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, then, profit God? Behold, the wise man profiteth 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 pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous; Or a gain to him, that thou walkest uprightly?
4 “Wo kronkronyɛ nti na ɔka wʼanim na ɔbɔ wo kwaadu ana?
Will he contend with thee because he feareth thee? Will he enter with thee into judgment?
5 Ɛnyɛ wʼamumɔyɛ na ɛso? Ɛnyɛ wo bɔne na ɛdɔɔso dodo?
Hath not thy wickedness been great? Have not thine iniquities been numberless?
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 unjustly, And stripped the poor of their clothing.
7 Woamma abrɛfo nsu annom na wode aduan kamee nea ɔkɔm de no,
Thou hast given the weary no water to drink, And withholden bread from the hungry.
8 nanso na woyɛ obi a ɔwɔ tumi, wɔ nsase, onuonyamfo a ɔte so.
But the man of power, his was the land, And the honorable man dwelt in it.
9 Wopam akunafo ma wɔkɔɔ nsapan na womaa ayisaa nso ahoɔden sae.
Thou hast sent widows away empty, And broken the arms of the fatherless.
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 confoundeth thee;
11 ɛno nti na sum kabii aduru a wunhu ade, na asorɔkye akata wo so yi.
Or darkness, through which thou canst not see, And floods of water 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 stars, how high they are!
13 Nanso woka se, ‘Dɛn na Onyankopɔn nim? Sum yi mu na obu atɛn ana?
Hence thou sayest, “What doth God know? Can he govern behind the thick darkness?
14 Omununkum kabii akata nʼanim nti onhu yɛn bere a ɔnenam ɔsoro kontonkurowi mu.’
Dark clouds are a veil to him, and he cannot see; And he walketh upon the arch of heaven.”
15 So wobɛkɔ so afa ɔkwan dedaw a abɔnefo anantew so no so ana?
Wilt thou take the old way Which wicked men have trodden,
16 Wɔpraa wɔn kɔe ansa na wɔn bere reso, na nsuyiri hohoroo wɔn fapem.
Who were cut down before their time, And whose foundations were swept away by a flood?
17 Na wɔka kyerɛɛ Onyankopɔn se, ‘Gyaa yɛn! Dɛn na Otumfo betumi ayɛ yɛn?’
Who said unto God, “Depart from us!” And, “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.
And yet he filled their houses with good things!—Far from me be 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 their fate, and rejoice; And the innocent hold them in derision.
20 ‘Wɔasɛe yɛn atamfo, na ogya ahyew wɔn agyapade.’
“Truly our adversary is destroyed, And fire hath consumed his abundance!”
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: Thus shall prosperity return to thee.
22 Tie akwankyerɛ a efi nʼanom, na fa ne nsɛm sie wo koma mu.
Receive, I pray thee, instruction from 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 return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up; If thou put away iniquity from thy tent.
24 na wotow wo sika mpɔw gu mfutuma mu ne Ofir sikakɔkɔɔ gu abotan a ɛwɔ abon mu no so a,
Cast to the dust thy gold, And the gold of Ophir to the stones of the brook:
25 ɛno de Otumfo bɛyɛ wo sikakɔkɔɔ ɔbɛyɛ dwetɛ ankasa ama wo.
Then shall the Almighty be thy gold, Yea, treasures of silver unto thee;
26 Afei nokware wubenya anigye wɔ Otumfo mu na wobɛpagyaw wʼani akyerɛ Onyankopɔn.
For then shalt thou have 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 pray to him, and he shall hear thee, And thou shalt perform thy vows.
28 Nea woyɛ wʼadwene sɛ wobɛyɛ no bɛba mu, na hann bɛtɔ wʼakwan so.
The purpose which thou formest shall prosper with thee, And 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, thou shalt say, “There lifting up!” And the humble person he will save.
30 Obegye abɔnefo mpo, ɔnam wo nsa a ɛho nni fi so begye wɔn.”
He will deliver even him that is not innocent. The purity of thy hands shall save him.
