Job 21
1 Then Job answered:
Na Hiob buaa sɛ,
2 “Listen carefully to my words; let this be your consolation to me.
“Montie me nsɛm no yie. Momma yei nyɛ awerɛkyekyerɛ a mode ma me.
3 Bear with me while I speak; then, after I have spoken, you may go on mocking.
Monnya ntoboaseɛ mma me ɛberɛ a merekasa, na sɛ mekasa wie a, monkɔso nni fɛ.
4 Is my complaint against a man? Then why should I not be impatient?
“Me nwiinwii hyɛ onipa anaa? Adɛn enti na ɛsɛ sɛ menya ntoboaseɛ?
5 Look at me and be appalled; put your hand over your mouth.
Monhwɛ me, na mo ho nnwiri mo; momfa mo nsa nkata mo ano.
6 When I remember, terror takes hold, and my body trembles in horror.
Sɛ medwene yei ho a, mebɔ hu; na me ho popo.
7 Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?
Adɛn enti na amumuyɛfoɔ tena nkwa mu? Wɔnyini kyɛ na wɔkɔ so di tumi.
8 Their descendants are established around them, and their offspring before their eyes.
Wɔhunu wɔn mma a atwa wɔn ho ahyia no nkɔsoɔ, wɔhunu wɔn nananom.
9 Their homes are safe from fear; no rod of punishment from God is upon them.
Ɔhaw nni wɔn afie na ehu nni hɔ; Onyankopɔn asotwe mma wɔn so.
10 Their bulls breed without fail; their cows bear calves and do not miscarry.
Wɔn anantwinini nyɛ akrawa; na wɔn anantwibereɛ wo a, wɔmpɔn.
11 They send forth their little ones like a flock; their children skip about,
Wɔka wɔn mma bɔ mu te sɛ nnwankuo; na emu mmotafowa no hurihuri.
12 singing to the tambourine and lyre and making merry at the sound of the flute.
Wɔto nnwom wɔ akasaeɛ ne sankuo so; na wɔde atɛntɛbɛn nnyegyeeɛ gye wɔn ani.
Wɔdi yie wɔn nkwanna mu na wɔkɔ damena mu asomdwoeɛ mu. (Sheol h7585)
14 Yet they say to God: ‘Leave us alone! For we have no desire to know Your ways.
Nanso wɔka kyerɛ Onyankopɔn sɛ, ‘Firi yɛn so! Yɛmpɛ sɛ yɛhunu wʼakwan.
15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him, and what would we gain if we pray to Him?’
Hwan ne otumfoɔ no a ɛsɛ sɛ yɛsom no? Sɛ yɛbɔ no mpaeɛ a mfasoɔ bɛn na yɛbɛnya?’
16 Still, their prosperity is not in their own hands, so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.
Nanso, wɔn nkɔsoɔ no nni wɔn nsam, enti metwe me ho firi amumuyɛfoɔ afutuo ho.
17 How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? Does disaster come upon them? Does God, in His anger, apportion destruction?
“Nanso mpɛn ahe na wɔdum amumuyɛfoɔ kanea? Mpɛn ahe na amanehunu ba wɔn so, deɛ Onyankopɔn firi nʼabufuo mu de ba no?
18 Are they like straw before the wind, like chaff swept away by a storm?
Mpɛn ahe na wɔyɛ sɛ ɛserɛ wɔ mframa ano, te sɛ ntɛtɛ a mframa den bi apra wɔn?
19 It is said that God lays up one’s punishment for his children. Let God repay the man himself, so he will know it.
Wɔka sɛ, ‘Onyankopɔn kora onipa asotwe so de twɛn ne mma.’ Ɛsɛ sɛ ɔtwe ɔnipa no ankasa aso ma ɔhunu.
20 Let his eyes see his own destruction; let him drink for himself the wrath of the Almighty.
Ma wɔn ankasa ani nhunu wɔn sɛeɛ; ma Otumfoɔ abufuhyeɛ no nka wɔn ani.
21 For what does he care about his household after him, when the number of his months has run out?
Wɔn abusuafoɔ a wɔagya wɔn akyire no renya hwee nʼagyapadeɛ nyinaa bɛsɛe.
22 Can anyone teach knowledge to God, since He judges those on high?
“Obi bɛtumi akyerɛ Onyankopɔn nyansa, wɔ ɛberɛ a ɔbu atitire mpo atɛn?
23 One man dies full of vigor, completely secure and at ease.
Obi wu wɔ ɛberɛ a ɔwɔ ahoɔden; ne ho tɔ no na nʼaso mu adwo no,
24 His body is well nourished, and his bones are rich with marrow.
na ne onipadua yɛ frɔmm, na ɛhon ahyɛ ne nnompe ma.
25 Yet another man dies in the bitterness of his soul, having never tasted prosperity.
Ɔfoforɔ nso de ɔkra mu yeadie wu, a wanka asetena pa anhwɛ da.
26 But together they lie down in the dust, and worms cover them both.
Wɔsie wɔn nyinaa wɔ mfuturo korɔ mu, ma asonson korɔ no ara nuka wɔn.
27 Behold, I know your thoughts full well, the schemes by which you would wrong me.
“Mahunu mo adwene, ɛkwan a mopɛ sɛ mobu me fɔ.
28 For you say, ‘Where now is the nobleman’s house, and where are the tents in which the wicked dwell?’
Mopɛ sɛ moka kyerɛ me sɛdeɛ asikafoɔ ne amumuyɛfoɔ, wɔn bɔne enti, wɔhwere wɔn agyapadeɛ nyinaa.
29 Have you never asked those who travel the roads? Do you not accept their reports?
Nanso mommisa wɔn a wɔtu kwan; wɔbɛka akyerɛ mo sɛ
30 Indeed, the evil man is spared from the day of calamity, delivered from the day of wrath.
onipa bɔne nya ne ti didi mu amanehunu da, na wɔgyaa no ma no dwane abufuhyeɛ da.
31 Who denounces his behavior to his face? Who repays him for what he has done?
Hwan na ɔtumi kasa nʼanim? Hwan na ɔtua no deɛ wayɛ so ka?
32 He is carried to the grave, and watch is kept over his tomb.
Wɔsoa no kɔ damena mu, na wɔwɛn nʼaboda.
33 The clods of the valley are sweet to him; everyone follows behind him, and those before him are without number.
Bɔnhwa mu dɔteɛ yɛ no dɛ; nnipa nyinaa di nʼakyi, na ɛdɔm a wɔntumi nkan wɔn di nʼanim.
34 So how can you comfort me with empty words? For your answers remain full of falsehood.”
“Enti ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na mode mo nsɛnhunu akyekyere me werɛ? Mo mmuaeɛ nyɛ hwee sɛ atorɔ!”
