< Job 22 >
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
Na Temanni Elifas buae se,
2 “Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.
“Onyankopɔn benya onipa so mfaso ana? Mpo onyansafo so bɛba no mfaso ana?
3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous? Or does it benefit him that you make your ways perfect?
Sɛ woyɛ ɔtreneeni a, anigye bɛn na Otumfo no benya? Sɛ wʼakwan ho nni asɛm a, mfaso bɛn na obenya?
4 Is it for your piety that he reproves you, that he enters with you into judgement?
“Wo kronkronyɛ nti na ɔka wʼanim na ɔbɔ wo kwaadu ana?
5 Isn’t your wickedness great? Neither is there any end to your iniquities.
Ɛnyɛ wʼamumɔyɛ na ɛso? Ɛnyɛ wo bɔne na ɛdɔɔso dodo?
6 For you have taken pledges from your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
Wopɛɛ bammɔ fii wo nuanom nkyɛn a emfi hwee so; wopaa nnipa ho ntama ma wɔdaa adagyaw.
7 You haven’t given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.
Woamma abrɛfo nsu annom na wode aduan kamee nea ɔkɔm de no,
8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth. The honourable man, he lived in it.
nanso na woyɛ obi a ɔwɔ tumi, wɔ nsase, onuonyamfo a ɔte so.
9 You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
Wopam akunafo ma wɔkɔɔ nsapan na womaa ayisaa nso ahoɔden sae.
10 Therefore snares are around you. Sudden fear troubles you,
Ɛno nti na mfiri atwa wo ho ahyia, na amanehunu a ɛba ntɛm so bɔ wo hu yi,
11 or darkness, so that you can not see, and floods of waters cover you.
ɛno nti na sum kabii aduru a wunhu ade, na asorɔkye akata wo so yi.
12 “Isn’t God in the heights of heaven? See the height of the stars, how high they are!
“So Onyankopɔn nni ɔsoro akyirikyiri ana? Hwɛ sɛnea ɔsoro akyirikyiri nsoromma korɔn!
13 You say, ‘What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?
Nanso woka se, ‘Dɛn na Onyankopɔn nim? Sum yi mu na obu atɛn ana?
14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he doesn’t see. He walks on the vault of the sky.’
Omununkum kabii akata nʼanim nti onhu yɛn bere a ɔnenam ɔsoro kontonkurowi mu.’
15 Will you keep the old way, which wicked men have trodden,
So wobɛkɔ so afa ɔkwan dedaw a abɔnefo anantew so no so ana?
16 who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream,
Wɔpraa wɔn kɔe ansa na wɔn bere reso, na nsuyiri hohoroo wɔn fapem.
17 who said to God, ‘Depart from us!’ and, ‘What can the Almighty do for us?’
Na wɔka kyerɛɛ Onyankopɔn se, ‘Gyaa yɛn! Dɛn na Otumfo betumi ayɛ yɛn?’
18 Yet he filled their houses with good things, but the counsel of the wicked 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 see it, and are glad. The innocent ridicule them,
Atreneefo hu wɔn asehwe ma wɔn ani gye; na wɔn a wɔn ho nni asɛm serew wɔn ka se,
20 saying, ‘Surely those who rose up against us are cut off. The fire has consumed their remnant.’
‘Wɔasɛe yɛn atamfo, na ogya ahyew wɔn agyapade.’
21 “Acquaint yourself with him now, and be at peace. By it, good will come to you.
“Fa wo ho ma Onyankopɔn na nya asomdwoe wɔ ne mu; saa ɔkwan yi so na yiyedi bɛfa ayɛ wo kyɛfa.
22 Please receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.
Tie akwankyerɛ a efi nʼanom, na fa ne nsɛm sie wo koma mu.
23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up, if you put away unrighteousness far from your tents.
Sɛ wosan kɔ Otumfo no nkyɛn a obegye wo ato mu bio: sɛ wuyi amumɔyɛsɛm fi wo ntamadan mu
24 Lay your treasure in the dust, the gold of Ophir amongst the stones of the brooks.
na wotow wo sika mpɔw gu mfutuma mu ne Ofir sikakɔkɔɔ gu abotan a ɛwɔ abon mu no so a,
25 The Almighty will be your treasure, and precious silver to you.
ɛno de Otumfo bɛyɛ wo sikakɔkɔɔ ɔbɛyɛ dwetɛ ankasa ama wo.
26 For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and will lift up your face to God.
Afei nokware wubenya anigye wɔ Otumfo mu na wobɛpagyaw wʼani akyerɛ Onyankopɔn.
27 You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you. You will pay your vows.
Wobɛbɔ no mpae, na obetie wo, na wubedi wo bɔhyɛ so.
28 You will also decree a thing, and it will be established to you. Light will shine on your ways.
Nea woyɛ wʼadwene sɛ wobɛyɛ no bɛba mu, na hann bɛtɔ wʼakwan so.
29 When they cast down, you will say, ‘be lifted up.’ He will save the humble person.
Sɛ nnipa hwe ase na woka se, ‘Ma wɔn so!’ a, obegye wɔn a wɔahwe ase no nkwa.
30 He will even deliver him who is not innocent. Yes, he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”
Obegye abɔnefo mpo, ɔnam wo nsa a ɛho nni fi so begye wɔn.”