Lamentations 5
1 Yahweh, think about what has happened to us. See that we have been disgraced.
Ao Awurade, kae deɛ aba yɛn so; hwɛ, na hunu yɛn animguaseɛ.
2 Foreigners have seized our property, [and now] they live in our homes.
Wɔadane yɛn agyapadeɛ ama ahɔhoɔ, wɔde yɛn afie ama ananafoɔ.
3 [Our enemies] have killed our fathers; they caused our mothers to become widows.
Yɛayɛ nwisiaa na yɛnni agyanom, yɛn maamenom ayɛ sɛ akunafoɔ.
4 [Now] we are required to pay for water to drink, and we must pay [a lot of money] for firewood.
Ɛsɛ sɛ yɛtɔ nsuo a yɛnom; yɛbɛnya nnyina a, gye sɛ yɛtɔ.
5 [It is as though] those who pursue us are at our heels; we are exhausted, but they do not allow us to rest.
Wɔn a wɔtaa yɛn no abɛn yɛn pɛɛ; Yɛabrɛ na yɛnnya ahomegyeɛ.
6 In order to get enough food [to remain alive], we went to Egypt and Assyria and offered to work [for the people there].
Yɛde yɛn ho maa Misraim ne Asiria sɛdeɛ yɛbɛnya aduane a ɛbɛso yɛn.
7 Our ancestors sinned, and now they are dead, but we are being punished for the sins that they committed.
Yɛn agyanom yɛɛ bɔne, na wɔnni hɔ bio, na yɛn na wɔn asotwe abɛda yɛn so.
8 [Officials from Babylon] who were [previously] slaves [now] rule over us, and there is no one who can rescue us from their power.
Nkoa di yɛn so, na obiara nni hɔ a ɔbɛgye yɛn afiri wɔn nsam.
9 When we roam around in the desert searching for food, we are in danger of being killed, because people there kill strangers with their swords.
Yɛde yɛn nkwa bɔ afɔdeɛ de pɛ yɛn anoduane, akofena a ɛwɔ ɛserɛ so no enti.
10 Our skin has become hot like [SIM] an oven, and we have a very high fever because we are extremely hungry.
Yɛn honam adɔ sɛ fononoo. Ɛkɔm ama huraeɛ abɔ yɛn.
11 [Our enemies] have raped the women in Jerusalem, [and they have done that to] the young women in [all] the towns of Judea.
Wɔato mmaa monnaa wɔ Sion, ne mmaabunu a wɔwɔ Yuda nkuro so.
12 [Our enemies] have hanged our leaders, and they do not respect our elders.
Wɔkyekyere mmapɔmma nsa na wɔasɛn wɔn; wɔmmfa anidie mma mpanimfoɔ.
13 They force our young men to grind [flour] with millstones, and boys stagger while they [are forced to] carry [heavy] loads of firewood.
Mmeranteɛ yɛ adwuma den wɔ ayuoyammoɔ so; na mmerantewaa nan toto wɔ nnyina duruduru ase.
14 [Our] elders no longer sit at the city gates [to make important decisions]; the young men no longer play their musical [instruments].
Mpanimfoɔ ntena kuropɔn apono ano bio; mmeranteɛ agyae wɔn nnwontoɔ.
15 We [SYN] are no longer joyful; instead of dancing [joyfully], we now mourn.
Ahosɛpɛ afiri yɛn akoma mu; yɛn asa adane agyaadwotwa.
16 The wreaths [of flowers] have fallen off our heads. Terrible things have happened to us because of the sins that we committed.
Ahenkyɛ afiri yɛn tiri so. Yɛn ara, yɛnnue sɛ yɛayɛ bɔne!
17 We [SYN] are tired and discouraged [IDM], and we cannot see well because our eyes are [full of tears].
Yei enti yɛn akoma atɔ piti, yeinom enti yɛn ani so ayɛ kusuu
18 Jerusalem is [completely] deserted, and jackals/wolves prowl around it.
wɔ Sion bepɔ a ada mpan na sakraman nenam soɔ no enti.
19 But Yahweh, you rule forever! You continue to rule [MTY] from one generation to the next generation.
Wo, Ao Awurade, di ɔhene afebɔɔ; wʼahennwa firi awoɔ ntoatoasoɔ kɔsi awoɔ ntoatoasoɔ.
20 [So] why [RHQ] have you forgotten us? Why [RHQ] have you abandoned us for a very long time?
Adɛn enti na wo werɛ firi yɛn daa yi? Adɛn enti na wagya yɛn mmerɛ tenten mu yi?
21 [Please] enable us to return to you, and enable us to prosper [MTY] as we did previously.
Ka yɛn bata wo ho bio, Ao, Awurade, na yɛatumi aba wo nkyɛn; yɛ yɛn nna foforɔ sɛ tete no
22 Please do that, because we hope that [RHQ] you have not rejected us forever and that [RHQ] you do not continue to be extremely angry with us!
agye sɛ wapo yɛn koraa anaa sɛ wo bo afu yɛn mmorosoɔ.
