Hiob 22
1 Na Temanni Elifas buae se,
Then answered Eliphaz the Themanite, and said,
2 “Onyankopɔn benya onipa so mfaso ana? Mpo onyansafo so bɛba no mfaso ana?
Can a man be serviceable unto God? Truly the intelligent is serviceable 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 any gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?
4 “Wo kronkronyɛ nti na ɔka wʼanim na ɔbɔ wo kwaadu ana?
Is it out of fear of thee that he will reproach thee? or go with thee into judgment?
5 Ɛnyɛ wʼamumɔyɛ na ɛso? Ɛnyɛ wo bɔne na ɛdɔɔso dodo?
Is not thy evil great? and no end to thy iniquities?
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 brothers 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 from the hungry thou hast withholden bread.
8 nanso na woyɛ obi a ɔwɔ tumi, wɔ nsase, onuonyamfo a ɔte so.
But as for the man of a strong arm, he obtained the land, and the highly honored could dwell therein.
9 Wopam akunafo ma wɔkɔɔ nsapan na womaa ayisaa nso ahoɔden sae.
Widows hast thou sent 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 are snares round about thee, and sudden dread terrifieth thee.
11 ɛno nti na sum kabii aduru a wunhu ade, na asorɔkye akata wo so yi.
Or seest thou not the darkness? and the abundance of water which covereth thee?
12 “So Onyankopɔn nni ɔsoro akyirikyiri ana? Hwɛ sɛnea ɔsoro akyirikyiri nsoromma korɔn!
Is not God in the height of heaven? and beholding the highest elevation of the stars, however high they are?
13 Nanso woka se, ‘Dɛn na Onyankopɔn nim? Sum yi mu na obu atɛn ana?
But thou sayest, “What doth God know? can he judge behind the darkness?
14 Omununkum kabii akata nʼanim nti onhu yɛn bere a ɔnenam ɔsoro kontonkurowi mu.’
Thick clouds are a covering for him, so that he will not see; and he walketh along on the circle of heaven.”
15 So wobɛkɔ so afa ɔkwan dedaw a abɔnefo anantew so no so ana?
Wilt thou [thus] observe the path of ancient times which the men of injustice have trodden?
16 Wɔpraa wɔn kɔe ansa na wɔn bere reso, na nsuyiri hohoroo wɔn fapem.
Who were shrivelled up before their time, whose foundation was flooded away like a river;
17 Na wɔka kyerɛɛ Onyankopɔn se, ‘Gyaa yɛn! Dɛn na Otumfo betumi ayɛ yɛn?’
Who said unto God, “'Depart from us:” and what wrought the Almighty for them?
18 Nanso ɛyɛ ɔno na ɔde nnepa hyɛɛ wɔn afi mu, nti metwe me ho fi amumɔyɛfo afotu ho.
And yet it was he that filled their houses with good things; but the counsel of the wicked be [still] 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 will see it, and be glad; and the innocent will laugh them to scorn.
20 ‘Wɔasɛe yɛn atamfo, na ogya ahyew wɔn agyapade.’
“Is not he destroyed that rose up against us, and hath not the fire consumed what they had left?”
21 “Fa wo ho ma Onyankopɔn na nya asomdwoe wɔ ne mu; saa ɔkwan yi so na yiyedi bɛfa ayɛ wo kyɛfa.
Do but become acquainted with him, and be at peace: thereby will happiness come unto thee.
22 Tie akwankyerɛ a efi nʼanom, na fa ne nsɛm sie wo koma mu.
Do but accept instruction from his mouth, and lay up his saying 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 return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, so thou wilt but remove wrong-doing far away from thy tents.
24 na wotow wo sika mpɔw gu mfutuma mu ne Ofir sikakɔkɔɔ gu abotan a ɛwɔ abon mu no so a,
And throw down in the dust precious metals, and [the gold of] Ophir to the stones of the brooks:
25 ɛno de Otumfo bɛyɛ wo sikakɔkɔɔ ɔbɛyɛ dwetɛ ankasa ama wo.
Then will the Almighty be thy precious metal, and brightly-shining silver unto thee.
26 Afei nokware wubenya anigye wɔ Otumfo mu na wobɛpagyaw wʼani akyerɛ Onyankopɔn.
For then wilt thou have in the Almighty thy delight, and thou canst lift up unto God thy face.
27 Wobɛbɔ no mpae, na obetie wo, na wubedi wo bɔhyɛ so.
Thou wilt make entreaty unto him, and he will hear thee, and thy vows wilt thou pay.
28 Nea woyɛ wʼadwene sɛ wobɛyɛ no bɛba mu, na hann bɛtɔ wʼakwan so.
And if thou decree a thing, it will be fulfilled unto thee; and upon thy ways the light will shine.
29 Sɛ nnipa hwe ase na woka se, ‘Ma wɔn so!’ a, obegye wɔn a wɔahwe ase no nkwa.
For when men are brought low, thou wilt say, Pride [hath done it]; but those of lowly eyes [God] will help.
30 Obegye abɔnefo mpo, ɔnam wo nsa a ɛho nni fi so begye wɔn.”
He will even deliver him who is not guiltless: and thou wilt be delivered by the purity of thy hands.
