Kwadwom 5
1 Awurade, kae nea aba yɛn so; hwɛ, na hu yɛn animguase.
Remember, O Yahweh, what hath befallen us, Look around, and see our reproach:
2 Wɔadan yɛn agyapade ama ahɔho, wɔde yɛn afi ama ananafo.
Our inheritance, turned over to foreigners, our houses, to aliens.
3 Yɛayɛ nyisaa na yenni agyanom, yɛn nanom yɛ akunafo.
Orphans, have we become, and fatherless, our mothers, are widows indeed.
4 Ɛsɛ sɛ yɛtɔ nsu a yɛnom; yebenya nnyina a, gye sɛ yɛtɔ.
Our water—for silver, have we drunk, our wood—for a price, cometh in.
5 Wɔn a wɔtaa yɛn no abɛn yɛn pɛɛ; Yɛabrɛ na yennya ahomegye.
Upon our necks, are our pursuers, We labour, and there is allowed us no rest.
6 Yɛde yɛn ho maa Misraim ne Asiria sɛnea yebenya aduan a ɛbɛso yɛn.
To Egypt, have we stretched out our hand, to Assyria, to be satisfied with bread.
7 Yɛn agyanom yɛɛ bɔne, na wonni hɔ bio, na yɛn na wɔn asotwe abɛda yɛn so.
Our fathers, sinned, and are not, and, we, their iniquities, have borne.
8 Nkoa di yɛn so, na obiara nni hɔ a obegye yɛn afi wɔn nsam.
Slaves, have ruled over us, There is none to set free from their hand.
9 Yɛde yɛn nkwa bɔ afɔre de pɛ yɛn anoduan, afoa a ɛwɔ sare so no nti.
At the risk of our life, do we bring in our bread, because of the sword of the desert.
10 Yɛn honam adɔ sɛ fononoo. Ɔkɔm ama atiridii abɔ yɛn.
Our skin, as with a furnace, is scorched, because of the hot winds of famine.
11 Wɔato mmea mmonnaa wɔ Sion, ne mmabun a wɔwɔ Yuda nkurow so.
Women—in Zion, were ravished, virgins, in the cities of Judah!
12 Wɔkyekyere mmapɔmma nsa na wɔasɛn wɔn; wɔmmfa nidi mma mpanyimfo.
Princes, by their hand, have been hanged, The faces of elders, not honoured.
13 Mmerante yɛ adwumaden wɔ awiyammo so; na mmerantewa nan toto wɔ nnyina duruduru ase.
Young men, a millstone, have lifted, and, youths, under wood, have staggered.
14 Mpanyimfo ntena kuropɔn apon ano bio; mmerante agyae wɔn nnwonto.
Elders, from the gates, have ceased. Young men, from their music.
15 Ahosɛpɛw afi yɛn koma mu; yɛn asaw adan agyaadwotwa.
Ceased hath the joy of our hearts, Changed to mourning, our dance.
16 Ahenkyɛw afi yɛn ti so. Yɛn ara, yennue sɛ yɛayɛ bɔne!
Fallen is the crown of our head. Surely woe to us, for we have sinned.
17 Eyi nti yɛn koma atɔ beraw, eyinom nti yɛn ani so ayɛ kusuu
For this cause, faint is our heart, For these things, dimmed are our eyes:
18 wɔ Sion bepɔw a ada mpan na sakraman nenam so no nti.
Because of Mount Zion, which is desolate, jackals, have gone prowling therein.
19 Wo, Awurade, di hene afebɔɔ; wʼahengua fi awo ntoatoaso kosi awo ntoatoaso.
Thou, O Yahweh, unto times age-abiding, dost remain, Thy throne, from generation to generation:
20 Adɛn nti na wo werɛ fi yɛn daa yi? Adɛn nti na wagyaw yɛn, mmere tenten mu yi?
Wherefore shouldst thou perpetually forget us? forsake us, to length of days?
21 Ka yɛn bata wo ho bio, Awurade, na yɛatumi asan aba wo nkyɛn; yɛ yɛn nna foforo sɛ tete no
Bring us back, O Yahweh, unto thyself, and we will come back! Renew our days, as of old;
22 gye sɛ woapo yɛn koraa anaasɛ wo bo afuw yɛn mmoroso.
For though thou hast not, utterly rejected, us, thou art wroth with us—exceedingly!
