Hiob 30
1 “Nanso mprempren wɔserew me, nnipa a manyin sen wɔn, na wɔn agyanom mfata sɛ wɔne me nguan ho akraman tena.
“But now men who are younger than I am make fun of me— men whose fathers I greatly despised, with the result that I would not even have allowed them to help my dogs guard my sheep.
2 Mfaso bɛn na wɔn nsa mu ahoɔden wɔ ma me, bere a wɔn ahoɔden afi wɔn mu?
They were men who were old and (weak/worn out); so (what could I gain from them working for me?/I would have gained nothing from them working for me.) [RHQ]
3 Ohia ne ɔkɔm ama wɔn ho atetew, wɔnantew asase kesee ne asase bonin so anadwo.
They were very poor and hungry, with the result that they chewed on roots [at night] in dry and desolate places.
4 Wɔboaboaa nkyenhaban ano wɔ nkyɛkyerɛ mu, na wɔde sare so nnua ntin yɛɛ wɔn aduan.
They pulled up plants in the desert [and ate them] and warmed themselves by [burning] the roots of broom trees.
5 Wɔn mfɛfo pam wɔn fii wɔn mu, na wohuroo wɔn sɛ akorɔmfo.
Everyone shouted at them as though they were thieves and expelled them [from their areas].
6 Wɔhyɛɛ wɔn ma wɔtenaa suka a emu awo, abotan ne fam ntokuru mu,
They were forced to live in caves in the hills, in holes in the ground, and in the sides of cliffs.
7 wosuu sɛ mfurum wɔ wuram na wɔfofɔree so wɔ ɔdɔtɔ ase.
In the bushes they howled [like animals because they were hungry], and they huddled together under thornbushes.
8 Kuw a wɔmfra na wonni din, wɔpam wɔn fii asase no so.
They were people without good sense, whose names no one knows; they have been expelled from the land [where they were born].
9 “Na nnɛ yi wɔn mmabarima de dwom bɔ me akutia; mayɛ abusude wɔ wɔn mu.
“And now their [children] sing songs to make fun of me. They tell jokes about me.
10 Wokyi me na wontwiw mmɛn me; wɔmmfɛre sɛ wɔtete ntasu gu mʼanim.
They are disgusted with me, and they [usually] stay away from me, [but when they see me, ] they are happy to spit in my face.
11 Afei a Onyankopɔn abubu me tadua na ɔde amanehunu aba me so yi, wɔyɛ nea wɔpɛ wɔ mʼanim.
Because [it is as though] [MET] God has cut my bowstring, [he has caused me to be unable to defend myself, ] and he has humbled me, and my enemies have done to me whatever they wanted.
12 Abusuakuw no tow hyɛ me so wɔ me nifa so; wosum mʼanan mfiri, na wosisi mpie tia me.
(Gangs/Groups of violent youths) attack me and force me to run away; they prepare to destroy me.
13 Wosisiw mʼakwan; na wonya me sɛe me na obiara mmoa me.
They prevent me from escaping, and they [do] not [need] anyone to help them (OR, there is no one to help me).
14 Wɔba te sɛ nea wofi ntokuru a ano abae mu; wɔnam mmubui no mu munumunum ba.
[It is as though I am a city wall and] [SIM] they have broken through the wall, and they have come crashing down on me.
15 Ahunahuna ma me ho dwiriw me; mʼanuonyam atu kɔ sɛnea mframa abɔ agu, me bammɔ atu ayera sɛ omununkum.
I am very terrified; My dignity/honor has been taken away as though [SIM] [it has been] blown away by the wind, and my prosperity has disappeared like [SIM] clouds disappear.
16 “Na mprempren, me nkwa resa; na amanehununna akyekyere me.
“And now I [SYN] am about to die [IDM]; I suffer every day.
17 Anadwo wowɔ me nnompe mu; ɔyaw a ɛwe me no nnyae.
My bones ache during the night, and the pain that torments me never stops.
18 Onyankopɔn fi ne tumi mu yɛ sɛ adurade ma me; omia me te sɛ mʼatade kɔn.
[It is as though God] seizes my clothes and chokes me with the collar of my coat.
19 Ɔtow me kyene dontori mu na ɔma me yɛ sɛ mfutuma ne nsõ.
He has thrown me into the mud; I am [not worth anything more than] dust and ashes.
20 “Onyankopɔn, misu mefrɛ wo, nanso wummua me. Mesɔre gyina, nanso wohwɛ me kɛkɛ.
“I cry out to God, but he does not answer/help me; I stand up [and pray], but he does not pay any attention.
21 Woba me so anibere so; wode wʼabasa mu tumi tow hyɛ me so.
He acts very cruelly toward me; with all of his power [MTY] he causes me to suffer.
22 Wuhwim me na wode mframa pia me; wudenkyidenkyi me wɔ ahum mu.
He [allows] the wind to lift me up and blow me away, and he tosses me up and down in a violent storm.
23 Minim sɛ wode me bɛkɔ owu mu, faako a woahyɛ ama ateasefo nyinaa no.
I know that he will cause me to die, which is what happens to everyone [MTY] who is alive.
24 “Ampa ara obiara mfa ne nsa nka onipa a ɔrebrɛ bere a ɔresu pɛ mmoa wɔ nʼamanehunu mu.
“When people experience disasters, and they sit on a pile of ruins and cry out for help, others surely [RHQ] reach out their hand to help them.
25 Mansu amma wɔn a wɔwɔ ɔhaw mu ana? Me kra werɛ anhow amma ahiafo ana?
[That is what I did previously]. I wept for people who were experiencing troubles, and I felt sorry for poor/needy people.
26 Nanso bere a mʼani da papa so no, bɔne bae; bere a mepɛɛ hann no sum na edurui.
But when I expected good things [to happen to me], evil things happened; when I waited for light/happiness, all I experienced was darkness/unhappiness [MET].
27 Me yafunu mu a ɛwowɔ me no nnyae da; na nna a amanehunu wɔ mu da mʼanim.
I am very distressed [IDM], all the time; I suffer every day.
28 Menenam a mabiri, nanso ɛnyɛ sɛ owia na ahyew me; migyina aguabɔbea na misu pɛ mmoa.
I go about very discouraged; I stand up and plead for people to help me.
29 Madan nnompo nuabarima, me ne mpatu na ɛbɔ.
My wailing sounds as sad as [MET] the cries of jackals/foxes and ostriches.
30 Me honam ani biri na ehuanhuan; atiridii ama me ho adɔ.
My skin has become dark/black and is peeling off, and I have a fever [which causes my body to feel like it is] burning.
31 Me sanku bɔ kwadwom, na mʼatɛntɛbɛn ma agyaadwotwa nnyigyei.
Previously, I played joyful music on my harp and with my flute, but now I play only the sad music of those who mourn.”
