< Job 20 >

1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,
Na Naamani Sofar buaa sɛ,
2 Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for [this] I make haste.
“Me tiri mu ntene me, na ɛhyɛ me sɛ memmua ɛfiri sɛ me ho yera me yie.
3 I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.
Mate animka bi a ɛgu me ho fi, na nteaseɛ a menya no hyɛ me sɛ memmua.
4 Knowest thou [not] this of old, since man was placed upon earth,
“Ampa ara wonim sɛdeɛ nneɛma teɛ firi tete, ɛfiri ɛberɛ a wɔde nnipa duaa asase so,
5 That the triumphing of the wicked [is] short, and the joy of the hypocrite [but] for a moment?
sɛ amumuyɛfoɔ ani gye ɛberɛ tiawa bi mu, na wɔn a wɔnnsuro nyame nso anigyeɛ nkyɛ.
6 Though his excellence shall mount up to the heavens, and his head reach to the clouds;
Ɛwom sɛ nʼahohoahoa kɔduru ɔsoro, na ne tiri kɔpem omununkum deɛ,
7 [Yet] he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they who have seen him shall say, Where [is] he?
nanso, ɔbɛyera afebɔɔ te sɛ nʼankasa agyanan; na wɔn a wɔhunuu no no bɛbisa sɛ, ‘Ɔwɔ he?’
8 He shall fly away as a dream, and will not be found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.
Ɔtu kɔ te sɛ daeɛ, na wɔrenhunu no bio. Wɔtwam kɔ te sɛ anadwo mu anisoadehunu.
9 The eye also [which] saw him shall [see him] no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.
Ani a ɛhunu noɔ no renhunu no bio; na ne siberɛ nso renhunu no bio.
10 His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.
Ne mma bɛsrɛ adeɛ afiri ahiafoɔ hɔ; ɛsɛ sɛ nʼankasa de nʼahonya sane ma.
11 His bones are full [of the sin] of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust.
Ne mmeranteberɛ mu ahoɔden a ahyɛ ne nnompe ma no ne no bɛkɔ mfuturo mu.
12 Though wickedness may be sweet in his mouth, [though] he may hide it under his tongue;
“Ɛwom sɛ bɔne yɛ nʼanom dɛ na ɔde sie ne tɛkrɛma ase;
13 [Though] he may spare it, and forsake it not; but keep it still within his mouth:
ɛwom sɛ ɔntumi nnyaa mu na ɔma ɛka ne dodom,
14 [Yet] his food in his bowels is turned, [it is] the gall of asps within him.
nanso, nʼaduane bɛyɛ nwono wɔ ne yafunu mu; ɛbɛyɛ ɔtweaseɛ ano borɔ wɔ ne mu.
15 He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.
Ɔbɛfe ahonyadeɛ a ɔmeneeɛ no; Onyankopɔn bɛma ne yafunu apu agu.
16 He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper's tongue shall slay him.
Ɔbɛfefe awɔ borɔ; Ɔnanka se bɛkum no.
17 He shall not see the river, the floods, the brooks of honey and buttermilk.
Ɔrennya nsuwansuwa no nnom nsubɔntene a nufosuo ne ɛwoɔ sene wɔ mu no.
18 That which he labored for shall he restore, and shall not swallow [it]: according to [his] substance [shall] the restitution [be], and he shall not rejoice [in it].
Ɔbɛdane deɛ ɔbrɛ nyaeɛ no aba a ɔrenni bi; ɔremfa nʼadwadie mu mfasoɔ nnye nʼani.
19 Because he hath oppressed [and] hath forsaken the poor; [because] he hath violently taken away a house which he did not build.
Ɛfiri sɛ ɔhyɛɛ ahiafoɔ so ma wɔdii ohia buruburo; ɔde ne nsa ato afie a ɛnyɛ ɔno na ɔsiiɛ so.
20 Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired.
“Ampa ara ɔrennya ahomegyeɛ mfiri deɛ wapere anya no mu; ɔrentumi mfa nʼakoradeɛ nnye ne ho nkwa.
21 There shall none of his food be left; therefore shall no man look for his goods.
Wafom nneɛma nyinaa awie; ne nkɔsoɔ nnuru baabiara.
22 In the fullness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: every hand of the wicked shall come upon him.
Nʼadedodoɔ nyinaa mu no, ɔbɛkɔ ɔhaw mu; na amanehunu a emu yɛ den bɛto no.
23 [When] he is about to fill his belly, [God] shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain [it] upon him while he is eating.
Ɛberɛ a nʼafuru ayɛ ma no, Onyankopɔn bɛtɔ nʼabufuo ogya agu ne so na wabobɔ no basabasa.
24 He shall flee from the iron weapon, [and] the bow of steel shall strike him through.
Ɛwom sɛ ɔdwane firi dadeɛ akodeɛ ano nanso bɛmma a ano yɛ kɔbere mfrafraeɛ bɛwɔ no.
25 It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yes, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall: terrors [are] upon him.
Wɔbɛtwe bɛmma no firi nʼakyi, ano hyɛnhyɛn no bɛfiri ne brɛboɔ mu. Ehu bɛba ne so;
26 All darkness [shall be] hid in his secret places: a fire not blown shall consume him; it shall go ill with him that is left in his tabernacle.
esum kabii bɛduru nʼakoradeɛ. Ogya a wɔmfite mu bɛhye no, na asɛe deɛ aka wɔ ne ntomadan mu.
27 The heaven shall reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall rise up against him.
Ɔsoro bɛda nʼafɔdie adi, na asase asɔre atia no.
28 The increase of his house shall depart, [and his goods] shall flow away in the day of his wrath.
Nsuyire bɛtwe ne fie akɔ, saa ara na nsuworosoɔ bɛyɛ Onyankopɔn abufuhyeɛ da no.
29 This [is] the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed to him by God.
Yei ne hyɛberɛ a Onyankopɔn de ma amumuyɛfoɔ, awugyadeɛ a Onyankopɔn de ato wɔn hɔ.”

< Job 20 >