Kwadwom 1
1 Sɛnea kuropɔn no adan amamfo ni, kuropɔn a anka nnipa ahyɛ no ma! Adɛn nti na wayɛ okunafobea a kan no na anka ɔyɛ ɔkɛse wɔ amanaman no mu? Nea na ɔyɛ ɔhemmea wɔ amantam no mu no abɛyɛ afenaa nnɛ.
Oh how doth she sit solitary—the city that was full of people is become like a widow! she that was so great among the nations, the princess among the provinces, is become tributary!
2 Osu yayaayaw anadwo, nusu sensan nʼafono so. Nʼadɔfo nyinaa mu no, obiara nni hɔ a ɔkyekyee ne werɛ. Ne nnamfonom nyinaa ayi no ama Wɔayɛ nʼatamfo.
She weepeth sorely in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks; she hath none to comfort her among all her lovers; all her friends have dealt treacherously toward her, they are become her enemies.
3 Amanehunu ne adwumaden akyi no, Yuda kɔ nnommum mu. Ɔte amanaman no mu na onni ahomegyebea. Wɔn a wɔtaa no nyinaa ato no wɔ nʼahokyere mu.
Exiled is Judah because of affliction, and because of the greatness of servitude she dwelleth indeed among the nations, she findeth no rest: all her pursuers have overtaken her between the narrow passes.
4 Akwan a ɛkɔ Sion no resu, efisɛ obiara nkɔ nʼafahyɛ ase. Nʼapon nyinaa adeda mpan, na nʼasɔfo si apini, ne mmabaa di yaw, na ɔwɔ yawdi a mu yɛ den mu.
The ways to Zion are in mourning, because none come to the solemn feasts; all her gates are desolate; her priests sigh; her virgins moan, and she suffereth herself from bitter grief.
5 Nʼatamfo abɛyɛ ne wuranom; wɔn a wɔne no ayɛ adɔm ho adwo wɔn. Awurade ama awerɛhow aba ne so nʼamumɔyɛ bebrebe nti. Ne mma kɔ nnommum mu. Wɔayɛ nneduafo ama ɔtamfo.
Her adversaries are become chiefs, her enemies prosper; for the Lord hath caused her to grieve because of the multitude of her transgressions: her babes are gone into captivity before the adversary.
6 Anuonyam nyinaa atu afi Ɔbabea Sion so kɔ. Ne mmapɔmma ayɛ sɛ aforote a wonnya adidibea; na wɔde mmerɛwyɛ aguan wɔ wɔn ataafo anim.
And there is gone forth from the daughter of Zion all her splendor: her princes are become like harts that have found no pasture, and they flee without strength before the pursuer.
7 Nʼamanehunu ne akyinkyinakyinkyin nna mu no, Yerusalem kae ademude nyinaa a na ɛwɔ no wɔ nna a atwa mu no mu. Ne nkurɔfo kɔtɔɔ ɔtamfo no nsa mu no, na obiara nni hɔ a ɔbɛboa no. Nʼatamfo de wɔn ani hwɛɛ no na wɔserew ne sɛe.
Jerusalem remembereth in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her magnificent things which have been in the days of old: when her people fell into the hand of the adversary, with none to help her, the adversaries looked at her, they laughed at the cessation [of her glory].
8 Yerusalem ayɛ bɔne kɛse enti ne ho agu fi. Wɔn a wodi no ni no sopa no, efisɛ wɔahu nʼadagyaw; ɔno ankasa gu ahome na ɔdan nʼani.
A grievous sin did Jerusalem commit, therefore is she become a wanderer: all that honored her hold her in contempt, because they have seen her nakedness; she also sigheth, and turneth [ashamed] backward.
9 Nʼafideyɛ atu aka ne ntade mu; wannwene ne daakye ho. Nʼasehwe yɛ nwonwa; obiara ankyekye ne werɛ. “Awurade, hwɛ mʼamanehunu, efisɛ ɔtamfo adi nkonim.”
[With] her uncleanness on her skirts, she thought not of her latter end: therefore is she come down wonderfully, without one to comfort her. Behold, O Lord, my affliction; for the enemy hath become great [above me].
10 Ɔtamfo no de ne nsa too nʼademude nyinaa so; ohuu sɛ amanaman rehyɛn ne kronkronbea hɔ, nnipa a woabra sɛ wɔnnhyɛn wʼasafo mu no.
His hand hath the adversary spread out over all her magnificent things; for she hath seen nations entering into her sanctuary, of whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation.
11 Ne nkurɔfo nyinaa si apini bere a wɔrehwehwɛ aduan; wɔde wɔn ademude sesa aduan de nya ahoɔden. “Awurade, hwɛ na dwene me ho, efisɛ wobu me animtiaa.”
all her people sigh, they are seeking bread; they have given their precious things for food to refresh their soul: see, O Lord, and look, how I have been brought low.
12 “Ɛmfa mo ho ana, mo a mutwa mu wɔ hɔ nyinaa? Monhwɛ na munhu. Ɔyaw bi wɔ hɔ a ɛte sɛ me de a wɔma ɛbaa me so yi, nea Awurade de baa me so wɔ nʼabufuwhyew da no ana?
“I adjure you, all that pass this way, behold, and see if there be any pain like unto my pain, which hath been inflicted on me, wherewith the Lord hath aggrieved me on the day of his fierce anger.
13 “Ɔsomaa ogya fii ɔsoro, ma ɛbaa me nnompe mu. Osum afiri maa mʼanan na ɔsan me kɔɔ mʼakyi. Ɔyɛɛ me pasaa, metɔɔ beraw da mu nyinaa.
From on high hath he sent a fire into my bones, and breaketh [them] one by one: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath caused me to return backward; he hath made me desolate, sick all the day.
14 “Woakyekyere me bɔne ahyɛ konnua mu; ɔde ne nsa nwen bɔɔ mu. Wɔde asɛn me kɔn mu na Awurade atwe mʼahoɔden. Ɔde me ahyɛ wɔn a merentumi nnyina wɔn anim no nsa.
Bound fast is the yoke of my transgressions by his hand, — they are wreathed, and come up upon my neck; he hath made my strength to stumble: the Lord hath given me up into the hands of [those against whom] I am not able to rise up.
15 “Awurade apo akofo a wɔwɔ me ntam nyinaa; wafrɛ asraafo atia me sɛ wɔmmɛdwerɛw me mmerante. Awurade atiatia Ɔbabea Ɔbabun Yuda so wɔ ne nsakyiamoa mu.
The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me; he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: a winepress hath the Lord trodden over the virgin, the daughter of Judah.
16 “Eyinom nti na misu na nusu aguare me. Obiara mmɛn a ɔbɛkyekye me werɛ, nea ɔbɛhyɛ me honhom den nni hɔ. Me mma agyigya efisɛ ɔtamfo no adi nkonim.”
For these things do I weep; my eye, my eye runneth down with water; because far from me is the comforter that should refresh my soul: my children are in misery, because the enemy hath prevailed.”
17 Sion trɛw ne nsa mu nanso obiara nni hɔ a ɔbɛkyekye ne werɛ. Awurade ahyɛ ama Yakob se ne mfɛfo bɛyɛ nʼatamfo; Yerusalem abɛyɛ afide wɔ wɔn mu.
Zion spreadeth forth her hands, without one to comfort her; the Lord hath given a charge concerning Jacob to all his adversaries round about him: Jerusalem is become as an unclean woman among them.
18 “Awurade yɛ ɔtreneeni, nanso manni nʼahyɛde so. Muntie, mo amanaman nyinaa monhwɛ me yaw. Me mmerante ne mmabaa kɔ nnommum mu.
“Righteous is the Lord; for against his orders have I rebelled: oh do hear, all ye people, and see my pain! my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.
19 “Mefrɛɛ mʼadɔfo nanso woyii me mae. Mʼasɔfo ne me mpanyimfo ase tɔree wɔ kuropɔn no mu, bere a wɔrehwehwɛ aduan adi na wɔanwuwu.
I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and my elders perished in the city; for they sought food for themselves to refresh their soul.
20 “Awurade, hwɛ me mmɔbɔ! Meredi yaw wɔ me mu, na me koma mu nso minni ahotɔ, efisɛ mayɛ otuatewfo kɛse. Afoa hyɛ me awerɛhow wɔ abɔnten so; ofie nso yɛ owu nko ara.
See, O Lord! how I am in distress; my bowels are heated; my heart is turned round within me; because I have grievously rebelled: abroad bereaveth the sword, at home, like the pestilence.
21 “Nnipa ate mʼapinisi, nanso obiara nni hɔ a ɔbɛkyekye me werɛ. Mʼatamfo nyinaa ate mʼamanehunu wɔn ani gye nea woayɛ no ho. Ma nna a woahyɛ no mmra sɛnea wɔbɛyɛ sɛ me.
They hear how greatly I sigh, [yet] there is none to comfort me; all my enemies have heard of my misfortune, they are glad that thou hast done it: oh that thou wouldst bring the day which thou hast proclaimed [against me], that they may become like me.
22 “Fa wɔn atirimɔdensɛm nyinaa si wʼanim; na wo ne wɔn nni sɛnea wo ne me adi; esiane mʼamumɔyɛ no nti. Mʼapinisi dɔɔso na me koma abotow.”
Let all their wickedness come before thee, and do unto them as thou hast done unto me because of all my transgressions; for many are my sighs, and my heart is sick.”
