Hiob 28
1 “Beae a wotu dwetɛ wɔ hɔ ne beae a wɔnan sika kɔkɔɔ.
There are silver mines and places where gold is refined.
2 Wotu dade fi fam, na wɔnan kɔbere fi dadebo mu.
Iron is extracted from the earth and copper is smelted from its ore.
3 Onipa ma sum ba awiei; na ɔhwehwɛ kɔ akyirikyiri asase mu kɔhwehwɛ dadebo wɔ sum kabii mu.
Miners take lamps into the darkness underground and search for ore as far as they can go in the shadows and the gloom.
4 Wɔde fagudetu afiri hyɛ beae a ɛmmɛn ɔdesani atenae, mmeae a nnipa anan nsii hɔ da, baabi a ɛmmɛn nnipa no, ɛhɔ na wodi aforosian.
They dig a mineshaft far from where people live or anyone ever goes. They swing from ropes that hang in the pits.
5 Asase a ɛbɔ aduan no, wɔdan ase no te sɛ nea wɔde ogya na ayɛ;
Bread comes from the earth, but underneath it looks as if it has been turned upside-down by fire.
6 hoabo fi nʼabotan mu na sikakɔkɔɔ mpɔw nso wɔ ne mfutuma mu.
Here the rocks contain lapis lazuli and the dust contains gold.
7 Ɔkɔre biara nnim saa kwan a ahintaw no, akoroma biara ani nhuu ɛ.
No birds of prey can see these paths, no falcon's eye can perceive.
8 Mmoa ahantanfo nsi hɔ na gyata nkɔdɛɛdɛɛ wɔ hɔ.
No wild beasts have passed that way; the lion has not walked there.
9 Onipa nsa paapae abotan dennen na ɔma mmepɔw ase da hɔ.
Miners attack the hard rock; they overturn the roots of mountains.
10 Otwa aka fa abotan mu, na ohu nʼademude nyinaa.
They tunnel through the rock, looking carefully for every precious stone.
11 Ɔhwehwɛ baabi a nsubɔnten ti wɔ na ɔda nneɛma a ahintaw adi.
They dam the sources of the rivers, and bring to light what is hidden.
12 “Nanso ɛhe na yebehu nea nyansa hyɛ? Ɛhe na ntease te?
But where can wisdom be found? Where is the place to gain understanding?
13 Onipa renhu ne bo a ɛsom; wɔrenhu wɔ ateasefo asase so.
Human beings do not know the way to wisdom; it is not found among the living.
14 Na ebun ka se, ‘Enni me mu’; na po nso se, ‘Enni me nkyɛn.’
The deep waters say, ‘It's not here,’ and the sea says, ‘It's not here either.’
15 Wɔrentumi mfa sikakɔkɔɔ ankasa ntɔ, na wɔrentumi mfa dwetɛ nkari ne bo.
It cannot be bought with gold; nor can it be purchased with silver.
16 Wɔrentumi mfa Ofir sikakɔkɔɔ ntɔ apopobibiribo anaa hoabo nso saa ara.
Its value cannot be measured, even with the gold of Ophir; it is more precious than onyx or lapis lazuli.
17 Wɔrentumi mfa ahwehwɛ anaa sikakɔkɔɔ ntoto ho, na wɔrentumi mfa sikakɔkɔɔ nnwinne nsesa.
Gold or fine glass cannot compare with wisdom; it cannot be exchanged for gold jewelry.
18 Ɛnsɛ sɛ yɛbɔ ahene panyin ne ahwehwɛbo din; nyansa bo sen nhene pa.
Coral and crystal are not worth mentioning; the price of wisdom is far above rubies.
19 Etiopia akraatebo ne no nsɛ; wɔrentumi mfa sikakɔkɔɔ kronkron ntɔ.
Topaz from Ethiopia can't compare with it; it cannot be bought with the purest gold.
20 “Ɛno de, na ɛhe na nyansa fi? Ɛhe na ntease te?
So where does wisdom come from? Where is the place to gain understanding?
21 Wɔde asie abɔde biara ani, wɔde asie wim nnomaa mpo.
Wisdom is hidden from the sight of all living things, even the birds of the air cannot see it.
22 Ɔsɛe ne Owu ka se, ‘Yɛate no huhuhuhu kɛkɛ.’
Abaddon and Death say, ‘We've only heard a rumor of it.’
23 Onyankopɔn te ɔkwan a ɛkɔ hɔ ase, na ɔno nko ara na onim faako a ɛte,
Only God understands the path to wisdom; he knows where it is found.
24 efisɛ ɔhwɛ kodu nsase ano na ohu biribiara a ɛwɔ ɔsoro ase.
For he looks to the very end of the earth; he sees everything under heaven.
25 Bere a ɔhyɛɛ mframa ano den too hɔ na osusuw nsuwa no,
He decided how strong the wind should blow, and regulated the waters.
26 bere a ɔkaa no ɔhyɛ so kyerɛɛ osutɔ na otwaa kwan maa aprannaa no,
He set a limit for the rain and made a path for the lightning.
27 afei ɔhwɛɛ nyansa na ɔkarii no hwɛe; na ogyee no too mu na ɔsɔɔ no hwɛe.
Then he considered wisdom. He examined it, gave it his approval, and declared it good.
28 Na ɔka kyerɛɛ onipa se, ‘Awurade suro, ɛno ne nyansa; na sɛ wokyi bɔne, yɛ ntease.’”
He said to humankind, ‘To reverence the Lord is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
