Nnwom 51
1 Wɔde ma dwonkyerɛfo. Dawid dwom a ɔtoo no bere a ɔde ne ho kaa Batseba na odiyifo Natan kɔɔ ne nkyɛn no. Ao, Onyankopɔn hu me mmɔbɔ, sɛnea wʼadɔe a ɛnsa da no te; wʼahummɔbɔ kɛse no nti, pepa me mmarato.
O God, be merciful to me, because you love me faithfully; because you are very merciful, erase [the record of] the ways that I disobeyed you!
2 Hohoro mʼamumɔyɛ nyinaa na tew me ho fi me bɔne mu!
Make me pure from the wrong things that I have done; make me clean from [the guilt of] my sin.
3 Na mahu me mmarato, na mekae me bɔne daa.
[I say that] because I know the ways that I have disobeyed you; I cannot forget them.
4 Mayɛ mfomso atia wo; atia wo nko ara na mayɛ nea ɛyɛ bɔne wɔ wʼani so, enti wudi bem wɔ wʼatemmu mu na woteɛ wɔ wʼatemmu mu.
You, you only, are the one that I have [really] sinned against, and you have seen the evil things that I have done. When you say that I am guilty, you are right/correct, and when you judge me, you justly say [that I deserve to be punished].
5 Ampa ara wɔwoo me wɔ bɔne mu, na bɔne mu na me na nyinsɛn me.
I have been a sinner since the day that I was born; [truly], I have been like that since my mother conceived me.
6 Ampa ara nokware na wohwehwɛ wɔ me mu. Wokyerɛ me nyansa a mu dɔ.
What you desire is that I desire what is true in order that you [can] teach me how to act wisely.
7 Fa adwerɛ hohoro me ho, na me ho afi; guare me, na mɛhoa asen sukyerɛmma.
Purify me from the guilt of my sins, and [after that happens], I will be clean [in my inner being]; cleanse me, and [then in my inner being] I will be (whiter than snow/very clean).
8 Ma mente ahosɛpɛw ne anigye nka; na ma nnompe a woabubu no nni ahurusi.
Allow/Cause me to be joyful [DOU] again; you have (crushed my spirit/completely discouraged me) [MTY]; [but now] let me rejoice [again].
9 Kata wʼani wɔ me bɔne ho na pepa mʼamumɔyɛ nyinaa.
Do not continue to look at the sins [IDM] that I have committed; erase the record of the evil things that I have done.
10 Ao, Onyankopɔn, bɔ koma a mu tew wɔ me mu, na yɛ honhom a atim no foforo wɔ me mu.
O God, cause my inner being to be pure. Put new [thoughts] within me and make me faithful again.
11 Mpam me mfi wʼanim, na nyi wo Honhom Kronkron mfi me mu.
Do not send me away from you [because of my sin], and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Fa wo nkwagye mu anigye no ma me bio, na ma me ɔpɛ honhom a ɛbɛma magyina.
Cause/Allow me to be happy again because of [knowing] that you have freed me [from the guilt of my sin], and make me willing [to obey you].
13 Afei mɛkyerɛ nnebɔneyɛfo wʼakwan, na amumɔyɛfo bɛsan aba wo nkyɛn.
If you do that, I will [be able to] teach [other] sinners what you want them to do, and they will repent and begin to obey you.
14 Ao, Onyankopɔn, gye me fi mogya ho afɔdi mu. Onyame a wugye me nkwa, na me tɛkrɛma bɛto wo trenee ho dwom.
O God, you are the one who saves me; forgive me for being guilty of causing someone [who was not my enemy] to die. [When you do that], I will sing joyfully about your being very good and righteous.
15 Awurade, bue mʼano fafa, na mede mʼano bɛpae mu aka wʼayeyi.
O Yahweh, help me to speak [in order that] I may praise you.
16 Wompɛ afɔrebɔ, anka mɛbɔ; wʼani nnye ɔhyew afɔre ho.
You are not pleased [only] with the sacrifices [that people bring to you]. If that were [enough to] please you, I would bring you sacrifices. You are not pleased with burnt offerings [alone].
17 Onyankopɔn afɔre yɛ honhom a abotow, Onyankopɔn, worempo ahonu ne ahobrɛase koma.
The sacrifice that you [really] want is for people to be truly humble and sorry [for having sinned]; O God, you will not refuse that kind of sacrifice.
18 Ma ɛnyɛ wo fɛ sɛ wobɛma Sion anya nkɔso wɔ wʼanigye mu; na woasi Yerusalem afasu.
[O God], be good to [the people who live in] Jerusalem [MTY], [and help them] to rebuild the city walls.
19 Afei wʼani begye ɔtreneeni afɔrebɔ ho, ɔhyew afɔre a edi mu; na wɔde anantwinini bɛbɔ afɔre wʼafɔremuka so.
When that happens, [they will bring you] the proper sacrifices, animals that they will completely burn, young bulls that they will burn on your altar, and you will be pleased.
