Kwadwom 4
1 Sɛdeɛ sikakɔkɔɔ a anka ɛhyerɛn no nie? Sikakɔkɔɔ amapa no ho abiri! Wɔatoto aboɔdemmoɔ kronkron apete wɔ mmɔntene biara so.
How the gold has become dim! The most pure gold has changed! The stones of the sanctuary are poured out at the head of every street.
2 Hwɛ sɛdeɛ Sion mmammarima a wɔdi mu na anka wɔsom bo sɛ sika kɔkɔɔ no ayɛ, seesei wɔfa wɔn sɛ dɔteɛ nkukuo, ɔnwomfoɔ nsa ano adwuma!
The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how they are esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
3 Mpo sakraman yi wɔn nufoɔ ma wɔn mma enum, nanso me nkurɔfoɔ ayɛ atirimuɔdenfoɔ sɛ sohori a ɔwɔ ɛserɛ so.
Even the jackals offer their breast. They nurse their young ones. But the daughter of my people has become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.
4 Osukɔm enti, akokoaa tɛkrɛma fam ne dodo mu; mmɔfra no su pɛ aduane, nanso obiara mfa mma wɔn.
The tongue of the nursing child clings to the roof of his mouth for thirst. The young children ask for bread, and no one breaks it for them.
5 Wɔn a na anka wɔdi nnuane pa no ohia buruburo aka wɔn wɔ mmɔntene so. Wɔn a wɔde serekye tetee wɔn no seesei wɔdeda nso nkɔfie so.
Those who ate delicacies are desolate in the streets. Those who were brought up in purple embrace dunghills.
6 Me nkurɔfoɔ asotwe so sene Sodom a wɔtuu wɔn mpofirim no deɛ, a wɔannya ɔboafoɔ biara no.
For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom, which was overthrown as in a moment. No hands were laid on her.
7 Na wɔn ahenemma ho twa sene sukyerɛmma, na wɔhoa sene nufosuo, na wɔn onipadua no bere na ɛwɔ ahoɔden te sɛ abohemaa, na wɔte sɛ aboɔdemmoɔ.
Her Nazirites were purer than snow. They were whiter than milk. They were more ruddy in body than rubies. Their polishing was like sapphire.
8 Nanso, seesei deɛ, wɔbiri sene wisiapunu; na wɔnhunu wɔn yie wɔ mmɔntene so. Wɔn wedeɛ atwintwam wɔ wɔn nnompe so; ɛho awo wesee sɛ abaa.
Their appearance is blacker than a coal. They are not known in the streets. Their skin clings to their bones. It is withered. It has become like wood.
9 Wɔn a wɔtotɔ wɔ akofena ano no yɛ koraa sene wɔn a ɛkɔm kunkumm wɔn; ɛkɔm tware wɔn, ma wɔwuwu ɛsiane aduane a ɛnni mfuo so enti.
Those who are killed with the sword are better than those who are killed with hunger; for these pine away, stricken through, for lack of the fruits of the field.
10 Mmaa a wɔwɔ ayamhyehyeɛ de wɔn nsa anoa wɔn ankasa mma, ayɛ wɔn aduane ɛberɛ a wɔsɛee me nkurɔfoɔ no.
The hands of the pitiful women have boiled their own children. They were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
11 Awurade ada nʼabufuhyeɛ nyinaa adi; wahwie nʼabufuo a ano yɛ den no. Ɔsɔɔ ogya ano wɔ Sion ma ɛhyee ne fapem.
The LORD has accomplished his wrath. He has poured out his fierce anger. He has kindled a fire in Zion, which has devoured its foundations.
12 Asase so ahemfo annye anni, ewiase mu nnipa nso annye anni sɛ atamfoɔ bɛtumi ahyɛne Yerusalem apono mu.
The kings of the earth didn’t believe, neither did all the inhabitants of the world, that the adversary and the enemy would enter into the gates of Jerusalem.
13 Nanso ɛsiiɛ, nʼadiyifoɔ no bɔne ne nʼasɔfoɔ amumuyɛ enti, wɔn na wɔhwiee teneneefoɔ mogya guu wɔ kuropɔn no mu.
It is because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the middle of her.
14 Afei wɔkeka wɔ mmɔntene so te sɛ nnipa a wɔn ani afira. Mogya a ama wɔn ho agu fi no enti obiara suro sɛ ɔde ne ho bɛka wɔn ntadeɛ.
They wander as blind men in the streets. They are polluted with blood, So that men can’t touch their garments.
15 Nnipa teateaam gu wɔn so sɛ, “Momfiri ha nkɔ! Mo ho nnte! Monkɔ, monkɔ! Mommfa mo ho nka yɛn.” Sɛ wɔdwane kɔnenam a amanaman no mu nnipa ka sɛ, “Wɔrentumi ntena ha bio.”
“Go away!” they cried to them. “Unclean! Go away! Go away! Don’t touch! When they fled away and wandered, men said amongst the nations, “They can’t live here any more.”
16 Awurade ankasa abɔ wɔn ahwete; nʼani nni wɔn so bio. Wɔmmfa anidie mma asɔfoɔ, na wɔn ani nnsɔ mpanimfoɔ.
The LORD’s anger has scattered them. He will not pay attention to them any more. They didn’t respect the persons of the priests. They didn’t favour the elders.
17 Deɛ ɛka ho bio, yɛn ani anni ammoa yɛn, yɛpɛɛ sɛ yɛbɛnya mmoa, nanso ɛyɛɛ ɔkwa; yɛfiri yɛn abantenten so de yɛn ani too ɔman a wɔrentumi nnye yɛn so.
Our eyes still fail, looking in vain for our help. In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save.
18 Nnipa dii yɛn ntɛntɛ wɔ yɛn anammɔntuo mu, enti yɛantumi annante yɛn mmɔntene so. Yɛn awieeɛ bɛneeɛ, na wɔkanee yɛn nna, ɛfiri sɛ na yɛn awieeɛ aduru so.
They hunt our steps, so that we can’t go in our streets. Our end is near. Our days are fulfilled, for our end has come.
19 Yɛn ataafoɔ ho yɛ hare sene akɔdeɛ a wɔwɔ ewiem; wɔtaa yɛn faa mmepɔ so na wɔtɛɛ yɛn wɔ ɛserɛ so.
Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the sky. They chased us on the mountains. They set an ambush for us in the wilderness.
20 Deɛ Awurade asra no ngo, yɛn ankasa yɛn nkwa no, ɔtɔɔ wɔn mfidie mu. Yɛgye dii sɛ ne nwunu ase yɛbɛnya nkwa wɔ amanaman no mu.
The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the LORD, was taken in their pits; of whom we said, under his shadow we will live amongst the nations.
21 Di ahurisie na ma wʼani nnye, Ao Edom Ɔbabaa, wo a wote Us asase so. Wɔde kuruwa no bɛma wo nso bi; wobɛboro na wɔabɔ wo adagya.
Rejoice and be glad, daughter of Edom, who dwells in the land of Uz. The cup will pass through to you also. You will be drunken, and will make yourself naked.
22 Ao Ɔbabaa Sion, wʼasotwe bɛba awieeɛ; ɔremma wonkɔ so ntena nnommumfa mu. Nanso, Ao Ɔbabaa Edom, ɔbɛtua wo bɔne so ka na wada wʼamumuyɛ adi.
The punishment of your iniquity is accomplished, daughter of Zion. He will no more carry you away into captivity. He will visit your iniquity, daughter of Edom. He will uncover your sins.
