Kwadwom 5
1 Awurade, kae nea aba yɛn so; hwɛ, na hu yɛn animguase.
Remember, O Lord, what hath occurred to us, look down, and behold our disgrace.
2 Wɔadan yɛn agyapade ama ahɔho, wɔde yɛn afi ama ananafo.
Our inheritance is turned over to strangers, our houses to aliens.
3 Yɛayɛ nyisaa na yenni agyanom, yɛn nanom yɛ akunafo.
Orphans are we become, and [we are] without a father, our mothers are like widows.
4 Ɛsɛ sɛ yɛtɔ nsu a yɛnom; yebenya nnyina a, gye sɛ yɛtɔ.
Our water have we drunk for money: our wood cometh to us for a purchase price.
5 Wɔn a wɔtaa yɛn no abɛn yɛn pɛɛ; Yɛabrɛ na yennya ahomegye.
Up to our necks are we pursued: we are fatigued, and no rest is allowed us.
6 Yɛde yɛn ho maa Misraim ne Asiria sɛnea yebenya aduan a ɛbɛso yɛn.
To Egypt do we stretch out our hand, to Asshur, to be satisfied with bread.
7 Yɛn agyanom yɛɛ bɔne, na wonni hɔ bio, na yɛn na wɔn asotwe abɛda yɛn so.
Our fathers have sinned, and are no more; but we have indeed to bear their iniquities.
8 Nkoa di yɛn so, na obiara nni hɔ a obegye yɛn afi wɔn nsam.
Servants rule over us: no one delivereth us out of their hand.
9 Yɛde yɛn nkwa bɔ afɔre de pɛ yɛn anoduan, afoa a ɛwɔ sare so no nti.
At the peril of our life must we bring home our bread, because of the sword of the wilderness.
10 Yɛn honam adɔ sɛ fononoo. Ɔkɔm ama atiridii abɔ yɛn.
Our skin gloweth like an oven, because of the heat of famine.
11 Wɔato mmea mmonnaa wɔ Sion, ne mmabun a wɔwɔ Yuda nkurow so.
Women have they ravished in Zion, virgins, in the cities of Judah.
12 Wɔkyekyere mmapɔmma nsa na wɔasɛn wɔn; wɔmmfa nidi mma mpanyimfo.
Princes were hanged up by their hand: the faces of elders were not honored.
13 Mmerante yɛ adwumaden wɔ awiyammo so; na mmerantewa nan toto wɔ nnyina duruduru ase.
Young men they bore to the mill, and boys stumbled under the wood.
14 Mpanyimfo ntena kuropɔn apon ano bio; mmerante agyae wɔn nnwonto.
The elders have ceased from the gate, young men, from their singing.
15 Ahosɛpɛw afi yɛn koma mu; yɛn asaw adan agyaadwotwa.
Ceased hath the joy of our heart: our dance is changed into mourning.
16 Ahenkyɛw afi yɛn ti so. Yɛn ara, yennue sɛ yɛayɛ bɔne!
Fallen is the crown of our head: woe to us, for we have sinned.
17 Eyi nti yɛn koma atɔ beraw, eyinom nti yɛn ani so ayɛ kusuu
Because of this is our heart made sick; for these things are our eyes dimmed;
18 wɔ Sion bepɔw a ada mpan na sakraman nenam so no nti.
Because of the mount of Zion which is wasted, foxes walk about on it.
19 Wo, Awurade, di hene afebɔɔ; wʼahengua fi awo ntoatoaso kosi awo ntoatoaso.
O thou, Lord, wilt truly abide for ever, thy throne existeth throughout all generations.
20 Adɛn nti na wo werɛ fi yɛn daa yi? Adɛn nti na wagyaw yɛn, mmere tenten mu yi?
Wherefore wilt thou forget us for ever! wilt thou forsake us for so long a time?
21 Ka yɛn bata wo ho bio, Awurade, na yɛatumi asan aba wo nkyɛn; yɛ yɛn nna foforo sɛ tete no
Cause us to return, O Lord, unto thee, and we will return: renew our days as of old.
22 gye sɛ woapo yɛn koraa anaasɛ wo bo afuw yɛn mmoroso.
For wouldst thou entirely reject us, be wroth with us to the uttermost?
