Hiob 14
1 “Nnipa a ɔbea awo wɔn nna yɛ tiaa bi na ɔhaw ahyɛ mu mma.
Man that is born of a 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 like 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 open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?
4 Hena na obetumi ayi nea ɛyɛ kronkron afi fi mu? Obiara nni hɔ.
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
5 Woahyehyɛ onipa nkwa nna; woahyɛ nʼasram dodow ato hɔ na woahyɛ no bere a ɔrentumi ntra.
Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months is with thee, and thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;
6 Enti yi wʼani fi ne so na ɔnyɛ nea ɔpɛ, kosi sɛ obewie nʼadwuma sɛ ɔpaani.
Look away from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an 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 of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.
8 Ne ntin betumi anyin akyɛ asase mu na ne dunsin nso awu wɔ dɔte mu,
Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;
9 nanso, onya nsu a ɛfefɛw, na eyiyi mman sɛ dua a wɔatɛw.
Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and put forth boughs like a 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 wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?
11 Sɛnea nsu tu yera wɔ po mu no, anaa sɛnea suka mu yowee no,
[As] the waters fail from the sea, and the river decayeth 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, they shall not awake, nor be roused out of their 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 h7585)
Oh that thou wouldest hide me in Sheol, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! (Sheol h7585)
14 Sɛ onipa wu a ɔbɛba nkwa mu bio ana? Mʼaperedi nna mu nyinaa mɛtwɛn akosi sɛ me foforoyɛ bɛba.
If a man die, shall he live [again]? all the days of my warfare would I wait, till my release should come.
15 Wobɛfrɛ na megye wo so; wʼani begyina abɔde a wo nsa ayɛ.
Thou shouldest call, and I would answer thee: thou wouldest have a desire to the work of thine hands.
16 Afei wobɛkan mʼanammɔntu na worenni me bɔne akyi.
But now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?
17 Wɔbɛsɔ me bɔne ano wɔ kotoku mu, na woakata mʼamumɔyɛ so.
My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou fastenest up mine iniquity.
18 “Nanso sɛnea mmepɔw so hohoro na ɛpompono na ɔbotan nso twe fi ne sibea no,
And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of its place;
19 sɛnea nsu yiyi abo ho na osuhweam twe dɔte kɔ no saa ara na wosɛe onipa anidaso.
The waters wear the stones; the overflowings thereof wash away the dust of the earth: and 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 for ever against him, and he passeth; 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 honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.
22 Ɔno ara were mu yaw na ɔtee na ɔno ara ne ho na ogyam.”
But his flesh upon him hath pain, and his soul within him mourneth.
