Kwadwom 5
1 Ao Awurade, kae deɛ aba yɛn so; hwɛ, na hunu yɛn animguaseɛ.
Remember, O Lord, what has happened to us: behold, and look on our reproach.
2 Wɔadane yɛn agyapadeɛ ama ahɔhoɔ, wɔde yɛn afie ama ananafoɔ.
Our inheritance has been turned away to aliens, our houses to strangers:
3 Yɛayɛ nwisiaa na yɛnni agyanom, yɛn maamenom ayɛ sɛ akunafoɔ.
we are become orphans, we have no father, our mothers are as widows.
4 Ɛsɛ sɛ yɛtɔ nsuo a yɛnom; yɛbɛnya nnyina a, gye sɛ yɛtɔ.
We have drunk our water for money; our wood is sold to us [for a burden] on our neck:
5 Wɔn a wɔtaa yɛn no abɛn yɛn pɛɛ; Yɛabrɛ na yɛnnya ahomegyeɛ.
we have been persecuted, we have laboured, we have had no rest.
6 Yɛde yɛn ho maa Misraim ne Asiria sɛdeɛ yɛbɛnya aduane a ɛbɛso yɛn.
Egypt gave the hand [to us], Assur to their own satisfaction.
7 Yɛn agyanom yɛɛ bɔne, na wɔnni hɔ bio, na yɛn na wɔn asotwe abɛda yɛn so.
Our fathers sinned, [and] are not: we have borne their iniquities.
8 Nkoa di yɛn so, na obiara nni hɔ a ɔbɛgye yɛn afiri wɔn nsam.
Servants have ruled over us: there is none to ransom [us] out of their hand.
9 Yɛde yɛn nkwa bɔ afɔdeɛ de pɛ yɛn anoduane, akofena a ɛwɔ ɛserɛ so no enti.
We shall bring in our bread with [danger of] our lives, because of the sword of the wilderness.
10 Yɛn honam adɔ sɛ fononoo. Ɛkɔm ama huraeɛ abɔ yɛn.
Our skin is blackened like an oven; they are convulsed, because of the storms of famine.
11 Wɔato mmaa monnaa wɔ Sion, ne mmaabunu a wɔwɔ Yuda nkuro so.
They humbled the women in Sion, the virgins in the cities of Juda.
12 Wɔkyekyere mmapɔmma nsa na wɔasɛn wɔn; wɔmmfa anidie mma mpanimfoɔ.
Princes were hanged up by their hands: the elders were not honored.
13 Mmeranteɛ yɛ adwuma den wɔ ayuoyammoɔ so; na mmerantewaa nan toto wɔ nnyina duruduru ase.
The chosen men lifted up [the voice in] weeping, and the youths fainted under the wood.
14 Mpanimfoɔ ntena kuropɔn apono ano bio; mmeranteɛ agyae wɔn nnwontoɔ.
And the elders ceased from the gate, the chosen men ceased from their music.
15 Ahosɛpɛ afiri yɛn akoma mu; yɛn asa adane agyaadwotwa.
The joy of our heart has ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.
16 Ahenkyɛ afiri yɛn tiri so. Yɛn ara, yɛnnue sɛ yɛayɛ bɔne!
The crown has fallen [from] our head: yes, woe to us! for we have sinned.
17 Yei enti yɛn akoma atɔ piti, yeinom enti yɛn ani so ayɛ kusuu
For this has grief come; our heart is sorrowful: for this our eyes are darkened.
18 wɔ Sion bepɔ a ada mpan na sakraman nenam soɔ no enti.
Over the mountain of Sion, because it is made desolate, foxes have walked therein.
19 Wo, Ao Awurade, di ɔhene afebɔɔ; wʼahennwa firi awoɔ ntoatoasoɔ kɔsi awoɔ ntoatoasoɔ.
But you, O Lord, shall dwell for ever; your throne [shall endure] to generation and generation.
20 Adɛn enti na wo werɛ firi yɛn daa yi? Adɛn enti na wagya yɛn mmerɛ tenten mu yi?
Therefore will you utterly forget us, and abandon us a long time?
21 Ka yɛn bata wo ho bio, Ao, Awurade, na yɛatumi aba wo nkyɛn; yɛ yɛn nna foforɔ sɛ tete no
Turn us, O Lord, to you, and we shall be turned; and renew our days as before.
22 agye sɛ wapo yɛn koraa anaa sɛ wo bo afu yɛn mmorosoɔ.
For you have indeed rejected us; you have been very angry against us.
