Kwadwom 5
1 Ao Awurade, kae deɛ aba yɛn so; hwɛ, na hunu yɛn animguaseɛ.
Remember, O Yahweh, what hath befallen us, Look around, and see our reproach:
2 Wɔadane yɛn agyapadeɛ ama ahɔhoɔ, wɔde yɛn afie ama ananafoɔ.
Our inheritance, turned over to foreigners, our houses, to aliens.
3 Yɛayɛ nwisiaa na yɛnni agyanom, yɛn maamenom ayɛ sɛ akunafoɔ.
Orphans, have we become, and fatherless, our mothers, are widows indeed.
4 Ɛsɛ sɛ yɛtɔ nsuo a yɛnom; yɛbɛnya nnyina a, gye sɛ yɛtɔ.
Our water—for silver, have we drunk, our wood—for a price, cometh in.
5 Wɔn a wɔtaa yɛn no abɛn yɛn pɛɛ; Yɛabrɛ na yɛnnya ahomegyeɛ.
Upon our necks, are our pursuers, We labour, and there is allowed us no rest.
6 Yɛde yɛn ho maa Misraim ne Asiria sɛdeɛ yɛbɛnya aduane a ɛbɛso yɛn.
To Egypt, have we stretched out our hand, to Assyria, to be satisfied with bread.
7 Yɛn agyanom yɛɛ bɔne, na wɔnni hɔ bio, na yɛn na wɔn asotwe abɛda yɛn so.
Our fathers, sinned, and are not, and, we, their iniquities, have borne.
8 Nkoa di yɛn so, na obiara nni hɔ a ɔbɛgye yɛn afiri wɔn nsam.
Slaves, have ruled over us, There is none to set free from their hand.
9 Yɛde yɛn nkwa bɔ afɔdeɛ de pɛ yɛn anoduane, akofena a ɛwɔ ɛserɛ so no enti.
At the risk of our life, do we bring in our bread, because of the sword of the desert.
10 Yɛn honam adɔ sɛ fononoo. Ɛkɔm ama huraeɛ abɔ yɛn.
Our skin, as with a furnace, is scorched, because of the hot winds of famine.
11 Wɔato mmaa monnaa wɔ Sion, ne mmaabunu a wɔwɔ Yuda nkuro so.
Women—in Zion, were ravished, virgins, in the cities of Judah!
12 Wɔkyekyere mmapɔmma nsa na wɔasɛn wɔn; wɔmmfa anidie mma mpanimfoɔ.
Princes, by their hand, have been hanged, The faces of elders, not honoured.
13 Mmeranteɛ yɛ adwuma den wɔ ayuoyammoɔ so; na mmerantewaa nan toto wɔ nnyina duruduru ase.
Young men, a millstone, have lifted, and, youths, under wood, have staggered.
14 Mpanimfoɔ ntena kuropɔn apono ano bio; mmeranteɛ agyae wɔn nnwontoɔ.
Elders, from the gates, have ceased. Young men, from their music.
15 Ahosɛpɛ afiri yɛn akoma mu; yɛn asa adane agyaadwotwa.
Ceased hath the joy of our hearts, Changed to mourning, our dance.
16 Ahenkyɛ afiri yɛn tiri so. Yɛn ara, yɛnnue sɛ yɛayɛ bɔne!
Fallen is the crown of our head. Surely woe to us, for we have sinned.
17 Yei enti yɛn akoma atɔ piti, yeinom enti yɛn ani so ayɛ kusuu
For this cause, faint is our heart, For these things, dimmed are our eyes:
18 wɔ Sion bepɔ a ada mpan na sakraman nenam soɔ no enti.
Because of Mount Zion, which is desolate, jackals, have gone prowling therein.
19 Wo, Ao Awurade, di ɔhene afebɔɔ; wʼahennwa firi awoɔ ntoatoasoɔ kɔsi awoɔ ntoatoasoɔ.
Thou, O Yahweh, unto times age-abiding, dost remain, Thy throne, from generation to generation:
20 Adɛn enti na wo werɛ firi yɛn daa yi? Adɛn enti na wagya yɛn mmerɛ tenten mu yi?
Wherefore shouldst thou perpetually forget us? forsake us, to length of days?
21 Ka yɛn bata wo ho bio, Ao, Awurade, na yɛatumi aba wo nkyɛn; yɛ yɛn nna foforɔ sɛ tete no
Bring us back, O Yahweh, unto thyself, and we will come back! Renew our days, as of old;
22 agye sɛ wapo yɛn koraa anaa sɛ wo bo afu yɛn mmorosoɔ.
For though thou hast not, utterly rejected, us, thou art wroth with us—exceedingly!
