Job 29
1 And Job continued his discourse:
Hiob toaa so sɛ,
2 “How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me,
“Mafe abosome a atwam no, nna a Onyankopɔn hwɛɛ me soɔ no,
3 when His lamp shone above my head, and by His light I walked through the darkness,
ɛberɛ a ne kanea hyerɛn mʼatifi na mede ne kanea menantee esum mu no!
4 when I was in my prime, when the friendship of God rested on my tent,
Ao, ɛnna a mesii soɔ no, ɛberɛ a Onyankopɔn adamfofa a emu yɛ den hyiraa me fie,
5 when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me,
ɛberɛ a na Otumfoɔ da so ka me ho na me mma atwa me ho ahyia,
6 when my steps were bathed in cream and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
ɛberɛ a na nufosuo mu sradeɛ afɔ mʼakwan na abotan hwiee ngo sɛ nsuo maa me.
7 When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square,
“Ɛberɛ a na mekɔ kuropɔn ɛpono ano mekɔtena mʼadwa so wɔ ɔmanfoɔ adwaberem,
8 the young men saw me and withdrew, and the old men rose to their feet.
mmeranteɛ hunu me a, wɔgyina nkyɛn na mpanimfoɔ sɔre gyina hɔ;
9 The princes refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands.
atitire gyae kasa na wɔde wɔn nsa kata wɔn ano;
10 The voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.
mmapɔmma tɛm dinn, na wɔn tɛkrɛma ka wɔn dodom.
11 For those who heard me called me blessed, and those who saw me commended me,
Wɔn a wɔte me nka nyinaa ka me ho asɛmpa, na wɔn a wɔhunu me nyinaa kamfo me,
12 because I rescued the poor who cried out and the fatherless who had no helper.
ɛfiri sɛ, meboaa ahiafoɔ a wɔsu pɛɛ mmoa, ne nwisiaa a wɔnni aboafoɔ.
13 The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
Onipa a na ɔrewuo no hyiraa me; na memaa akunafoɔ ani gyee wɔn akoma mu.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; justice was my robe and my turban.
Mede tenenee firaa sɛ mʼaduradeɛ; atɛntenenee yɛɛ me nkatasoɔ ne mʼabotire.
15 I served as eyes to the blind and as feet to the lame.
Meyɛɛ aniwa maa anifirafoɔ, ne ɛnan maa abubuafoɔ.
16 I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger.
Meyɛɛ ahiafoɔ agya; na mekaa ahɔhoɔ asɛm maa wɔn.
17 I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth.
Mebubuu amumuyɛfoɔ se na mehwim wɔn a wɔdi wɔn nya no firii wɔn anom.
18 So I thought: ‘I will die in my nest and multiply my days as the sand.
“Medwenee sɛ, ‘Mɛwu wɔ mʼankasa me fie mu, na me nna adɔɔso sɛ anwea.
19 My roots will spread out to the waters, and the dew will rest nightly on my branches.
Me nhini bɛduru nsuo ano, na obosuo agugu me mman so anadwo mu nyinaa.
20 My glory is ever new within me, and my bow is renewed in my hand.’
Mʼanimuonyam bɛkɔ so ayɛ frɔmm wɔ me so, na mʼahoɔden ayɛ foforɔ.’
21 Men listened to me with expectation, waiting silently for my counsel.
“Nnipa hwehwɛɛ sɛ wɔtie me, wɔyɛɛ dinn, twɛnee mʼafotuo.
22 After my words, they spoke no more; my speech settled on them like dew.
Sɛ mekasa wie a wɔnnkasa bio, ɛfiri sɛ me nsɛm tɔɔ wɔn asom yie.
23 They waited for me as for rain and drank in my words like spring showers.
Wɔtwɛnee me sɛdeɛ wɔtwɛne osutɔ, na wɔmenee me nsɛm sɛ osutɔ berɛ nsuo.
24 If I smiled at them, they did not believe it; the light of my countenance was precious.
Wɔn abasa mu buiɛ no, mesere kyerɛɛ wɔn; mʼanimteɛ som bo ma wɔn.
25 I chose their course and presided as chief. So I dwelt as a king among his troops, as a comforter of the mourners.
Mebɔɔ ɛkwan maa wɔn na metenaa ase sɛ wɔn ɔhene; metenaa ase sɛ ɔhene a ɔwɔ nʼakodɔm mu; meyɛɛ sɛ obi a ɔkyekyere agyaadwotwafoɔ werɛ.
