Hiob 29
1 Hiob toaa so se,
And Job continued to take up his parable, and said,
2 “Mʼani agyina asram a atwa mu no, nna a Onyankopɔn hwɛɛ me so no,
Who will give me back months like those which are past, days like those when God guarded me;
3 bere a ne kanea hyerɛn mʼatifi na mede ne kanea nantewee sum mu no!
When his lamp shone over my head, when by his light I could walk in darkness;
4 Ao, nna a misii so no, bere a Onyankopɔn adamfofa a emu yɛ den hyiraa me fi,
As I was in the days of my abundance, when the confidence of God was upon 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 yet with me, when my servants stood round about me;
6 bere a na nufusu mu srade afɔw mʼakwan na abotan hwiee ngo sɛ nsu maa me no.
When I bathed my steps in cream, and the rock poured out near me streamlets of oil!
7 “Bere a na mekɔ kuropɔn pon ano mekɔtena mʼagua so wɔ ɔmanfo aguabɔbea,
When I went out to the gate close by the city, when in the open place I established my seat:
8 mmerante hu me a, wogyina nkyɛn na mpanyimfo sɔre gyina hɔ;
Young men saw me, and hid themselves; and the aged rose up, and remained standing;
9 atitiriw gyae kasa na wɔde wɔn nsa kata wɔn ano;
Princes stopped in the midst of [their] words, and laid their hand on their mouth:
10 mmapɔmma tɛm dinn, na wɔn tɛkrɛma ka wɔn dudom.
The voice of nobles was arrested, and their tongue cleaved to their palate.
11 Wɔn a wɔte me nka nyinaa ka me ho asɛmpa, na wɔn a wohu me nyinaa kamfo me,
For the ear that heard me called me happy; and the eye that saw me bore witness for me;
12 efisɛ meboaa ahiafo a wosu pɛɛ mmoa, ne ayisaa a wonni aboafo.
Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, yea, that had none to help him.
13 Onipa a na ɔrewu no hyiraa me; na memaa akunafo ani gyee wɔn koma mu.
The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me; and the heart of the widow I caused to sing for joy.
14 Mede trenee furaa sɛ mʼadurade; atɛntrenee yɛɛ me nkataso ne mʼabotiri.
I took righteousness as my garment, and it clothed me: as a robe and a mitre was justice unto me.
15 Meyɛɛ aniwa maa anifuraefo, ne anan maa mmubuafo.
Eyes was I to the blind; and feet to the lame was I.
16 Meyɛɛ ahiafo agya; na mekaa ahɔho asɛm maa wɔn.
A father was I to the needy; and the cause of him I knew not I used to investigate.
17 Mibubuu amumɔyɛfo se na mihwim wɔn a wodi wɔn nya no fii wɔn anom.
And I broke the cutting-teeth of the wrong-doer, and out of his teeth I cast down his prey.
18 “Medwenee sɛ, ‘Mewu wɔ mʼankasa me fi mu, na me nna dɔɔso sɛ nwea.
And I said then, “In the midst of my nest shall I depart hence, and like the sand shall I have many days.
19 Me ntin beduu nsu ano, na obosu agugu me mman so anadwo mu nyinaa.
My root will stand open for the water, and the dew will lodge on my boughs.
20 Mʼanuonyam rempa da, na agyan ayɛ foforo wɔ me nsam daa.’
My glory will ever be new with me, and my bow will acquire fresh strength in my hand.”
21 “Nnipa hwehwɛɛ sɛ wotie me, wɔyɛɛ dinn, twɛn mʼafotu.
Unto me men listened, and waited, and watched in silence for my counsel
22 Sɛ mekasa wie a wɔnnkasa bio, efisɛ me nsɛm tɔɔ wɔn asom yiye.
After my words they made no reply, and my speech dropped on them [like dew].
23 Wɔtwɛn me sɛnea wɔtwɛn osu a ɛpete, na wɔmenee me nsɛm sɛ osutɔ bere nsu.
And they waited for me as for the rain, and they opened wide their mouth as for the latter rain.
24 Sɛ meserew mekyerɛ wɔn a, wɔntaa nnye nni; mʼanimtew som bo ma wɔn.
I smiled on those that had lost their confidence; and the light of my countenance they never cast down.
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 way for them, and I sat as chief, and dwelt as king in his army, as one that comforteth mourners.
