Kwadwom 3
1 Mene ɔbarima a mahu amane wɔ nʼabufuw abaa ano.
I am the man who hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
2 Wapam me afi ne ho ama manantew sum mu na ɛnyɛ hann mu;
Me hath he driven out, and led into darkness, but not into light.
3 Ampa ara wama nsa so atia me mpɛn bebree, da mu nyinaa.
Surely against me doth he turn again and again his hand all the day.
4 Wama me were ne me nam anyin Na wabubu me nnompe.
He hath caused my flesh and my skin to wear out, he hath broken my bones.
5 Waka me ahyɛ mu, na watua me ano ɔde nweenwen ne ahokyere atwa me ho ahyia.
He hath built around me, and encompassed me with poison and hardship.
6 Wama matena sum mu sɛ wɔn a wɔawuwu dedaw no.
In dark places hath he set me to dwell, like the dead of olden times.
7 Wato ɔfasu atwa me ho ahyia enti mintumi nguan; wagu me nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn ama matɔ beraw.
He hath placed a fence round about me, that I cannot get out; he hath made heavy my chain.
8 Mpo sɛ mefrɛ anaasɛ mebɔ mpae srɛ mmoa a osiw me mpaebɔ ano.
Also when I cry aloud and make entreaty, he shutteth out my prayer.
9 Ɔde abotan asiw me kwan; wama mʼakwan ayɛ kɔntɔnkye.
He hath fenced up my ways with hewn stone, my paths hath he made crooked.
10 Te sɛ sisi a ɔda hɔ retwɛn, te sɛ gyata a watɛw,
A bear lying in wait is he to me, a lion in secret places.
11 ɔtwee me fii ɔkwan no mu bebaree me na ogyaw me a minni mmoa biara.
On my ways hath he placed thorns, and torn 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 placed me as a mark for the arrow.
13 Ɔde bɛmma a efi ne kotoku mu hwirew me koma mu.
He hath caused to enter into my reins the children of his quiver.
14 Meyɛɛ akyiwade maa me nkurɔfo nyinaa; wɔto akutia nnwom de di me ho fɛw da mu nyinaa.
I am become a laughing-stock to all my people, their [jeering] song all the day.
15 Ɔde nhaban nweenwen ahyɛ me ma. Wama me bɔnwoma anom.
He hath sated me with bitter things, 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 my soul hath given up all thoughts of peace: I forget happiness.
18 Enti mise, “Mʼanuonyam asa, nea mede mʼani too so Awurade mu no nyinaa.”
And I said, Lost is my strength, my expectation also from the Lord.
19 Mekae mʼamanehunu wɔ mʼakyinkyinakyinkyin mu, nweenwen ne bɔnwoma mu.
Remembering my affliction and [the cause of] my complaint, wormwood and poison.
20 Mekae yiye, na me kra abotow wɔ me mu.
Remembering [this] continually my soul is bowed down deeply within me.
21 Nanso midwen eyi ho; saa nti mewɔ anidaso.
[Yet] this answer will I give to my heart: therefore will I wait [in confidence].
22 Awurade dɔ kɛse nti yɛnsɛee ɛ. Nʼayamhyehye nni huammɔ.
It is through the Lord's kindness that we are not consumed, because his mercies have no end;
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 wait for him.
25 Awurade ye ma wɔn a wɔn anidaso wɔ ne mu, onipa a ɔhwehwɛ no no;
The Lord is good unto those that hope in him, to the soul that seeketh him.
26 Eye sɛ wɔyɛ komm de twɛn Awurade nkwagye.
It is good that one should wait and this in silence 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.
That he sit in solitude and be silent; because He hath laid it upon him;
29 Ma ɔmfa nʼanim nsie wɔ mfutuma mu, ebia anidaso wɔ hɔ.
That he put his mouth in the dust; perhaps there still is hope;
30 Ma ɔmfa nʼafono mma nea ɔpɛɛ sɛ ɔbɔ no no na ɔnhyɛ no aniwu.
That he offer his cheek to him that smiteth him; that he be satisfied 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 have caused grief, yet will he have mercy according to the abundance of his kindnesses.
33 Ofi amemenemfe mu de amanehunu anaa awerɛhow brɛ nnipa mma.
For he doth not afflict of his own will, and aggrieve 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 pervert the justice [due to 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 contest—should the Lord not see this?
37 Hena na obetumi aka na wama aba mu wɔ bere a ɛnyɛ Awurade na ɔhyɛe?
Who is he that saith aught, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord hath not ordained it?
38 Ɛnyɛ Ɔsorosoroni no anom na mmusu ne nnepa fi ana?
Do not out of the mouth of the Most High come both the evil things and the good?
39 Adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ ɔteasefo nwiinwii bere a wɔatwe nʼaso wɔ ne bɔne ho?
Wherefore should a living man complain? let every man complain because of his sins.
40 Momma yɛnhwehwɛ yɛn akwan mu na yɛnsɔ nhwɛ, na yɛnsan nkɔ Awurade nkyɛn.
Let us search through and investigate our ways, and let us return 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 indeed transgressed and rebelled: thou hast truly not pardoned.
43 “Wode abufuw akata wo ho ataa yɛn; na woakunkum a woannya ahummɔbɔ.
Thou hast covered [us] with thy anger, and made pursuit after 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 no prayer should pass through.
45 Woayɛ yɛn atantanne ne nwura wɔ amanaman no mu.
As something loathsome and rejected hast thou rendered us in the midst of the people.
46 “Yɛn atamfo nyinaa abaa wɔn anom tɛtrɛɛ de tia yɛn.
Wide have all our enemies opened against us their mouth.
47 Yɛabrɛ ne ahunahuna ne akukuruhwease, mmubui ne ɔsɛe.”
Terror and a snare are come upon us, [with] desolation and breaches.
48 Me nusu sen sɛ asuten efisɛ wɔasɛe me nkurɔfo.
With streams of water runneth my eye down, because of the breach of the daughter of my people.
49 Me nusu bɛsen ara, na ɛrennyae,
My eye trickleth down, and resteth 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.
My eye affecteth my soul because of all the daughters of my city.
52 Mʼatamfo a menyɛɛ wɔn hwee pampam me sɛ anomaa.
Those who are my enemies, without a cause, have chased me about like a bird.
53 Wɔpɛɛ sɛ wotwa me nkwa so na wosiw me abo wɔ amoa mu;
They have shut up in the dungeon my life, and have cast stones upon me.
54 nsu bu faa me ti so, na ɛyɛɛ me sɛnea wɔrewie me.
Waters streamed over my head: I said, I am cut off.
55 Mebɔɔ wo din, Awurade fii amoa no ase tɔnn.
I called on thy name, O Lord, out of the dungeon of the lowest depth.
56 Wotee me sufrɛ: “Nsiw wʼaso wɔ me gye sufrɛ ho.”
Thou didst hear my voice: hide not thy ear to give me enlargement at my cry.
57 Wutwiw bɛn me bere a mefrɛɛ wo no, na wokae se, “Nsuro.”
Thou wast ever near on the day that I called on thee: thou saidst, Fear not.
58 Wo Awurade, wudii mʼasɛm maa me; na wugyee me nkwa.
Thou didst plead, O Lord, the causes of my soul: thou didst [before this] redeem my life.
59 Woahu bɔne a wɔayɛ me, Awurade. Di mʼasɛm ma me!
Thou hast [now] seen, O Lord, the wrong I suffer: 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, all their plans against me.
61 Awurade, woate wɔn ntwirii, wɔn pɔw a wɔbɔ tia me no nyinaa,
Thou hast heard their reviling, O Lord, all their plans against me,
62 nea mʼatamfo ka no asomsɛm na wɔka no brɛoo de tia me da mu nyinaa.
The speeches of these that rise 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.
Oh look upon their sitting down, and their rising up: I am their [jeering] song.
64 Fa nea ɛfata tua wɔn so ka, Awurade, nea wɔn nsa ayɛ nti.
Render unto them a recompense, O Lord, according to the work of their hands.
65 Pirim wɔn koma, na ma wo nnome mmra wɔn so.
Give them confusion of heart, thy curse he upon them.
66 Fa abufuw taa wɔn, na sɛe wɔn fi Awurade ɔsorosoro ase.
Pursue them in anger and destroy from under the heavens of the Lord.
