Hiob 22
1 Na Temanni Elifas buae se,
And Eliphaz the Temanite answers and says:
2 “Onyankopɔn benya onipa so mfaso ana? Mpo onyansafo so bɛba no mfaso ana?
“Is a man profitable to God, Because a wise man is profitable to himself?
3 Sɛ woyɛ ɔtreneeni a, anigye bɛn na Otumfo no benya? Sɛ wʼakwan ho nni asɛm a, mfaso bɛn na obenya?
Is it a delight to the Mighty One That you are righteous? Is it gain, That you make your ways perfect?
4 “Wo kronkronyɛ nti na ɔka wʼanim na ɔbɔ wo kwaadu ana?
Because of your reverence Does He reason [with] you? He enters with you into judgment:
5 Ɛnyɛ wʼamumɔyɛ na ɛso? Ɛnyɛ wo bɔne na ɛdɔɔso dodo?
Is your wickedness not abundant? And there is no end to your iniquities.
6 Wopɛɛ bammɔ fii wo nuanom nkyɛn a emfi hwee so; wopaa nnipa ho ntama ma wɔdaa adagyaw.
For you take a pledge of your brother for nothing, And you strip off the garments of the naked.
7 Woamma abrɛfo nsu annom na wode aduan kamee nea ɔkɔm de no,
You do not cause the weary to drink water, And you withhold bread from the hungry.
8 nanso na woyɛ obi a ɔwɔ tumi, wɔ nsase, onuonyamfo a ɔte so.
As for the man of arm—he has the earth, And the accepted of face—he dwells in it.
9 Wopam akunafo ma wɔkɔɔ nsapan na womaa ayisaa nso ahoɔden sae.
You have sent widows away empty, And the arms of the fatherless are bruised.
10 Ɛno nti na mfiri atwa wo ho ahyia, na amanehunu a ɛba ntɛm so bɔ wo hu yi,
Therefore snares [are] all around you, And sudden fear troubles you.
11 ɛno nti na sum kabii aduru a wunhu ade, na asorɔkye akata wo so yi.
Or darkness—you do not see, And abundance of waters covers you.
12 “So Onyankopɔn nni ɔsoro akyirikyiri ana? Hwɛ sɛnea ɔsoro akyirikyiri nsoromma korɔn!
Is God not high [in] the heavens? And see the summit of the stars, That they are high.
13 Nanso woka se, ‘Dɛn na Onyankopɔn nim? Sum yi mu na obu atɛn ana?
And you have said, How has God known? Does He judge through thickness?
14 Omununkum kabii akata nʼanim nti onhu yɛn bere a ɔnenam ɔsoro kontonkurowi mu.’
Thick clouds [are] a secret place to Him, And He does not see, And He habitually walks [above] the circle of the heavens.
15 So wobɛkɔ so afa ɔkwan dedaw a abɔnefo anantew so no so ana?
Do you observe the path of the age, That men of iniquity have trodden,
16 Wɔpraa wɔn kɔe ansa na wɔn bere reso, na nsuyiri hohoroo wɔn fapem.
Who have been cut down unexpectedly? A flood is poured out on their foundation.
17 Na wɔka kyerɛɛ Onyankopɔn se, ‘Gyaa yɛn! Dɛn na Otumfo betumi ayɛ yɛn?’
Those saying to God, Turn aside from us, And what does the Mighty One do to them?
18 Nanso ɛyɛ ɔno na ɔde nnepa hyɛɛ wɔn afi mu, nti metwe me ho fi amumɔyɛfo afotu ho.
And He has filled their houses [with] good (And the counsel of the wicked Has been 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 and they rejoice, And the innocent mocks at them:
20 ‘Wɔasɛe yɛn atamfo, na ogya ahyew wɔn agyapade.’
Surely our substance has not been cut off, And fire has consumed their excellence.
21 “Fa wo ho ma Onyankopɔn na nya asomdwoe wɔ ne mu; saa ɔkwan yi so na yiyedi bɛfa ayɛ wo kyɛfa.
Now acquaint yourself with Him, and be at peace, Thereby your increase [is] good.
22 Tie akwankyerɛ a efi nʼanom, na fa ne nsɛm sie wo koma mu.
Please receive a law from His mouth, And set His sayings 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 Mighty you are built up, You put iniquity far from your tents.
24 na wotow wo sika mpɔw gu mfutuma mu ne Ofir sikakɔkɔɔ gu abotan a ɛwɔ abon mu no so a,
So as to set a defense on the dust, And a covering on a rock of the valleys.
25 ɛno de Otumfo bɛyɛ wo sikakɔkɔɔ ɔbɛyɛ dwetɛ ankasa ama wo.
And the Mighty has been your defense, And silver [is] strength to you.
26 Afei nokware wubenya anigye wɔ Otumfo mu na wobɛpagyaw wʼani akyerɛ Onyankopɔn.
For then you delight yourself on the Mighty, And lift up your face to God,
27 Wobɛbɔ no mpae, na obetie wo, na wubedi wo bɔhyɛ so.
You make supplication to Him, And He hears you, And you complete your vows.
28 Nea woyɛ wʼadwene sɛ wobɛyɛ no bɛba mu, na hann bɛtɔ wʼakwan so.
And you decree a saying, And it is established to you, And light has shone on your ways.
29 Sɛ nnipa hwe ase na woka se, ‘Ma wɔn so!’ a, obegye wɔn a wɔahwe ase no nkwa.
For they have made low, And you say, Lift up. And He saves the bowed down of eyes.
30 Obegye abɔnefo mpo, ɔnam wo nsa a ɛho nni fi so begye wɔn.”
He delivers the one [who is] not innocent, Indeed, he has been delivered By the cleanness of your hands.”
