Job 24
1 Why doesn't the Almighty set a definite time to punish the wicked? Why don't those who follow him never see him act in judgment?
“Adɛn nti na Onyankopɔn nhyɛ bere mma atemmu? Adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ wɔn a wonim no no hwɛ saa da no anim nanso ɛmma da?
2 The wicked move boundary stones; they seize other people's flocks and move them to their own pastures.
Nnipa yiyi abo a wɔde ato ɔhye; na wɔde nguankuw a wɔawia kɔ hɔ adidi.
3 They steal the orphan's donkey; they take the widow's ox as security for a debt.
Wɔpam ayisaa mfurum na wogye akunafo anantwi sɛ awowaside.
4 They push the poor out of their way; the destitute are forced to hide from them.
Wosum ahiafo fi kwan so na wɔhyɛ asase no so ahiafo ma wɔkɔtetɛw.
5 Like wild donkeys in the desert, the poor have to scavenge for their food, looking for anything to feed their children in the wasteland.
Sɛnea sare so mfurum yɛ no saa ara na ahiafo no yɛ wɔn adwuma de pɛ aduan; asase kesee no so na wonya aduan ma wɔn mma.
6 They are forced to find what they can in other people's fields, to glean among the vineyards of the wicked.
Wɔboaboa mmoa aduan ano wɔ mfuw no so na wodi mpɛpɛ wɔ amumɔyɛfo bobe nturo mu.
7 They spend the night naked because they have no clothes; they have nothing to cover themselves against the cold.
Wonni ntama, na wɔda adagyaw anadwo; wonni hwee a wɔde kata wɔn ho wɔ awɔw mu.
8 They are soaked by the cold mountain storms, and huddle beside the rocks for shelter.
Mmepɔw so osu tɔ fɔw wɔn kyam na wɔtetare abotan no ho, efisɛ wonni nnae.
9 Fatherless children are snatched from their mother's breasts, taking the babies of the poor as security for a debt.
Wɔtew ayisaa fi nufu ano; na wɔfa ohiani abotafowa de si ne ka anan mu.
10 Because they have no clothes to wear they have to go naked, harvesting sheaves of grain while they themselves are hungry.
Wɔnenam adagyaw a wonni ntama; wɔsoa awi afiafi, nanso ɔkɔm de wɔn ara.
11 In the olive groves they work to produce oil, but do not taste it; they tread the winepress, but are thirsty.
Wokyi ngo wɔn adan mu; wotiatia nsakyiamoa mu, nanso osukɔm de wɔn.
12 In the city the dying groan, and the wounded cry for help, but God ignores their prayers.
Wɔn a wɔrewuwu no apinisi fi kuropɔn no mu, na apirafo kra su pɛ mmoa. Nanso Onyankopɔn mfa bɔne nto obiara so.
13 These are people who rebel against the light. They do not want to know its ways, or to stay on its paths.
“Ebinom wɔ hɔ a wɔsɔre tia hann no, wɔn a wonnim nʼakwan anaasɛ wɔnnantew nʼatempɔn so no.
14 The murderer gets up at dawn to kill the poor and needy, and when night falls he becomes a thief.
Sɛ adekyee hann no kɔ a, owudifo no sɔre na okum ohiani ne mmɔborɔni; anadwo, mu owiawia ne ho sɛ ɔkorɔmfo.
15 The adulterer waits for dusk, saying to himself, ‘No one will see me now,’ and he covers his face.
Ɔwaresɛefo twɛn bere a anim rebiribiri; ɔka se, ‘obiara renhu me,’ na ɔde nʼanim hintaw.
16 Thieves break into houses during the night and they sleep during the day. They don't even know what the light is like!
Sum mu na nnipa bubu apon wura afi mu, na adekyee, wɔtoto wɔn ho apon mu; wɔne hann nni hwee yɛ.
17 Total darkness is like light to them, for they are familiar with the night.
Sum kabii yɛ adekyee ma wɔn nyinaa; wɔne sum mu nneɛma a ɛyɛ hu fa nnamfo.
18 Like bubbles on the surface of a river they are quickly carried away. The land they own is cursed by God. They don't enter their own vineyards.
“Nanso wɔte sɛ ahuru a ɛte nsu ani; wɔadome wɔn kyɛfa wɔ asase no so, enti obiara nkɔ bobe nturo no mu.
19 Just as heat and drought dry up snowmelt, so Sheol takes away those who have sinned. (Sheol h7585)
Sɛnea ɔhyew ne ɔpɛ hwim sukyerɛmma a anan kɔ no, saa ara na ɔda de wɔn a wɔayɛ bɔne kɔ ne no. (Sheol h7585)
20 Even their mothers forget them, maggots feast on them, they are no longer remembered, and their wickedness becomes like a tree that is broken into pieces.
Awotwaa werɛ fi wɔn, na osunson di wɔn nam; nnipa bɔne de wɔnnkae wɔn bio na mmom wobubu te sɛ dua.
21 They mistreat childless women and are mean to widows.
Wɔde ɔbea bonin a onni ba yɛ hanam, na wonhu akunafo mmɔbɔ.
22 God prolongs the life of the wicked by his power; but when they arise, they have no assurance of life.
Onyankopɔn nam ne tumi so twe atumfo kɔ; ɛwɔ mu sɛ wonya asetena pa de, nanso wonni nkwa ho bɔhyɛ.
23 He supports them and gives them security, but he is always watching what they're doing.
Otumi ma wɔn tena ase asomdwoe mu, nanso nʼani wɔ wɔn akwan so.
24 Though they may be illustrious for a while, soon they are gone. They are brought down like all others, cut off like the heads of grain.
Wɔma wɔn so bere tiaa bi, na afei wonni hɔ bio; wɔbrɛ wɔn ase boaboa wɔn ano sɛ nnipa nyinaa; wotwitwa wɔn gu te sɛ aburow ti.
25 If this isn't so, who can prove I'm a liar and there's nothing to what I say?”
“Sɛ eyi nte saa a, hena na obetumi agye me akyinnye na ama nea maka no ayɛ nsɛnhunu?”
