Job 13

1 “Hey, I [SYN] have seen everything [that you have seen], and I have heard and understood all [that you have said].

“Mʼani ahunu yeinom nyinaa, mʼaso ate, na ate aseɛ nso.

2 What you know, I also know; I do (not know less than/know as much as) you.

Deɛ wonim no, me nso menim; wo nsene me.

3 But I would like to speak to Almighty God, [not to you]; I would like to argue with him [and prove that I (am innocent/have not done things that are wrong]).

Nanso mepɛ sɛ mekasa kyerɛ Otumfoɔ no na me ne Onyankopɔn toatoa adwene wɔ mʼasɛm ho.

4 As for you, you do not allow people to know the truth about me, like someone covers [up a bad surface of a wall] with whitewash [MET]. You are all like doctors [MET] [that give people] useless [medicines].

Mode atorɔ mmom na afɔre me ho; mo nyinaa moyɛ ayaresafoɔ a mo ho nni mfasoɔ!

5 I wish/desire that you would be silent; that would be the wisest thing that you [could do].

Sɛ mobɛyɛ komm koraa a ɛno na ɛbɛyɛ nyansa ama mo!

6 Listen to what I will say to you now; listen while I am saying [what is true about myself].

Afei montie mʼano asɛm; montie mʼanoyie.

7 Are you telling lies about me to prove God [is just in causing me to suffer]? Are you saying what is deceitful in order to benefit him?

Mobɛka amumuyɛsɛm ama Onyankopɔn anaa? Mobɛka nnaadaasɛm ama no anaa?

8 Are you trying to defend him? Are you trying to prove [as you would] in a court that he is innocent?

Mobɛkyea mo aso ama no? Mobɛka Onyankopɔn asɛm ama no anaa?

9 If he looks closely, will he find that everything that you have done is good? Or can you deceive him, like you deceive other people?

Sɛ ɔhwehwɛ mo mu a, ɛbɛsi mo yie anaa? Mobɛtumi adaadaa no sɛdeɛ modaadaa nnipa no anaa?

10 If you secretly say/do things to cause God to act favorably toward you, he will surely rebuke you.

Sɛ mokyeaa mo aso wɔ kɔkoam a, sɛdeɛ ɛteɛ biara, ɔbɛka mo anim.

11 He will certainly [RHQ] cause you to be terrified by his power/greatness; you will become extremely afraid.

Nʼanimuonyam mmɔ mo hu anaa? Ne ho suro nntɔ mo so anaa?

12 The things that you say [that you think are] wise are [as useless as] [MET] as ashes; what you say to defend your opinions is no better than [MET] clay [that quickly crumbles].

Mo kasatɔmmɛ yɛ mmɛbuo a ɛte sɛ nsõ; mo anoyie yɛ dɔteɛ.

13 “So, be quiet and allow me to speak, and then it will not matter what happens to me.

“Monyɛ dinn, na menkasa; na deɛ ɛbɛyɛ me biara mmra me so.

14 I am ready to endure anything; I am [even] willing to risk being executed [IDM, DOU] [for what I will say].

Adɛn enti na mede me ho to amaneɛ mu na mede me nkwa to me nsam?

15 If God kills me, then I will not have anyone else whom I can confidently expect to help me, but I am going to defend my behavior in his presence [anyway].

Ɛwom sɛ ɔkumm me deɛ, nanso ne so na mʼani bɛda; ampa ara mɛdi mʼakwan ho adanseɛ wɔ nʼanim.

16 No wicked/godless person would dare to stand in the presence of God, [but because I say that I have not done things that are wrong], perhaps, if I can prove that to God, he will save me.”

Nokorɛm, yei na ɛbɛyɛ me nkwagyeɛ, ɛfiri sɛ deɛ ɔnsuro Onyankopɔn no rentumi nkɔ nʼanim!

17 “God, listen very carefully to what I say [DOU].

Montie me nsɛm yi yie; monyɛ aso mma deɛ meka.

18 I am ready to prove that I am innocent, and I know that you also will declare that I am not guilty.

Afei a masiesie me nkurobɔ yi, menim sɛ mɛdi bem.

19 I certainly do not think [RHQ] that [you or anyone else] will say that what I say is not true; if anyone did that, I would (be silent/stop talking) and die.

Obi bɛtumi abɔ me kwaadu anaa? Sɛ ɛte saa deɛ a, anka mɛyɛ komm na mawu.

20 “I am requesting you to do two things for me; if you do them, I will (not hide from you/come and stand in front of you) [LIT].

“Ao Onyankopɔn, yɛ saa nneɛma mmienu yi pɛ ma me, na afei meremfa me ho nsuma wo:

21 [The first thing that I request is that you] stop punishing [IDM] me; and [the second thing that I request is that you] stop causing me to be very terrified.

Yi wo nsa firi me so kɔ akyirikyiri, na gyae wo ho hu a wode hunahuna me no.

22 You speak [first], and then I will reply; or allow me to speak first, and [then] you reply.

Afei samena me na mɛba, anaa ma menkasa na bua me.

23 What have I done that is wrong? What sins have I committed? Show me how I have disobeyed you.

Mfomsoɔ ne bɔne dodoɔ ahe na mayɛ? Kyerɛ me me mfomsoɔ ne me bɔne.

24 Why (do you refuse to be friendly with/have you abandoned) me [IDM]? Why do you (act toward me as though I am/consider me to be) your enemy?

Adɛn enti na wode wʼanim asie me na wodwene sɛ meyɛ wo ɔtamfoɔ?

25 I am [as insignificant as] [MET] a leaf that is blown by the wind; why are you trying to cause me to be afraid [RHQ]? Why are you pursuing me? Am I [useless, nothing more than a bit of] dry chaff [RHQ]?

Wobɛyɛ ahahan a mframa rebɔ no ayayadeɛ anaa? Wobɛtaa ntɛtɛ a awoɔ anaa?

26 [It seems that] you are writing things to accuse me [of doing things that are wrong], even recalling bad things that I did when I was young.

Wotwerɛ soboɔ a ɛyɛ yea tia me, na woka me mmabunuberɛ mu bɔne nyinaa gu me so.

27 [It is as though] you have fastened my feet with chains [to prevent me from walking], and you watch me wherever I walk; [It is as though] you even look closely at my footprints [to see where I have gone].

Wode nkyehoma gu me nan; wohwɛ mʼanammɔnkwan nyinaa so yie na wode ahyɛnsodeɛ ayeyɛ mʼanammɔn mu.

28 [As a result], my body is decaying like [SIM] rotten wood, like a piece of cloth that is eaten by [larvae of] moths.”

“Enti onipa nkwa sa te sɛ biribi a aporɔ, te sɛ atadeɛ a nweweboa adie.