Hiob 22
1 Na Temanni Elifas buae se,
Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,
2 “Onyankopɔn benya onipa so mfaso ana? Mpo onyansafo so bɛba no mfaso ana?
Can a man be profitable unto God? surely he that is wise is 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?
Is it for thy fear [of him] that he reproveth thee, that he entereth with thee into judgment?
5 Ɛnyɛ wʼamumɔyɛ na ɛso? Ɛnyɛ wo bɔne na ɛdɔɔso dodo?
Is not thy wickedness great? neither is there any end to thine iniquities.
6 Wopɛɛ bammɔ fii wo nuanom nkyɛn a emfi hwee so; wopaa nnipa ho ntama ma wɔdaa adagyaw.
For thou hast taken pledges of 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, he 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, What doth God know? can he judge through the thick darkness?
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?
Wilt thou keep the old way which wicked men have trodden?
16 Wɔpraa wɔn kɔe ansa na wɔn bere reso, na nsuyiri hohoroo wɔn fapem.
Who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream:
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 for us?
18 Nanso ɛyɛ ɔno na ɔde nnepa hyɛɛ wɔn afi mu, nti metwe me ho fi amumɔyɛfo afotu ho.
Yet he fired 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.’
[Saying], Surely they that did rise up against us are cut off, and the remnant of them the fire hath consumed.
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; if thou put away unrighteousness far 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 lay thou [thy] treasure in the dust, and [the gold of] Ophir among the stones of the brooks;
25 ɛno de Otumfo bɛyɛ wo sikakɔkɔɔ ɔbɛyɛ dwetɛ ankasa ama wo.
And the Almighty shall be thy treasure, and precious silver unto thee.
26 Afei nokware wubenya anigye wɔ Otumfo mu na wobɛpagyaw wʼani akyerɛ Onyankopɔn.
For then shalt thou delight thyself 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 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 they cast [thee] down, thou shalt say, [There is] lifting up; and the humble person he shall save.
30 Obegye abɔnefo mpo, ɔnam wo nsa a ɛho nni fi so begye wɔn.”
He shall deliver [even] him that is not innocent: yea, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of thine hands.
