Job 22
1 Then responded Eliphaz the Temanite, and said: —
Na Temanni Elifas buae se,
2 Unto GOD, can a man act as friend? Surely a discreet man befriendeth himself!
“Onyankopɔn benya onipa so mfaso ana? Mpo onyansafo so bɛba no mfaso ana?
3 Is it a pleasure to the Almighty, that thou shouldst be righteous? or any profit, that thou shouldst be blameless in thy ways?
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 reverence, that he will accuse thee? will enter with thee into judgment?
“Wo kronkronyɛ nti na ɔka wʼanim na ɔbɔ wo kwaadu ana?
5 Is not, thy wickedness, great? and, without end, [are not] thine iniquities?
Ɛnyɛ wʼamumɔyɛ na ɛso? Ɛnyɛ wo bɔne na ɛdɔɔso dodo?
6 Surely then hast been wont to put thy brother in pledge, for nothing, and, the garments of the ill-clad, hast thou stripped off:
Wopɛɛ bammɔ fii wo nuanom nkyɛn a emfi hwee so; wopaa nnipa ho ntama ma wɔdaa adagyaw.
7 No water—to the weary, hast thou given to drink, and, from the hungry, thou hast withheld bread:
Woamma abrɛfo nsu annom na wode aduan kamee nea ɔkɔm de no,
8 A man of might, to him, pertaineth the land, and, the favorite, dwelleth therein:
nanso na woyɛ obi a ɔwɔ tumi, wɔ nsase, onuonyamfo a ɔte so.
9 Widows, thou hast sent away empty, and, the arms of the fatherless, thou dost crush.
Wopam akunafo ma wɔkɔɔ nsapan na womaa ayisaa nso ahoɔden sae.
10 For this cause, round about thee, are snares, and a dread startleth thee suddenly;
Ɛno nti na mfiri atwa wo ho ahyia, na amanehunu a ɛba ntɛm so bɔ wo hu yi,
11 Or darkness—thou canst not see, and, a flood of waters, covereth thee.
ɛno nti na sum kabii aduru a wunhu ade, na asorɔkye akata wo so yi.
12 Is not, GOD, [in] the height of the heavens? Behold, then, the head of the stars, that they are high.
“So Onyankopɔn nni ɔsoro akyirikyiri ana? Hwɛ sɛnea ɔsoro akyirikyiri nsoromma korɔn!
13 Wilt thou say then, What doth GOD know? Out through a thick cloud, can he judge?
Nanso woka se, ‘Dɛn na Onyankopɔn nim? Sum yi mu na obu atɛn ana?
14 Dark clouds, are a veil to him, and he cannot see, or, the vault of the heavens, doth he walk?
Omununkum kabii akata nʼanim nti onhu yɛn bere a ɔnenam ɔsoro kontonkurowi mu.’
15 The path of the ancient time, wilt thou mark, which the men of iniquity trod?
So wobɛkɔ so afa ɔkwan dedaw a abɔnefo anantew so no so ana?
16 Who were snatched away before the time, and, a stream, washed away their foundation?
Wɔpraa wɔn kɔe ansa na wɔn bere reso, na nsuyiri hohoroo wɔn fapem.
17 Who had been saying unto GOD, Depart from us! and—What can the Almighty do for himself?
Na wɔka kyerɛɛ Onyankopɔn se, ‘Gyaa yɛn! Dɛn na Otumfo betumi ayɛ yɛn?’
18 Yet, he, had filled their houses with good! The counsel of the lawless, then, 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 shall see and rejoice, and, the innocent, shall laugh them to scorn:
Atreneefo hu wɔn asehwe ma wɔn ani gye; na wɔn a wɔn ho nni asɛm serew wɔn ka se,
20 If our assailants do not vanish, then, their abundance, a fire consumeth!
‘Wɔasɛe yɛn atamfo, na ogya ahyew wɔn agyapade.’
21 Shew thyself to be one with him—I pray thee—and prosper, thereby, shall there come on thee blessing.
“Fa wo ho ma Onyankopɔn na nya asomdwoe wɔ ne mu; saa ɔkwan yi so na yiyedi bɛfa ayɛ wo kyɛfa.
22 Accept, I beseech thee, from his mouth—instruction, —and lay up his sayings in thy heart.
Tie akwankyerɛ a efi nʼanom, na fa ne nsɛm sie wo koma mu.
23 If thou return unto the Almighty and submit thyself, if thou far remove perversity from thy tent,
Sɛ wosan kɔ Otumfo no nkyɛn a obegye wo ato mu bio: sɛ wuyi amumɔyɛsɛm fi wo ntamadan mu
24 Then lay up, in the dust, precious ore, and, among the stones of the torrent-beds, fine gold:
na wotow wo sika mpɔw gu mfutuma mu ne Ofir sikakɔkɔɔ gu abotan a ɛwɔ abon mu no so a,
25 So shall, the Almighty, become, thy precious ores, yea glittering silver unto thee!
ɛno de Otumfo bɛyɛ wo sikakɔkɔɔ ɔbɛyɛ dwetɛ ankasa ama wo.
26 For, then, in the Almighty, shalt thou take exquisite delight, and shalt lift up—unto GOD—thy face;
Afei nokware wubenya anigye wɔ Otumfo mu na wobɛpagyaw wʼani akyerɛ Onyankopɔn.
27 Thou shalt make entreaty unto him, and he will hear thee, and, thy vows, shalt thou pay;
Wobɛbɔ no mpae, na obetie wo, na wubedi wo bɔhyɛ so.
28 And thou shalt decree a purpose, and it shall be fulfilled unto thee, and, upon thy ways, shall have shone a light;
Nea woyɛ wʼadwene sɛ wobɛyɛ no bɛba mu, na hann bɛtɔ wʼakwan so.
29 When men cast themselves down, then thou shalt say: Up! And, him that is of downcast eyes, shall he save;
Sɛ nnipa hwe ase na woka se, ‘Ma wɔn so!’ a, obegye wɔn a wɔahwe ase no nkwa.
30 He shall deliver the innocent, and thou shalt escape by the pureness of thy hands.
Obegye abɔnefo mpo, ɔnam wo nsa a ɛho nni fi so begye wɔn.”
