Kwadwom 3
1 Mene ɔbarima a mahu amane wɔ nʼabufuw abaa ano.
ALEPH. I am the man that sees poverty, through the rod of his wrath upon me.
2 Wapam me afi ne ho ama manantew sum mu na ɛnyɛ hann mu;
He has taken me, and led me away into darkness, and not [into] light.
3 Ampa ara wama nsa so atia me mpɛn bebree, da mu nyinaa.
Nay, against me has he turned his hand all the day.
4 Wama me were ne me nam anyin Na wabubu me nnompe.
He has made old my flesh and my skin; he has broken my bones.
5 Waka me ahyɛ mu, na watua me ano ɔde nweenwen ne ahokyere atwa me ho ahyia.
BETH. He has built against me, and compassed my head, and brought travail [upon me].
6 Wama matena sum mu sɛ wɔn a wɔawuwu dedaw no.
He has set me in dark places, as them that have long been dead.
7 Wato ɔfasu atwa me ho ahyia enti mintumi nguan; wagu me nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn ama matɔ beraw.
He has builded against me, and I can’t come forth: he has made my brazen [chain] heavy.
8 Mpo sɛ mefrɛ anaasɛ mebɔ mpae srɛ mmoa a osiw me mpaebɔ ano.
GIMEL. Yes, [though] I cry and shout, he shuts out my prayer.
9 Ɔde abotan asiw me kwan; wama mʼakwan ayɛ kɔntɔnkye.
DALETH. He has built up my ways, he has hedged my paths;
10 Te sɛ sisi a ɔda hɔ retwɛn, te sɛ gyata a watɛw,
he has troubled me, [as] a she-bear lying in wait: he is to me [as] a lion in secret places.
11 ɔtwee me fii ɔkwan no mu bebaree me na ogyaw me a minni mmoa biara.
He pursued [me] after I departed, and brought me to a stand: he has utterly ruined me.
12 Okuntun ne ta mu na ɔde ne bɛmma kyerɛɛ me so.
HE. He has 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 has 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 became a laughing stock to all my people; and their song all the day.
15 Ɔde nhaban nweenwen ahyɛ me ma. Wama me bɔnwoma anom.
VAU. He has filled me with bitterness, he has drenched me with gall.
16 Ɔde mmosea abubu me se; na watiatia me so wɔ mfutuma mu.
And he has dashed out my teeth with gravel, he has fed me with ashes.
17 Wɔama asomdwoe abɔ me; na me werɛ afi yiyedi.
He has also removed my soul from peace: I forgot prosperity.
18 Enti mise, “Mʼanuonyam asa, nea mede mʼani too so Awurade mu no nyinaa.”
Therefore my success has perished, and my hope from the Lord.
19 Mekae mʼamanehunu wɔ mʼakyinkyinakyinkyin mu, nweenwen ne bɔnwoma mu.
ZAIN. I remembered by reason of my poverty, and because of persecution my bitterness and gall shall be remembered;
20 Mekae yiye, na me kra abotow wɔ me mu.
and my soul shall meditate with me.
21 Nanso midwen eyi ho; saa nti mewɔ anidaso.
This will I lay up in my heart, therefore I will endure.
22 Awurade dɔ kɛse nti yɛnsɛee ɛ. Nʼayamhyehye nni huammɔ.
HETH. [It is] the mercies of the Lord, that he has not failed me, because his compassions are not exhausted. Pity [us], O Lord, early [every] month: for we are not brought to an end, because his compassions are not exhausted.
23 Ɛyɛ foforo anɔpa biara; wo nokwaredi yɛ kɛse.
[They are] new every morning: great is your faithfulness.
24 Meka kyerɛ me ho se, “Awurade yɛ me kyɛfa, enti mɛtwɛn no.”
The Lord is my portion, says my soul; therefore will I wait for him.
25 Awurade ye ma wɔn a wɔn anidaso wɔ ne mu, onipa a ɔhwehwɛ no no;
TETH. The Lord is good to them that wait for him: the soul which shall seek him
26 Eye sɛ wɔyɛ komm de twɛn Awurade nkwagye.
[is] good, and shall wait for, and quietly expect salvation of the Lord.
27 Eye ma ɔbarima sɛ ɔsoa konnua no wɔ ne mmerantebere mu.
TETH. [It is] good for a man when he bears a yoke in his youth.
28 Ma ɔntena ase komm, efisɛ Awurade de ato ne so.
He will sit alone, and be silent, because he has borne [it] upon him.
29 Ma ɔmfa nʼanim nsie wɔ mfutuma mu, ebia anidaso wɔ hɔ.
30 Ma ɔmfa nʼafono mma nea ɔpɛɛ sɛ ɔbɔ no no na ɔnhyɛ no aniwu.
JOD. He will give [his] cheek to him that smites him: he will be filled full with reproaches.
31 Na Awurade ntow onipa biara nkyene koraa.
For the Lord will not reject for ever.
32 Ɛwɔ mu, ɔde awerɛhow ba de, nanso obenya ayamhyehye. Ne dɔ kɛse no to rentwa da.
CHAPH. For he that has brought down will pity, and [that] according to the abundance of his mercy.
33 Ofi amemenemfe mu de amanehunu anaa awerɛhow brɛ nnipa mma.
He has not answered [in anger] from his heart, though he has brought low the children of a man.
34 Sɛ wɔde wɔn nan dwerɛw nneduafo a wɔwɔ asase no so a,
LAMED. To bring down under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,
35 sɛ wotiatia obi ahofadi so wɔ Ɔsorosoroni no anim a,
to turn aside the judgment of a man before the face of the Most High,
36 anaa sɛ wobu obi ntɛnkyew a, Awurade renhu saa nneɛma yi ana?
to condemn a man [unjustly] in his judgment, the Lord has not given commandment.
37 Hena na obetumi aka na wama aba mu wɔ bere a ɛnyɛ Awurade na ɔhyɛe?
Who has thus spoken, and it has come to pass? the Lord has not commanded it.
38 Ɛnyɛ Ɔsorosoroni no anom na mmusu ne nnepa fi ana?
Out of the mouth of the Most High there shall not come forth evil and good.
39 Adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ ɔteasefo nwiinwii bere a wɔatwe nʼaso wɔ ne bɔne ho?
MEM. Why should a living man complain, a man concerning his sin?
40 Momma yɛnhwehwɛ yɛn akwan mu na yɛnsɔ nhwɛ, na yɛnsan nkɔ Awurade nkyɛn.
NUN. Our way has been searched out and examined, and we will turn to the Lord.
41 Momma yɛmma yɛn koma ne yɛn nsa so, nkyerɛ Onyankopɔn wɔ ɔsoro, na yɛnka se:
Let us lift up our hearts with [our] hand to the lofty One in heaven.
42 “Yɛayɛ bɔne, na yɛatew atua na wamfa ankyɛ.
We have sinned, we have transgressed; and you have not pardoned.
43 “Wode abufuw akata wo ho ataa yɛn; na woakunkum a woannya ahummɔbɔ.
SAMECH. You has visited [us] in wrath, and driven us away: you has slain, you has not pitied.
44 Wode wo ho asie omununkum mu nti mpaebɔ biara nnu wo nkyɛn.
You have veiled yourself with a cloud because of prayer, that I might be blind,
45 Woayɛ yɛn atantanne ne nwura wɔ amanaman no mu.
and be cast off. AIN. You have set us [alone] in the midst of the nations.
46 “Yɛn atamfo nyinaa abaa wɔn anom tɛtrɛɛ de tia yɛn.
All our enemies have opened their mouth against us.
47 Yɛabrɛ ne ahunahuna ne akukuruhwease, mmubui ne ɔsɛe.”
Fear and wrath are come upon us, suspense and destruction.
48 Me nusu sen sɛ asuten efisɛ wɔasɛe me nkurɔfo.
Mine eye shall pour down torrents of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49 Me nusu bɛsen ara, na ɛrennyae,
PHE. Mine eye is drowned [with tears], and I will not be silent, so that there shall be no rest,
50 kosi sɛ Awurade bɛhwɛ afi ɔsoro, na wahu.
until 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 shall prey upon my soul, because of all the daughters of the city.
52 Mʼatamfo a menyɛɛ wɔn hwee pampam me sɛ anomaa.
TSADE. The fowlers chased me as a sparrow, all mine enemies destroyed my life in a pit without cause,
53 Wɔpɛɛ sɛ wotwa me nkwa so na wosiw me abo wɔ amoa mu;
and laid a stone upon me.
54 nsu bu faa me ti so, na ɛyɛɛ me sɛnea wɔrewie me.
Water flowed over my head: I said, I am cut off.
55 Mebɔɔ wo din, Awurade fii amoa no ase tɔnn.
KOPH. I called upon your name, O Lord, out of the lowest dungeon.
56 Wotee me sufrɛ: “Nsiw wʼaso wɔ me gye sufrɛ ho.”
You heard my voice: close not your ears to my supplication.
57 Wutwiw bɛn me bere a mefrɛɛ wo no, na wokae se, “Nsuro.”
You drew near to my help: in the day wherein I called upon you you said to me, Fear not.
58 Wo Awurade, wudii mʼasɛm maa me; na wugyee me nkwa.
RECHS. O Lord, you has pleaded the causes of my soul; you has redeemed my life.
59 Woahu bɔne a wɔayɛ me, Awurade. Di mʼasɛm ma me!
You have seen, O Lord, my troubles: you have judged my cause.
60 Woahu wɔn aweretɔ no mu den, wɔn pɔw a wɔbɔ tia me no nyinaa.
You have seen all their vengeance, [you have looked] on all their devices against me.
61 Awurade, woate wɔn ntwirii, wɔn pɔw a wɔbɔ tia me no nyinaa,
CHSEN. You have heard their reproach [and] all their devices against me;
62 nea mʼatamfo ka no asomsɛm na wɔka no brɛoo de tia me da mu nyinaa.
the lips of them that rose up against me, and their plots against me all the day;
63 Hwɛ wɔn! Sɛ wogyinagyina hɔ anaasɛ wɔtete hɔ, wɔto akutia nnwom de di me ho fɛw.
their sitting down and their rising up: look you upon their eyes.
64 Fa nea ɛfata tua wɔn so ka, Awurade, nea wɔn nsa ayɛ nti.
You will render them a recompense, O Lord, according to the works of their hands.
65 Pirim wɔn koma, na ma wo nnome mmra wɔn so.
THAU. You will give them [as] a covering, the grief of my heart.
66 Fa abufuw taa wɔn, na sɛe wɔn fi Awurade ɔsorosoro ase.
You will persecute them in anger, and will consume them from under the heaven, O Lord.
