Hiob 22
1 Na Temanni Elifas buae se,
Then Eliphaz the Themanite answered, and said:
2 “Onyankopɔn benya onipa so mfaso ana? Mpo onyansafo so bɛba no mfaso ana?
Can man be compared with God, even though he were of perfect knowledge?
3 Sɛ woyɛ ɔtreneeni a, anigye bɛn na Otumfo no benya? Sɛ wʼakwan ho nni asɛm a, mfaso bɛn na obenya?
What doth it profit God if thou be just? or what dost thou give him if thy way be unspotted?
4 “Wo kronkronyɛ nti na ɔka wʼanim na ɔbɔ wo kwaadu ana?
Shall he reprove thee for fear, and come with thee into judgment:
5 Ɛnyɛ wʼamumɔyɛ na ɛso? Ɛnyɛ wo bɔne na ɛdɔɔso dodo?
And not for thy manifold wickedness, and thy infinite iniquities?
6 Wopɛɛ bammɔ fii wo nuanom nkyɛn a emfi hwee so; wopaa nnipa ho ntama ma wɔdaa adagyaw.
For thou hast taken away the pledge of thy brethren without cause, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 Woamma abrɛfo nsu annom na wode aduan kamee nea ɔkɔm de no,
Thou hast not given water to the weary, thou hast withdrawn bread from the hungry.
8 nanso na woyɛ obi a ɔwɔ tumi, wɔ nsase, onuonyamfo a ɔte so.
In the strength of thy arm thou didst possess the land, and being the most mighty thou holdest it.
9 Wopam akunafo ma wɔkɔɔ nsapan na womaa ayisaa nso ahoɔden sae.
Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless thou hast broken in pieces.
10 Ɛno nti na mfiri atwa wo ho ahyia, na amanehunu a ɛba ntɛm so bɔ wo hu yi,
Therefore art thou surrounded with snares, and sudden fear troubleth thee.
11 ɛno nti na sum kabii aduru a wunhu ade, na asorɔkye akata wo so yi.
And didst thou think that thou shouldst not see darkness, and that thou shouldst not be covered with the violence of overflowing waters?
12 “So Onyankopɔn nni ɔsoro akyirikyiri ana? Hwɛ sɛnea ɔsoro akyirikyiri nsoromma korɔn!
Dost not thou think that God is higher than heaven, and is elevated above the height of the stars?
13 Nanso woka se, ‘Dɛn na Onyankopɔn nim? Sum yi mu na obu atɛn ana?
And thou sayst: What doth God know? and he judgeth as it were through a mist.
14 Omununkum kabii akata nʼanim nti onhu yɛn bere a ɔnenam ɔsoro kontonkurowi mu.’
The clouds are his covert, and he doth not consider our things, and he walketh about the poles of heaven.
15 So wobɛkɔ so afa ɔkwan dedaw a abɔnefo anantew so no so ana?
Dost thou desire to keep the path of ages, which wicked men have trodden?
16 Wɔpraa wɔn kɔe ansa na wɔn bere reso, na nsuyiri hohoroo wɔn fapem.
Who were taken away before their time, and a flood hath overthrown their foundation.
17 Na wɔka kyerɛɛ Onyankopɔn se, ‘Gyaa yɛn! Dɛn na Otumfo betumi ayɛ yɛn?’
Who said to God: Depart from us: and looked upon the Almighty as if he could do nothing:
18 Nanso ɛyɛ ɔno na ɔde nnepa hyɛɛ wɔn afi mu, nti metwe me ho fi amumɔyɛfo afotu ho.
Whereas he had filled their houses with good things: whose way of thinking be far from me.
19 Atreneefo hu wɔn asehwe ma wɔn ani gye; na wɔn a wɔn ho nni asɛm serew wɔn ka se,
The just shall see, and shall rejoice, and the innocent shall laugh them to scorn.
20 ‘Wɔasɛe yɛn atamfo, na ogya ahyew wɔn agyapade.’
Is not their exaltation cut down, and hath not fire devoured the remnants of them?
21 “Fa wo ho ma Onyankopɔn na nya asomdwoe wɔ ne mu; saa ɔkwan yi so na yiyedi bɛfa ayɛ wo kyɛfa.
Submit thyself then to him, and be at peace: and thereby thou shalt have the best fruits.
22 Tie akwankyerɛ a efi nʼanom, na fa ne nsɛm sie wo koma mu.
Receive the law of his mouth, and lay up his words in thy heart.
23 Sɛ wosan kɔ Otumfo no nkyɛn a obegye wo ato mu bio: sɛ wuyi amumɔyɛsɛm fi wo ntamadan mu
If thou wilt return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, and shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacle.
24 na wotow wo sika mpɔw gu mfutuma mu ne Ofir sikakɔkɔɔ gu abotan a ɛwɔ abon mu no so a,
He shall give for earth flint, and for flint torrents of gold.
25 ɛno de Otumfo bɛyɛ wo sikakɔkɔɔ ɔbɛyɛ dwetɛ ankasa ama wo.
And the Almighty shall be against thy enemies, and silver shall be heaped together for thee.
26 Afei nokware wubenya anigye wɔ Otumfo mu na wobɛpagyaw wʼani akyerɛ Onyankopɔn.
Then shalt thou abound in delights in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face to God.
27 Wobɛbɔ no mpae, na obetie wo, na wubedi wo bɔhyɛ so.
Thou shalt pray to him, and he will hear thee, and thou shalt pay vows.
28 Nea woyɛ wʼadwene sɛ wobɛyɛ no bɛba mu, na hann bɛtɔ wʼakwan so.
Thou shalt decree a thing, and it I shall come to thee, and light shall shine in thy ways.
29 Sɛ nnipa hwe ase na woka se, ‘Ma wɔn so!’ a, obegye wɔn a wɔahwe ase no nkwa.
For he that hath been humbled, shall be in glory: and he that shall bow down his eyes, he shall be saved.
30 Obegye abɔnefo mpo, ɔnam wo nsa a ɛho nni fi so begye wɔn.”
The innocent shall be saved, and he shall be saved by the cleanness of his hands.
