Hiob 31
1 “Me ne mʼani yɛɛ apam sɛ meremfi akɔnnɔ mu, nhwɛ ababaa.
I made a covenant with mine eyes, and I will not think upon a virgin.
2 Dɛn ne onipa kyɛfa a efi ɔsoro Nyankopɔn nkyɛn? Dɛn ne nʼagyapade a efi ɔsoro Tumfo no nkyɛn?
Now what portion has God given from above? and is there an inheritance [given] of the Mighty One from the highest?
3 Ɛnyɛ ɔsɛe mma amumɔyɛfo, atoyerɛnkyɛm mma wɔn a wɔyɛ bɔne ana?
Alas! destruction to the unrighteous, and rejection to them that do iniquity.
4 Onhu mʼakwan na ɔnkan anammɔn biara a mitu ana?
Will he not see my way, and number all my steps?
5 “Sɛ manantew wɔ nkontompo mu anaasɛ matu mmirika adi nnaadaasɛm akyi a,
But if I had gone with scorners, and if too my foot has hasted to deceit:
6 ma Onyankopɔn nkari me wɔ nsania papa so na obehu sɛ me ho nni asɛm;
(for I am weighed in a just balance, and the Lord knows my innocence: )
7 sɛ mʼanammɔntu afom ɔkwan, sɛ me koma adi mʼani akyi, anaasɛ me nsa ho agu fi a
if my foot has turned aside out of the way, or if mine heart has followed mine eye, and if too I have touched gifts with my hands;
8 ɛno de ma afoforo nni nea madua, na ma wontutu me nnɔbae ngu.
then let me sow, and let others eat; and let me be uprooted on the earth.
9 “Sɛ ɔbea bi atɔ me koma so, anaasɛ matɛw me yɔnko bi pon akyi a,
If my heart has gone forth after another man's wife, and if I laid wait at her doors;
10 ɛno de, me yere nyam ɔbarima foforo aduan, na mmarima afoforo ne no nna.
then let my wife also please another, and let my children be brought low.
11 Efisɛ anka ɛno na ɛbɛyɛ aniwusɛm ne bɔne a ɛsɛ sɛ wɔtwe aso wɔ so.
For the rage of anger is not to be controlled, [in the case] of defiling [another] man's wife.
12 Ɛyɛ ogya a ɛhyew kodu Ɔsɛe mu; na ebetumi atutu me nnɔbae ase.
For it is a fire burning on every side, and whoever it attacks, it utterly destroys.
13 “Sɛ mabu mʼasomfo mmarima ne mmea ntɛnkyew, bere a wɔne me nyaa asɛm,
And if too I despised the judgment of my servant or [my] handmaid, when they pleaded 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 if the Lord should try me? and if also he should at all visit me, can I make an answer?
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?
Were not they too formed as I also was formed in the womb? yes, we were formed in the same womb.
16 “Sɛ mamma ahiafo nea wɔn koma pɛ anaa mama akunafo ani ayɛ wɔn yaw,
But the helpless missed not whatever need they had, and I did not cause the eye of the widow to fail.
17 sɛ mabɔ mʼaduan ho atirimɔden a mamma ayisaa bi,
And if too I ate my morsel alone, and did not impart [of it] to the orphan;
18 nanso efi mmerantebere mu matetew no sɛnea agya bɛyɛ, na efi ɔyafunu mu, mahwɛ akunafo.
(for I nourished [them] as a father from my youth and guided [them] from my mother's womb.)
19 Sɛ mahu obi a onni adurade na ɔrebrɛ, anaa ohiani bi a onni atade,
And if too I overlooked the naked as he was perishing, and did not clothe him;
20 na sɛ wɔamfi koma mu anhyira me sɛ mede me nguan ho nwi kaa wɔn hyew,
and if the poor did not bless me, and their shoulders 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 lifted my hand against an orphan, trusting that my strength was far superior [to his]:
22 ɛno de, ma me basa mpan mfi me mmati, ma emmubu mfi nʼapɔw so.
let them my shoulder start from the blade-bone, and my arm be crushed off from the elbow.
23 Misuroo ɔsɛe a efi Onyankopɔn nkyɛn, na nʼanuonyam ho suro nti mantumi anyɛ saa nneyɛe no.
For the fear of the Lord constrained me, and I can’t bear up by reason of his burden.
24 “Sɛ mede me werɛ ahyɛ sikakɔkɔɔ mu anaasɛ maka akyerɛ sikakɔkɔɔ ankasa se, ‘Wo na wobɔ me ho ban,’
If I made gold my treasure, and if too I trusted the precious stone;
25 sɛ masɛpɛw me ho wɔ mʼahode bebrebe nti, ahode a me nsa aka yi,
and if too I rejoiced when my wealth was abundant, and if too I laid my hand on innumerable [treasures]:
26 sɛ mahwɛ owia ne ne hyerɛn anaa ɔsram a ɔnam anuonyam mu,
(do we not see the shining sun eclipsed, and the moon waning? for they have not [power to continue]: )
27 ama aka me koma a obiara nnim na me nsa yɛɛ wɔn atuu de nidi maa wɔn a,
and if my heart was secretly deceived, and if I have laid my hand upon my mouth and kissed it:
28 ɛno de, na eyinom nso bɛyɛ bɔne a wobu ho atɛn, efisɛ na manni Onyankopɔn a ɔte ɔsoro no nokware.
let this also then be reckoned to me as the greatest iniquity: for I [should] have lied against the Lord Most High.
29 “Sɛ mʼani gyee wɔ me tamfo amanehunu nti anaa mesrew no wɔ ɔhaw a aba ne so nti,
And if too I was glad at the fall of mine enemies, and mine heart said, Aha!
30 memmaa mʼano nyɛɛ bɔne sɛ mɛdome ne nkwa,
let then mine ear hear my curse, and let me be a byword among my people in my affliction.
31 sɛ nnipa a wɔwɔ me fi mu nkaa da sɛ, ‘Hena na Hiob pon so nam mmee no da?’
And if too my handmaids have often said, Oh that we might be satisfied with his flesh; (whereas I was very kind:
32 Ɔhɔho biara anna abɔnten so da, efisɛ me pon ano daa hɔ da biara maa akwantufo,
for the stranger did not lodge without, and my door was opened to every one that came: )
33 Makata me bɔne so sɛnea nnipa yɛ de mʼafɔdi ahyɛ me koma mu
or if too having sinned unintentionally, I hid my sin;
34 esiane sɛ misuroo nnipadɔm ne ahohora a efi mmusua hɔ no nti na meyɛɛ komm a mamfi adi.
(for I did not stand in awe of a great multitude, so as not to declare boldly before them: ) and if too I permitted a poor man to go out of my door with an empty bosom:
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 a hearer, ) and if I had not feared the hand of the Lord; and [as to] the written charge which I had against any one,
36 Ampa ara, mɛhyɛ wɔ me mmati, mɛhyɛ sɛ ahenkyɛw.
I would place [it] as a chaplet on my shoulders, and read it.
37 Mebu mʼanammɔntu biara ho akontaa akyerɛ no; mɛkɔ nʼanim sɛ ɔheneba.)
And if I did not read it and return it, having taken nothing from the debtor:
38 “Sɛ mʼasase teɛ mu tia me na nusu fɔw ne nkɔ nyinaa,
If at any time the land groaned against me, and if its furrows mourned together;
39 sɛ madi so aba a mintuaa ka anaasɛ mabu so apaafo no aba mu a,
and if I ate its strength alone without price, and if I too grieved the heart of the owner of the soil, by taking [anything] from [him]:
40 ma nsɔe mfifi nsi awi anan mu na wura mfuw nsi atoko anan mu.” Hiob nsɛm no asi.
then let the nettle come up to me instead of wheat, and a bramble instead of barley. And Job ceased speaking.
