Job 31
1 A covenant I made for mine eyes, And what — do I attend to a virgin?
“Me ne mʼani yɛɛ apam sɛ meremfi akɔnnɔ mu, nhwɛ ababaa.
2 And what [is] the portion of God from above? And the inheritance of the Mighty from the heights?
Dɛn ne onipa kyɛfa a efi ɔsoro Nyankopɔn nkyɛn? Dɛn ne nʼagyapade a efi ɔsoro Tumfo no nkyɛn?
3 Is not calamity to the perverse? And strangeness to workers of iniquity?
Ɛnyɛ ɔsɛe mma amumɔyɛfo, atoyerɛnkyɛm mma wɔn a wɔyɛ bɔne ana?
4 Doth not He see my ways, And all my steps number?
Onhu mʼakwan na ɔnkan anammɔn biara a mitu ana?
5 If I have walked with vanity, And my foot doth hasten to deceit,
“Sɛ manantew wɔ nkontompo mu anaasɛ matu mmirika adi nnaadaasɛm akyi a,
6 He doth weigh me in righteous balances, And God doth know my integrity.
ma Onyankopɔn nkari me wɔ nsania papa so na obehu sɛ me ho nni asɛm;
7 If my step doth turn aside from the way, And after mine eyes hath my heart gone, And to my hands cleaved hath blemish,
sɛ mʼanammɔntu afom ɔkwan, sɛ me koma adi mʼani akyi, anaasɛ me nsa ho agu fi a
8 Let me sow — and another eat, And my products let be rooted out.
ɛno de ma afoforo nni nea madua, na ma wontutu me nnɔbae ngu.
9 If my heart hath been enticed by woman, And by the opening of my neighbour I laid wait,
“Sɛ ɔbea bi atɔ me koma so, anaasɛ matɛw me yɔnko bi pon akyi a,
10 Grind to another let my wife, And over her let others bend.
ɛno de, me yere nyam ɔbarima foforo aduan, na mmarima afoforo ne no nna.
11 For it [is] a wicked thing, and a judicial iniquity;
Efisɛ anka ɛno na ɛbɛyɛ aniwusɛm ne bɔne a ɛsɛ sɛ wɔtwe aso wɔ so.
12 For a fire it [is], to destruction it consumeth, And among all mine increase doth take root,
Ɛyɛ ogya a ɛhyew kodu Ɔsɛe mu; na ebetumi atutu me nnɔbae ase.
13 If I despise the cause of my man-servant, And of my handmaid, In their contending with me,
“Sɛ mabu mʼasomfo mmarima ne mmea ntɛnkyew, bere a wɔne me nyaa asɛm,
14 Then what do I do when God ariseth? And when He doth inspect, What do I answer Him?
sɛ Onyankopɔn de si mʼanim a dɛn na mɛyɛ? Sɛ wɔfrɛ me akontaabu a, mmuae bɛn na mɛma?
15 Did not He that made me in the womb make him? Yea, prepare us in the womb doth One.
Ɛnyɛ nea ɔbɔɔ me wɔ ɔyafunu mu no na ɔbɔɔ wɔn? Ɛnyɛ onipa koro no na ɔyɛɛ yɛn baanu wɔ yɛn nanom yafunu mu?
16 If I withhold from pleasure the poor, And the eyes of the widow do consume,
“Sɛ mamma ahiafo nea wɔn koma pɛ anaa mama akunafo ani ayɛ wɔn yaw,
17 And I do eat my morsel by myself, And the orphan hath not eat of it,
sɛ mabɔ mʼaduan ho atirimɔden a mamma ayisaa bi,
18 (But from my youth He grew up with me as [with] a father, And from the belly of my mother I am led.)
nanso efi mmerantebere mu matetew no sɛnea agya bɛyɛ, na efi ɔyafunu mu, mahwɛ akunafo.
19 If I see [any] perishing without clothing, And there is no covering to the needy,
Sɛ mahu obi a onni adurade na ɔrebrɛ, anaa ohiani bi a onni atade,
20 If his loins have not blessed me, And from the fleece of my sheep He doth not warm himself,
na sɛ wɔamfi koma mu anhyira me sɛ mede me nguan ho nwi kaa wɔn hyew,
21 If I have waved at the fatherless my hand, When I see in [him] the gate of my court,
sɛ mama me nsa so atia ayisaa bi, esiane sɛ mewɔ tumi wɔ asennii nti a,
22 My shoulder from its blade let fall, And mine arm from the bone be broken.
ɛno de, ma me basa mpan mfi me mmati, ma emmubu mfi nʼapɔw so.
23 For a dread unto me [is] calamity [from] God, And because of His excellency I am not able.
Misuroo ɔsɛe a efi Onyankopɔn nkyɛn, na nʼanuonyam ho suro nti mantumi anyɛ saa nneyɛe no.
24 If I have made gold my confidence, And to the pure gold have said, 'My trust,'
“Sɛ mede me werɛ ahyɛ sikakɔkɔɔ mu anaasɛ maka akyerɛ sikakɔkɔɔ ankasa se, ‘Wo na wobɔ me ho ban,’
25 If I rejoice because great [is] my wealth, And because abundance hath my hand found,
sɛ masɛpɛw me ho wɔ mʼahode bebrebe nti, ahode a me nsa aka yi,
26 If I see the light when it shineth, And the precious moon walking,
sɛ mahwɛ owia ne ne hyerɛn anaa ɔsram a ɔnam anuonyam mu,
27 And my heart is enticed in secret, And my hand doth kiss my mouth,
ama aka me koma a obiara nnim na me nsa yɛɛ wɔn atuu de nidi maa wɔn a,
28 It also [is] a judicial iniquity, For I had lied to God above.
ɛno de, na eyinom nso bɛyɛ bɔne a wobu ho atɛn, efisɛ na manni Onyankopɔn a ɔte ɔsoro no nokware.
29 If I rejoice at the ruin of my hater, And stirred up myself when evil found him,
“Sɛ mʼani gyee wɔ me tamfo amanehunu nti anaa mesrew no wɔ ɔhaw a aba ne so nti,
30 Yea, I have not suffered my mouth to sin, To ask with an oath his life.
memmaa mʼano nyɛɛ bɔne sɛ mɛdome ne nkwa,
31 If not — say ye, O men of my tent, 'O that we had of his flesh, we are not satisfied.'
sɛ nnipa a wɔwɔ me fi mu nkaa da sɛ, ‘Hena na Hiob pon so nam mmee no da?’
32 In the street doth not lodge a stranger, My doors to the traveller I open.
Ɔhɔho biara anna abɔnten so da, efisɛ me pon ano daa hɔ da biara maa akwantufo,
33 If I have covered as Adam my transgressions, To hide in my bosom mine iniquity,
Makata me bɔne so sɛnea nnipa yɛ de mʼafɔdi ahyɛ me koma mu
34 Because I fear a great multitude, And the contempt of families doth affright me, Then I am silent, I go not out of the opening.
esiane sɛ misuroo nnipadɔm ne ahohora a efi mmusua hɔ no nti na meyɛɛ komm a mamfi adi.
35 Who giveth to me a hearing? lo, my mark. The Mighty One doth answer me, And a bill hath mine adversary written.
(“Ao, sɛ anka mewɔ obi a obetie me. Mede me din ahyɛ mʼanoyi ase, ma Otumfo no mmua me; ma nea ɔbɔ me kwaadu no nkyerɛw ne sobobɔ.
36 If not — on my shoulder I take it up, I bind it a crown on myself.
Ampa ara, mɛhyɛ wɔ me mmati, mɛhyɛ sɛ ahenkyɛw.
37 The number of my steps I tell Him, As a leader I approach Him.
Mebu mʼanammɔntu biara ho akontaa akyerɛ no; mɛkɔ nʼanim sɛ ɔheneba.)
38 If against me my land doth cry out, And together its furrows weep,
“Sɛ mʼasase teɛ mu tia me na nusu fɔw ne nkɔ nyinaa,
39 If its strength I consumed without money, And the life of its possessors, I have caused to breathe out,
sɛ madi so aba a mintuaa ka anaasɛ mabu so apaafo no aba mu a,
40 Instead of wheat let a thorn go forth, And instead of barley a useless weed! The words of Job are finished.
ma nsɔe mfifi nsi awi anan mu na wura mfuw nsi atoko anan mu.” Hiob nsɛm no asi.
