Lamentations 5
1 Remember, O Yahweh, what hath befallen us, Look around, and see our reproach:
Awurade, kae nea aba yɛn so; hwɛ, na hu yɛn animguase.
2 Our inheritance, turned over to foreigners, our houses, to aliens.
Wɔadan yɛn agyapade ama ahɔho, wɔde yɛn afi ama ananafo.
3 Orphans, have we become, and fatherless, our mothers, are widows indeed.
Yɛayɛ nyisaa na yenni agyanom, yɛn nanom yɛ akunafo.
4 Our water—for silver, have we drunk, our wood—for a price, cometh in.
Ɛsɛ sɛ yɛtɔ nsu a yɛnom; yebenya nnyina a, gye sɛ yɛtɔ.
5 Upon our necks, are our pursuers, We labour, and there is allowed us no rest.
Wɔn a wɔtaa yɛn no abɛn yɛn pɛɛ; Yɛabrɛ na yennya ahomegye.
6 To Egypt, have we stretched out our hand, to Assyria, to be satisfied with bread.
Yɛde yɛn ho maa Misraim ne Asiria sɛnea yebenya aduan a ɛbɛso yɛn.
7 Our fathers, sinned, and are not, and, we, their iniquities, have borne.
Yɛn agyanom yɛɛ bɔne, na wonni hɔ bio, na yɛn na wɔn asotwe abɛda yɛn so.
8 Slaves, have ruled over us, There is none to set free from their hand.
Nkoa di yɛn so, na obiara nni hɔ a obegye yɛn afi wɔn nsam.
9 At the risk of our life, do we bring in our bread, because of the sword of the desert.
Yɛde yɛn nkwa bɔ afɔre de pɛ yɛn anoduan, afoa a ɛwɔ sare so no nti.
10 Our skin, as with a furnace, is scorched, because of the hot winds of famine.
Yɛn honam adɔ sɛ fononoo. Ɔkɔm ama atiridii abɔ yɛn.
11 Women—in Zion, were ravished, virgins, in the cities of Judah!
Wɔato mmea mmonnaa wɔ Sion, ne mmabun a wɔwɔ Yuda nkurow so.
12 Princes, by their hand, have been hanged, The faces of elders, not honoured.
Wɔkyekyere mmapɔmma nsa na wɔasɛn wɔn; wɔmmfa nidi mma mpanyimfo.
13 Young men, a millstone, have lifted, and, youths, under wood, have staggered.
Mmerante yɛ adwumaden wɔ awiyammo so; na mmerantewa nan toto wɔ nnyina duruduru ase.
14 Elders, from the gates, have ceased. Young men, from their music.
Mpanyimfo ntena kuropɔn apon ano bio; mmerante agyae wɔn nnwonto.
15 Ceased hath the joy of our hearts, Changed to mourning, our dance.
Ahosɛpɛw afi yɛn koma mu; yɛn asaw adan agyaadwotwa.
16 Fallen is the crown of our head. Surely woe to us, for we have sinned.
Ahenkyɛw afi yɛn ti so. Yɛn ara, yennue sɛ yɛayɛ bɔne!
17 For this cause, faint is our heart, For these things, dimmed are our eyes:
Eyi nti yɛn koma atɔ beraw, eyinom nti yɛn ani so ayɛ kusuu
18 Because of Mount Zion, which is desolate, jackals, have gone prowling therein.
wɔ Sion bepɔw a ada mpan na sakraman nenam so no nti.
19 Thou, O Yahweh, unto times age-abiding, dost remain, Thy throne, from generation to generation:
Wo, Awurade, di hene afebɔɔ; wʼahengua fi awo ntoatoaso kosi awo ntoatoaso.
20 Wherefore shouldst thou perpetually forget us? forsake us, to length of days?
Adɛn nti na wo werɛ fi yɛn daa yi? Adɛn nti na wagyaw yɛn, mmere tenten mu yi?
21 Bring us back, O Yahweh, unto thyself, and we will come back! Renew our days, as of old;
Ka yɛn bata wo ho bio, Awurade, na yɛatumi asan aba wo nkyɛn; yɛ yɛn nna foforo sɛ tete no
22 For though thou hast not, utterly rejected, us, thou art wroth with us—exceedingly!
gye sɛ woapo yɛn koraa anaasɛ wo bo afuw yɛn mmoroso.
