< Kwadwom 3 >

1 Mene ɔbarima a mahu amane wɔ nʼabufuw abaa ano.
I am the man who has experienced suffering under the rod of God's anger.
2 Wapam me afi ne ho ama manantew sum mu na ɛnyɛ hann mu;
He has driven me away, forcing me to walk in darkness instead of the light.
3 Ampa ara wama nsa so atia me mpɛn bebree, da mu nyinaa.
In fact he hits me again and again all day long.
4 Wama me were ne me nam anyin Na wabubu me nnompe.
He has worn me out; he has broken me in pieces.
5 Waka me ahyɛ mu, na watua me ano ɔde nweenwen ne ahokyere atwa me ho ahyia.
He has besieged me, surrounding me with bitterness and misery.
6 Wama matena sum mu sɛ wɔn a wɔawuwu dedaw no.
He has forced me to live in darkness like those long dead.
7 Wato ɔfasu atwa me ho ahyia enti mintumi nguan; wagu me nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn ama matɔ beraw.
He has built a wall around me so I can't escape; he has bound me with heavy chains.
8 Mpo sɛ mefrɛ anaasɛ mebɔ mpae srɛ mmoa a osiw me mpaebɔ ano.
Even when I keep on crying out for help, he refuses to listen to my prayer.
9 Ɔde abotan asiw me kwan; wama mʼakwan ayɛ kɔntɔnkye.
He has put stone blocks in my way and sends me down crooked paths.
10 Te sɛ sisi a ɔda hɔ retwɛn, te sɛ gyata a watɛw,
He is a bear that lies in wait for me, a lion in hiding ready to attack,
11 ɔtwee me fii ɔkwan no mu bebaree me na ogyaw me a minni mmoa biara.
He dragged me from my path and ripped me to pieces, leaving me helpless.
12 Okuntun ne ta mu na ɔde ne bɛmma kyerɛɛ me so.
He loaded his bow with an arrow and used me as his target,
13 Ɔde bɛmma a efi ne kotoku mu hwirew me koma mu.
He shot me in my kidneys with his arrows.
14 Meyɛɛ akyiwade maa me nkurɔfo nyinaa; wɔto akutia nnwom de di me ho fɛw da mu nyinaa.
Now everyone laughs at me, singing songs that mock me all day long.
15 Ɔde nhaban nweenwen ahyɛ me ma. Wama me bɔnwoma anom.
He has filled me with bitterness; he has filled me up with bitter wormwood.
16 Ɔde mmosea abubu me se; na watiatia me so wɔ mfutuma mu.
He has broken my teeth with grit; he has trampled me in the dust.
17 Wɔama asomdwoe abɔ me; na me werɛ afi yiyedi.
Peace has been torn away from me; I've forgotten all that's good in life.
18 Enti mise, “Mʼanuonyam asa, nea mede mʼani too so Awurade mu no nyinaa.”
That's why I say, “My expectation of a long life is gone, along with all that I hoped for from Lord.
19 Mekae mʼamanehunu wɔ mʼakyinkyinakyinkyin mu, nweenwen ne bɔnwoma mu.
Don't forget everything I've suffered in my wandering, as bitters as wormwood and poison.
20 Mekae yiye, na me kra abotow wɔ me mu.
I certainly haven't forgotten. I remember it all too well, so I sink into depression.
21 Nanso midwen eyi ho; saa nti mewɔ anidaso.
But I still hope when I think about this:
22 Awurade dɔ kɛse nti yɛnsɛee ɛ. Nʼayamhyehye nni huammɔ.
It's because of the Lord's trustworthy love that our lives are not finished, for through his merciful actions he never lets us down.
23 Ɛyɛ foforo anɔpa biara; wo nokwaredi yɛ kɛse.
He renews them every morning. How wonderfully trustworthy you are, Lord!
24 Meka kyerɛ me ho se, “Awurade yɛ me kyɛfa, enti mɛtwɛn no.”
The Lord is all I need,” I tell myself, “so I will put my hope in him.”
25 Awurade ye ma wɔn a wɔn anidaso wɔ ne mu, onipa a ɔhwehwɛ no no;
The Lord is good to those who trust in him, to anyone who seeks to follow him.
26 Eye sɛ wɔyɛ komm de twɛn Awurade nkwagye.
It is good to wait quietly for the Lord's salvation.
27 Eye ma ɔbarima sɛ ɔsoa konnua no wɔ ne mmerantebere mu.
It is good for people to learn to patiently bear discipline while they're still young.
28 Ma ɔntena ase komm, efisɛ Awurade de ato ne so.
They should sit by themselves in silence, because it's God who has disciplined them.
29 Ma ɔmfa nʼanim nsie wɔ mfutuma mu, ebia anidaso wɔ hɔ.
They should bow low with their faces to the ground, for there may still be hope.
30 Ma ɔmfa nʼafono mma nea ɔpɛɛ sɛ ɔbɔ no no na ɔnhyɛ no aniwu.
They should turn a cheek to someone who wants to slap them; they should take the insults of others.
31 Na Awurade ntow onipa biara nkyene koraa.
For the Lord won't abandon us forever.
32 Ɛwɔ mu, ɔde awerɛhow ba de, nanso obenya ayamhyehye. Ne dɔ kɛse no to rentwa da.
Even though he may bring sadness, he shows us mercy because his trustworthy love is so great.
33 Ofi amemenemfe mu de amanehunu anaa awerɛhow brɛ nnipa mma.
For he doesn't willingly hurt people, or cause them grief.
34 Sɛ wɔde wɔn nan dwerɛw nneduafo a wɔwɔ asase no so a,
Whether it's mistreating all the prisoners of the land,
35 sɛ wotiatia obi ahofadi so wɔ Ɔsorosoroni no anim a,
Or denying someone their rights as the Most High watches,
36 anaa sɛ wobu obi ntɛnkyew a, Awurade renhu saa nneɛma yi ana?
Or cheating someone in their legal case—these things the Lord doesn't approve of.
37 Hena na obetumi aka na wama aba mu wɔ bere a ɛnyɛ Awurade na ɔhyɛe?
Who spoke and it came into existence? Wasn't it the Lord who commanded it?
38 Ɛnyɛ Ɔsorosoroni no anom na mmusu ne nnepa fi ana?
When the Most High speaks it can be a disaster or a blessing.
39 Adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ ɔteasefo nwiinwii bere a wɔatwe nʼaso wɔ ne bɔne ho?
Why should any human being complain about the results of their sins?
40 Momma yɛnhwehwɛ yɛn akwan mu na yɛnsɔ nhwɛ, na yɛnsan nkɔ Awurade nkyɛn.
We should look at ourselves, examine what we're doing, and return to the Lord.
41 Momma yɛmma yɛn koma ne yɛn nsa so, nkyerɛ Onyankopɔn wɔ ɔsoro, na yɛnka se:
Let's not just hold up our hands to God in heaven, but our minds as well, saying,
42 “Yɛayɛ bɔne, na yɛatew atua na wamfa ankyɛ.
“We are the ones who sinned; we are the ones who rebelled; and you haven't forgiven us!”
43 “Wode abufuw akata wo ho ataa yɛn; na woakunkum a woannya ahummɔbɔ.
You have wrapped yourself in anger and chased us down, killing without mercy. You have killed without pity.
44 Wode wo ho asie omununkum mu nti mpaebɔ biara nnu wo nkyɛn.
You have wrapped yourself with a cloud that no prayer can penetrate.
45 Woayɛ yɛn atantanne ne nwura wɔ amanaman no mu.
You have made us waste and refuse to the nations around.
46 “Yɛn atamfo nyinaa abaa wɔn anom tɛtrɛɛ de tia yɛn.
All our enemies open their mouths to criticize us.
47 Yɛabrɛ ne ahunahuna ne akukuruhwease, mmubui ne ɔsɛe.”
We're terrified and trapped, devastated and destroyed.
48 Me nusu sen sɛ asuten efisɛ wɔasɛe me nkurɔfo.
Tears stream from my eyes over the death of my people.
49 Me nusu bɛsen ara, na ɛrennyae,
My eyes overflow with tears all the time. They won't stop
50 kosi sɛ Awurade bɛhwɛ afi ɔsoro, na wahu.
Until the Lord looks down from heaven and sees what's going on.
51 Nea mihu no ma me kra werɛ how, me kuropɔn no mu mmea nyinaa nti.
What I've seen torments me because of what's happened to all the women in my city.
52 Mʼatamfo a menyɛɛ wɔn hwee pampam me sɛ anomaa.
For no reason my enemies trapped me like a bird.
53 Wɔpɛɛ sɛ wotwa me nkwa so na wosiw me abo wɔ amoa mu;
They tried to kill me by tossing me into a pit and throwing stones at me.
54 nsu bu faa me ti so, na ɛyɛɛ me sɛnea wɔrewie me.
Water flooded over my head, and I thought I was going to die.
55 Mebɔɔ wo din, Awurade fii amoa no ase tɔnn.
I called out for you, Lord, from deep inside the pit.
56 Wotee me sufrɛ: “Nsiw wʼaso wɔ me gye sufrɛ ho.”
You heard me when I prayed, “Please don't ignore my cry for help.”
57 Wutwiw bɛn me bere a mefrɛɛ wo no, na wokae se, “Nsuro.”
You came to me when I called you, and you told me, “Don't be afraid!”
58 Wo Awurade, wudii mʼasɛm maa me; na wugyee me nkwa.
You have taken my case and defended me; you have saved my life!
59 Woahu bɔne a wɔayɛ me, Awurade. Di mʼasɛm ma me!
Lord, you have seen the injustices done to me; please vindicate me!
60 Woahu wɔn aweretɔ no mu den, wɔn pɔw a wɔbɔ tia me no nyinaa.
You have observed how vengeful they are and how often they've plotted against me.
61 Awurade, woate wɔn ntwirii, wɔn pɔw a wɔbɔ tia me no nyinaa,
Lord, you have heard how they've insulted me, and what they've plotted against me,
62 nea mʼatamfo ka no asomsɛm na wɔka no brɛoo de tia me da mu nyinaa.
How my enemies talk against me and complain about me all the time!
63 Hwɛ wɔn! Sɛ wogyinagyina hɔ anaasɛ wɔtete hɔ, wɔto akutia nnwom de di me ho fɛw.
Just look! Whether they're sitting down and or standing up, they go on making fun of me in their songs.
64 Fa nea ɛfata tua wɔn so ka, Awurade, nea wɔn nsa ayɛ nti.
Pay them back as they deserve, Lord, for all they've done!
65 Pirim wɔn koma, na ma wo nnome mmra wɔn so.
Give them a covering for their minds! May your curse be on them!
66 Fa abufuw taa wɔn, na sɛe wɔn fi Awurade ɔsorosoro ase.
Chase them down in your anger, Lord, and get rid of them from the earth!

< Kwadwom 3 >