Job 31
1 I vowed to myself never to look with desire at young women.
“Me ne mʼani yɛɛ apam sɛ meremfi akɔnnɔ mu, nhwɛ ababaa.
2 What should people expect to receive from God? What reward should the Almighty on high give them?
Dɛn ne onipa kyɛfa a efi ɔsoro Nyankopɔn nkyɛn? Dɛn ne nʼagyapade a efi ɔsoro Tumfo no nkyɛn?
3 Isn't it disaster for the wicked and destruction for those who do wrong?
Ɛnyɛ ɔsɛe mma amumɔyɛfo, atoyerɛnkyɛm mma wɔn a wɔyɛ bɔne ana?
4 Doesn't God see everything I do—even count every step I take?
Onhu mʼakwan na ɔnkan anammɔn biara a mitu ana?
5 Have I lived a deceitful life? Have I been eager to tell lies?
“Sɛ manantew wɔ nkontompo mu anaasɛ matu mmirika adi nnaadaasɛm akyi a,
6 No! Let God weigh me on the scales of his justice and let him discover my integrity.
ma Onyankopɔn nkari me wɔ nsania papa so na obehu sɛ me ho nni asɛm;
7 If I have wandered from God's way, if I have let what I see become my desires, if there's any stain of sin on my hands,
sɛ mʼanammɔntu afom ɔkwan, sɛ me koma adi mʼani akyi, anaasɛ me nsa ho agu fi a
8 then let someone else eat what I have sown, and all that I have grown be uprooted.
ɛno de ma afoforo nni nea madua, na ma wontutu me nnɔbae ngu.
9 If a woman has seduced me, or if I have looked for an opportunity to sleep with my neighbor's wife,
“Sɛ ɔbea bi atɔ me koma so, anaasɛ matɛw me yɔnko bi pon akyi a,
10 then let my wife serve another, let other men sleep with her.
ɛno de, me yere nyam ɔbarima foforo aduan, na mmarima afoforo ne no nna.
11 For that would be wicked, a sin deserving punishment,
Efisɛ anka ɛno na ɛbɛyɛ aniwusɛm ne bɔne a ɛsɛ sɛ wɔtwe aso wɔ so.
12 for this sin is like a fire that leads to destruction, destroying everything I have.
Ɛyɛ ogya a ɛhyew kodu Ɔsɛe mu; na ebetumi atutu me nnɔbae ase.
13 If I had refused to listen to my menservants or maidservants when they brought their complaints to me,
“Sɛ mabu mʼasomfo mmarima ne mmea ntɛnkyew, bere a wɔne me nyaa asɛm,
14 what would I do when God came to judge me? How would I reply if he investigated me?
sɛ Onyankopɔn de si mʼanim a dɛn na mɛyɛ? Sɛ wɔfrɛ me akontaabu a, mmuae bɛn na mɛma?
15 Didn't the same God make all of us?
Ɛnyɛ nea ɔbɔɔ me wɔ ɔyafunu mu no na ɔbɔɔ wɔn? Ɛnyɛ onipa koro no na ɔyɛɛ yɛn baanu wɔ yɛn nanom yafunu mu?
16 Have I refused to give the poor what they needed, or caused widows to despair?
“Sɛ mamma ahiafo nea wɔn koma pɛ anaa mama akunafo ani ayɛ wɔn yaw,
17 Have I even eaten just a piece of bread by myself? Haven't I always shared my food with orphans?
sɛ mabɔ mʼaduan ho atirimɔden a mamma ayisaa bi,
18 From when I was young I was a father to orphans and took care of widows.
nanso efi mmerantebere mu matetew no sɛnea agya bɛyɛ, na efi ɔyafunu mu, mahwɛ akunafo.
19 If ever I saw someone needing clothes, the poor without anything to wear,
Sɛ mahu obi a onni adurade na ɔrebrɛ, anaa ohiani bi a onni atade,
20 they always thanked me for the wool clothing that kept them warm.
na sɛ wɔamfi koma mu anhyira me sɛ mede me nguan ho nwi kaa wɔn hyew,
21 If I raised my hand to hit an orphan, confident that if it came to court the judges would be on my side,
sɛ mama me nsa so atia ayisaa bi, esiane sɛ mewɔ tumi wɔ asennii nti a,
22 then let my shoulder be pulled from its joint, my arm wrenched out of its socket.
ɛno de, ma me basa mpan mfi me mmati, ma emmubu mfi nʼapɔw so.
23 Since I'm terrified of what punishment God may have in store for me, and because of his majesty, I could never do this.
Misuroo ɔsɛe a efi Onyankopɔn nkyɛn, na nʼanuonyam ho suro nti mantumi anyɛ saa nneyɛe no.
24 Have I put my trust in gold, calling fine gold, ‘My security’?
“Sɛ mede me werɛ ahyɛ sikakɔkɔɔ mu anaasɛ maka akyerɛ sikakɔkɔɔ ankasa se, ‘Wo na wobɔ me ho ban,’
25 Have I delighted in being rich, happy at all my wealth I had gained?
sɛ masɛpɛw me ho wɔ mʼahode bebrebe nti, ahode a me nsa aka yi,
26 Have I looked at the sun shining so brilliantly or the moon moving in majesty across the sky
sɛ mahwɛ owia ne ne hyerɛn anaa ɔsram a ɔnam anuonyam mu,
27 and been tempted to secretly worship them by kissing my hand to them in devotion?
ama aka me koma a obiara nnim na me nsa yɛɛ wɔn atuu de nidi maa wɔn a,
28 This too would be a sin deserving punishment for it would mean I had denied God above.
ɛno de, na eyinom nso bɛyɛ bɔne a wobu ho atɛn, efisɛ na manni Onyankopɔn a ɔte ɔsoro no nokware.
29 Have I ever been happy when disaster destroyed those who hated me, or celebrated when evil took them down?
“Sɛ mʼani gyee wɔ me tamfo amanehunu nti anaa mesrew no wɔ ɔhaw a aba ne so nti,
30 I have never allowed my mouth to sin by putting a curse on someone's life.
memmaa mʼano nyɛɛ bɔne sɛ mɛdome ne nkwa,
31 Haven't my family asked, ‘Is there anyone who has not eaten as much as they wanted of his food?’
sɛ nnipa a wɔwɔ me fi mu nkaa da sɛ, ‘Hena na Hiob pon so nam mmee no da?’
32 I have never let strangers sleep in the street; I have opened my doors to travelers.
Ɔhɔho biara anna abɔnten so da, efisɛ me pon ano daa hɔ da biara maa akwantufo,
33 Have I concealed my sins from others, hiding my wrongdoing deep inside me?
Makata me bɔne so sɛnea nnipa yɛ de mʼafɔdi ahyɛ me koma mu
34 Was I afraid of what everybody else would think, scared of the contempt families would show me, so that I kept quiet and didn't go outside?
esiane sɛ misuroo nnipadɔm ne ahohora a efi mmusua hɔ no nti na meyɛɛ komm a mamfi adi.
35 Why won't anyone listen to what I'm saying! I'm signing my name to endorse everything I've said. Let the Almighty answer me. Let my accuser write down what he is charging me with.
(“Ao, sɛ anka mewɔ obi a obetie me. Mede me din ahyɛ mʼanoyi ase, ma Otumfo no mmua me; ma nea ɔbɔ me kwaadu no nkyerɛw ne sobobɔ.
36 I would hold them up high; I would wear them on my head like a crown.
Ampa ara, mɛhyɛ wɔ me mmati, mɛhyɛ sɛ ahenkyɛw.
37 I would explain to him everything I'd done; I would hold my head high before him.
Mebu mʼanammɔntu biara ho akontaa akyerɛ no; mɛkɔ nʼanim sɛ ɔheneba.)
38 If my land has cried out against me; if her furrows have wept over me;
“Sɛ mʼasase teɛ mu tia me na nusu fɔw ne nkɔ nyinaa,
39 if I have taken its crops without payment or if I have caused harm to the farmers;
sɛ madi so aba a mintuaa ka anaasɛ mabu so apaafo no aba mu a,
40 then let thorns grow instead of wheat, and weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.
ma nsɔe mfifi nsi awi anan mu na wura mfuw nsi atoko anan mu.” Hiob nsɛm no asi.
