< Hiob 14 >
1 “Nnipa a ɔbea awo wɔn nna yɛ tiaa bi na ɔhaw ahyɛ mu mma.
Man, that is born of woman, Is of few days, and full of trouble.
2 Ɔfefɛw te sɛ nhwiren na etwintwam; ɔte sɛ sunsuma a ɛretwa mu akɔ, ɔntena hɔ nkyɛ.
He cometh forth as a flower, and is cut down; He fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
3 Woma wʼani kɔ saa onipa yi so? Wode no bɛba wʼanim abebu no atɛn ana?
And dost thou fix thine eyes upon such a one? And dost thou bring me into judgment with thee?
4 Hena na obetumi ayi nea ɛyɛ kronkron afi fi mu? Obiara nni hɔ.
Who can produce a clean thing from an unclean? Not one.
5 Woahyehyɛ onipa nkwa nna; woahyɛ nʼasram dodow ato hɔ na woahyɛ no bere a ɔrentumi ntra.
Seeing that his days are determined, And the number of his months, with thee, And that thou hast appointed him bounds which he cannot pass,
6 Enti yi wʼani fi ne so na ɔnyɛ nea ɔpɛ, kosi sɛ obewie nʼadwuma sɛ ɔpaani.
O turn thine eyes from him, and let him rest, That he may enjoy, as a hireling, his day!
7 “Dua mpo anidaso wɔ hɔ ma no: Sɛ wotwa a, ɛbɛfefɛw bio, na ne mman foforo no rempenpan.
For there is hope for a tree, If it be cut down, that it will sprout again, And that its tender branches will not fail;
8 Ne ntin betumi anyin akyɛ asase mu na ne dunsin nso awu wɔ dɔte mu,
Though its root may have grown old in the earth, And though its trunk be dead upon the ground,
9 nanso, onya nsu a ɛfefɛw, na eyiyi mman sɛ dua a wɔatɛw.
Through the scent of water it will bud, And put forth boughs, like a young plant.
10 Nanso sɛ nnipa wu a wɔde no hyɛ fam; ɔhome nea etwa to a, na afei onni hɔ bio.
But man dieth, and he is gone! Man expireth, and where is he?
11 Sɛnea nsu tu yera wɔ po mu no, anaa sɛnea suka mu yowee no,
The waters fail from the lake; And the stream wasteth and drieth up;
12 saa ara na onipa tɔ fam na ɔnsɔre bio; enkosi sɛ ɔsoro betwa mu no, nnipa rensɔre na wɔrennyan wɔn mfi wɔn nna mu.
So man lieth down, and riseth not; Till the heavens be no more, he shall not awake, Nor be roused from his sleep.
13 “Sɛ anka wode me besie ɔda mu de me ahintaw kosi sɛ wʼabufuw betwa mu! Sɛ anka wobɛhyɛ me bere na afei woakae me! (Sheol )
O that thou wouldst hide me in the under-world! That thou wouldst conceal me till thy wrath be past! That thou wouldst appoint me a time, and then remember me! (Sheol )
14 Sɛ onipa wu a ɔbɛba nkwa mu bio ana? Mʼaperedi nna mu nyinaa mɛtwɛn akosi sɛ me foforoyɛ bɛba.
If a man die, can he live again? All the days of my war-service would I wait, Till my change should come.
15 Wobɛfrɛ na megye wo so; wʼani begyina abɔde a wo nsa ayɛ.
Thou wilt call, and I will answer thee; Thou wilt have compassion upon the work of thy hands!
16 Afei wobɛkan mʼanammɔntu na worenni me bɔne akyi.
But now thou numberest my steps; Thou watchest over my sins.
17 Wɔbɛsɔ me bɔne ano wɔ kotoku mu, na woakata mʼamumɔyɛ so.
My transgression is sealed up in a bag; Yea, thou addest unto my iniquity.
18 “Nanso sɛnea mmepɔw so hohoro na ɛpompono na ɔbotan nso twe fi ne sibea no,
As the mountain falling cometh to nought, And the rock is removed from its place;
19 sɛnea nsu yiyi abo ho na osuhweam twe dɔte kɔ no saa ara na wosɛe onipa anidaso.
As the waters wear away the stones, And the floods wash away the dust of the earth, So thou destroyest the hope of man.
20 Wutintim ne so prɛko pɛ, na otwa mu kɔ; wosakra ne nipasu na wugya no kwan.
Thou prevailest against him continually, and he perisheth; Thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.
21 Sɛ wɔhyɛ ne mmabarima anuonyam a, onnim; na sɛ wɔbrɛ wɔn ase a, onhu.
His sons come to honor, but he knoweth it not; Or they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not.
22 Ɔno ara were mu yaw na ɔtee na ɔno ara ne ho na ogyam.”
But his flesh shall have pain for itself alone; For itself alone shall his soul mourn.