Lamentations 5
1 Remember, Yahweh, what has happened to us; look and see our disgrace.
Ao Awurade, kae deɛ aba yɛn so; hwɛ, na hunu yɛn animguaseɛ.
2 Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers; our houses to foreigners.
Wɔadane yɛn agyapadeɛ ama ahɔhoɔ, wɔde yɛn afie ama ananafoɔ.
3 We have become orphans, the fatherless, and our mothers are like widows.
Yɛayɛ nwisiaa na yɛnni agyanom, yɛn maamenom ayɛ sɛ akunafoɔ.
4 We must pay silver for the water we drink, and we must pay silver to get our own wood.
Ɛsɛ sɛ yɛtɔ nsuo a yɛnom; yɛbɛnya nnyina a, gye sɛ yɛtɔ.
5 Those who are coming after us are close behind us; we are weary and we can find no rest.
Wɔn a wɔtaa yɛn no abɛn yɛn pɛɛ; Yɛabrɛ na yɛnnya ahomegyeɛ.
6 We have given ourselves to Egypt and to Assyria to get enough food.
Yɛde yɛn ho maa Misraim ne Asiria sɛdeɛ yɛbɛnya aduane a ɛbɛso yɛn.
7 Our fathers sinned, and they are no more, and we bear their iniquities.
Yɛn agyanom yɛɛ bɔne, na wɔnni hɔ bio, na yɛn na wɔn asotwe abɛda yɛn so.
8 Slaves rule over us, and there is no one to deliver us from their hand.
Nkoa di yɛn so, na obiara nni hɔ a ɔbɛgye yɛn afiri wɔn nsam.
9 We get our bread only by risking our lives, because of the sword in the wilderness.
Yɛde yɛn nkwa bɔ afɔdeɛ de pɛ yɛn anoduane, akofena a ɛwɔ ɛserɛ so no enti.
10 Our skin has grown as hot as an oven because of the burning heat of hunger.
Yɛn honam adɔ sɛ fononoo. Ɛkɔm ama huraeɛ abɔ yɛn.
11 Women are raped in Zion, and virgins in the cities of Judah.
Wɔato mmaa monnaa wɔ Sion, ne mmaabunu a wɔwɔ Yuda nkuro so.
12 Princes are hung up by their own hands, and no honor is shown to the elders.
Wɔkyekyere mmapɔmma nsa na wɔasɛn wɔn; wɔmmfa anidie mma mpanimfoɔ.
13 Young men are forced to grind grain with a millstone, and boys stagger under heavy loads of wood.
Mmeranteɛ yɛ adwuma den wɔ ayuoyammoɔ so; na mmerantewaa nan toto wɔ nnyina duruduru ase.
14 The elders have left the city gate, and the young men have left their music.
Mpanimfoɔ ntena kuropɔn apono ano bio; mmeranteɛ agyae wɔn nnwontoɔ.
15 The joy of our heart has ceased and our dancing has turned into mourning.
Ahosɛpɛ afiri yɛn akoma mu; yɛn asa adane agyaadwotwa.
16 The crown has fallen from our head; woe to us, for we have sinned!
Ahenkyɛ afiri yɛn tiri so. Yɛn ara, yɛnnue sɛ yɛayɛ bɔne!
17 For this our heart has become sick, for these things our eyes grow dim
Yei enti yɛn akoma atɔ piti, yeinom enti yɛn ani so ayɛ kusuu
18 for Mount Zion lies desolate, with jackals prowling over it.
wɔ Sion bepɔ a ada mpan na sakraman nenam soɔ no enti.
19 But you, Yahweh, reign forever, and you will sit upon your throne from generation to generation.
Wo, Ao Awurade, di ɔhene afebɔɔ; wʼahennwa firi awoɔ ntoatoasoɔ kɔsi awoɔ ntoatoasoɔ.
20 Why do you forget us forever? Why do you forsake us for so many days?
Adɛn enti na wo werɛ firi yɛn daa yi? Adɛn enti na wagya yɛn mmerɛ tenten mu yi?
21 Restore us to yourself, Yahweh, and we will be restored. Renew our days as they were long ago—
Ka yɛn bata wo ho bio, Ao, Awurade, na yɛatumi aba wo nkyɛn; yɛ yɛn nna foforɔ sɛ tete no
22 unless you have utterly rejected us and you are angry with us beyond measure.
agye sɛ wapo yɛn koraa anaa sɛ wo bo afu yɛn mmorosoɔ.
