Hiob 28
1 “Beae a wotu dwetɛ wɔ hɔ ne beae a wɔnan sika kɔkɔɔ.
Surely there is for silver a source, And a place for the gold they refine;
2 Wotu dade fi fam, na wɔnan kɔbere fi dadebo mu.
Iron from the dust is taken, And [from] the firm stone brass.
3 Onipa ma sum ba awiei; na ɔhwehwɛ kɔ akyirikyiri asase mu kɔhwehwɛ dadebo wɔ sum kabii mu.
An end hath he set to darkness, And to all perfection he is searching, A stone of darkness and death-shade.
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.
A stream hath broken out from a sojourner, Those forgotten of the foot, They were low, from man they wandered.
5 Asase a ɛbɔ aduan no, wɔdan ase no te sɛ nea wɔde ogya na ayɛ;
The earth! from it cometh forth bread, And its under-part is turned like fire.
6 hoabo fi nʼabotan mu na sikakɔkɔɔ mpɔw nso wɔ ne mfutuma mu.
A place of the sapphire [are] its stones, And it hath dust of gold.
7 Ɔkɔre biara nnim saa kwan a ahintaw no, akoroma biara ani nhuu ɛ.
A path — not known it hath a ravenous fowl, Nor scorched it hath an eye of the kite,
8 Mmoa ahantanfo nsi hɔ na gyata nkɔdɛɛdɛɛ wɔ hɔ.
Nor trodden it have the sons of pride, Not passed over it hath the fierce lion.
9 Onipa nsa paapae abotan dennen na ɔma mmepɔw ase da hɔ.
Against the flint he sent forth his hand, He overturned from the root mountains.
10 Otwa aka fa abotan mu, na ohu nʼademude nyinaa.
Among rocks, brooks he hath cleaved, And every precious thing hath his eye seen.
11 Ɔhwehwɛ baabi a nsubɔnten ti wɔ na ɔda nneɛma a ahintaw adi.
From overflowing floods he hath bound, And the hidden thing bringeth out [to] light.
12 “Nanso ɛhe na yebehu nea nyansa hyɛ? Ɛhe na ntease te?
And the wisdom — whence is it found? And where [is] this, the place of understanding?
13 Onipa renhu ne bo a ɛsom; wɔrenhu wɔ ateasefo asase so.
Man hath not known its arrangement, Nor is it found in the land of the living.
14 Na ebun ka se, ‘Enni me mu’; na po nso se, ‘Enni me nkyɛn.’
The deep hath said, 'It [is] not in me,' And the sea hath said, 'It is not with me.'
15 Wɔrentumi mfa sikakɔkɔɔ ankasa ntɔ, na wɔrentumi mfa dwetɛ nkari ne bo.
Gold is not given for it, Nor is silver weighed — its price.
16 Wɔrentumi mfa Ofir sikakɔkɔɔ ntɔ apopobibiribo anaa hoabo nso saa ara.
It is not valued with pure gold of Ophir, With precious onyx and sapphire,
17 Wɔrentumi mfa ahwehwɛ anaa sikakɔkɔɔ ntoto ho, na wɔrentumi mfa sikakɔkɔɔ nnwinne nsesa.
Not equal it do gold and crystal, Nor [is] its exchange a vessel of fine gold.
18 Ɛnsɛ sɛ yɛbɔ ahene panyin ne ahwehwɛbo din; nyansa bo sen nhene pa.
Corals and pearl are not remembered, The acquisition of wisdom [is] above rubies.
19 Etiopia akraatebo ne no nsɛ; wɔrentumi mfa sikakɔkɔɔ kronkron ntɔ.
Not equal it doth the topaz of Cush, With pure gold it is not valued.
20 “Ɛno de, na ɛhe na nyansa fi? Ɛhe na ntease te?
And the wisdom — whence doth it come? And where [is] this, the place of understanding?
21 Wɔde asie abɔde biara ani, wɔde asie wim nnomaa mpo.
It hath been hid from the eyes of all living. And from the fowl of the heavens It hath been hidden.
22 Ɔsɛe ne Owu ka se, ‘Yɛate no huhuhuhu kɛkɛ.’
Destruction and death have said: 'With our ears we have heard its fame.'
23 Onyankopɔn te ɔkwan a ɛkɔ hɔ ase, na ɔno nko ara na onim faako a ɛte,
God hath understood its way, And He hath known its place.
24 efisɛ ɔhwɛ kodu nsase ano na ohu biribiara a ɛwɔ ɔsoro ase.
For He to the ends of the earth doth look, Under the whole heavens He doth see,
25 Bere a ɔhyɛɛ mframa ano den too hɔ na osusuw nsuwa no,
To make for the wind a weight, And the waters He meted out in measure.
26 bere a ɔkaa no ɔhyɛ so kyerɛɛ osutɔ na otwaa kwan maa aprannaa no,
In His making for the rain a limit, And a way for the brightness of the voices,
27 afei ɔhwɛɛ nyansa na ɔkarii no hwɛe; na ogyee no too mu na ɔsɔɔ no hwɛe.
Then He hath seen and declareth it, He hath prepared it, and also searched it out,
28 Na ɔka kyerɛɛ onipa se, ‘Awurade suro, ɛno ne nyansa; na sɛ wokyi bɔne, yɛ ntease.’”
And He saith to man: — 'Lo, fear of the Lord, that [is] wisdom, And to turn from evil [is] understanding.'
