Hiob 31

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

I made a covenant with mine eyes; how then should I look 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 be the portion of God from above, and the heritage of the Almighty from on high?

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

Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, and disaster to the workers of iniquity?

4 Onhu mʼakwan na ɔnkan anammɔn biara a mitu ana?

Doth not He see my ways, and count all my steps?

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

If I have walked with vanity, 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 a just balance, that God may know mine integrity —

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

If my step hath turned out of the way, and my heart walked after mine eyes, and if any spot hath cleaved to my hands;

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

Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let the produce of my field 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, and I have lain in wait at my neighbour's door;

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

Then let my wife grind unto 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 that were a heinous crime; yea, it were an iniquity to be punished by the judges.

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

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

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

If I did despise the cause of my man-servant, or of my maid-servant, 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 shall I do when God riseth up? And when He remembereth, what shall 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 aught that the poor desired, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

17 sɛ mabɔ mʼaduan ho atirimɔden a mamma ayisaa bi,

Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof —

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

Nay, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, and I have been her guide 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 wanderer in want of clothing, or that the needy had no 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 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 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 majesty I could do nothing.

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, and have said to the fine gold: 'Thou art 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 shined, 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 hath been secretly enticed, and my mouth hath 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 were an iniquity to be punished by the judges; for I should have lied to God that 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, or exulted when evil found him —

30 memmaa mʼano nyɛɛ bɔne sɛ mɛdome ne nkwa,

Yea, I suffered not 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 can 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 in the street; my doors I opened to the roadside.

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

If after the manner of men I covered my transgressions, 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 most contemptible among 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! — Lo, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me — and that I had the indictment which mine adversary hath written!

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

Surely I would carry it upon my shoulder; I would bind it unto 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 go near unto him.

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

If my land cry out against me, and the furrows thereof 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, or have caused the tillers thereof to be disappointed —

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 noisome weeds instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.