Hiob 19

1 Na Hiob buae se,

Then Job replied:

2 “Mobɛhyɛ me ɔyaw na mode nsɛm abubu me akosi da bɛn?

“How long will you [three] torment me and crush my spirit by saying to me [that I am wicked]?

3 Mpɛn du ni a moasopa me; mo ani nwu sɛ motow hyɛ me so.

You have already insulted me many [HYP] times; (are you not ashamed for saying these things to me?/you should be ashamed for saying these things to me.) [RHQ]

4 Sɛ ɛyɛ nokware sɛ mafom ɔkwan a, me mfomso yɛ me nko ara asɛm.

Even if it were true that I have done things that are wrong, I have not injured you!

5 Sɛ ampa sɛ mobɛma mo ho so asen me na mode mʼanimguase ayɛ adanse atia me a,

If you truly think that you are better than I am, and you think that my being miserable now proves that I (am guilty/have committed many sins),

6 ɛno de munhu sɛ Onyankopɔn ayɛ me bɔne na ɔde ne tan atwa me ho ahyia.

you need to realize that it is God who has caused me to suffer. [It is as though] he has trapped me with his net.

7 “Ɛwɔ mu, misu se, ‘Wɔafom me’ de, nanso obiara mmua me; meteɛ mu pɛ mmoa, nanso atɛntrenee biara nni hɔ.

“I cry out, ‘Help me!’, but no one answers me. I call out loudly, but there is no one, [not even God, ] who acts fairly toward me.

8 Wasiw me kwan enti mintumi nsen; ɔde sum aduru mʼakwan so.

[It is as though] [MET] God has blocked my way, with the result that I cannot go where I want to; [it is as though] he has forced me to try to find my way in the darkness.

9 Wayi mʼanuonyam afi me so na watu mʼahenkyɛw afi me ti so.

He has (taken away my good reputation/caused people not to honor me any more); [it is as though] he removed [MET] a crown from my head.

10 Wasɛe me akwannuasa nyinaa so de awie me; watu mʼanidaso ase te sɛ dua.

He batters me from every side, and I will soon die. He has caused me to no longer confidently expect [him to do good things for me].

11 Nʼabufuw huru tia me; na wakan me afra nʼatamfo mu.

He attacks me because he is extremely angry with me [MET], and he considers that I am his enemy.

12 Nʼakofo ba anibere so; wosisi mpie de tia me na wotwa me ntamadan ho hyia.

[It is as though] he sends his army to attack me; they surround my tent, preparing to attack me.

13 “Wayi me nuabarimanom afi me ho; na mʼamanifo atwe wɔn ho koraa.

“God has caused my brothers to abandon me, and all those who know me act like strangers to me.

14 Mʼabusuafo kɔ; na me nnamfonom werɛ afi me.

All my relatives and good friends have left me.

15 Mʼahɔho ne me mmaawa bu me sɛ ɔhɔho; mete sɛ ɔnanani ma wɔn.

The people who were guests in my house have forgotten me, and my female servants consider that I am a stranger or that I am a foreigner.

16 Mefrɛ me somfo, na ommua; mpo, metew mʼano srɛ no.

When I summon my servants, they do not answer; I plead with them to come [to help me, but they do not come].

17 Me home bɔn me yere; me ho afono mʼankasa nuabarimanom.

My wife does not want to come close to me because my breath [smells very bad], and even my brothers detest me.

18 Mpo, mmarimaa nkumaa bu me animtiaa; sɛ mipue a wodi me ho fɛw.

Even young children despise me; when I stand up [to talk to them], they laugh at me.

19 Me nnamfo ankasa nyinaa kyi me; mʼadɔfo asɔre atia me.

My dearest friends detest me, and those whom I love [very much] have turned against me.

20 Maka were ne nnompe, nea mede aguan nkutoo ne me se akyi nam.

My body is [only] skin and bones; I am barely alive [IDM].

21 “Munhu me mmɔbɔ, me nnamfonom, munhu mmɔbɔ, na Onyankopɔn nsa abɔ me.

[“I plead with] you, my [three] friends, pity me, because God has (struck [EUP] me with his hand/caused me to suffer greatly).

22 Adɛn nti na motaa me sɛnea Onyankopɔn yɛ no? Na mommfa me honam yi saa ara?

Why do you cause me to suffer like God does? Why do you continue to slander [MET] me?

23 “Ao, sɛ anka wɔde me nsɛm bɛhyɛ nhoma mu, anka wɔbɛkyerɛw wɔ nhoma mmobɔwee so,

“I wish/desire that someone would take these words of mine and write them permanently in a book [in order that people can read them].

24 anka wɔde dade pɛe bɛkyerɛw wɔ sumpii so, anaa wobekuruakyerɛw wɔ ɔbotan so afebɔɔ!

Or else, I wish that he would carve them on a rock with (a chisel/an iron tool) in order that they would last forever.

25 Minim sɛ me dimafo te ase, na awiei no ɔbɛsɔre agyina asase so.

But I know that the one who vindicates/defends me in court is alive, and that some day he will stand [here] on the earth [and make the final decision about whether I deserve to be punished].

26 Na wɔasɛe me were awie no, mefi me were mu ahu Onyankopɔn.

And even after diseases have eaten away my skin, while I still have my body, I will see God.

27 Me ara mehu no mede mʼani, na ɛnyɛ obi foforo ani, behu no. Sɛnea me koma ho pere wɔ me mu!

I will see him myself; I will see him with my own eyes! I am overwhelmed [as I think about that]!

28 “Sɛ moka se, ‘Yɛbɛteetee no, efisɛ ɔhaw no fi ɔno ara a,’

“If you three men say, ‘What more can we do to cause Job to suffer?’ and if you say, ‘He has caused his own [troubles],’

29 ɛsɛ sɛ mo ankasa musuro afoa no na abufuw nam afoa so de asotwe bɛba, na mubehu sɛ atemmu wɔ hɔ.”

you should be afraid that God will punish [MTY] you; he punishes those [like you] with whom he is angry; and when that happens, you will know that there is [someone who] judges [people].”