Job 31
1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; and how should I fix my regard upon a maid?
“Me ne mʼani yɛɛ apam sɛ meremfiri akɔnnɔ mu nhwɛ ababaawa.
2 For what would have been [my] portion of God from above, and what the heritage of the Almighty from on high?
Ɛdeɛn ne onipa kyɛfa a ɛfiri ɔsoro Onyankopɔn nkyɛn? Ɛdeɛn ne nʼagyapadeɛ a ɛfiri ɔsoro Otumfoɔ no nkyɛn?
3 Is not calamity for the unrighteous? and misfortune for the workers of iniquity?
Ɛnyɛ ɔsɛeɛ mma amumuyɛfoɔ? Ɛnyɛ asiane mma wɔn a wɔyɛ bɔne?
4 Doth not he see my ways, and number all my steps?
Ɔnhunu mʼakwan na ɔnkan anammɔn biara a metuo anaa?
5 If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot hath hasted to deceit,
“Sɛ manante wɔ nkontompo mu anaasɛ matu mmirika adi nnaadaasɛm akyi a,
6 (Let me be weighed in an even balance, and God will take knowledge of my blamelessness; )
ma Onyankopɔn nkari me wɔ nsania papa so na ɔbɛhunu sɛ me ho nni asɛm.
7 If my step have turned out of the way, and my heart followed mine eyes, and if any blot cleaveth to my hands;
Sɛ mʼanammɔntuo afom ɛkwan, sɛ mʼakoma adi mʼani akyi, anaasɛ me nsa ho agu fi a
8 Let me sow, and another eat; and let mine offspring be rooted out.
ɛnneɛ ma afoforɔ nni deɛ madua, na ma wɔntutu me mfudeɛ ngu.
9 If my heart have been enticed unto a woman, so that I laid wait at my neighbour's door,
“Sɛ ɔbaa bi atɔ mʼakoma so, anaasɛ matɛ me yɔnko bi ɛpono akyi a,
10 Let my wife grind for another, and let others bow down upon her.
ɛnneɛ, me yere nyam ɔbarima foforɔ aduane, na mmarima afoforɔ ne no nna.
11 For this is an infamy; yea, it is an iniquity [to be judged by] the judges:
Ɛfiri sɛ, anka ɛno na ɛbɛyɛ aniwusɛm ne bɔne a ɛsɛ sɛ wɔtwe aso wɔ so.
12 For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.
Ɛyɛ ogya a ɛhye kɔduru ɔsɛeɛ mu na ɛbɛtumi atutu mʼagyapadeɛ nyinaa ase.
13 If I have despised the cause of my bondman or of my bondmaid, when they contended with me,
“Sɛ mabu mʼasomfoɔ mmarima ne mmaa ntɛnkyea ɛberɛ a wɔ ne me nyaa asɛm,
14 What then should I do when God riseth up? and if he visited, what should I answer him?
na sɛ Onyankopɔn de si mʼanim a, ɛdeɛn na mɛyɛ? Sɛ wɔfrɛ me akontabuo a, mmuaeɛ bɛn na mɛma?
15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not One fashion us in the womb?
Ɛnyɛ deɛ ɔbɔɔ me wɔ yafunu mu no na ɔbɔɔ wɔn? Ɛnyɛ onipa korɔ no na ɔbɔɔ yɛn nyinaa wɔ yɛn maamenom yafunu mu?
16 If I have withheld the poor from [their] desire, or caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
“Ohiani bi wɔ hɔ a ɔhia mmoa a mammoa no? Anaa mabu akunafoɔ bi abasa mu?
17 Or have eaten my morsel alone, so that the fatherless ate not thereof,
Mabɔ mʼaduane ho atirimuɔden a mamma nwisiaa bi?
18 (For from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, and I have guided the [widow] from my mother's womb; )
Dabi, ɛfiri me mmeranteberɛ mu, matete wɔn sɛdeɛ agya bɛyɛ, na me nkwa nna nyinaa mu, mahwɛ akunafoɔ.
19 If I have seen any perishing for want of clothing, or any needy without covering;
Sɛ mahunu obi a ɔnni aduradeɛ na ɔrebrɛ, anaa ohiani bi a ɔnni atadeɛ,
20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my lambs;
na sɛ wamfiri akoma mu anhyira me wɔ ɛberɛ a mede me nnwan ho nwi kaa no hye,
21 If I have lifted up my hand against an orphan, because I saw my help in the gate:
sɛ mama me nsa so atia awisiaa bi, ɛsiane sɛ mewɔ tumi wɔ asɛnniiɛ enti a,
22 [Then] let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone!
ɛnneɛ ma mʼabasa mpan mfiri mʼabatiri, ma ɛmmubu mfiri ne pɔ so.
23 For calamity from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his excellency I was powerless.
Mesuroo ɔsɛeɛ a ɛfiri Onyankopɔn nkyɛn, na nʼanimuonyam ho suro enti mantumi anyɛ saa nneɛma yi.
24 If I have made gold my hope, or said to the fine gold, My confidence!
“Sɛ mede me werɛ ahyɛ sikakɔkɔɔ mu anaasɛ maka akyerɛ sikakɔkɔɔ amapa sɛ, ‘Wo na wobɔ me ho ban,’
25 If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;
sɛ masɛpɛ me ho wɔ mʼahodeɛ bebrebe enti, ahodeɛ a me nsa aka yi,
26 If I beheld the sun when it shone, or the moon walking in brightness,
sɛ mahwɛ owia a ɛhyerɛn anaa ɔsrane a ɛnam animuonyam mu,
27 And my heart have been secretly enticed, so that my mouth kissed my hand:
ama aka mʼakoma a obiara nnim na me nsa yɛɛ wɔn atuu de anidie maa wɔn a,
28 This also would be an iniquity for the judge, for I should have denied the God who is above.
ɛnneɛ na yeinom nso bɛyɛ bɔne a wɔbu ho atɛn, ɛfiri sɛ na manni Onyankopɔn a ɔte ɔsoro no nokorɛ.
29 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, and exulted when evil befell him;
“Mʼani nnyee wɔ me ɔtamfoɔ amanehunu ho anaa menseree no wɔ ɔhaw a aba ne so.
30 (Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse; )
Memmaa mʼano nyɛɛ bɔne sɛ mɛdome obi nkwa.
31 If the men of my tent said not, Who shall find one that hath not been satisfied with his meat? —
Mʼasomfoɔ a wɔwɔ me fidua mu nkaa da sɛ, ‘Ɔma ɛkɔm de yɛn.’
32 The stranger did not lodge without; I opened my doors to the pathway.
Ɔhɔhoɔ biara anna abɔntene so da, ɛfiri sɛ me ɛpono ano daa hɔ da biara maa akwantufoɔ,
33 If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom,
Makata me bɔne so sɛdeɛ nnipa yɛ de mʼafɔdie ahyɛ mʼakoma mu?
34 Because I feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and went not out of the door, ...
Suro a mesuro nnipadɔm ne ahohora a ɛfiri mmusua hɔ no enti meyɛɛ komm a mamfiri adi?
35 Oh that I had one to hear me! Behold my signature: let the Almighty answer me! And let mine opponent write an accusation!
(“Ao, sɛ anka mewɔ obi a ɔbɛtie me. Mede me din ahyɛ mʼanoyie ase, ma Otumfoɔ no mmua me; ma deɛ ɔbɔ me kwaadu no ntwerɛ ne soboɔbɔ.
36 Would I not take it upon my shoulder? I would bind it on to me [as] a crown;
Ampa ara, anka mede bɛhyɛ mʼabatiri, anka mede bɛhyɛ sɛ ahenkyɛ.
37 I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I come near to him.
Anka mɛbu mʼanammɔntuo biara ho akonta akyerɛ no; anka mɛkɔ nʼanim sɛ ɔheneba.)
38 If my land cry out against me, and its furrows weep together;
“Sɛ mʼasase team tia me na nisuo fɔ nʼakofie nyinaa,
39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, and have tormented to death the souls of its owners:
sɛ madi so aba a mentuaa ka anaasɛ mabu ɛso apaafoɔ no abamu a,
40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and tares instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
ma nkasɛɛ mfifiri nsi ayuo anan mu na wira mfu nsi atokoɔ anan mu.” Hiob nsɛm no asi.
