Job 22
1 Then responded Eliphaz the Temanite, and said: —
Na Temanni Elifas buaa sɛ,
2 Unto GOD, can a man act as friend? Surely a discreet man befriendeth himself!
“Onyankopɔn bɛnya onipa ho mfasoɔ anaa? Mpo onyansafoɔ ho bɛba no mfasoɔ anaa?
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 ɔteneneeni a, anigyeɛ bɛn na Otumfoɔ no bɛnya? Sɛ wʼakwan ho nni asɛm a, mfasoɔ bɛn na ɔbɛnya?
4 Is it, for thy reverence, that he will accuse thee? will enter with thee into judgment?
“Wo kronnyɛ enti na ɔka wʼanim na ɔbɔ wo kwaadu anaa?
5 Is not, thy wickedness, great? and, without end, [are not] thine iniquities?
Ɛnyɛ wʼamumuyɛ na ɛsoɔ? 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 banbɔ firii wo nuanom nkyɛn a ɛnni nteaseɛ biara; wopaa nnipa ho ntoma ma wɔdaa adagya.
7 No water—to the weary, hast thou given to drink, and, from the hungry, thou hast withheld bread:
Woamma abrɛfoɔ nsuo annom na woamfa aduane amma deɛ ɛkɔm de no.
8 A man of might, to him, pertaineth the land, and, the favorite, dwelleth therein:
Nanso na woyɛ obi a ɔwɔ tumi, na ɔwɔ nsase, onimuonyamfoɔ a ɔte so.
9 Widows, thou hast sent away empty, and, the arms of the fatherless, thou dost crush.
Wopamoo akunafoɔ ma wɔkɔɔ nsapan na womaa nwisiaa nso ahoɔden saeɛ.
10 For this cause, round about thee, are snares, and a dread startleth thee suddenly;
Ɛno enti na mfidie atwa wo ho ahyia, na amanehunu a ɛba ntɛm so abɔ wo hu yi,
11 Or darkness—thou canst not see, and, a flood of waters, covereth thee.
adɛn enti na esum aduru a wonhunu adeɛ, na asorɔkye akata wo so.
12 Is not, GOD, [in] the height of the heavens? Behold, then, the head of the stars, that they are high.
“Onyankopɔn nni ɔsoro akyirikyiri? Hwɛ sɛdeɛ ɔsoro akyirikyiri nsoromma korɔn!
13 Wilt thou say then, What doth GOD know? Out through a thick cloud, can he judge?
Nanso woka sɛ, ‘Ɛdeɛn na Onyankopɔn nim? Esum yi mu na ɔbu atɛn anaa?
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 enti ɔnhunu yɛn ɛberɛ a ɔnenam ɔsoro kɔntɔnkurowi mu.’
15 The path of the ancient time, wilt thou mark, which the men of iniquity trod?
Wobɛkɔ so afa ɛkwan dada a abɔnefoɔ anante soɔ no so?
16 Who were snatched away before the time, and, a stream, washed away their foundation?
Wɔpraa wɔn kɔɔeɛ ansa na wɔn berɛ reso, na nsuyire 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 sɛ, ‘Gyaa yɛn! Ɛdeɛn na Otumfoɔ bɛtumi 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 afie mu, enti metwe me ho mefiri amumuyɛfoɔ afutuo ho.
19 The righteous shall see and rejoice, and, the innocent, shall laugh them to scorn:
Teneneefoɔ hunu wɔn asehweɛ ma wɔn ani gye; na wɔn a wɔn ho nni asɛm sere wɔn ka sɛ,
20 If our assailants do not vanish, then, their abundance, a fire consumeth!
‘Wɔasɛe yɛn atamfoɔ, na ogya ahye wɔn agyapadeɛ.’
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 asomdwoeɛ wɔ ne mu; saa ɛkwan yi so na yiedie bɛyɛ wo kyɛfa.
22 Accept, I beseech thee, from his mouth—instruction, —and lay up his sayings in thy heart.
Tie akwankyerɛ a ɛfiri nʼanom, na fa ne nsɛm sie wʼakoma mu.
23 If thou return unto the Almighty and submit thyself, if thou far remove perversity from thy tent,
Sɛ wosane kɔ Otumfoɔ no nkyɛn a, ɔbɛgye wo atom bio: sɛ woyi amumuyɛsɛm firi wo ntomadan mu
24 Then lay up, in the dust, precious ore, and, among the stones of the torrent-beds, fine gold:
na woto wo sika mpɔ gu mfuturo mu ne Ofir sikakɔkɔɔ gu abotan a ɛwɔ abɔn mu no so a,
25 So shall, the Almighty, become, thy precious ores, yea glittering silver unto thee!
ɛnneɛ Otumfoɔ bɛyɛ wo sikakɔkɔɔ; ɔbɛyɛ dwetɛ amapa ama wo.
26 For, then, in the Almighty, shalt thou take exquisite delight, and shalt lift up—unto GOD—thy face;
Afei nokorɛm wobɛnya anigyeɛ wɔ Otumfoɔ mu na wobɛpagya wʼani akyerɛ Onyankopɔn.
27 Thou shalt make entreaty unto him, and he will hear thee, and, thy vows, shalt thou pay;
Wobɛbɔ no mpaeɛ, na ɔbɛtie wo, na wobɛdi 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;
Deɛ 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 sɛ, ‘Ma wɔn so!’ a, ɔbɛgye wɔn a wɔahwe ase no nkwa.
30 He shall deliver the innocent, and thou shalt escape by the pureness of thy hands.
Ɔbɛgye abɔnefoɔ mpo, ɔnam wo nsa a ɛho nni fi so bɛgye wɔn.”
