Hiob 22
1 Na Temanni Elifas buae se,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
2 “Onyankopɔn benya onipa so mfaso ana? Mpo onyansafo so bɛba no mfaso ana?
Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?
3 Sɛ woyɛ ɔtreneeni a, anigye bɛn na Otumfo no benya? Sɛ wʼakwan ho nni asɛm a, mfaso bɛn na obenya?
[Is it] any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or [is it] gain [to him], that thou makest thy ways perfect?
4 “Wo kronkronyɛ nti na ɔka wʼanim na ɔbɔ wo kwaadu ana?
Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?
5 Ɛnyɛ wʼamumɔyɛ na ɛso? Ɛnyɛ wo bɔne na ɛdɔɔso dodo?
[Is] not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite?
6 Wopɛɛ bammɔ fii wo nuanom nkyɛn a emfi hwee so; wopaa nnipa ho ntama ma wɔdaa adagyaw.
For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, 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 to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
8 nanso na woyɛ obi a ɔwɔ tumi, wɔ nsase, onuonyamfo a ɔte so.
But [as for] the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in 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 have been broken.
10 Ɛno nti na mfiri atwa wo ho ahyia, na amanehunu a ɛba ntɛm so bɔ wo hu yi,
Therefore snares [are] round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;
11 ɛno nti na sum kabii aduru a wunhu ade, na asorɔkye akata wo so yi.
Or darkness, [that] thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee.
12 “So Onyankopɔn nni ɔsoro akyirikyiri ana? Hwɛ sɛnea ɔsoro akyirikyiri nsoromma korɔn!
[Is] not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!
13 Nanso woka se, ‘Dɛn na Onyankopɔn nim? Sum yi mu na obu atɛn ana?
And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?
14 Omununkum kabii akata nʼanim nti onhu yɛn bere a ɔnenam ɔsoro kontonkurowi mu.’
Thick clouds [are] a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.
15 So wobɛkɔ so afa ɔkwan dedaw a abɔnefo anantew so no so ana?
Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
16 Wɔpraa wɔn kɔe ansa na wɔn bere reso, na nsuyiri hohoroo wɔn fapem.
Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood:
17 Na wɔka kyerɛɛ Onyankopɔn se, ‘Gyaa yɛn! Dɛn na Otumfo betumi ayɛ yɛn?’
Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?
18 Nanso ɛyɛ ɔno na ɔde nnepa hyɛɛ wɔn afi mu, nti metwe me ho fi amumɔyɛfo afotu ho.
Yet he filled their houses with good [things: ] but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
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: and the innocent laugh them to scorn.
20 ‘Wɔasɛe yɛn atamfo, na ogya ahyew wɔn agyapade.’
Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.
21 “Fa wo ho ma Onyankopɔn na nya asomdwoe wɔ ne mu; saa ɔkwan yi so na yiyedi bɛfa ayɛ wo kyɛfa.
Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.
22 Tie akwankyerɛ a efi nʼanom, na fa ne nsɛm sie wo koma mu.
Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.
23 Sɛ wosan kɔ Otumfo no nkyɛn a obegye wo ato mu bio: sɛ wuyi amumɔyɛsɛm fi wo ntamadan mu
If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.
24 na wotow wo sika mpɔw gu mfutuma mu ne Ofir sikakɔkɔɔ gu abotan a ɛwɔ abon mu no so a,
Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the [gold] of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
25 ɛno de Otumfo bɛyɛ wo sikakɔkɔɔ ɔbɛyɛ dwetɛ ankasa ama wo.
Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.
26 Afei nokware wubenya anigye wɔ Otumfo mu na wobɛpagyaw wʼani akyerɛ Onyankopɔn.
For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.
27 Wobɛbɔ no mpae, na obetie wo, na wubedi wo bɔhyɛ so.
Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.
28 Nea woyɛ wʼadwene sɛ wobɛyɛ no bɛba mu, na hann bɛtɔ wʼakwan so.
Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.
29 Sɛ nnipa hwe ase na woka se, ‘Ma wɔn so!’ a, obegye wɔn a wɔahwe ase no nkwa.
When [men] are cast down, then thou shalt say, [There is] lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.
30 Obegye abɔnefo mpo, ɔnam wo nsa a ɛho nni fi so begye wɔn.”
He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.
