Hiob 31

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

I made a covenant with mine eyes; and how should I fix my regard upon a maid?

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

For what would have been [my] portion of God from above, and what the heritage of the Almighty from on high?

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

Is not calamity for the unrighteous? and misfortune for the workers of iniquity?

4 Onhu mʼakwan na ɔnkan anammɔn biara a mitu ana?

Doth not he see my ways, and number all my steps?

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

If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot hath hasted to deceit,

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

(Let me be weighed in an even balance, and God will take knowledge of my blamelessness; )

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

If my step have turned out of the way, and my heart followed mine eyes, and if any blot cleaveth to my hands;

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

Let me sow, and another eat; and let mine offspring be rooted out.

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

If my heart have been enticed unto a woman, so that I laid wait at my neighbour's door,

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

Let my wife grind for another, and let others bow down upon her.

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

For this is an infamy; yea, it is an iniquity [to be judged by] the judges:

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

For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.

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

If I have despised the cause of my bondman or of my bondmaid, when they contended with me,

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

What then should I do when God riseth up? and if he visited, what should I answer him?

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 that made me in the womb make him? and did not One fashion us in the womb?

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

If I have withheld the poor from [their] desire, or caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

17 sɛ mabɔ mʼaduan ho atirimɔden a mamma ayisaa bi,

Or have eaten my morsel alone, so that the fatherless ate not thereof,

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

(For from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, and I have guided the [widow] from my mother's womb; )

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

If I have seen any perishing for want of clothing, or any needy without covering;

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

If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my lambs;

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 an orphan, because I saw my help in the gate:

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

[Then] let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone!

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

For calamity from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his excellency I was powerless.

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

If I have made gold my hope, or said to the fine gold, My confidence!

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

If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;

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

If I beheld the sun when it shone, or the moon walking in brightness,

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

And my heart have been secretly enticed, so that my mouth kissed my hand:

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

This also would be an iniquity for the judge, for I should have denied the God who is above.

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

If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, and exulted when evil befell him;

30 memmaa mʼano nyɛɛ bɔne sɛ mɛdome ne nkwa,

(Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by asking 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 tent said not, Who shall find one that hath not been satisfied with his meat? —

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

The stranger did not lodge without; I opened my doors to the pathway.

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

If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom,

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

Because I feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and went not out of the door, ...

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! Behold my signature: let the Almighty answer me! And let mine opponent write an accusation!

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

Would I not take it upon my shoulder? I would bind it on to me [as] a crown;

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

I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I come near to him.

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

If my land cry 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 eaten the fruits thereof without money, and have tormented to death the souls of its owners:

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

Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and tares instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.