Hiob 20
1 Na Naamani Sofar buae se,
Then answered Zophar the Na'amathite, and said,
2 Me tirim mu ntew me, na ɛhyɛ me sɛ mimmua efisɛ me ho yeraw me yiye.
Even therefore do my inmost thoughts give me an answer, and for this reason do I feel a strong excitement within me.
3 Mate animka bi a egu me ho fi, na ntease a minya no hyɛ me sɛ mimmua.
Reproof which casteth shame on me must I hear; yet out of my understanding will the spirit give me an answer.
4 “Ampa ara wunim sɛnea nneɛma te fi tete, efi bere a wɔde nnipa duaa asase so no,
Dost thou know this? from the very beginning of things, from the very time when man was placed upon earth it was,
5 sɛ amumɔyɛfo ani gye bere tiaa bi mu, na wɔn a wonsuro nyame nso anigye nkyɛ.
That the triumphal shouting of the wicked is ever of but a recent date, and the joy of the hypocrite endureth only for a moment.
6 Ɛwɔ mu sɛ nʼahohoahoa kodu ɔsoro, na ne ti kɔpem omununkum koraa a,
Though his exaltation should mount up to the heavens, and his head should reach unto the clouds;
7 ɔbɛyera afebɔɔ te sɛ nʼankasa nʼagyanan; na wɔn a wohuu no no bebisa se, ‘Ɔwɔ he?’
Yet when he but turneth round will he vanish for ever; those who have seen him will say, Where is he?
8 Otu kɔ te sɛ ɔdae, na wɔrenhu no bio, wɔn werɛ fi te sɛ anadwo mu anisoadehu.
Like a dream will he fly away, and men will find him no more; yea, he will be chased away like a vision of the night.
9 Ani a ehuu no no renhu no bio; na ne sibea nso renhu no bio.
If an eye have surveyed him, it will not do so again, and it will not behold him any more in his place.
10 Ne mma bɛpata ahiafo; ɛsɛ sɛ nʼankasa de nʼahonya san ma.
His children will suffer oppression from the indigent, and his hands will have to restore his [ill-gotten] wealth.
11 Ne mmerantebere mu ahoɔden a ahyɛ ne nnompe ma no ne no bɛkɔ mfutuma mu.
[Now] his bones are full of his youthful vigor; but it will [suddenly] lie down with him in the dust.
12 “Ɛwɔ mu sɛ bɔne yɛ nʼanom dɛ na ɔde sie ne tɛkrɛma ase,
If the evil be sweet in his mouth, he will conceal it under his tongue;
13 ɛwɔ mu sɛ ontumi nnyaa mu na ɔma ɛka ne dudom,
He will cherish it, and not forsake it; and hold it back within his palate;
14 nanso, nʼaduan bɛyɛ nwen wɔ ne yafunu mu; ɛbɛyɛ ɔwɔ ano bɔre wɔ ne mu.
His food is thus changed within his bowels, and becometh the venom of asps within him.
15 Ɔbɛfe ahonyade a ɔmenee no; Onyankopɔn bɛma ne yafunu apuw agu.
The wealth which he hath swallowed, will he have to vomit up again; God will drive it out of his belly.
16 Ɔbɛfefe awɔ bɔre; Ɔnanka se bekum no.
The poison of asps will he have to suck; the viper's tongue will slay him.
17 Ɔrennya nsuwansuwa no nnom nsubɔnten a nufusu ne ɛwo sen wɔ mu no.
He shall not look with pleasure on streams, on flowing brooks of honey and cream.
18 Ɔbɛdan nea ɔbrɛ nyae no aba a ɔrenni bi; ɔremfa nʼaguadi mu mfaso nnye nʼani.
He restoreth what he hath labored for, and will not swallow it down; however much he may have obtained by toil, he will not have any joy of it.
19 Efisɛ ɔhyɛɛ ahiafo so ma wodii ohia buruburoo; ɔde ne nsa ato afi a ɛnyɛ ɔno na osii so.
Because he oppressed and forsook the indigent; because he took violently away a house, shall he not rebuild it;
20 “Ampa ara ɔrennya ahomegye mfi nea wapere anya no mu; ɔrentumi mfa nʼademude nnye ne ho nkwa.
Because he knew not quietness in his bosom, shall he not escape through what is the most precious to him.
21 Wafom nneɛma nyinaa awie; ne nkɔso nnu baabiara.
Nothing was spared from his craving to eat: therefore shall his wealth not prosper.
22 Nʼadedodow nyinaa mu no, ɔbɛkɔ ɔhaw mu; na amanehunu a emu yɛ den bɛto no.
In the fulness of his abundance will distress assail him: every hand of [those he] troubled will come against him.
23 Bere a nʼafuru ayɛ ma no, Onyankopɔn bɛtɔ nʼabufuw gya agu ne so na wabobɔ no basabasa.
In order to fill his belly, [God] will send out against him the fury of his wrath, and will rain it upon him for his eating.
24 Ɛwɔ mu sɛ oguan fi dade akode ano nanso bɛmma a ano yɛ kɔbere mfrafrae bɛwɔ no.
If he flee from the iron weapon, the brazen bow will strike him through.
25 Ɔtwe bɛmma no fi nʼakyi, ano hyɛnhyɛn no fi ne brɛbo mu. Ehu bɛba ne so;
He draweth it, and it cometh out of the body; yea, out of his gall the glittering [arrow] cometh forth: over him come the terrors [of death].
26 sum kabii retwɛn nʼademude. Ogya a ɛnnɛw mu bɛhyew no, na asɛe nea aka wɔ ne ntamadan mu.
Entire darkness is laid by for his treasures: a fire not urged by blowing will consume him; it will destroy any one that is left in his tent.
27 Ɔsoro bɛda nʼafɔdi adi, na asase asɔre atia no.
The heavens will lay open his iniquity; and the earth will raise herself up against him.
28 Nsuyiri bɛtwe ne fi akɔ, saa ara na asuworo bɛyɛ Onyankopɔn abufuwhyew da no.
The product of his house will be banished, flowing away on the day of his wrath.
29 Eyi ne nkrabea a Onyankopɔn de ma amumɔyɛfo, agyapade a Onyankopɔn de ato hɔ ama wɔn ne no.”
This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and his decreed heritage from God.
