Hiob 13
1 “Mʼani ahu eyinom nyinaa, mʼaso ate, na ate ase.
Lo, all [this] hath my eye seen, my ear hath heard and noted it for itself;
2 Nea wunim no, me nso minim; wonyɛ abomfiaa mma me.
As much as ye know, do I also know: I do not fall short compared with you.
3 Nanso mepɛ sɛ mekasa kyerɛ Otumfo no na mekyerɛkyerɛ mʼasɛm mu kyerɛ Onyankopɔn.
However, I would gladly speak to the Almighty; and to argue with God do I desire.
4 Mode atoro mmom na asra me ho; mo nyinaa moyɛ ayaresafo a munsi hwee!
But ye are inventors of falsehood, physicians of no value are all of you.
5 Sɛ mobɛyɛ komm koraa a ɛno na ɛbɛyɛ nyansa ama mo!
Oh, who would grant that ye might keep a profound silences! and it would he accounted unto you as wisdom.
6 Afei muntie mʼano asɛm; muntie mʼanoyi.
Do hearken but to my reasoning, and listen to the pleadings of my lips.
7 Mobɛka amumɔyɛsɛm ama Onyankopɔn ana? Mobɛka nnaadaasɛm ama no ana?
Will ye speak wrong things for God? and will ye speak for him deceitfully?
8 Mobɛkyea mo aso ama no? Mobɛka Onyankopɔn asɛm ama no ana?
Will ye show him undue favor, when ye contend for God?
9 Sɛ ɔhwehwɛ mo mu a, ebesi mo yiye ana? Mubetumi adaadaa no sɛnea modaadaa nnipa no ana?
Will it be well if he should search you out? or as one overreacheth another mortal, do ye expect to overreach him?
10 Sɛ mokyeaa mo aso wɔ kokoa mu a, sɛnea ɛte biara, ɔbɛka mo anim
He will surely reprove you, if in secret you show him undue favor.
11 Nʼanuonyam mmɔ mo hu ana? Ne ho suro ntɔ mo so ana?
Doth not his excellency terrify you? and his dread fall upon you?
12 Mo kasatɔmmɛ yɛ mmɛbu a ɛte sɛ nsõ; mo anoyi yɛ dɔte twann anoyi.
The things you remember are mere proverbs of ashes, your high-places are high-places of clay.
13 “Monyɛ komm mma menkasa; na nea ɛbɛyɛ me biara mmra me so.
Keep silence toward me, that I may indeed speak, and let pass over me what will.
14 Adɛn nti na mede me ho to amane mu na mede me nkwa to me nsam?
Whatever it may cost, I will take my flesh in my teeth, and my life will I put in my hand.
15 Ɛwɔ mu sɛ okum me de, nanso ne so na mʼani bɛda; ampa ara medi mʼakwan ho adanse wɔ nʼanim.
Lo, though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: only I will argue my own ways before him.
16 Nokware, eyi na ɛbɛyɛ me nkwagye, efisɛ nea onsuro Onyankopɔn no rentumi nkɔ nʼanim!
Even he will come to my assistance; for a hypocrite cannot come before him.
17 Muntie me nsɛm yi yiye; monyɛ aso mma nea meka.
Listen well to my word, and to my demonstration with your ears.
18 Afei a masiesie me nkurobɔ yi, minim sɛ medi bem.
Behold now, I have arrayed my cause: I know that I shall be indeed justified.
19 Obi betumi abɔ me kwaadu ana? Sɛ ɛte saa de a, anka mɛyɛ komm na mawu.
Who is he that will contend with me? for now, if I keep silence, I must perish.
20 “Onyankopɔn, yɛ saa nneɛma abien yi pɛ ma me, na afei meremfa me ho nhintaw wo:
Only two things do not unto me: then will I not hide myself from thy presence.
21 Yi wo nsa fi me so kɔ akyirikyiri, na gyae wo ho hu a wode hunahuna me no.
Remove thy hand far from me; and let not thy dread terrify me.
22 Ɛno de, samena me na mɛba, anaa ma menkasa na bua me.
Then call thou, and I will answer; or let me speak, and do thou reply to me.
23 Mfomso ne bɔne dodow ahe na mayɛ? Kyerɛ me me mfomso ne me bɔne.
How many are my iniquities and sins? my transgression and my sin let me know.
24 Adɛn nti na wode wʼanim asie me na wudwen sɛ meyɛ wo tamfo?
Wherefore wilt thou hide thy face, and regard me as an enemy unto thee?
25 Wobɛyɛ ahaban a mframa rebɔ no ayayade ana? Wobɛtaa ntɛtɛ a awo ana?
Wilt thou terrify a leaf driven about [by the wind]? and wilt thou pursue dry stubble?
26 Wokyerɛw sobo a ɛyɛ yaw tia me, na woka me mmabunmmere mu bɔne nyinaa gu me so.
That thou writest bitter decrees against me, and assignest unto me the iniquities of my youth;
27 Wode nkyehama gu mʼanan; wohwɛ mʼanammɔnkwan nyinaa so yiye na wode agyiraehyɛde ayeyɛ mʼanammɔn mu.
And [that] thou puttest my feet in the stocks, and watchest narrowly all my paths; [and] settest for thyself a mark upon the soles of my feet?
28 “Enti onipa nkwa sa te sɛ ade a aporɔw, te sɛ atade a nwewee adi.
And yet the body decayeth like a rotten thing, as a garment that the moth hath eaten.
