Hiob 20
1 Na Naamani Sofar buae se,
Then responded Zophar the Naamathite, and said: —
2 Me tirim mu ntew me, na ɛhyɛ me sɛ mimmua efisɛ me ho yeraw me yiye.
Not so, do my thoughts answer me, and to this end, is my haste within me:
3 Mate animka bi a egu me ho fi, na ntease a minya no hyɛ me sɛ mimmua.
The correction meant to confound me, I must hear, but, the spirit—out of my understanding, will give me a reply.
4 “Ampa ara wunim sɛnea nneɛma te fi tete, efi bere a wɔde nnipa duaa asase so no,
Knowest thou, this—from antiquity, from the placing of man upon earth: —
5 sɛ amumɔyɛfo ani gye bere tiaa bi mu, na wɔn a wonsuro nyame nso anigye nkyɛ.
That, the joy-shout of the lawless, is short, and, the rejoicing of the impious, for a moment?
6 Ɛwɔ mu sɛ nʼahohoahoa kodu ɔsoro, na ne ti kɔpem omununkum koraa a,
Though his elevation mount up to the heavens, and, his head, to the clouds, doth reach,
7 ɔbɛyera afebɔɔ te sɛ nʼankasa nʼagyanan; na wɔn a wohuu no no bebisa se, ‘Ɔwɔ he?’
Like his own stubble, shall he utterly perish, They who had seen him, shall 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, shall he fly away, and they shall not find him, yea he shall be chased away, as a vision of the night.
9 Ani a ehuu no no renhu no bio; na ne sibea nso renhu no bio.
The eye that hath scanned him, shall not do it again, neither, any more, shall his place behold him:
10 Ne mma bɛpata ahiafo; ɛsɛ sɛ nʼankasa de nʼahonya san ma.
His children, shall seek the favour of the poor, and, his own hand, shall give back his wealth.
11 Ne mmerantebere mu ahoɔden a ahyɛ ne nnompe ma no ne no bɛkɔ mfutuma mu.
His bones, are full of youthful vigour, yet, with him—in the dust, shall it lie down.
12 “Ɛwɔ mu sɛ bɔne yɛ nʼanom dɛ na ɔde sie ne tɛkrɛma ase,
Though, a sweet taste in his mouth, be given by vice, though he hide it under his tongue;
13 ɛwɔ mu sɛ ontumi nnyaa mu na ɔma ɛka ne dudom,
Though he spare it, and will not let it go, but retain it in the midst of his mouth,
14 nanso, nʼaduan bɛyɛ nwen wɔ ne yafunu mu; ɛbɛyɛ ɔwɔ ano bɔre wɔ ne mu.
His food, in his stomach, is changed, the gall of adders, within him!
15 Ɔbɛfe ahonyade a ɔmenee no; Onyankopɔn bɛma ne yafunu apuw agu.
Wealth, hath he swallowed, and hath vomited the same, Out of his belly, shall, GOD, drive it forth:
16 Ɔbɛfefe awɔ bɔre; Ɔnanka se bekum no.
The poison of adders, shall he suck, The tongue of the viper shall slay him;
17 Ɔrennya nsuwansuwa no nnom nsubɔnten a nufusu ne ɛwo sen wɔ mu no.
Let him not see in the channels the flowings of torrents of honey and milk.
18 Ɔbɛdan nea ɔbrɛ nyae no aba a ɔrenni bi; ɔremfa nʼaguadi mu mfaso nnye nʼani.
In vain, he toiled, he shall not swallow, like wealth to be restored, in which he cannot exult!
19 Efisɛ ɔhyɛɛ ahiafo so ma wodii ohia buruburoo; ɔde ne nsa ato afi a ɛnyɛ ɔno na osii so.
For he hath oppressed—hath forsaken the poor, A house, hath he seized, which he cannot rebuild.
20 “Ampa ara ɔrennya ahomegye mfi nea wapere anya no mu; ɔrentumi mfa nʼademude nnye ne ho nkwa.
Surely he hath known no peace in his inmost mind, —With his dearest thing, shall he not get away:
21 Wafom nneɛma nyinaa awie; ne nkɔso nnu baabiara.
Nothing escaped his devouring greed, —For this cause, shall his prosperity not continue:
22 Nʼadedodow nyinaa mu no, ɔbɛkɔ ɔhaw mu; na amanehunu a emu yɛ den bɛto no.
When his abundance is gone, he shall be in straits, All the power of distress, shall come upon him.
23 Bere a nʼafuru ayɛ ma no, Onyankopɔn bɛtɔ nʼabufuw gya agu ne so na wabobɔ no basabasa.
It shall be that, to fill his belly, he will thrust at him the glow of his anger, and rain [it] upon him for his punishment.
24 Ɛwɔ mu sɛ oguan fi dade akode ano nanso bɛmma a ano yɛ kɔbere mfrafrae bɛwɔ no.
He shall flee from the armour of iron, —There shall pierce him, a bow of bronze!
25 Ɔtwe bɛmma no fi nʼakyi, ano hyɛnhyɛn no fi ne brɛbo mu. Ehu bɛba ne so;
He hath drawn it out, and it hath come forth out of his back, —yea the flashing arrow-head, out of his gall, There shall march on him—terrors:
26 sum kabii retwɛn nʼademude. Ogya a ɛnnɛw mu bɛhyew no, na asɛe nea aka wɔ ne ntamadan mu.
Every misfortune, is laid up for his treasures, —There shall consume, a fire, not blown up, —it shall destroy what remaineth in his tent:
27 Ɔsoro bɛda nʼafɔdi adi, na asase asɔre atia no.
The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, and, the earth, be rising up against him:
28 Nsuyiri bɛtwe ne fi akɔ, saa ara na asuworo bɛyɛ Onyankopɔn abufuwhyew da no.
The increase of his house shall vanish, melting away in the day of his anger.
29 Eyi ne nkrabea a Onyankopɔn de ma amumɔyɛfo, agyapade a Onyankopɔn de ato hɔ ama wɔn ne no.”
This, is the portion of the lawless man, from God, and the inheritance decreed him from the Mighty One.
