Kwadwom 3
1 Mene ɔbarima a mahu amane wɔ nʼabufuw abaa ano.
I [am] the man [that] hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
2 Wapam me afi ne ho ama manantew sum mu na ɛnyɛ hann mu;
He hath led me, and brought [me into] darkness, but not [into] light.
3 Ampa ara wama nsa so atia me mpɛn bebree, da mu nyinaa.
Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand [against me] all the day.
4 Wama me were ne me nam anyin Na wabubu me nnompe.
My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.
5 Waka me ahyɛ mu, na watua me ano ɔde nweenwen ne ahokyere atwa me ho ahyia.
He hath builded against me, and compassed [me] with gall and travail.
6 Wama matena sum mu sɛ wɔn a wɔawuwu dedaw no.
He hath set me in dark places, as [they that be] dead of old.
7 Wato ɔfasu atwa me ho ahyia enti mintumi nguan; wagu me nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn ama matɔ beraw.
He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.
8 Mpo sɛ mefrɛ anaasɛ mebɔ mpae srɛ mmoa a osiw me mpaebɔ ano.
Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.
9 Ɔde abotan asiw me kwan; wama mʼakwan ayɛ kɔntɔnkye.
He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.
10 Te sɛ sisi a ɔda hɔ retwɛn, te sɛ gyata a watɛw,
He [was] unto me [as] a bear lying in wait, [and as] a lion in secret places.
11 ɔtwee me fii ɔkwan no mu bebaree me na ogyaw me a minni mmoa biara.
He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.
12 Okuntun ne ta mu na ɔde ne bɛmma kyerɛɛ me so.
He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
13 Ɔde bɛmma a efi ne kotoku mu hwirew me koma mu.
He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.
14 Meyɛɛ akyiwade maa me nkurɔfo nyinaa; wɔto akutia nnwom de di me ho fɛw da mu nyinaa.
I was a derision to all my people; [and] their song all the day.
15 Ɔde nhaban nweenwen ahyɛ me ma. Wama me bɔnwoma anom.
He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.
16 Ɔde mmosea abubu me se; na watiatia me so wɔ mfutuma mu.
He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.
17 Wɔama asomdwoe abɔ me; na me werɛ afi yiyedi.
And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.
18 Enti mise, “Mʼanuonyam asa, nea mede mʼani too so Awurade mu no nyinaa.”
And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD:
19 Mekae mʼamanehunu wɔ mʼakyinkyinakyinkyin mu, nweenwen ne bɔnwoma mu.
Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
20 Mekae yiye, na me kra abotow wɔ me mu.
My soul hath [them] still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
21 Nanso midwen eyi ho; saa nti mewɔ anidaso.
This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
22 Awurade dɔ kɛse nti yɛnsɛee ɛ. Nʼayamhyehye nni huammɔ.
[It is of] the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23 Ɛyɛ foforo anɔpa biara; wo nokwaredi yɛ kɛse.
[They are] new every morning: great [is] thy faithfulness.
24 Meka kyerɛ me ho se, “Awurade yɛ me kyɛfa, enti mɛtwɛn no.”
The LORD [is] my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
25 Awurade ye ma wɔn a wɔn anidaso wɔ ne mu, onipa a ɔhwehwɛ no no;
The LORD [is] good unto them that wait for him, to the soul [that] seeketh him.
26 Eye sɛ wɔyɛ komm de twɛn Awurade nkwagye.
[It is] good that [a man] should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
27 Eye ma ɔbarima sɛ ɔsoa konnua no wɔ ne mmerantebere mu.
[It is] good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
28 Ma ɔntena ase komm, efisɛ Awurade de ato ne so.
He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne [it] upon him.
29 Ma ɔmfa nʼanim nsie wɔ mfutuma mu, ebia anidaso wɔ hɔ.
He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.
30 Ma ɔmfa nʼafono mma nea ɔpɛɛ sɛ ɔbɔ no no na ɔnhyɛ no aniwu.
He giveth [his] cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.
31 Na Awurade ntow onipa biara nkyene koraa.
For the Lord will not cast off for ever:
32 Ɛwɔ mu, ɔde awerɛhow ba de, nanso obenya ayamhyehye. Ne dɔ kɛse no to rentwa da.
But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.
33 Ofi amemenemfe mu de amanehunu anaa awerɛhow brɛ nnipa mma.
For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.
34 Sɛ wɔde wɔn nan dwerɛw nneduafo a wɔwɔ asase no so a,
To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,
35 sɛ wotiatia obi ahofadi so wɔ Ɔsorosoroni no anim a,
To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High,
36 anaa sɛ wobu obi ntɛnkyew a, Awurade renhu saa nneɛma yi ana?
To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.
37 Hena na obetumi aka na wama aba mu wɔ bere a ɛnyɛ Awurade na ɔhyɛe?
Who [is] he [that] saith, and it cometh to pass, [when] the Lord commandeth [it] not?
38 Ɛnyɛ Ɔsorosoroni no anom na mmusu ne nnepa fi ana?
Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?
39 Adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ ɔteasefo nwiinwii bere a wɔatwe nʼaso wɔ ne bɔne ho?
Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
40 Momma yɛnhwehwɛ yɛn akwan mu na yɛnsɔ nhwɛ, na yɛnsan nkɔ Awurade nkyɛn.
Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.
41 Momma yɛmma yɛn koma ne yɛn nsa so, nkyerɛ Onyankopɔn wɔ ɔsoro, na yɛnka se:
Let us lift up our heart with [our] hands unto God in the heavens.
42 “Yɛayɛ bɔne, na yɛatew atua na wamfa ankyɛ.
We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.
43 “Wode abufuw akata wo ho ataa yɛn; na woakunkum a woannya ahummɔbɔ.
Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.
44 Wode wo ho asie omununkum mu nti mpaebɔ biara nnu wo nkyɛn.
Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that [our] prayer should not pass through.
45 Woayɛ yɛn atantanne ne nwura wɔ amanaman no mu.
Thou hast made us [as] the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people.
46 “Yɛn atamfo nyinaa abaa wɔn anom tɛtrɛɛ de tia yɛn.
All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.
47 Yɛabrɛ ne ahunahuna ne akukuruhwease, mmubui ne ɔsɛe.”
Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction.
48 Me nusu sen sɛ asuten efisɛ wɔasɛe me nkurɔfo.
Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49 Me nusu bɛsen ara, na ɛrennyae,
Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,
50 kosi sɛ Awurade bɛhwɛ afi ɔsoro, na wahu.
Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven.
51 Nea mihu no ma me kra werɛ how, me kuropɔn no mu mmea nyinaa nti.
Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.
52 Mʼatamfo a menyɛɛ wɔn hwee pampam me sɛ anomaa.
Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause.
53 Wɔpɛɛ sɛ wotwa me nkwa so na wosiw me abo wɔ amoa mu;
They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me.
54 nsu bu faa me ti so, na ɛyɛɛ me sɛnea wɔrewie me.
Waters flowed over mine head; [then] I said, I am cut off.
55 Mebɔɔ wo din, Awurade fii amoa no ase tɔnn.
I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon.
56 Wotee me sufrɛ: “Nsiw wʼaso wɔ me gye sufrɛ ho.”
Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.
57 Wutwiw bɛn me bere a mefrɛɛ wo no, na wokae se, “Nsuro.”
Thou drewest near in the day [that] I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.
58 Wo Awurade, wudii mʼasɛm maa me; na wugyee me nkwa.
O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.
59 Woahu bɔne a wɔayɛ me, Awurade. Di mʼasɛm ma me!
O LORD, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.
60 Woahu wɔn aweretɔ no mu den, wɔn pɔw a wɔbɔ tia me no nyinaa.
Thou hast seen all their vengeance [and] all their imaginations against me.
61 Awurade, woate wɔn ntwirii, wɔn pɔw a wɔbɔ tia me no nyinaa,
Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, [and] all their imaginations against me;
62 nea mʼatamfo ka no asomsɛm na wɔka no brɛoo de tia me da mu nyinaa.
The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.
63 Hwɛ wɔn! Sɛ wogyinagyina hɔ anaasɛ wɔtete hɔ, wɔto akutia nnwom de di me ho fɛw.
Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I [am] their musick.
64 Fa nea ɛfata tua wɔn so ka, Awurade, nea wɔn nsa ayɛ nti.
Render unto them a recompence, O LORD, according to the work of their hands.
65 Pirim wɔn koma, na ma wo nnome mmra wɔn so.
Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them.
66 Fa abufuw taa wɔn, na sɛe wɔn fi Awurade ɔsorosoro ase.
Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the LORD.
