Hiob 29
1 Hiob toaa so se,
And Job continued his discourse:
2 “Mʼani agyina asram a atwa mu no, nna a Onyankopɔn hwɛɛ me so no,
“How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me,
3 bere a ne kanea hyerɛn mʼatifi na mede ne kanea nantewee sum mu no!
when His lamp shone above my head, and by His light I walked through the darkness,
4 Ao, nna a misii so no, bere a Onyankopɔn adamfofa a emu yɛ den hyiraa me fi,
when I was in my prime, when the friendship of God rested on my tent,
5 bere a na Otumfo no da so ka me ho na me mma atwa me ho ahyia no,
when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me,
6 bere a na nufusu mu srade afɔw mʼakwan na abotan hwiee ngo sɛ nsu maa me no.
when my steps were bathed in cream and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
7 “Bere a na mekɔ kuropɔn pon ano mekɔtena mʼagua so wɔ ɔmanfo aguabɔbea,
When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square,
8 mmerante hu me a, wogyina nkyɛn na mpanyimfo sɔre gyina hɔ;
the young men saw me and withdrew, and the old men rose to their feet.
9 atitiriw gyae kasa na wɔde wɔn nsa kata wɔn ano;
The princes refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands.
10 mmapɔmma tɛm dinn, na wɔn tɛkrɛma ka wɔn dudom.
The voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.
11 Wɔn a wɔte me nka nyinaa ka me ho asɛmpa, na wɔn a wohu me nyinaa kamfo me,
For those who heard me called me blessed, and those who saw me commended me,
12 efisɛ meboaa ahiafo a wosu pɛɛ mmoa, ne ayisaa a wonni aboafo.
because I rescued the poor who cried out and the fatherless who had no helper.
13 Onipa a na ɔrewu no hyiraa me; na memaa akunafo ani gyee wɔn koma mu.
The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
14 Mede trenee furaa sɛ mʼadurade; atɛntrenee yɛɛ me nkataso ne mʼabotiri.
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; justice was my robe and my turban.
15 Meyɛɛ aniwa maa anifuraefo, ne anan maa mmubuafo.
I served as eyes to the blind and as feet to the lame.
16 Meyɛɛ ahiafo agya; na mekaa ahɔho asɛm maa wɔn.
I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger.
17 Mibubuu amumɔyɛfo se na mihwim wɔn a wodi wɔn nya no fii wɔn anom.
I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth.
18 “Medwenee sɛ, ‘Mewu wɔ mʼankasa me fi mu, na me nna dɔɔso sɛ nwea.
So I thought: ‘I will die in my nest and multiply my days as the sand.
19 Me ntin beduu nsu ano, na obosu agugu me mman so anadwo mu nyinaa.
My roots will spread out to the waters, and the dew will rest nightly on my branches.
20 Mʼanuonyam rempa da, na agyan ayɛ foforo wɔ me nsam daa.’
My glory is ever new within me, and my bow is renewed in my hand.’
21 “Nnipa hwehwɛɛ sɛ wotie me, wɔyɛɛ dinn, twɛn mʼafotu.
Men listened to me with expectation, waiting silently for my counsel.
22 Sɛ mekasa wie a wɔnnkasa bio, efisɛ me nsɛm tɔɔ wɔn asom yiye.
After my words, they spoke no more; my speech settled on them like dew.
23 Wɔtwɛn me sɛnea wɔtwɛn osu a ɛpete, na wɔmenee me nsɛm sɛ osutɔ bere nsu.
They waited for me as for rain and drank in my words like spring showers.
24 Sɛ meserew mekyerɛ wɔn a, wɔntaa nnye nni; mʼanimtew som bo ma wɔn.
If I smiled at them, they did not believe it; the light of my countenance was precious.
25 Mebɔɔ kwan maa wɔn na metenaa ase sɛ wɔn hene; metenaa ase sɛ ɔhene a ɔwɔ nʼasraafo mu; meyɛɛ sɛ obi a ɔkyekye agyaadwotwafo werɛ.
I chose their course and presided as chief. So I dwelt as a king among his troops, as a comforter of the mourners.
