Hiob 31

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

I MADE a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?

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

For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

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

Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment 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, or if 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, 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 mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine 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 my offspring be rooted out.

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

If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid 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 this is an heinous crime; yea, it is 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 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 did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, 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 visiteth, 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 the poor from their desire, 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.

(For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her 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 perish for want of clothing, or any poor 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 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, when I saw my help in the gate:

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

Then let mine arm fall from my 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 destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.

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 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 mine 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, or 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 judge: for I should have denied the 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 lifted up myself when evil found him:

30 memmaa mʼano nyɛɛ bɔne sɛ mɛdome ne nkwa,

Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.

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 tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.

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: but I opened my doors to the traveller.

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.

Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, 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 one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.

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

Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.

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 against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;

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 owners thereof to lose their life:

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 cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.