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 are not times [of punishment] treasured up by the Almighty, and why do his adorers not see his days [of retribution]?
2 Nnipa yiyi abo a wɔde ato ɔhye; na wɔde nguankuw a wɔawia kɔ hɔ adidi.
[The wicked] remove landmarks: they rob flocks, and feed them.
3 Wɔpam ayisaa mfurum na wogye akunafo anantwi sɛ awowaside.
They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take in pledge the widow's ox.
4 Wosum ahiafo fi kwan so na wɔhyɛ asase no so ahiafo ma wɔkɔtetɛw.
They chase the needy out of the highway: altogether hide themselves the poor of the earth.
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.
Behold, as wild asses in the wilderness go they forth to their work, rising betimes after [their] prey: the desert yieldeth food for them and for their young men.
6 Wɔboaboa mmoa aduan ano wɔ mfuw no so na wodi mpɛpɛ wɔ amumɔyɛfo bobe nturo mu.
In the field they reap their food; and in the vineyard of the wicked they gather the fruit.
7 Wonni ntama, na wɔda adagyaw anadwo; wonni hwee a wɔde kata wɔn ho wɔ awɔw mu.
They cause [the poor] to spend the night naked, without clothing and without any covering in the cold.
8 Mmepɔw so osu tɔ fɔw wɔn kyam na wɔtetare abotan no ho, efisɛ wonni nnae.
Through the sweeping rain of the mountains are they made wet, and for want of a shelter do they embrace the rock.
9 Wɔtew ayisaa fi nufu ano; na wɔfa ohiani abotafowa de si ne ka anan mu.
The others pluck from the breast the fatherless, and the garment of the poor they take in pledge.
10 Wɔnenam adagyaw a wonni ntama; wɔsoa awi afiafi, nanso ɔkɔm de wɔn ara.
They cause him to go naked without clothing, and from the hungry they take away the sheaf:
11 Wokyi ngo wɔn adan mu; wotiatia nsakyiamoa mu, nanso osukɔm de wɔn.
Within their walls do they make oil, they tread their wine-presses, and suffer thirst.
12 Wɔn a wɔrewuwu no apinisi fi kuropɔn no mu, na apirafo kra su pɛ mmoa. Nanso Onyankopɔn mfa bɔne nto obiara so.
Out of a populous city is groaning heard, and the soul of the deadly wounded crieth out: yet God regardeth it not as an offence.
13 “Ebinom wɔ hɔ a wɔsɔre tia hann no, wɔn a wonnim nʼakwan anaasɛ wɔnnantew nʼatempɔn so no.
Yon men are of those that rebel against the light: they know not its ways, nor abide in its paths.
14 Sɛ adekyee hann no kɔ a, owudifo no sɔre na okum ohiani ne mmɔborɔni; anadwo, mu owiawia ne ho sɛ ɔkorɔmfo.
With the earliest light riseth the murderer, he slayeth the poor and needy, and in the night he becometh like the thief.
15 Ɔwaresɛefo twɛn bere a anim rebiribiri; ɔka se, ‘obiara renhu me,’ na ɔde nʼanim hintaw.
And the eye of the adulterer watcheth for the twilight, saying, No eye will see me; and placeth a covering on his face.
16 Sum mu na nnipa bubu apon wura afi mu, na adekyee, wɔtoto wɔn ho apon mu; wɔne hann nni hwee yɛ.
They break into houses in the dark, in the daytime they lock themselves in: they know not the light.
17 Sum kabii yɛ adekyee ma wɔn nyinaa; wɔne sum mu nneɛma a ɛyɛ hu fa nnamfo.
For to all of these alike is the morning as the shadow of death; for they are familiar with the terrors of the shadow of death.
18 “Nanso wɔte sɛ ahuru a ɛte nsu ani; wɔadome wɔn kyɛfa wɔ asase no so, enti obiara nkɔ bobe nturo no mu.
Swift are such men [to flee] on the face of the water; accursed is their field on the land; none of them turneth himself to the way, of the 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)
Drought and heat speedily consume the snow-waters: so doth the grave 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.
The mother that bore such a one will forget him; the worm will feed sweetly on him; he will be no more remembered; and like a tree will wickedness be broken.
21 Wɔde ɔbea bonin a onni ba yɛ hanam, na wonhu akunafo mmɔbɔ.
He ill-treateth the barren that heareth not; and to the widow he acteth not well.
22 Onyankopɔn nam ne tumi so twe atumfo kɔ; ɛwɔ mu sɛ wonya asetena pa de, nanso wonni nkwa ho bɔhyɛ.
But he also draweth down the mighty with his power: he riseth up, no one is sure of life.
23 Otumi ma wɔn tena ase asomdwoe mu, nanso nʼani wɔ wɔn akwan so.
To such [God] granteth to be in safety, that he may find support; and His eyes are upon their ways.
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.
They are exalted; in but a little while they are no more; and they are brought down low: like all others are they gathered in, and like the top of the ear of corn are they cut off.
25 “Sɛ eyi nte saa a, hena na obetumi agye me akyinnye na ama nea maka no ayɛ nsɛnhunu?”
But if it be not so, who will prove me a liar, and render nought my word?
