Kwadwom 5
1 Awurade, kae nea aba yɛn so; hwɛ, na hu yɛn animguase.
Remember, Yahweh, what has happened to us; look and see our disgrace.
2 Wɔadan yɛn agyapade ama ahɔho, wɔde yɛn afi ama ananafo.
Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers; our houses to foreigners.
3 Yɛayɛ nyisaa na yenni agyanom, yɛn nanom yɛ akunafo.
We have become orphans, the fatherless, and our mothers are like widows.
4 Ɛsɛ sɛ yɛtɔ nsu a yɛnom; yebenya nnyina a, gye sɛ yɛtɔ.
We must pay silver for the water we drink, and we must pay silver to get our own wood.
5 Wɔn a wɔtaa yɛn no abɛn yɛn pɛɛ; Yɛabrɛ na yennya ahomegye.
Those who are coming after us are close behind us; we are weary and we can find no rest.
6 Yɛde yɛn ho maa Misraim ne Asiria sɛnea yebenya aduan a ɛbɛso yɛn.
We have given ourselves to Egypt and to Assyria to get enough food.
7 Yɛn agyanom yɛɛ bɔne, na wonni hɔ bio, na yɛn na wɔn asotwe abɛda yɛn so.
Our fathers sinned, and they are no more, and we bear their iniquities.
8 Nkoa di yɛn so, na obiara nni hɔ a obegye yɛn afi wɔn nsam.
Slaves rule over us, and there is no one to deliver us from their hand.
9 Yɛde yɛn nkwa bɔ afɔre de pɛ yɛn anoduan, afoa a ɛwɔ sare so no nti.
We get our bread only by risking our lives, because of the sword in the wilderness.
10 Yɛn honam adɔ sɛ fononoo. Ɔkɔm ama atiridii abɔ yɛn.
Our skin has grown as hot as an oven because of the burning heat of hunger.
11 Wɔato mmea mmonnaa wɔ Sion, ne mmabun a wɔwɔ Yuda nkurow so.
Women are raped in Zion, and virgins in the cities of Judah.
12 Wɔkyekyere mmapɔmma nsa na wɔasɛn wɔn; wɔmmfa nidi mma mpanyimfo.
Princes are hung up by their own hands, and no honor is shown to the elders.
13 Mmerante yɛ adwumaden wɔ awiyammo so; na mmerantewa nan toto wɔ nnyina duruduru ase.
Young men are forced to grind grain with a millstone, and boys stagger under heavy loads of wood.
14 Mpanyimfo ntena kuropɔn apon ano bio; mmerante agyae wɔn nnwonto.
The elders have left the city gate, and the young men have left their music.
15 Ahosɛpɛw afi yɛn koma mu; yɛn asaw adan agyaadwotwa.
The joy of our heart has ceased and our dancing has turned into mourning.
16 Ahenkyɛw afi yɛn ti so. Yɛn ara, yennue sɛ yɛayɛ bɔne!
The crown has fallen from our head; woe to us, for we have sinned!
17 Eyi nti yɛn koma atɔ beraw, eyinom nti yɛn ani so ayɛ kusuu
For this our heart has become sick, for these things our eyes grow dim
18 wɔ Sion bepɔw a ada mpan na sakraman nenam so no nti.
for Mount Zion lies desolate, with jackals prowling over it.
19 Wo, Awurade, di hene afebɔɔ; wʼahengua fi awo ntoatoaso kosi awo ntoatoaso.
But you, Yahweh, reign forever, and you will sit upon your throne from generation to 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? Why do you forsake us for so many days?
21 Ka yɛn bata wo ho bio, Awurade, na yɛatumi asan aba wo nkyɛn; yɛ yɛn nna foforo sɛ tete no
Restore us to yourself, Yahweh, and we will be restored. Renew our days as they were long ago—
22 gye sɛ woapo yɛn koraa anaasɛ wo bo afuw yɛn mmoroso.
unless you have utterly rejected us and you are angry with us beyond measure.
