Hiob 15
1 Na Temanni Elifas buae se,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
2 “Enti onyansafo de nsɛm a aba biara nni mu beyi nʼano anaasɛ ɔde apuei mframa a emu yɛ hyew bɛhyɛ nʼafuru ma?
“Does a wise man answer with empty counsel or fill his belly with the hot east wind?
3 Ɔde nsɛm huhuw begye akyinnye, aka nsɛm a mfaso biara nni so ana?
Should he argue with useless words or speeches that serve no purpose?
4 Wototo onyamesuro ase mmom na wusiw Onyankopɔn som ho kwan.
But you even undermine the fear of God and hinder meditation before Him.
5 Wo bɔne kyerɛ wʼano nea ɔnka; na woafa anitew tɛkrɛma.
For your iniquity instructs your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty.
6 Wʼankasa wʼano bu wo kumfɔ, ɛnyɛ me de; wʼankasa wʼano di adanse tia wo.
Your own mouth, not mine, condemns you; your own lips testify against you.
7 “Wone onipa a wɔwoo wo dii kan ana? Wɔwoo wo ansa na wɔrewo nkoko ana?
Were you the first man ever born? Were you brought forth before the hills?
8 Wutie Onyankopɔn afotu ana? Wo nko ara na wunim nyansa ana?
Do you listen in on the council of God or limit wisdom to yourself?
9 Dɛn na wunim a, yennim? Nhumu bɛn na wowɔ a yenni?
What do you know that we do not? What do you understand that is not clear to us?
10 Nea wafuw dwen ne akwakoraa wɔ yɛn afa wɔn a wɔanyinyin sen wʼagya mpo.
Both the gray-haired and the aged are on our side— men much older than your father.
11 Onyankopɔn awerɛkyekye ne nsɛm a wɔka no brɛoo kyerɛ wo no sua ma wo ana?
Are the consolations of God not enough for you, even words spoken gently to you?
12 Adɛn nti na wo koma atwe wo akɔ adɛn nti na wʼani asɔ gya,
Why has your heart carried you away, and why do your eyes flash,
13 na woadan wʼabufuw agu Onyankopɔn so na woma saa nsɛm yi pue fi wʼano?
as you turn your spirit against God and pour such words from your mouth?
14 “Ɔdesani ne hena a obetumi ayɛ pɛ, anaasɛ nea ɔbea awo no bɛn na obetumi ayɛ ɔtreneeni?
What is man, that he should be pure, or one born of woman, that he should be righteous?
15 Onyankopɔn nni ahotoso wɔ nʼakronkronfo mu ɔsorosoro mpo nyɛ kronkron wɔ nʼani so,
If God puts no trust in His holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in His eyes,
16 na me ne onipa debɔneyɛfo ne omumɔyɛfo a ɔnom bɔne sɛ nsu.
how much less man, who is vile and corrupt, who drinks injustice like water?
17 “Tie me, na mɛkyerɛ wo mu; ma menka nea mahu nkyerɛ wo,
Listen to me and I will inform you. I will describe what I have seen,
18 nea anyansafo apae mu aka, a wɔamfa biribiara a wonya fii wɔn agyanom hɔ no ansie
what was declared by wise men and was not concealed from their fathers,
19 (wɔn nko ara na wɔde asase no maa wɔn bere a ananafo biara nni wɔn mu):
to whom alone the land was given when no foreigner passed among them.
20 Omumɔyɛfo kɔ ahohia mu, ne nkwanna nyinaa, na basabasayɛni nso, ne mfe a wɔahyehyɛ ama no nyinaa.
A wicked man writhes in pain all his days; only a few years are reserved for the ruthless.
21 Nnyigyei a ɛyɛ hu hyɛ nʼasom ma; na sɛ ɛyɛ sɛ nneɛma rekɔ yiye ma no a, akorɔmfo tow hyɛ ne so.
Sounds of terror fill his ears; in his prosperity the destroyer attacks him.
22 Ɔpa abaw sɛ obeguan afi sum mu; wɔabɔ no ato hɔ ama afoa.
He despairs of his return from darkness; he is marked for the sword.
23 Okyinkyin hwehwɛ aduan; onim sɛ sum da no abɛn.
He wanders about as food for vultures; he knows the day of darkness is at hand.
24 Ɔhaw ne ahoyeraw yi no hu; ɛhyɛ ne so sɛ ɔhene a wasiesie ne ho ama ɔko,
Distress and anguish terrify him, overwhelming him like a king poised to attack.
25 efisɛ ɔteɛteɛ ne nsa kyerɛ Onyankopɔn na ɔma ne ho so tia Otumfo,
For he has stretched out his hand against God and has vaunted himself against the Almighty,
26 wɔde nkatabo a mu piw na ɛyɛ den kɔ ne so a, onsuro obiara.
rushing headlong at Him with a thick, studded shield.
27 “Ɛwɔ mu sɛ srade ama nʼafono atotɔ na nʼasen mu nam abubu agu so de,
Though his face is covered with fat and his waistline bulges with flesh,
28 nanso ɔbɛtena nkurow a agu so na watena afi a obi nte mu, afi a ɛrebubu mu.
he will dwell in ruined cities, in abandoned houses destined to become rubble.
29 Ɔrenkɔ so nyɛ ɔdefo bio, na nʼahonya rennyina, na nʼagyapade so bɛtew na ayera wɔ asase so.
He will no longer be rich; his wealth will not endure. His possessions will not overspread the land.
30 Ɔrenguan sum no; ogyaframa bɛhyew ne mman, na Onyankopɔn anom ahomegu bɛsoa no akɔ.
He will not escape from the darkness; the flame will wither his shoots, and the breath of God’s mouth will carry him away.
31 Ɛnsɛ sɛ ɔde ne ho to nneɛma huhuw so de daadaa ne ho, efisɛ ɔrennya hwee mfi mu.
Let him not deceive himself with trust in emptiness, for emptiness will be his reward.
32 Ansa na ne da bedu no, wobetua no ka a bi nka, na ne mman renyɛ frɔmfrɔm.
It will be paid in full before his time, and his branch will not flourish.
33 Ɔbɛyɛ sɛ bobedua a wɔaporow so aba a ennyin ɛ, te sɛ ngodua a ne nhwiren reporow gu fam.
He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes, like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms.
34 Na abɔnefo fekuw a wonnim Onyankopɔn no rensow aba, na ogya bɛhyew wɔn a wɔdɔ kɛtɛasehyɛ no ntamadan.
For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery.
35 Wonyinsɛn ɔhaw na wɔwo bɔne; wɔn awotwaa siesie nnaadaa.”
They conceive trouble and give birth to evil; their womb is pregnant with deceit.”
