Hiob 28
1 “Beae a wotu dwetɛ wɔ hɔ ne beae a wɔnan sika kɔkɔɔ.
For truly there is a source for the silver, and a place for the gold which men refine.
2 Wotu dade fi fam, na wɔnan kɔbere fi dadebo mu.
Iron is taken out of the dust, and the stone is melted into copper.
3 Onipa ma sum ba awiei; na ɔhwehwɛ kɔ akyirikyiri asase mu kɔhwehwɛ dadebo wɔ sum kabii mu.
An end doth he set to darkness, and the very utmost limit doth he search out, the stones of darkness, and of the shadow of death.
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.
He breaketh a channel far from the inhabited place; those of unsteady foot, the poorest of men move [there about].
5 Asase a ɛbɔ aduan no, wɔdan ase no te sɛ nea wɔde ogya na ayɛ;
The earth, out of which cometh forth bread, is under its surface turned up as it were with fire.
6 hoabo fi nʼabotan mu na sikakɔkɔɔ mpɔw nso wɔ ne mfutuma mu.
Her stones are the place whence the sapphire cometh; and golden dust is also there;
7 Ɔkɔre biara nnim saa kwan a ahintaw no, akoroma biara ani nhuu ɛ.
[On the] path which no bird of prey knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not surveyed;
8 Mmoa ahantanfo nsi hɔ na gyata nkɔdɛɛdɛɛ wɔ hɔ.
[Which] ravenous beasts have never trodden, over which the lion hath never passed.
9 Onipa nsa paapae abotan dennen na ɔma mmepɔw ase da hɔ.
To the flinty rock he stretcheth forth his hand; he overturneth the mountains from the root.
10 Otwa aka fa abotan mu, na ohu nʼademude nyinaa.
Amid rocks he heweth out canals: and every precious thing doth his eye behold.
11 Ɔhwehwɛ baabi a nsubɔnten ti wɔ na ɔda nneɛma a ahintaw adi.
The various droppings of water he uniteth into streams, and what is hidden he bringeth forth to light.
12 “Nanso ɛhe na yebehu nea nyansa hyɛ? Ɛhe na ntease te?
But wisdom—where shall she he found? and where is the place of understanding?
13 Onipa renhu ne bo a ɛsom; wɔrenhu wɔ ateasefo asase so.
Man knoweth not her value: and she is not to be found in the land of the living.
14 Na ebun ka se, ‘Enni me mu’; na po nso se, ‘Enni me nkyɛn.’
The deep saith, Not in me is she: and the sea saith, She is not with me.
15 Wɔrentumi mfa sikakɔkɔɔ ankasa ntɔ, na wɔrentumi mfa dwetɛ nkari ne bo.
No fine gold can be given in lieu of her, and silver cannot be weighed out as her price.
16 Wɔrentumi mfa Ofir sikakɔkɔɔ ntɔ apopobibiribo anaa hoabo nso saa ara.
She cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
17 Wɔrentumi mfa ahwehwɛ anaa sikakɔkɔɔ ntoto ho, na wɔrentumi mfa sikakɔkɔɔ nnwinne nsesa.
She cannot be estimated after gold and glass; and not in exchange for her [can] vessels of refined gold [be taken.]
18 Ɛnsɛ sɛ yɛbɔ ahene panyin ne ahwehwɛbo din; nyansa bo sen nhene pa.
Coral and crystal will not be thought of; and the value of wisdom is above pearls.
19 Etiopia akraatebo ne no nsɛ; wɔrentumi mfa sikakɔkɔɔ kronkron ntɔ.
She cannot be estimated after the topaz of Ethiopia, nor can she be valued with pure gold.
20 “Ɛno de, na ɛhe na nyansa fi? Ɛhe na ntease te?
But wisdom—whence cometh she? and where is the place of understanding?
21 Wɔde asie abɔde biara ani, wɔde asie wim nnomaa mpo.
Yea, she is hidden from the eyes of all living, and from the fowls of the heavens is she concealed.
22 Ɔsɛe ne Owu ka se, ‘Yɛate no huhuhuhu kɛkɛ.’
Perdition and death say, With our ears have we heard a report of her.
23 Onyankopɔn te ɔkwan a ɛkɔ hɔ ase, na ɔno nko ara na onim faako a ɛte,
God [alone] understandeth her way, and he knoweth her place;
24 efisɛ ɔhwɛ kodu nsase ano na ohu biribiara a ɛwɔ ɔsoro ase.
For he looketh to the ends of the earth, [whatever is] under the whole heaven doth he see.
25 Bere a ɔhyɛɛ mframa ano den too hɔ na osusuw nsuwa no,
When he imparted weight unto the wind; and [when] the waters he established by measure;
26 bere a ɔkaa no ɔhyɛ so kyerɛɛ osutɔ na otwaa kwan maa aprannaa no,
When he made a law for the rain, and a way for the lightning of [his] thunders;
27 afei ɔhwɛɛ nyansa na ɔkarii no hwɛe; na ogyee no too mu na ɔsɔɔ no hwɛe.
Then did he see her, and make her known; he established her, and also searched her out.
28 Na ɔka kyerɛɛ onipa se, ‘Awurade suro, ɛno ne nyansa; na sɛ wokyi bɔne, yɛ ntease.’”
And he said unto man, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to eschew evil is understanding.
