 Me, hath he driven out and brought into darkness, and not light;
Wapam me afi ne ho ama manantew sum mu na ɛnyɛ hann mu;
3 Surely, against me, doth he again and again, turn his hand all the day.
Ampa ara wama nsa so atia me mpɛn bebree, da mu nyinaa.
4 He hath worn out my flesh and my skin, hath broken my bones;
Wama me were ne me nam anyin Na wabubu me nnompe.
5 He hath built up against me, and carried round me, fortifications and a trench;
Waka me ahyɛ mu, na watua me ano ɔde nweenwen ne ahokyere atwa me ho ahyia.
6 In dark places, hath he made me sit, like the dead of age-past times.
Wama matena sum mu sɛ wɔn a wɔawuwu dedaw no.
7 He hath walled up around me, that I cannot get out, hath weighted my fetter;
Wato ɔfasu atwa me ho ahyia enti mintumi nguan; wagu me nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn ama matɔ beraw.
8 Yea, when I make outcry and implore, he hath shut out my prayer;
Mpo sɛ mefrɛ anaasɛ mebɔ mpae srɛ mmoa a osiw me mpaebɔ ano.
9 He hath walled in my ways with hewn stone, my paths, hath he caused to wind back.
Ɔde abotan asiw me kwan; wama mʼakwan ayɛ kɔntɔnkye.
10 A bear lying in wait, he is to me, a lion, in secret places;
Te sɛ sisi a ɔda hɔ retwɛn, te sɛ gyata a watɛw,
11 My ways, hath he turned aside, and hath torn me in pieces, hath made me desolate;
ɔtwee me fii ɔkwan no mu bebaree me na ogyaw me a minni mmoa biara.
12 He hath trodden his bow, and set me up, as a mark for the arrow.
Okuntun ne ta mu na ɔde ne bɛmma kyerɛɛ me so.
13 He hath caused to enter my reins, the sons of his quiver;
Ɔde bɛmma a efi ne kotoku mu hwirew me koma mu.
14 I have become a derision to all my people, their song all the day;
Meyɛɛ akyiwade maa me nkurɔfo nyinaa; wɔto akutia nnwom de di me ho fɛw da mu nyinaa.
15 He hath sated me with bitter things, hath drenched me with wormwood.
Ɔde nhaban nweenwen ahyɛ me ma. Wama me bɔnwoma anom.
16 And he hath crushed, with gravel-stones, my teeth, hath made me cower in ashes;
Ɔde mmosea abubu me se; na watiatia me so wɔ mfutuma mu.
17 And thou hast thrust away from welfare, my soul, I have forgotten prosperity;
Wɔama asomdwoe abɔ me; na me werɛ afi yiyedi.
18 And I said, Vanished is mine endurance, even mine expectation, from Yahweh.
Enti mise, “Mʼanuonyam asa, nea mede mʼani too so Awurade mu no nyinaa.”
19 Remember my humiliation and my fleeings, the wormwood and poison;
Mekae mʼamanehunu wɔ mʼakyinkyinakyinkyin mu, nweenwen ne bɔnwoma mu.
20 Thou wilt, indeed remember, that, bowed down concerning myself, is my soul;
Mekae yiye, na me kra abotow wɔ me mu.
21 This, will I bring back to my heart, therefore, will I hope.
Nanso midwen eyi ho; saa nti mewɔ anidaso.
22 The lovingkindnesses of Yahweh, verily they are not exhausted, Verily! not at an end, are his compassions:
Awurade dɔ kɛse nti yɛnsɛee ɛ. Nʼayamhyehye nni huammɔ.
23 New things for the mornings! Abundant is thy faithfulness:
Ɛyɛ foforo anɔpa biara; wo nokwaredi yɛ kɛse.
24 My portion, is Yahweh, saith my soul, For this cause, will I wait for him.
Meka kyerɛ me ho se, “Awurade yɛ me kyɛfa, enti mɛtwɛn no.”
25 Good is Yahweh, to them who wait for him, to the soul that will seek him;
Awurade ye ma wɔn a wɔn anidaso wɔ ne mu, onipa a ɔhwehwɛ no no;
26 Good it is—both to wait and to be silent, for the deliverance of Yahweh;
Eye sɛ wɔyɛ komm de twɛn Awurade nkwagye.
27 Good it is for a man, that he should bear the yoke in his youth.
Eye ma ɔbarima sɛ ɔsoa konnua no wɔ ne mmerantebere mu.
28 Let him sit alone, and keep silence, because he took it upon himself:
Ma ɔntena ase komm, efisɛ Awurade de ato ne so.
29 Let him put, in the dust, his mouth, peradventure, there is hope!
Ma ɔmfa nʼanim nsie wɔ mfutuma mu, ebia anidaso wɔ hɔ.
30 Let him give, to him that smiteth him, his cheek, let him be sated with reproach.
Ma ɔmfa nʼafono mma nea ɔpɛɛ sɛ ɔbɔ no no na ɔnhyɛ no aniwu.
31 Surely My Lord, will not cast off, unto times age-abiding;
Na Awurade ntow onipa biara nkyene koraa.
32 Surely, though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion, according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses;
Ɛwɔ mu, ɔde awerɛhow ba de, nanso obenya ayamhyehye. Ne dɔ kɛse no to rentwa da.
33 Surely he hath not afflicted from his heart, nor caused sorrow to the sons of men.
Ofi amemenemfe mu de amanehunu anaa awerɛhow brɛ nnipa mma.
34 To crush, under his feet, any of the prisoners of the earth;
Sɛ wɔde wɔn nan dwerɛw nneduafo a wɔwɔ asase no so a,
35 To turn aside the right of a man, before the face of the Most High;
sɛ wotiatia obi ahofadi so wɔ Ɔsorosoroni no anim a,
36 To oppress a son of earth in his cause, My Lord, hath made no provision.
anaa sɛ wobu obi ntɛnkyew a, Awurade renhu saa nneɛma yi ana?
37 Who was it that spake, and it was done, [when], My Lord, had not commanded?
Hena na obetumi aka na wama aba mu wɔ bere a ɛnyɛ Awurade na ɔhyɛe?
38 Out of the mouth of the Most High, Proceed there not misfortunes and blessing?
Ɛnyɛ Ɔsorosoroni no anom na mmusu ne nnepa fi ana?
39 Why should a living son of earth complain, [Let] a man [complain] because of his sins?
Adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ ɔteasefo nwiinwii bere a wɔatwe nʼaso wɔ ne bɔne ho?
40 Let us search out our ways, and examine them well, and let us return unto Yahweh;
Momma yɛnhwehwɛ yɛn akwan mu na yɛnsɔ nhwɛ, na yɛnsan nkɔ Awurade nkyɛn.
41 Let us lift up our heart, to the opened palms, to the Mighty One in the heavens;
Momma yɛmma yɛn koma ne yɛn nsa so, nkyerɛ Onyankopɔn wɔ ɔsoro, na yɛnka se:
42 We, have trespassed and rebelled, Thou, hast not pardoned.
“Yɛayɛ bɔne, na yɛatew atua na wamfa ankyɛ.
43 Thou hast covered thyself with anger, and pursued us, hast slain—hast not spared;
“Wode abufuw akata wo ho ataa yɛn; na woakunkum a woannya ahummɔbɔ.
44 Thou hast screened thyself with the clouds, that prayer, should not pass through;
Wode wo ho asie omununkum mu nti mpaebɔ biara nnu wo nkyɛn.
45 Offscouring and refuse, dost thou make us, in the midst of the peoples.
Woayɛ yɛn atantanne ne nwura wɔ amanaman no mu.
46 With their mouth, opened wide over us, [stand] all our foes.
“Yɛn atamfo nyinaa abaa wɔn anom tɛtrɛɛ de tia yɛn.
47 Terror and a pit, have befallen us, tumult and grievous injury;
Yɛabrɛ ne ahunahuna ne akukuruhwease, mmubui ne ɔsɛe.”
48 With streams of water, mine eye runneth down, over the grievous injury of the daughter of my people.
Me nusu sen sɛ asuten efisɛ wɔasɛe me nkurɔfo.
49 Mine eye, poureth itself out and ceaseth not, without relief;
Me nusu bɛsen ara, na ɛrennyae,
50 Until Yahweh out of the heavens shall look forth, and see,
kosi sɛ Awurade bɛhwɛ afi ɔsoro, na wahu.
51 Mine eye dealeth severely with my soul, because of all the daughters of my city.
Nea mihu no ma me kra werɛ how, me kuropɔn no mu mmea nyinaa nti.
52 They, have laid snares, for me as a bird, who are mine enemies without cause:
Mʼatamfo a menyɛɛ wɔn hwee pampam me sɛ anomaa.
53 They have cut off, in the dungeon, my life, and have cast a stone upon me;
Wɔpɛɛ sɛ wotwa me nkwa so na wosiw me abo wɔ amoa mu;
54 Waters, flowed over, my head, I said, I am cut off!
nsu bu faa me ti so, na ɛyɛɛ me sɛnea wɔrewie me.
55 I have called upon thy Name, O Yahweh, out of the dungeon below;
Mebɔɔ wo din, Awurade fii amoa no ase tɔnn.
56 My voice, thou hast heard, —do not close thine ear to my respite, to mine outcry;
Wotee me sufrɛ: “Nsiw wʼaso wɔ me gye sufrɛ ho.”
57 Thou drewest near, in the day I kept calling on thee, thou saidst, Do not fear!
Wutwiw bɛn me bere a mefrɛɛ wo no, na wokae se, “Nsuro.”
58 Thou hast pleaded, O My Lord, the pleas of my soul, hast redeemed my life;
Wo Awurade, wudii mʼasɛm maa me; na wugyee me nkwa.
59 Thou hast beheld, O Yahweh, my failure to get justice, Pronounce thou my sentence;
Woahu bɔne a wɔayɛ me, Awurade. Di mʼasɛm ma me!
60 Thou hast seen all their vindictiveness, all their plots against me.
Woahu wɔn aweretɔ no mu den, wɔn pɔw a wɔbɔ tia me no nyinaa.
61 Thou hast heard their reproach, O Yahweh, all their plots against me;
Awurade, woate wɔn ntwirii, wɔn pɔw a wɔbɔ tia me no nyinaa,
62 The lips of mine assailants, and their mutterings, are against me, all the day;
nea mʼatamfo ka no asomsɛm na wɔka no brɛoo de tia me da mu nyinaa.
63 On their downsitting and their uprising, do thou look, I, am their song.
Hwɛ wɔn! Sɛ wogyinagyina hɔ anaasɛ wɔtete hɔ, wɔto akutia nnwom de di me ho fɛw.
64 Thou wilt render to them a recompense, O Yahweh, according to the work of their hands;
Fa nea ɛfata tua wɔn so ka, Awurade, nea wɔn nsa ayɛ nti.
65 Thou wilt suffer them a veiling of heart, thy curse to them;
Pirim wɔn koma, na ma wo nnome mmra wɔn so.
66 Thou wilt pursue in anger, and wilt destroy them, from under the heavens of Yahweh.
Fa abufuw taa wɔn, na sɛe wɔn fi Awurade ɔsorosoro ase.
