Hiob 20
1 Na Naamani Sofar buae se,
Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:
2 Me tirim mu ntew me, na ɛhyɛ me sɛ mimmua efisɛ me ho yeraw me yiye.
“So my anxious thoughts compel me to answer, because of the turmoil within me.
3 Mate animka bi a egu me ho fi, na ntease a minya no hyɛ me sɛ mimmua.
I have heard a rebuke that insults me, and my understanding prompts a reply.
4 “Ampa ara wunim sɛnea nneɛma te fi tete, efi bere a wɔde nnipa duaa asase so no,
Do you not know that from antiquity, since man was placed on the earth,
5 sɛ amumɔyɛfo ani gye bere tiaa bi mu, na wɔn a wonsuro nyame nso anigye nkyɛ.
the triumph of the wicked has been brief and the joy of the godless momentary?
6 Ɛwɔ mu sɛ nʼahohoahoa kodu ɔsoro, na ne ti kɔpem omununkum koraa a,
Though his arrogance reaches the heavens, and his head touches the clouds,
7 ɔbɛyera afebɔɔ te sɛ nʼankasa nʼagyanan; na wɔn a wohuu no no bebisa se, ‘Ɔwɔ he?’
he will perish forever, like his own dung; those who had seen him will ask, ‘Where is he?’
8 Otu kɔ te sɛ ɔdae, na wɔrenhu no bio, wɔn werɛ fi te sɛ anadwo mu anisoadehu.
He will fly away like a dream, never to be found; he will be chased away like a vision in the night.
9 Ani a ehuu no no renhu no bio; na ne sibea nso renhu no bio.
The eye that saw him will see him no more, and his place will no longer behold him.
10 Ne mma bɛpata ahiafo; ɛsɛ sɛ nʼankasa de nʼahonya san ma.
His sons will seek the favor of the poor, for his own hands must return his wealth.
11 Ne mmerantebere mu ahoɔden a ahyɛ ne nnompe ma no ne no bɛkɔ mfutuma mu.
The youthful vigor that fills his bones will lie down with him in the dust.
12 “Ɛwɔ mu sɛ bɔne yɛ nʼanom dɛ na ɔde sie ne tɛkrɛma ase,
Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he conceals it under his tongue,
13 ɛwɔ mu sɛ ontumi nnyaa mu na ɔma ɛka ne dudom,
though he cannot bear to let it go and keeps it in his mouth,
14 nanso, nʼaduan bɛyɛ nwen wɔ ne yafunu mu; ɛbɛyɛ ɔwɔ ano bɔre wɔ ne mu.
yet in his stomach his food sours into the venom of cobras within him.
15 Ɔbɛfe ahonyade a ɔmenee no; Onyankopɔn bɛma ne yafunu apuw agu.
He swallows wealth but vomits it out; God will force it from his stomach.
16 Ɔbɛfefe awɔ bɔre; Ɔnanka se bekum no.
He will suck the poison of cobras; the fangs of a viper will kill him.
17 Ɔrennya nsuwansuwa no nnom nsubɔnten a nufusu ne ɛwo sen wɔ mu no.
He will not enjoy the streams, the rivers flowing with honey and cream.
18 Ɔbɛdan nea ɔbrɛ nyae no aba a ɔrenni bi; ɔremfa nʼaguadi mu mfaso nnye nʼani.
He must return the fruit of his labor without consuming it; he cannot enjoy the profits of his trading.
19 Efisɛ ɔhyɛɛ ahiafo so ma wodii ohia buruburoo; ɔde ne nsa ato afi a ɛnyɛ ɔno na osii so.
For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor; he has seized houses he did not build.
20 “Ampa ara ɔrennya ahomegye mfi nea wapere anya no mu; ɔrentumi mfa nʼademude nnye ne ho nkwa.
Because his appetite is never satisfied, he cannot escape with his treasure.
21 Wafom nneɛma nyinaa awie; ne nkɔso nnu baabiara.
Nothing is left for him to consume; thus his prosperity will not endure.
22 Nʼadedodow nyinaa mu no, ɔbɛkɔ ɔhaw mu; na amanehunu a emu yɛ den bɛto no.
In the midst of his plenty, he will be distressed; the full force of misery will come upon him.
23 Bere a nʼafuru ayɛ ma no, Onyankopɔn bɛtɔ nʼabufuw gya agu ne so na wabobɔ no basabasa.
When he has filled his stomach, God will vent His fury upon him, raining it down on him as he eats.
24 Ɛwɔ mu sɛ oguan fi dade akode ano nanso bɛmma a ano yɛ kɔbere mfrafrae bɛwɔ no.
Though he flees from an iron weapon, a bronze-tipped arrow will pierce him.
25 Ɔtwe bɛmma no fi nʼakyi, ano hyɛnhyɛn no fi ne brɛbo mu. Ehu bɛba ne so;
It is drawn out of his back, the gleaming point from his liver. Terrors come over him.
26 sum kabii retwɛn nʼademude. Ogya a ɛnnɛw mu bɛhyew no, na asɛe nea aka wɔ ne ntamadan mu.
Total darkness is reserved for his treasures. A fire unfanned will consume him and devour what is left in his tent.
27 Ɔsoro bɛda nʼafɔdi adi, na asase asɔre atia no.
The heavens will expose his iniquity, and the earth will rise up against him.
28 Nsuyiri bɛtwe ne fi akɔ, saa ara na asuworo bɛyɛ Onyankopɔn abufuwhyew da no.
The possessions of his house will be removed, flowing away on the day of God’s wrath.
29 Eyi ne nkrabea a Onyankopɔn de ma amumɔyɛfo, agyapade a Onyankopɔn de ato hɔ ama wɔn ne no.”
This is the wicked man’s portion from God, the inheritance God has appointed him.”
