Kwadwom 1
1 Sɛnea kuropɔn no adan amamfo ni, kuropɔn a anka nnipa ahyɛ no ma! Adɛn nti na wayɛ okunafobea a kan no na anka ɔyɛ ɔkɛse wɔ amanaman no mu? Nea na ɔyɛ ɔhemmea wɔ amantam no mu no abɛyɛ afenaa nnɛ.
The city that once was full of people is now sitting all alone. She has become like a widow, though she was a mighty nation. She was a princess among the nations, but is now forced into slavery.
2 Osu yayaayaw anadwo, nusu sensan nʼafono so. Nʼadɔfo nyinaa mu no, obiara nni hɔ a ɔkyekyee ne werɛ. Ne nnamfonom nyinaa ayi no ama Wɔayɛ nʼatamfo.
She weeps and wails in the night, and her tears cover her cheeks. None of her lovers comfort her. All her friends have betrayed her. They have become her enemies.
3 Amanehunu ne adwumaden akyi no, Yuda kɔ nnommum mu. Ɔte amanaman no mu na onni ahomegyebea. Wɔn a wɔtaa no nyinaa ato no wɔ nʼahokyere mu.
After poverty and affliction, Judah has gone into exile. She lives among the nations and finds no rest. All her pursuers overtook her in her desperation.
4 Akwan a ɛkɔ Sion no resu, efisɛ obiara nkɔ nʼafahyɛ ase. Nʼapon nyinaa adeda mpan, na nʼasɔfo si apini, ne mmabaa di yaw, na ɔwɔ yawdi a mu yɛ den mu.
The roads of Zion mourn because none come to the appointed feasts. All her gates are desolate. Her priests groan. Her virgins are sorrowful and she herself is in complete distress.
5 Nʼatamfo abɛyɛ ne wuranom; wɔn a wɔne no ayɛ adɔm ho adwo wɔn. Awurade ama awerɛhow aba ne so nʼamumɔyɛ bebrebe nti. Ne mma kɔ nnommum mu. Wɔayɛ nneduafo ama ɔtamfo.
Her adversaries have become her master; her enemies prosper. Yahweh has afflicted her for her many sins. Her little children go into captivity to her adversary.
6 Anuonyam nyinaa atu afi Ɔbabea Sion so kɔ. Ne mmapɔmma ayɛ sɛ aforote a wonnya adidibea; na wɔde mmerɛwyɛ aguan wɔ wɔn ataafo anim.
Beauty has left the daughter of Zion. Her princes have become like deer that cannot find pasture, and they go without strength before their pursuer.
7 Nʼamanehunu ne akyinkyinakyinkyin nna mu no, Yerusalem kae ademude nyinaa a na ɛwɔ no wɔ nna a atwa mu no mu. Ne nkurɔfo kɔtɔɔ ɔtamfo no nsa mu no, na obiara nni hɔ a ɔbɛboa no. Nʼatamfo de wɔn ani hwɛɛ no na wɔserew ne sɛe.
In the days of her affliction and her homelessness, Jerusalem will call to mind all her precious treasures that she had in former days. When her people fell into the hand of the adversary, no one helped her. The adversaries saw her and laughed at her destruction.
8 Yerusalem ayɛ bɔne kɛse enti ne ho agu fi. Wɔn a wodi no ni no sopa no, efisɛ wɔahu nʼadagyaw; ɔno ankasa gu ahome na ɔdan nʼani.
Jerusalem sinned greatly, therefore, she has become scorned as something that is filthy. All who honored her now despise her since they have seen her nakedness. She groans and tries to turn away.
9 Nʼafideyɛ atu aka ne ntade mu; wannwene ne daakye ho. Nʼasehwe yɛ nwonwa; obiara ankyekye ne werɛ. “Awurade, hwɛ mʼamanehunu, efisɛ ɔtamfo adi nkonim.”
She has become unclean beneath her skirts. She did not think about her future. Her fall was terrible. There was no one to comfort her. She cried out, “Look at my affliction, Yahweh, for the enemy has become too great!”
10 Ɔtamfo no de ne nsa too nʼademude nyinaa so; ohuu sɛ amanaman rehyɛn ne kronkronbea hɔ, nnipa a woabra sɛ wɔnnhyɛn wʼasafo mu no.
The adversary has put his hand on all our precious treasures. She has seen the nations enter her sanctuary, even though you had commanded that they must not enter into your assembly place.
11 Ne nkurɔfo nyinaa si apini bere a wɔrehwehwɛ aduan; wɔde wɔn ademude sesa aduan de nya ahoɔden. “Awurade, hwɛ na dwene me ho, efisɛ wobu me animtiaa.”
All her people groan as they search for bread. They have given their precious treasures for food to restore their lives. Look, Yahweh, and consider me, for I have become worthless.
12 “Ɛmfa mo ho ana, mo a mutwa mu wɔ hɔ nyinaa? Monhwɛ na munhu. Ɔyaw bi wɔ hɔ a ɛte sɛ me de a wɔma ɛbaa me so yi, nea Awurade de baa me so wɔ nʼabufuwhyew da no ana?
Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there is anyone else's sorrow like the sorrow that is being inflicted on me, since Yahweh has tormented me on the day of his fierce anger.
13 “Ɔsomaa ogya fii ɔsoro, ma ɛbaa me nnompe mu. Osum afiri maa mʼanan na ɔsan me kɔɔ mʼakyi. Ɔyɛɛ me pasaa, metɔɔ beraw da mu nyinaa.
It is from on high that he has sent fire into my bones, and it has conquered them. He has spread a net for my feet and turned me back. He has made me constantly desolate and weak.
14 “Woakyekyere me bɔne ahyɛ konnua mu; ɔde ne nsa nwen bɔɔ mu. Wɔde asɛn me kɔn mu na Awurade atwe mʼahoɔden. Ɔde me ahyɛ wɔn a merentumi nnyina wɔn anim no nsa.
The yoke of my transgressions is bound together by his hand. They are knit together and placed upon my neck. He has made my strength fail. The Lord has given me over into their hands, and I am not able to stand.
15 “Awurade apo akofo a wɔwɔ me ntam nyinaa; wafrɛ asraafo atia me sɛ wɔmmɛdwerɛw me mmerante. Awurade atiatia Ɔbabea Ɔbabun Yuda so wɔ ne nsakyiamoa mu.
The Lord has tossed aside all my mighty men who defended me. He has called an assembly against me to crush my vigorous men. The Lord has trampled the virgin daughter of Judah in the winepress.
16 “Eyinom nti na misu na nusu aguare me. Obiara mmɛn a ɔbɛkyekye me werɛ, nea ɔbɛhyɛ me honhom den nni hɔ. Me mma agyigya efisɛ ɔtamfo no adi nkonim.”
For these things I weep, my eyes overflow with tears; for a comforter is far from me, one who restores my life. My children are desolate because the enemy has conquered me.
17 Sion trɛw ne nsa mu nanso obiara nni hɔ a ɔbɛkyekye ne werɛ. Awurade ahyɛ ama Yakob se ne mfɛfo bɛyɛ nʼatamfo; Yerusalem abɛyɛ afide wɔ wɔn mu.
Zion has spread her hands wide; there is none to comfort her. Yahweh has commanded that those around Jacob should be his adversaries. Jerusalem is something unclean to them.
18 “Awurade yɛ ɔtreneeni, nanso manni nʼahyɛde so. Muntie, mo amanaman nyinaa monhwɛ me yaw. Me mmerante ne mmabaa kɔ nnommum mu.
Yahweh is righteous, for I have rebelled against his commandment. Hear, all you peoples, and see my sorrow. My virgins and my vigorous men have gone into captivity.
19 “Mefrɛɛ mʼadɔfo nanso woyii me mae. Mʼasɔfo ne me mpanyimfo ase tɔree wɔ kuropɔn no mu, bere a wɔrehwehwɛ aduan adi na wɔanwuwu.
I called for my friends, but they were treacherous toward me. My priests and my elders perished in the city, while they sought food to restore their lives.
20 “Awurade, hwɛ me mmɔbɔ! Meredi yaw wɔ me mu, na me koma mu nso minni ahotɔ, efisɛ mayɛ otuatewfo kɛse. Afoa hyɛ me awerɛhow wɔ abɔnten so; ofie nso yɛ owu nko ara.
Look, Yahweh, for I am in distress; my stomach churns, my heart is disturbed within me, for I have been very rebellious. Outside, the sword bereaves a mother, inside the house there is only death.
21 “Nnipa ate mʼapinisi, nanso obiara nni hɔ a ɔbɛkyekye me werɛ. Mʼatamfo nyinaa ate mʼamanehunu wɔn ani gye nea woayɛ no ho. Ma nna a woahyɛ no mmra sɛnea wɔbɛyɛ sɛ me.
They have heard my groaning, but there is no one to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble and they are glad that you have done it. You have brought the day you promised; now let them become like me.
22 “Fa wɔn atirimɔdensɛm nyinaa si wʼanim; na wo ne wɔn nni sɛnea wo ne me adi; esiane mʼamumɔyɛ no nti. Mʼapinisi dɔɔso na me koma abotow.”
Let all their wickedness come before you. deal with them as you have dealt with me because of all my transgressions. My groans are many and my heart is faint.
