Job 22
1 THEN Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
Na Temanni Elifas buae se,
2 Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?
“Onyankopɔn benya onipa so mfaso ana? Mpo onyansafo so bɛba no mfaso ana?
3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?
Sɛ woyɛ ɔtreneeni a, anigye bɛn na Otumfo no benya? Sɛ wʼakwan ho nni asɛm a, mfaso bɛn na obenya?
4 Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?
“Wo kronkronyɛ nti na ɔka wʼanim na ɔbɔ wo kwaadu ana?
5 Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite?
Ɛnyɛ wʼamumɔyɛ na ɛso? Ɛnyɛ wo bɔne na ɛdɔɔso dodo?
6 For thou hast taken a pledge from 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 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt 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 fear troubleth 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 height of the stars, how high they are!
“So Onyankopɔn nni ɔsoro akyirikyiri ana? Hwɛ sɛnea ɔsoro akyirikyiri nsoromma korɔn!
13 And thou sayest, How 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 Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
So wobɛkɔ so afa ɔkwan dedaw a abɔnefo anantew so no so ana?
16 Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood:
Wɔpraa wɔn kɔe ansa na wɔn bere reso, na nsuyiri hohoroo wɔn fapem.
17 Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for 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 see it, and are 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 Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.
‘Wɔasɛe yɛn atamfo, na ogya ahyew wɔn agyapade.’
21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.
“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, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine 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, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.
Sɛ wosan kɔ Otumfo no nkyɛn a obegye wo ato mu bio: sɛ wuyi amumɔyɛsɛm fi wo ntamadan mu
24 Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as 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 Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.
ɛno de Otumfo bɛyɛ wo sikakɔkɔɔ ɔbɛyɛ dwetɛ ankasa ama wo.
26 For then 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 shall 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 the light shall shine upon thy ways.
Nea woyɛ wʼadwene sɛ wobɛyɛ no bɛba mu, na hann bɛtɔ wʼakwan so.
29 When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.
Sɛ nnipa hwe ase na woka se, ‘Ma wɔn so!’ a, obegye wɔn a wɔahwe ase no nkwa.
30 He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.
Obegye abɔnefo mpo, ɔnam wo nsa a ɛho nni fi so begye wɔn.”
