Hiob 22
1 Na Temanni Elifas buae se,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
2 “Onyankopɔn benya onipa so mfaso ana? Mpo onyansafo so bɛba no mfaso ana?
“Can a man be of use to God? Can even a wise man benefit Him?
3 Sɛ woyɛ ɔtreneeni a, anigye bɛn na Otumfo no benya? Sɛ wʼakwan ho nni asɛm a, mfaso bɛn na obenya?
Does it delight the Almighty that you are righteous? Does He profit if your ways are blameless?
4 “Wo kronkronyɛ nti na ɔka wʼanim na ɔbɔ wo kwaadu ana?
Is it for your reverence that He rebukes you and enters into judgment against you?
5 Ɛnyɛ wʼamumɔyɛ na ɛso? Ɛnyɛ wo bɔne na ɛdɔɔso dodo?
Is not your wickedness great? Are not your iniquities endless?
6 Wopɛɛ bammɔ fii wo nuanom nkyɛn a emfi hwee so; wopaa nnipa ho ntama ma wɔdaa adagyaw.
For you needlessly demanded security from your brothers and deprived the naked of their clothing.
7 Woamma abrɛfo nsu annom na wode aduan kamee nea ɔkɔm de no,
You gave no water to the weary and withheld food from the famished,
8 nanso na woyɛ obi a ɔwɔ tumi, wɔ nsase, onuonyamfo a ɔte so.
while the land belonged to a mighty man, and a man of honor lived on it.
9 Wopam akunafo ma wɔkɔɔ nsapan na womaa ayisaa nso ahoɔden sae.
You sent widows away empty-handed, and the strength of the fatherless was crushed.
10 Ɛno nti na mfiri atwa wo ho ahyia, na amanehunu a ɛba ntɛm so bɔ wo hu yi,
Therefore snares surround you, and sudden peril terrifies you;
11 ɛno nti na sum kabii aduru a wunhu ade, na asorɔkye akata wo so yi.
it is so dark you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you.
12 “So Onyankopɔn nni ɔsoro akyirikyiri ana? Hwɛ sɛnea ɔsoro akyirikyiri nsoromma korɔn!
Is not God as high as the heavens? Look at the highest stars, how lofty they are!
13 Nanso woka se, ‘Dɛn na Onyankopɔn nim? Sum yi mu na obu atɛn ana?
Yet you say: ‘What does God know? Does He judge through thick darkness?
14 Omununkum kabii akata nʼanim nti onhu yɛn bere a ɔnenam ɔsoro kontonkurowi mu.’
Thick clouds veil Him so He does not see us as He traverses the vault of heaven.’
15 So wobɛkɔ so afa ɔkwan dedaw a abɔnefo anantew so no so ana?
Will you stay on the ancient path that wicked men have trod?
16 Wɔpraa wɔn kɔe ansa na wɔn bere reso, na nsuyiri hohoroo wɔn fapem.
They were snatched away before their time, and their foundations were swept away by a flood.
17 Na wɔka kyerɛɛ Onyankopɔn se, ‘Gyaa yɛn! Dɛn na Otumfo betumi ayɛ yɛn?’
They said to God, ‘Depart from us. What can the Almighty do to us?’
18 Nanso ɛyɛ ɔno na ɔde nnepa hyɛɛ wɔn afi mu, nti metwe me ho fi amumɔyɛfo afotu ho.
But it was He who filled their houses with good things; so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.
19 Atreneefo hu wɔn asehwe ma wɔn ani gye; na wɔn a wɔn ho nni asɛm serew wɔn ka se,
The righteous see it and are glad; the innocent mock them:
20 ‘Wɔasɛe yɛn atamfo, na ogya ahyew wɔn agyapade.’
‘Surely our foes are destroyed, and fire has consumed their excess.’
21 “Fa wo ho ma Onyankopɔn na nya asomdwoe wɔ ne mu; saa ɔkwan yi so na yiyedi bɛfa ayɛ wo kyɛfa.
Reconcile now and be at peace with Him; thereby good will come to you.
22 Tie akwankyerɛ a efi nʼanom, na fa ne nsɛm sie wo koma mu.
Receive instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in your heart.
23 Sɛ wosan kɔ Otumfo no nkyɛn a obegye wo ato mu bio: sɛ wuyi amumɔyɛsɛm fi wo ntamadan mu
If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored. If you remove injustice from your tents
24 na wotow wo sika mpɔw gu mfutuma mu ne Ofir sikakɔkɔɔ gu abotan a ɛwɔ abon mu no so a,
and consign your gold to the dust and the gold of Ophir to the stones of the ravines,
25 ɛno de Otumfo bɛyɛ wo sikakɔkɔɔ ɔbɛyɛ dwetɛ ankasa ama wo.
then the Almighty will be your gold and the finest silver for you.
26 Afei nokware wubenya anigye wɔ Otumfo mu na wobɛpagyaw wʼani akyerɛ Onyankopɔn.
Surely then you will delight in the Almighty and lift up your face to God.
27 Wobɛbɔ no mpae, na obetie wo, na wubedi wo bɔhyɛ so.
You will pray to Him, and He will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.
28 Nea woyɛ wʼadwene sɛ wobɛyɛ no bɛba mu, na hann bɛtɔ wʼakwan so.
Your decisions will be carried out, and light will shine on your ways.
29 Sɛ nnipa hwe ase na woka se, ‘Ma wɔn so!’ a, obegye wɔn a wɔahwe ase no nkwa.
When men are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up!’ then He will save the lowly.
30 Obegye abɔnefo mpo, ɔnam wo nsa a ɛho nni fi so begye wɔn.”
He will deliver even one who is not innocent, rescuing him through the cleanness of your hands.”
