Hiob 14
1 “Nnipa a ɔbea awo wɔn nna yɛ tiaa bi na ɔhaw ahyɛ mu mma.
Man, who is born of woman, lives only a few days and is full of trouble.
2 Ɔfefɛw te sɛ nhwiren na etwintwam; ɔte sɛ sunsuma a ɛretwa mu akɔ, ɔntena hɔ nkyɛ.
He sprouts from the ground like a flower and is cut down; he flees like a shadow and does not last.
3 Woma wʼani kɔ saa onipa yi so? Wode no bɛba wʼanim abebu no atɛn ana?
Do you look at any of these? Do you bring me into judgment with you?
4 Hena na obetumi ayi nea ɛyɛ kronkron afi fi mu? Obiara nni hɔ.
Who can bring something clean out of something unclean? No one.
5 Woahyehyɛ onipa nkwa nna; woahyɛ nʼasram dodow ato hɔ na woahyɛ no bere a ɔrentumi ntra.
Man's days are determined. The number of his months is with you; you have appointed his limits 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, so that he may enjoy his day like a hired man if he can do so.
7 “Dua mpo anidaso wɔ hɔ ma no: Sɛ wotwa a, ɛbɛfefɛw bio, na ne mman foforo no rempenpan.
There can be hope for a tree; if it is cut down, it might sprout again, so that its tender stalk does not disappear.
8 Ne ntin betumi anyin akyɛ asase mu na ne dunsin nso awu wɔ dɔte mu,
Though its root grows old in the earth, and its stump dies in the ground,
9 nanso, onya nsu a ɛfefɛw, na eyiyi mman sɛ dua a wɔatɛw.
yet even if it only smells water, it will bud and send out branches 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 dies; he becomes weak; indeed, man stops breathing, and then where is he?
11 Sɛnea nsu tu yera wɔ po mu no, anaa sɛnea suka mu yowee no,
As water disappears from a lake, and as a river loses water and dries 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 people lie down and do not rise again. Until the heavens are no more, they will 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 you would hide me away in Sheol away from troubles, and that you would keep me in private until your wrath is over, that you would set me a fixed time to stay there and then call me to mind! (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 dies, will he live again? If so, I would wish to wait all my weary time there until my release should come.
15 Wobɛfrɛ na megye wo so; wʼani begyina abɔde a wo nsa ayɛ.
You would call, and I would answer you. You would have a desire for the work of your hands.
16 Afei wobɛkan mʼanammɔntu na worenni me bɔne akyi.
You would number and care for my footsteps; you would not keep track of my sin.
17 Wɔbɛsɔ me bɔne ano wɔ kotoku mu, na woakata mʼamumɔyɛ so.
My transgression would be sealed up in a bag; you would cover up my iniquity.
18 “Nanso sɛnea mmepɔw so hohoro na ɛpompono na ɔbotan nso twe fi ne sibea no,
But even mountains fall and come to nothing; even rocks are moved out of their place;
19 sɛnea nsu yiyi abo ho na osuhweam twe dɔte kɔ no saa ara na wosɛe onipa anidaso.
the waters wear down the stones; their flooding washes away the dust of the earth. Like this, you destroy the hope of man.
20 Wutintim ne so prɛko pɛ, na otwa mu kɔ; wosakra ne nipasu na wugya no kwan.
You always defeat him, and he passes away; you change his face and send him away to die.
21 Sɛ wɔhyɛ ne mmabarima anuonyam a, onnim; na sɛ wɔbrɛ wɔn ase a, onhu.
If his sons are honored, he does not know it; and if they are brought low, he does not see it.
22 Ɔno ara were mu yaw na ɔtee na ɔno ara ne ho na ogyam.”
He feels only the pain of his own body, and he mourns for himself.
