Hiob 24
1 “Adɛn nti na Onyankopɔn nhyɛ bere mma atemmu? Adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ wɔn a wonim no no hwɛ saa da no anim nanso ɛmma da?
Why doesn't the Almighty set a definite time to punish the wicked? Why don't those who follow him never see him act in judgment?
2 Nnipa yiyi abo a wɔde ato ɔhye; na wɔde nguankuw a wɔawia kɔ hɔ adidi.
The wicked move boundary stones; they seize other people's flocks and move them to their own pastures.
3 Wɔpam ayisaa mfurum na wogye akunafo anantwi sɛ awowaside.
They steal the orphan's donkey; they take the widow's ox as security for a debt.
4 Wosum ahiafo fi kwan so na wɔhyɛ asase no so ahiafo ma wɔkɔtetɛw.
They push the poor out of their way; the destitute are forced to hide from them.
5 Sɛnea sare so mfurum yɛ no saa ara na ahiafo no yɛ wɔn adwuma de pɛ aduan; asase kesee no so na wonya aduan ma wɔn mma.
Like wild donkeys in the desert, the poor have to scavenge for their food, looking for anything to feed their children in the wasteland.
6 Wɔboaboa mmoa aduan ano wɔ mfuw no so na wodi mpɛpɛ wɔ amumɔyɛfo bobe nturo mu.
They are forced to find what they can in other people's fields, to glean among the vineyards of the wicked.
7 Wonni ntama, na wɔda adagyaw anadwo; wonni hwee a wɔde kata wɔn ho wɔ awɔw mu.
They spend the night naked because they have no clothes; they have nothing to cover themselves against the cold.
8 Mmepɔw so osu tɔ fɔw wɔn kyam na wɔtetare abotan no ho, efisɛ wonni nnae.
They are soaked by the cold mountain storms, and huddle beside the rocks for shelter.
9 Wɔtew ayisaa fi nufu ano; na wɔfa ohiani abotafowa de si ne ka anan mu.
Fatherless children are snatched from their mother's breasts, taking the babies of the poor as security for a debt.
10 Wɔnenam adagyaw a wonni ntama; wɔsoa awi afiafi, nanso ɔkɔm de wɔn ara.
Because they have no clothes to wear they have to go naked, harvesting sheaves of grain while they themselves are hungry.
11 Wokyi ngo wɔn adan mu; wotiatia nsakyiamoa mu, nanso osukɔm de wɔn.
In the olive groves they work to produce oil, but do not taste it; they tread the winepress, but are thirsty.
12 Wɔn a wɔrewuwu no apinisi fi kuropɔn no mu, na apirafo kra su pɛ mmoa. Nanso Onyankopɔn mfa bɔne nto obiara so.
In the city the dying groan, and the wounded cry for help, but God ignores their prayers.
13 “Ebinom wɔ hɔ a wɔsɔre tia hann no, wɔn a wonnim nʼakwan anaasɛ wɔnnantew nʼatempɔn so no.
These are people who rebel against the light. They do not want to know its ways, or to stay on its paths.
14 Sɛ adekyee hann no kɔ a, owudifo no sɔre na okum ohiani ne mmɔborɔni; anadwo, mu owiawia ne ho sɛ ɔkorɔmfo.
The murderer gets up at dawn to kill the poor and needy, and when night falls he becomes a thief.
15 Ɔwaresɛefo twɛn bere a anim rebiribiri; ɔka se, ‘obiara renhu me,’ na ɔde nʼanim hintaw.
The adulterer waits for dusk, saying to himself, ‘No one will see me now,’ and he covers his face.
16 Sum mu na nnipa bubu apon wura afi mu, na adekyee, wɔtoto wɔn ho apon mu; wɔne hann nni hwee yɛ.
Thieves break into houses during the night and they sleep during the day. They don't even know what the light is like!
17 Sum kabii yɛ adekyee ma wɔn nyinaa; wɔne sum mu nneɛma a ɛyɛ hu fa nnamfo.
Total darkness is like light to them, for they are familiar with the night.
18 “Nanso wɔte sɛ ahuru a ɛte nsu ani; wɔadome wɔn kyɛfa wɔ asase no so, enti obiara nkɔ bobe nturo no mu.
Like bubbles on the surface of a river they are quickly carried away. The land they own is cursed by God. They don't enter their own vineyards.
19 Sɛnea ɔhyew ne ɔpɛ hwim sukyerɛmma a anan kɔ no, saa ara na ɔda de wɔn a wɔayɛ bɔne kɔ ne no. (Sheol h7585)
Just as heat and drought dry up snowmelt, so Sheol takes away those who have sinned. (Sheol h7585)
20 Awotwaa werɛ fi wɔn, na osunson di wɔn nam; nnipa bɔne de wɔnnkae wɔn bio na mmom wobubu te sɛ dua.
Even their mothers forget them, maggots feast on them, they are no longer remembered, and their wickedness becomes like a tree that is broken into pieces.
21 Wɔde ɔbea bonin a onni ba yɛ hanam, na wonhu akunafo mmɔbɔ.
They mistreat childless women and are mean to widows.
22 Onyankopɔn nam ne tumi so twe atumfo kɔ; ɛwɔ mu sɛ wonya asetena pa de, nanso wonni nkwa ho bɔhyɛ.
God prolongs the life of the wicked by his power; but when they arise, they have no assurance of life.
23 Otumi ma wɔn tena ase asomdwoe mu, nanso nʼani wɔ wɔn akwan so.
He supports them and gives them security, but he is always watching what they're doing.
24 Wɔma wɔn so bere tiaa bi, na afei wonni hɔ bio; wɔbrɛ wɔn ase boaboa wɔn ano sɛ nnipa nyinaa; wotwitwa wɔn gu te sɛ aburow ti.
Though they may be illustrious for a while, soon they are gone. They are brought down like all others, cut off like the heads of grain.
25 “Sɛ eyi nte saa a, hena na obetumi agye me akyinnye na ama nea maka no ayɛ nsɛnhunu?”
If this isn't so, who can prove I'm a liar and there's nothing to what I say?”
