Hiob 21
1 Na Hiob buae se,
Job replied,
2 Muntie me nsɛm no yiye. Momma eyi nyɛ awerɛkyekye a mode ma me.
“Please listen carefully to what I say—that would be one comfort you could give me.
3 Munnya ntoboase mma me bere a merekasa, na sɛ mekasa wie a, monkɔ so nni fɛw.
Bear with me; let me speak. After I've spoken you can resume mocking me.
4 “Minwiinwii hyɛ onipa ana? Adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ minya ntoboase?
Am I complaining against people? Of course not. Why shouldn't I be impatient?
5 Monhwɛ me, na mo ho nnwiriw mo; momfa mo nsa nkata mo ano.
Just take a look at me. Aren't you appalled? Cover your mouth with your hand in shock!
6 Sɛ midwen eyi ho a, mebɔ hu; na me ho popo.
Every time I think of what's happened to me I am horrified and I shake all over with fear.
7 Adɛn nti na amumɔyɛfo tena nkwa mu? Wonyin kyɛ na wɔkɔ so di tumi.
Why do the wicked continue to live, to grow old and increasingly powerful?
8 Wohu wɔn mma a atwa wɔn ho ahyia no nkɔso, wohu wɔn nenanom.
Their children are with them; they watch their grandchildren grow up.
9 Ɔhaw nni wɔn afi mu, na ehu nni hɔ; Onyankopɔn asotwe mma wɔn so.
They live in their homes in safety—they are not afraid. God does not use his rod to beat them.
10 Wɔn anantwinini nnyɛ asaadwe; na wɔn anantwibere nwo a wɔmpɔn.
Their bulls always breed successfully; their cows give birth to calves and do not miscarry.
11 Wɔka wɔn mma bɔ mu te sɛ nguankuw; na emu mmotafowa no huruhuruw.
They send out their little ones like lambs to play; their children dance around.
12 Wɔto nnwom wɔ akasae ne sanku so; na wɔde atɛntɛbɛn nnyigyei gye wɔn ani.
They sing accompanied by the tambourine and lyre; they celebrate with the music of the flute.
They live out their lives contentedly, and go down to Sheol in peace. (Sheol h7585)
14 Nanso wɔka kyerɛ Onyankopɔn se, ‘Fi yɛn so! Yɛmpɛ sɛ yehu wʼakwan.
Yet they tell God, ‘Get lost! We don't want anything to do with you.
15 Hena ne otumfo no a ɛsɛ sɛ yɛsom no? Sɛ yɛbɔ no mpae a mfaso bɛn na yebenya?’
Who does the Almighty think he is for us to serve him as slaves? What benefit is there for us if we pray to him?’
16 Nanso wɔn nkɔso no nni wɔn nsam, enti metwe me ho fi amumɔyɛfo afotu ho.
Such people believe they make their own fortune, but I don't accept their way of thinking.
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 is the lamp of the wicked snuffed out? How often does disaster come upon them? How often does God punish the wicked in his anger?
18 Mpɛn ahe na wɔyɛ sɛ sare wɔ mframa ano, te sɛ ntɛtɛ a mframaden bi apra wɔn?
Are they blown along like straw in the wind? Does a tornado come in and carry them away?
19 Wɔka se, ‘Onyankopɔn kora onipa asotwe so de twɛn ne mma.’ Ɛsɛ sɛ ɔtwe onipa no ankasa aso ma ohu.
Some say, ‘God saves up people's punishment for their children.’ But I say, ‘God should punish those people themselves so that they can learn from it.’
20 Ma ɔno ankasa ani nhu ne sɛe; ma Otumfo abufuwhyew no nka nʼani.
Let them see their destruction themselves, and drink deeply from God's anger.
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 they don't care what happens to their families once they're dead.
22 “Obi betumi akyerɛ Onyankopɔn nyansa, wɔ bere a obu atitiriw mpo atɛn?
Can anyone teach God anything he doesn't already know, since he is the one who judges even heavenly beings?
23 Obi wu wɔ bere a ɔwɔ ahoɔden ne ho tɔ no na nʼaso mu adwo no,
One person dies in good health, totally comfortable and secure.
24 na ne nipadua ayɛ frɔmfrɔm, na hon ahyɛ ne nnompe ma.
Their body is fat from eating well; their bones still strong.
25 Ɔfoforo nso de ɔkra mu yawdi wu, a wanka asetena pa anhwɛ da.
Another dies after a miserable life without every experiencing happiness.
26 Wosie wɔn nyinaa wɔ mfutuma koro mu, ma asunson nnunu wɔn nyinaa.
Yet they are both buried in the same dust; they are treated alike in death, eaten by maggots.
27 “Mahu mo adwene, ɔkwan a mobɛfa so afom me.
Look, I know what you're thinking, and your schemes to do me wrong.
28 Moka se, ‘Onipa kɛse no fi wɔ he, ntamadan a omumɔyɛfo no tenaa mu no?’
You may ask me, ‘Where is the home of the great man? Where is the place where the wicked live?’
29 So mummmisaa wɔn a wotu kwan no asɛm da? Wɔn amanneɛbɔ mu nsɛm ho nhiaa mo
Haven't you asked people who travel? Don't you pay attention to what they tell you?
30 sɛ onipa bɔne nya ne ti didi mu amanehunu da, na wogye wɔn abufuwhyew da no ana?
Wicked people are spared in times of disaster; they are rescued from the day of judgment.
31 Hena na ɔde ne suban si nʼanim? Hena na otua no nea wayɛ so ka?
Who confronts them with their actions? Who pays them back for what they have done?
32 Wɔsoa no kɔ ɔda mu, na wɔwɛn nʼaboda.
When they eventually die and are carried to the graveyard, their tomb is guarded. The earth of the grave softly covers them.
33 Obon mu dɔte yɛ no dɛ; nnipa nyinaa di nʼakyi, na dɔm a wontumi nkan wɔn di nʼanim.
Everyone attends their funeral service; a huge procession of people comes to pay their last respects.
34 “Enti ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na mode mo nsɛnhunu bɛkyekye me werɛ? Mo mmuae nyɛ hwee sɛ atoro!”
Why do you try to comfort me with worthless nonsense? Your answers are just a pack of lies!”
