< Job 21 >
2 “Listen diligently to my speech. Let this be your consolation.
Muntie me nsɛm no yiye. Momma eyi nyɛ awerɛkyekye a mode ma me.
3 Allow me, and I also will speak. After I have spoken, mock on.
Munnya ntoboase mma me bere a merekasa, na sɛ mekasa wie a, monkɔ so nni fɛw.
4 As for me, is my complaint to man? Why shouldn’t I be impatient?
“Minwiinwii hyɛ onipa ana? Adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ minya ntoboase?
5 Look at me, and be astonished. Lay your hand on your mouth.
Monhwɛ me, na mo ho nnwiriw mo; momfa mo nsa nkata mo ano.
6 When I remember, I am troubled. Horror takes hold of my flesh.
Sɛ midwen eyi ho a, mebɔ hu; na me ho popo.
7 “Why do the wicked live, become old, yes, and grow mighty in power?
Adɛn nti na amumɔyɛfo tena nkwa mu? Wonyin kyɛ na wɔkɔ so di tumi.
8 Their child is established with them in their sight, their offspring before their eyes.
Wohu wɔn mma a atwa wɔn ho ahyia no nkɔso, wohu wɔn nenanom.
9 Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.
Ɔhaw nni wɔn afi mu, na ehu nni hɔ; Onyankopɔn asotwe mma wɔn so.
10 Their bulls breed without fail. Their cows calve, and don’t miscarry.
Wɔn anantwinini nnyɛ asaadwe; na wɔn anantwibere nwo a wɔmpɔn.
11 They send out their little ones like a flock. Their children dance.
Wɔka wɔn mma bɔ mu te sɛ nguankuw; na emu mmotafowa no huruhuruw.
12 They sing to the tambourine and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
Wɔto nnwom wɔ akasae ne sanku so; na wɔde atɛntɛbɛn nnyigyei gye wɔn ani.
13 They spend their days in prosperity. In an instant they go down to Sheol. (Sheol )
Wodi yiye wɔn nkwanna mu na wɔkɔ ɔdae mu asomdwoe mu. (Sheol )
14 They tell God, ‘Depart from us, for we don’t want to know about your ways.
Nanso wɔka kyerɛ Onyankopɔn se, ‘Fi yɛn so! Yɛmpɛ sɛ yehu wʼakwan.
15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What profit should we have, if we pray to him?’
Hena ne otumfo no a ɛsɛ sɛ yɛsom no? Sɛ yɛbɔ no mpae a mfaso bɛn na yebenya?’
16 Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand. The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Nanso wɔn nkɔso no nni wɔn nsam, enti metwe me ho fi amumɔyɛfo afotu ho.
17 “How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out, that their calamity comes on them, that God distributes sorrows in his anger?
“Nanso mpɛn ahe na wodum amumɔyɛfo kanea? Mpɛn ahe na amanehunu ba wɔn so, nea Onyankopɔn fi nʼabufuw mu de ba no?
18 How often is it that they are as stubble before the wind, as chaff that the storm carries away?
Mpɛn ahe na wɔyɛ sɛ sare wɔ mframa ano, te sɛ ntɛtɛ a mframaden bi apra wɔn?
19 You say, ‘God lays up his iniquity for his children.’ Let him recompense it to himself, that he may know it.
Wɔka se, ‘Onyankopɔn kora onipa asotwe so de twɛn ne mma.’ Ɛsɛ sɛ ɔtwe onipa no ankasa aso ma ohu.
20 Let his own eyes see his destruction. Let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
Ma ɔno ankasa ani nhu ne sɛe; ma Otumfo abufuwhyew no nka nʼani.
21 For what does he care for his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off?
Dɛn na ɛfa wɔn ho fa wɔn abusuafo a woagyaw wɔn akyi no ho bere a asram a wɔatwa ama no aba awiei no?
22 “Shall any teach God knowledge, since he judges those who are high?
“Obi betumi akyerɛ Onyankopɔn nyansa, wɔ bere a obu atitiriw mpo atɛn?
23 One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.
Obi wu wɔ bere a ɔwɔ ahoɔden ne ho tɔ no na nʼaso mu adwo no,
24 His pails are full of milk. The marrow of his bones is moistened.
na ne nipadua ayɛ frɔmfrɔm, na hon ahyɛ ne nnompe ma.
25 Another dies in bitterness of soul, and never tastes of good.
Ɔfoforo nso de ɔkra mu yawdi wu, a wanka asetena pa anhwɛ da.
26 They lie down alike in the dust. The worm covers them.
Wosie wɔn nyinaa wɔ mfutuma koro mu, ma asunson nnunu wɔn nyinaa.
27 “Behold, I know your thoughts, the plans with which you would wrong me.
“Mahu mo adwene, ɔkwan a mobɛfa so afom me.
28 For you say, ‘Where is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?’
Moka se, ‘Onipa kɛse no fi wɔ he, ntamadan a omumɔyɛfo no tenaa mu no?’
29 Haven’t you asked wayfaring men? Don’t you know their evidences,
So mummmisaa wɔn a wotu kwan no asɛm da? Wɔn amanneɛbɔ mu nsɛm ho nhiaa mo
30 that the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity, that they are led out to the day of wrath?
sɛ onipa bɔne nya ne ti didi mu amanehunu da, na wogye wɔn abufuwhyew da no ana?
31 Who will declare his way to his face? Who will repay him what he has done?
Hena na ɔde ne suban si nʼanim? Hena na otua no nea wayɛ so ka?
32 Yet he will be borne to the grave. Men will keep watch over the tomb.
Wɔsoa no kɔ ɔda mu, na wɔwɛn nʼaboda.
33 The clods of the valley will be sweet to him. All men will draw after him, as there were innumerable before him.
Obon mu dɔte yɛ no dɛ; nnipa nyinaa di nʼakyi, na dɔm a wontumi nkan wɔn di nʼanim.
34 So how can you comfort me with nonsense, because in your answers there remains only falsehood?”
“Enti ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na mode mo nsɛnhunu bɛkyekye me werɛ? Mo mmuae nyɛ hwee sɛ atoro!”