Hiob 31

1 “Me ne mʼani yɛɛ apam sɛ meremfi akɔnnɔ mu, nhwɛ ababaa.

“I have made a covenant with my eyes. How then could I gaze with desire at a virgin?

2 Dɛn ne onipa kyɛfa a efi ɔsoro Nyankopɔn nkyɛn? Dɛn ne nʼagyapade a efi ɔsoro Tumfo no nkyɛn?

For what is the allotment of God from above, or the heritage from the Almighty on high?

3 Ɛnyɛ ɔsɛe mma amumɔyɛfo, atoyerɛnkyɛm mma wɔn a wɔyɛ bɔne ana?

Does not disaster come to the unjust and calamity to the workers of iniquity?

4 Onhu mʼakwan na ɔnkan anammɔn biara a mitu ana?

Does He not see my ways and count my every step?

5 “Sɛ manantew wɔ nkontompo mu anaasɛ matu mmirika adi nnaadaasɛm akyi a,

If I have walked in falsehood or my foot has rushed to deceit,

6 ma Onyankopɔn nkari me wɔ nsania papa so na obehu sɛ me ho nni asɛm;

let God weigh me with honest scales, that He may know my integrity.

7 sɛ mʼanammɔntu afom ɔkwan, sɛ me koma adi mʼani akyi, anaasɛ me nsa ho agu fi a

If my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has followed my eyes, or if impurity has stuck to my hands,

8 ɛno de ma afoforo nni nea madua, na ma wontutu me nnɔbae ngu.

then may another eat what I have sown, and may my crops be uprooted.

9 “Sɛ ɔbea bi atɔ me koma so, anaasɛ matɛw me yɔnko bi pon akyi a,

If my heart has been enticed by my neighbor’s wife, or I have lurked at his door,

10 ɛno de, me yere nyam ɔbarima foforo aduan, na mmarima afoforo ne no nna.

then may my own wife grind grain for another, and may other men sleep with her.

11 Efisɛ anka ɛno na ɛbɛyɛ aniwusɛm ne bɔne a ɛsɛ sɛ wɔtwe aso wɔ so.

For that would be a heinous crime, an iniquity to be judged.

12 Ɛyɛ ogya a ɛhyew kodu Ɔsɛe mu; na ebetumi atutu me nnɔbae ase.

For it is a fire that burns down to Abaddon; it would root out my entire harvest.

13 “Sɛ mabu mʼasomfo mmarima ne mmea ntɛnkyew, bere a wɔne me nyaa asɛm,

If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or maidservant when they made a complaint against me,

14 sɛ Onyankopɔn de si mʼanim a dɛn na mɛyɛ? Sɛ wɔfrɛ me akontaabu a, mmuae bɛn na mɛma?

what will I do when God rises to judge? How will I answer when called to account?

15 Ɛnyɛ nea ɔbɔɔ me wɔ ɔyafunu mu no na ɔbɔɔ wɔn? Ɛnyɛ onipa koro no na ɔyɛɛ yɛn baanu wɔ yɛn nanom yafunu mu?

Did not He who made me in the womb also make them? Did not the same One form us in the womb?

16 “Sɛ mamma ahiafo nea wɔn koma pɛ anaa mama akunafo ani ayɛ wɔn yaw,

If I have denied the desires of the poor or allowed the widow’s eyes to fail,

17 sɛ mabɔ mʼaduan ho atirimɔden a mamma ayisaa bi,

if I have eaten my morsel alone, not sharing it with the fatherless—

18 nanso efi mmerantebere mu matetew no sɛnea agya bɛyɛ, na efi ɔyafunu mu, mahwɛ akunafo.

though from my youth I reared him as would a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow—

19 Sɛ mahu obi a onni adurade na ɔrebrɛ, anaa ohiani bi a onni atade,

if I have seen one perish for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a cloak,

20 na sɛ wɔamfi koma mu anhyira me sɛ mede me nguan ho nwi kaa wɔn hyew,

if his heart has not blessed me for warming him with the fleece of my sheep,

21 sɛ mama me nsa so atia ayisaa bi, esiane sɛ mewɔ tumi wɔ asennii nti a,

if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless because I saw that I had support in the gate,

22 ɛno de, ma me basa mpan mfi me mmati, ma emmubu mfi nʼapɔw so.

then may my arm fall from my shoulder and be torn from its socket.

23 Misuroo ɔsɛe a efi Onyankopɔn nkyɛn, na nʼanuonyam ho suro nti mantumi anyɛ saa nneyɛe no.

For calamity from God terrifies me, and His splendor I cannot overpower.

24 “Sɛ mede me werɛ ahyɛ sikakɔkɔɔ mu anaasɛ maka akyerɛ sikakɔkɔɔ ankasa se, ‘Wo na wobɔ me ho ban,’

If I have put my trust in gold or called pure gold my security,

25 sɛ masɛpɛw me ho wɔ mʼahode bebrebe nti, ahode a me nsa aka yi,

if I have rejoiced in my great wealth because my hand had gained so much,

26 sɛ mahwɛ owia ne ne hyerɛn anaa ɔsram a ɔnam anuonyam mu,

if I have beheld the sun in its radiance or the moon moving in splendor,

27 ama aka me koma a obiara nnim na me nsa yɛɛ wɔn atuu de nidi maa wɔn a,

so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,

28 ɛno de, na eyinom nso bɛyɛ bɔne a wobu ho atɛn, efisɛ na manni Onyankopɔn a ɔte ɔsoro no nokware.

this would also be an iniquity to be judged, for I would have denied God on high.

29 “Sɛ mʼani gyee wɔ me tamfo amanehunu nti anaa mesrew no wɔ ɔhaw a aba ne so nti,

If I have rejoiced in my enemy’s ruin, or exulted when evil befell him—

30 memmaa mʼano nyɛɛ bɔne sɛ mɛdome ne nkwa,

I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse—

31 sɛ nnipa a wɔwɔ me fi mu nkaa da sɛ, ‘Hena na Hiob pon so nam mmee no da?’

if the men of my house have not said, ‘Who is there who has not had his fill?’—

32 Ɔhɔho biara anna abɔnten so da, efisɛ me pon ano daa hɔ da biara maa akwantufo,

but no stranger had to lodge on the street, for my door has been open to the traveler—

33 Makata me bɔne so sɛnea nnipa yɛ de mʼafɔdi ahyɛ me koma mu

if I have covered my transgressions like Adam by hiding my guilt in my heart,

34 esiane sɛ misuroo nnipadɔm ne ahohora a efi mmusua hɔ no nti na meyɛɛ komm a mamfi adi.

because I greatly feared the crowds and the contempt of the clans terrified me, so that I kept silent and would not go outside—

35 (“Ao, sɛ anka mewɔ obi a obetie me. Mede me din ahyɛ mʼanoyi ase, ma Otumfo no mmua me; ma nea ɔbɔ me kwaadu no nkyerɛw ne sobobɔ.

(Oh, that I had one to hear me! Here is my signature. Let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser compose an indictment.

36 Ampa ara, mɛhyɛ wɔ me mmati, mɛhyɛ sɛ ahenkyɛw.

Surely I would carry it on my shoulder and wear it like a crown.

37 Mebu mʼanammɔntu biara ho akontaa akyerɛ no; mɛkɔ nʼanim sɛ ɔheneba.)

I would give account of all my steps; I would approach Him like a prince.)—

38 “Sɛ mʼasase teɛ mu tia me na nusu fɔw ne nkɔ nyinaa,

if my land cries out against me and its furrows weep together,

39 sɛ madi so aba a mintuaa ka anaasɛ mabu so apaafo no aba mu a,

if I have devoured its produce without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants,

40 ma nsɔe mfifi nsi awi anan mu na wura mfuw nsi atoko anan mu.” Hiob nsɛm no asi.

then let briers grow instead of wheat and stinkweed instead of barley.” Thus conclude the words of Job.