Kwadwom 5
1 Awurade, kae nea aba yɛn so; hwɛ, na hu yɛn animguase.
Remember, O YHWH, what has befallen us, Look attentively, and see our reproach.
2 Wɔadan yɛn agyapade ama ahɔho, wɔde yɛn afi ama ananafo.
Our inheritance has been turned to strangers, Our houses to foreigners.
3 Yɛayɛ nyisaa na yenni agyanom, yɛn nanom yɛ akunafo.
Orphans we have been—without a father, our mothers [are] as widows.
4 Ɛsɛ sɛ yɛtɔ nsu a yɛnom; yebenya nnyina a, gye sɛ yɛtɔ.
We have drunk our water for money, Our wood comes for a price.
5 Wɔn a wɔtaa yɛn no abɛn yɛn pɛɛ; Yɛabrɛ na yennya ahomegye.
For our neck we have been pursued, We have labored—there has been no rest for us.
6 Yɛde yɛn ho maa Misraim ne Asiria sɛnea yebenya aduan a ɛbɛso yɛn.
[To] Egypt we have given a 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—they are not, We have borne their iniquities.
8 Nkoa di yɛn so, na obiara nni hɔ a obegye yɛn afi wɔn nsam.
Servants have ruled over us, There is no deliverer from their hand.
9 Yɛde yɛn nkwa bɔ afɔre de pɛ yɛn anoduan, afoa a ɛwɔ sare so no nti.
With our lives we bring in our bread, Because of the sword of the wilderness.
10 Yɛn honam adɔ sɛ fononoo. Ɔkɔm ama atiridii abɔ yɛn.
Our skin as an oven has been burning, Because of the raging of the famine.
11 Wɔato mmea mmonnaa wɔ Sion, ne mmabun a wɔwɔ Yuda nkurow so.
Wives in Zion they have humbled, Virgins—in cities of Judah.
12 Wɔkyekyere mmapɔmma nsa na wɔasɛn wɔn; wɔmmfa nidi mma mpanyimfo.
Princes have been hanged by their hand, Elderly faces have not been honored.
13 Mmerante yɛ adwumaden wɔ awiyammo so; na mmerantewa nan toto wɔ nnyina duruduru ase.
They have taken young men to grind, And youths have stumbled with wood.
14 Mpanyimfo ntena kuropɔn apon ano bio; mmerante agyae wɔn nnwonto.
Elderly have ceased from the gate, Young men from their song.
15 Ahosɛpɛw afi yɛn koma mu; yɛn asaw adan agyaadwotwa.
The joy of our heart has ceased, Our dancing has been turned to mourning.
16 Ahenkyɛw afi yɛn ti so. Yɛn ara, yennue sɛ yɛayɛ bɔne!
The crown has fallen [from] our head, Woe [is] now to us, for we have sinned.
17 Eyi nti yɛn koma atɔ beraw, eyinom nti yɛn ani so ayɛ kusuu
Our heart has been sick for this, Our eyes have been dim for these.
18 wɔ Sion bepɔw a ada mpan na sakraman nenam so no nti.
For the Mount of Zion—that is desolate, Foxes have gone up on it.
19 Wo, Awurade, di hene afebɔɔ; wʼahengua fi awo ntoatoaso kosi awo ntoatoaso.
You, O YHWH, remain for all time, Your throne to generation and generation.
20 Adɛn nti na wo werɛ fi yɛn daa yi? Adɛn nti na wagyaw yɛn, mmere tenten mu yi?
Why do You forget us forever? You forsake us for [the] length of [our] days!
21 Ka yɛn bata wo ho bio, Awurade, na yɛatumi asan aba wo nkyɛn; yɛ yɛn nna foforo sɛ tete no
Turn us back, O YHWH, to You, And we turn back, renew our days as of old.
22 gye sɛ woapo yɛn koraa anaasɛ wo bo afuw yɛn mmoroso.
For have You utterly rejected us? You have been angry against us—exceedingly?
