Hiob 21
1 Na Hiob buae se,
Then Job answered, and said:
2 Muntie me nsɛm no yiye. Momma eyi nyɛ awerɛkyekye a mode ma me.
Hear, I beseech you, my words, and do penance.
3 Munnya ntoboase mma me bere a merekasa, na sɛ mekasa wie a, monkɔ so nni fɛw.
Suffer me, and I will speak, and after, if you please, laugh at my words.
4 “Minwiinwii hyɛ onipa ana? Adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ minya ntoboase?
Is my debate against man, that I should not have just reason to be troubled?
5 Monhwɛ me, na mo ho nnwiriw mo; momfa mo nsa nkata mo ano.
Hearken to me and be astonished, and lay your finger on your mouth.
6 Sɛ midwen eyi ho a, mebɔ hu; na me ho popo.
As for me, when I remember, I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh.
7 Adɛn nti na amumɔyɛfo tena nkwa mu? Wonyin kyɛ na wɔkɔ so di tumi.
Why then do the wicked live, are they advanced, and strengthened with riches?
8 Wohu wɔn mma a atwa wɔn ho ahyia no nkɔso, wohu wɔn nenanom.
Their seed continueth before them, a multitude of kinsmen, and of children’s children in their sight.
9 Ɔhaw nni wɔn afi mu, na ehu nni hɔ; Onyankopɔn asotwe mma wɔn so.
Their houses are secure and peaceable, and the rod of God is not upon them.
10 Wɔn anantwinini nnyɛ asaadwe; na wɔn anantwibere nwo a wɔmpɔn.
Their cattle have conceived, and failed not: their cow has calved, and is not deprived of her fruit.
11 Wɔka wɔn mma bɔ mu te sɛ nguankuw; na emu mmotafowa no huruhuruw.
Their little ones go out like a flock, and their children dance and play.
12 Wɔto nnwom wɔ akasae ne sanku so; na wɔde atɛntɛbɛn nnyigyei gye wɔn ani.
They take the timbrel, and the harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.
They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment they go down to hell. (Sheol h7585)
14 Nanso wɔka kyerɛ Onyankopɔn se, ‘Fi yɛn so! Yɛmpɛ sɛ yehu wʼakwan.
Who have said to God: Depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.
15 Hena ne otumfo no a ɛsɛ sɛ yɛsom no? Sɛ yɛbɔ no mpae a mfaso bɛn na yebenya?’
Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what doth it profit us if we pray to him?
16 Nanso wɔn nkɔso no nni wɔn nsam, enti metwe me ho fi amumɔyɛfo afotu ho.
Yet because their good things are not in their hand, may the counsel of the wicked be far from me.
17 “Nanso mpɛn ahe na wodum amumɔyɛfo kanea? Mpɛn ahe na amanehunu ba wɔn so, nea Onyankopɔn fi nʼabufuw mu de ba no?
How often shall the lamp of the wicked be put out, and a deluge come upon them, and he shall distribute the sorrows of his wrath?
18 Mpɛn ahe na wɔyɛ sɛ sare wɔ mframa ano, te sɛ ntɛtɛ a mframaden bi apra wɔn?
They shall be as chaff before the face of the wind, and as ashes which the whirlwind scattereth.
19 Wɔka se, ‘Onyankopɔn kora onipa asotwe so de twɛn ne mma.’ Ɛsɛ sɛ ɔtwe onipa no ankasa aso ma ohu.
God shall lay up the sorrow of the father for his children: and when he shall repay, then shall he know.
20 Ma ɔno ankasa ani nhu ne sɛe; ma Otumfo abufuwhyew no nka nʼani.
His eyes shall see his own destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21 Dɛn na ɛfa wɔn ho fa wɔn abusuafo a woagyaw wɔn akyi no ho bere a asram a wɔatwa ama no aba awiei no?
For what is it to him what befalleth his house after him: and if the number of his months be diminished by one half?
22 “Obi betumi akyerɛ Onyankopɔn nyansa, wɔ bere a obu atitiriw mpo atɛn?
Shall any one teach God knowledge, who judgeth those that are high?
23 Obi wu wɔ bere a ɔwɔ ahoɔden ne ho tɔ no na nʼaso mu adwo no,
One man dieth strong, and hale, rich and happy.
24 na ne nipadua ayɛ frɔmfrɔm, na hon ahyɛ ne nnompe ma.
His bowels are full of fat, and his bones are moistened with marrow.
25 Ɔfoforo nso de ɔkra mu yawdi wu, a wanka asetena pa anhwɛ da.
But another dieth in bitterness of soul without any riches:
26 Wosie wɔn nyinaa wɔ mfutuma koro mu, ma asunson nnunu wɔn nyinaa.
And yet they shall sleep together in the dust, and worms shall cover them.
27 “Mahu mo adwene, ɔkwan a mobɛfa so afom me.
Surely I know your thoughts, and your unjust judgments against me.
28 Moka se, ‘Onipa kɛse no fi wɔ he, ntamadan a omumɔyɛfo no tenaa mu no?’
For you say: Where is the house of the prince? and where are the dwelling places of the wicked?
29 So mummmisaa wɔn a wotu kwan no asɛm da? Wɔn amanneɛbɔ mu nsɛm ho nhiaa mo
Ask any one of them that go by the way, and you shall perceive that he knoweth these same things.
30 sɛ onipa bɔne nya ne ti didi mu amanehunu da, na wogye wɔn abufuwhyew da no ana?
Because the wicked man is reserved to the day of destruction, and he shall be brought to the day of wrath.
31 Hena na ɔde ne suban si nʼanim? Hena na otua no nea wayɛ so ka?
Who shall reprove his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done?
32 Wɔsoa no kɔ ɔda mu, na wɔwɛn nʼaboda.
He shall be brought to the graves, and shall watch in the heap of the dead.
33 Obon mu dɔte yɛ no dɛ; nnipa nyinaa di nʼakyi, na dɔm a wontumi nkan wɔn di nʼanim.
He hath been acceptable to the gravel of Cocytus, and he shall draw every man after him, and there are innumerable before him.
34 “Enti ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na mode mo nsɛnhunu bɛkyekye me werɛ? Mo mmuae nyɛ hwee sɛ atoro!”
How then do ye comfort me in vain, whereas your answer is shewn to be repugnant to truth?
