Job 22
1 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:
Na Temanni Elifas buae se,
2 Can a man be profitable unto God? Or can he that is wise be profitable unto Him?
“Onyankopɔn benya onipa so mfaso ana? Mpo onyansafo so bɛba no mfaso ana?
3 Is it any advantage to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? Or is it gain to Him, that thou makest thy ways blameless?
Sɛ woyɛ ɔtreneeni a, anigye bɛn na Otumfo no benya? Sɛ wʼakwan ho nni asɛm a, mfaso bɛn na obenya?
4 Is it for thy fear of Him that He reproveth thee, that He entereth with thee into judgment?
“Wo kronkronyɛ nti na ɔka wʼanim na ɔbɔ wo kwaadu ana?
5 Is not thy wickedness great? And are not thine iniquities without end?
Ɛnyɛ wʼamumɔyɛ na ɛso? Ɛnyɛ wo bɔne na ɛdɔɔso dodo?
6 For thou hast taken pledges of thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
Wopɛɛ bammɔ fii wo nuanom nkyɛn a emfi hwee so; wopaa nnipa ho ntama ma wɔdaa adagyaw.
7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
Woamma abrɛfo nsu annom na wode aduan kamee nea ɔkɔm de no,
8 And as a mighty man, who hath the earth, and as a man of rank, who dwelleth in it,
nanso na woyɛ obi a ɔwɔ tumi, wɔ nsase, onuonyamfo a ɔte so.
9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
Wopam akunafo ma wɔkɔɔ nsapan na womaa ayisaa nso ahoɔden sae.
10 Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden dread affrighted thee,
Ɛno nti na mfiri atwa wo ho ahyia, na amanehunu a ɛba ntɛm so bɔ wo hu yi,
11 Or darkness, that thou canst not see, and abundance of waters cover thee.
ɛno nti na sum kabii aduru a wunhu ade, na asorɔkye akata wo so yi.
12 Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the topmost of the stars, how high they are!
“So Onyankopɔn nni ɔsoro akyirikyiri ana? Hwɛ sɛnea ɔsoro akyirikyiri nsoromma korɔn!
13 And thou sayest: 'What doth God know? Can He judge through the dark cloud?
Nanso woka se, ‘Dɛn na Onyankopɔn nim? Sum yi mu na obu atɛn ana?
14 Thick clouds are a covering to Him, that He seeth not; and He walketh in the circuit of heaven.'
Omununkum kabii akata nʼanim nti onhu yɛn bere a ɔnenam ɔsoro kontonkurowi mu.’
15 Wilt thou keep the old way which wicked men have trodden?
So wobɛkɔ so afa ɔkwan dedaw a abɔnefo anantew so no so ana?
16 Who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream;
Wɔpraa wɔn kɔe ansa na wɔn bere reso, na nsuyiri hohoroo wɔn fapem.
17 Who said unto God: 'Depart from us'; and what could the Almighty do unto them?
Na wɔka kyerɛɛ Onyankopɔn se, ‘Gyaa yɛn! Dɛn na Otumfo betumi ayɛ yɛn?’
18 Yet He filled their houses with good things — but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Nanso ɛyɛ ɔno na ɔde nnepa hyɛɛ wɔn afi mu, nti metwe me ho fi amumɔyɛfo afotu ho.
19 The righteous saw it, and were glad, and the innocent laugh them to scorn:
Atreneefo hu wɔn asehwe ma wɔn ani gye; na wɔn a wɔn ho nni asɛm serew wɔn ka se,
20 'Surely their substance is cut off, and their abundance the fire hath consumed.'
‘Wɔasɛe yɛn atamfo, na ogya ahyew wɔn agyapade.’
21 Acquaint now thyself with Him, and be at peace; thereby shall thine increase be good.
“Fa wo ho ma Onyankopɔn na nya asomdwoe wɔ ne mu; saa ɔkwan yi so na yiyedi bɛfa ayɛ wo kyɛfa.
22 Receive, I pray thee, instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in thy heart.
Tie akwankyerɛ a efi nʼanom, na fa ne nsɛm sie wo koma mu.
23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up — if thou put away unrighteousness far from thy tents,
Sɛ wosan kɔ Otumfo no nkyɛn a obegye wo ato mu bio: sɛ wuyi amumɔyɛsɛm fi wo ntamadan mu
24 And lay thy treasure in the dust, and the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks;
na wotow wo sika mpɔw gu mfutuma mu ne Ofir sikakɔkɔɔ gu abotan a ɛwɔ abon mu no so a,
25 And the Almighty be thy treasure, and precious silver unto thee;
ɛno de Otumfo bɛyɛ wo sikakɔkɔɔ ɔbɛyɛ dwetɛ ankasa ama wo.
26 Then surely shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.
Afei nokware wubenya anigye wɔ Otumfo mu na wobɛpagyaw wʼani akyerɛ Onyankopɔn.
27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto Him, and He will hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows;
Wobɛbɔ no mpae, na obetie wo, na wubedi wo bɔhyɛ so.
28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee, and light shall shine upon thy ways.
Nea woyɛ wʼadwene sɛ wobɛyɛ no bɛba mu, na hann bɛtɔ wʼakwan so.
29 When they cast thee down, thou shalt say: 'There is lifting up'; for the humble person He saveth.
Sɛ nnipa hwe ase na woka se, ‘Ma wɔn so!’ a, obegye wɔn a wɔahwe ase no nkwa.
30 He delivereth him that is innocent, yea, thou shalt be delivered through the cleanness of thy hands.
Obegye abɔnefo mpo, ɔnam wo nsa a ɛho nni fi so begye wɔn.”
