Job 31
1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; how then should I look upon a maid?
“Me ne mʼani yɛɛ apam sɛ meremfi akɔnnɔ mu, nhwɛ ababaa.
2 For what would be the portion of God from above, and the heritage of the Almighty from on high?
Dɛn ne onipa kyɛfa a efi ɔsoro Nyankopɔn nkyɛn? Dɛn ne nʼagyapade a efi ɔsoro Tumfo no nkyɛn?
3 Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, and disaster to the workers of iniquity?
Ɛnyɛ ɔsɛe mma amumɔyɛfo, atoyerɛnkyɛm mma wɔn a wɔyɛ bɔne ana?
4 Doth not He see my ways, and count all my steps?
Onhu mʼakwan na ɔnkan anammɔn biara a mitu ana?
5 If I have walked with vanity, and my foot hath hasted to deceit —
“Sɛ manantew wɔ nkontompo mu anaasɛ matu mmirika adi nnaadaasɛm akyi a,
6 Let me be weighed in a just balance, that God may know mine integrity —
ma Onyankopɔn nkari me wɔ nsania papa so na obehu sɛ me ho nni asɛm;
7 If my step hath turned out of the way, and my heart walked after mine eyes, and if any spot hath cleaved to my hands;
sɛ mʼanammɔntu afom ɔkwan, sɛ me koma adi mʼani akyi, anaasɛ me nsa ho agu fi a
8 Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let the produce of my field be rooted out.
ɛno de ma afoforo nni nea madua, na ma wontutu me nnɔbae ngu.
9 If my heart have been enticed unto a woman, and I have lain in wait at my neighbour's door;
“Sɛ ɔbea bi atɔ me koma so, anaasɛ matɛw me yɔnko bi pon akyi a,
10 Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.
ɛno de, me yere nyam ɔbarima foforo aduan, na mmarima afoforo ne no nna.
11 For that were a heinous crime; yea, it were an iniquity to be punished by the judges.
Efisɛ anka ɛno na ɛbɛyɛ aniwusɛm ne bɔne a ɛsɛ sɛ wɔtwe aso wɔ so.
12 For it is a fire that consumeth unto destruction, and would root out all mine increase.
Ɛyɛ ogya a ɛhyew kodu Ɔsɛe mu; na ebetumi atutu me nnɔbae ase.
13 If I did despise the cause of my man-servant, or of my maid-servant, when they contended with me —
“Sɛ mabu mʼasomfo mmarima ne mmea ntɛnkyew, bere a wɔne me nyaa asɛm,
14 What then shall I do when God riseth up? And when He remembereth, what shall I answer Him?
sɛ Onyankopɔn de si mʼanim a dɛn na mɛyɛ? Sɛ wɔfrɛ me akontaabu a, mmuae 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 nea ɔbɔɔ me wɔ ɔyafunu mu no na ɔbɔɔ wɔn? Ɛnyɛ onipa koro no na ɔyɛɛ yɛn baanu wɔ yɛn nanom yafunu mu?
16 If I have withheld aught that the poor desired, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
“Sɛ mamma ahiafo nea wɔn koma pɛ anaa mama akunafo ani ayɛ wɔn yaw,
17 Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof —
sɛ mabɔ mʼaduan ho atirimɔden a mamma ayisaa bi,
18 Nay, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, and I have been her guide from my mother's womb.
nanso efi mmerantebere mu matetew no sɛnea agya bɛyɛ, na efi ɔyafunu mu, mahwɛ akunafo.
19 If I have seen any wanderer in want of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;
Sɛ mahu obi a onni adurade na ɔrebrɛ, anaa ohiani bi a onni atade,
20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
na sɛ wɔamfi koma mu anhyira me sɛ mede me nguan ho nwi kaa wɔn hyew,
21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate;
sɛ mama me nsa so atia ayisaa bi, esiane sɛ mewɔ tumi wɔ asennii nti a,
22 Then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.
ɛno de, ma me basa mpan mfi me mmati, ma emmubu mfi nʼapɔw so.
23 For calamity from God was a terror to me, and by reason of His majesty I could do nothing.
Misuroo ɔsɛe a efi Onyankopɔn nkyɛn, na nʼanuonyam ho suro nti mantumi anyɛ saa nneyɛe no.
24 If I have made gold my hope, and have said to the fine gold: 'Thou art my confidence';
“Sɛ mede me werɛ ahyɛ sikakɔkɔɔ mu anaasɛ maka akyerɛ sikakɔkɔɔ ankasa se, ‘Wo na wobɔ me ho ban,’
25 If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;
sɛ masɛpɛw me ho wɔ mʼahode bebrebe nti, ahode a me nsa aka yi,
26 If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;
sɛ mahwɛ owia ne ne hyerɛn anaa ɔsram a ɔnam anuonyam mu,
27 And my heart hath been secretly enticed, and my mouth hath kissed my hand;
ama aka me koma a obiara nnim na me nsa yɛɛ wɔn atuu de nidi maa wɔn a,
28 This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judges; for I should have lied to God that is above.
ɛno de, na eyinom nso bɛyɛ bɔne a wobu ho atɛn, efisɛ na manni Onyankopɔn a ɔte ɔsoro no nokware.
29 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or exulted when evil found him —
“Sɛ mʼani gyee wɔ me tamfo amanehunu nti anaa mesrew no wɔ ɔhaw a aba ne so nti,
30 Yea, I suffered not my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse.
memmaa mʼano nyɛɛ bɔne sɛ mɛdome ne nkwa,
31 If the men of my tent said not: 'Who can find one that hath not been satisfied with his meat?'
sɛ nnipa a wɔwɔ me fi mu nkaa da sɛ, ‘Hena na Hiob pon so nam mmee no da?’
32 The stranger did not lodge in the street; my doors I opened to the roadside.
Ɔhɔho biara anna abɔnten so da, efisɛ me pon ano daa hɔ da biara maa akwantufo,
33 If after the manner of men I covered my transgressions, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom —
Makata me bɔne so sɛnea nnipa yɛ de mʼafɔdi ahyɛ me koma mu
34 Because I feared the great multitude, and the most contemptible among families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and went not out of the door.
esiane sɛ misuroo nnipadɔm ne ahohora a efi mmusua hɔ no nti na meyɛɛ komm a mamfi adi.
35 Oh that I had one to hear me! — Lo, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me — and that I had the indictment which mine adversary hath written!
(“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 Surely I would carry it upon my shoulder; I would bind it unto me as a crown.
Ampa ara, mɛhyɛ wɔ me mmati, mɛhyɛ sɛ ahenkyɛw.
37 I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.
Mebu mʼanammɔntu biara ho akontaa akyerɛ no; mɛkɔ nʼanim sɛ ɔheneba.)
38 If my land cry out against me, and the furrows thereof weep together;
“Sɛ mʼasase teɛ mu tia me na nusu fɔw ne nkɔ nyinaa,
39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the tillers thereof to be disappointed —
sɛ madi so aba a mintuaa ka anaasɛ mabu so apaafo no aba mu a,
40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and noisome 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.
