Hiob 31

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

A covenant had I made with my eyes: how then should I fix my look on a virgin?

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

And what then would have been my portion of God from above? and what lot of the Almighty from on high?

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

Is not calamity [ready] for the unjust? and misfortune for the wrong-doers?

4 Onhu mʼakwan na ɔnkan anammɔn biara a mitu ana?

Behold, he truly seeth my ways, and numbereth all my steps;

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

[And knoweth] whether I have walked with vain desires, or if my foot hath hastened after deceit.

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

Let him weigh me then in a righteous balance, and let God acknowledge my integrity,

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

If my step have turned aside from the [proper] way, and my heart have walked after my eyes, and if any blemish have 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; and let what I have growing be rooted out.

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

If my heart have been beguiled toward a woman, or if I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door:

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

Then may my wife labor at the mill for another, and may strangers ill-use her;

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

For this would be incest; yea, it would be an iniquity [to be punished by] the judges;

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

For it would be a fire that consumeth down to the place of corruption, and would root out all my products.

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

If ever I cast aside the justice due to my man-servant and 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 could I do when God should rise up? and when he should investigate, what could 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 make him born or a woman? and did not the same one fashion us in the womb?

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

If ever I denied the wish of the indigent, or ever allowed the eyes of the widow to fall [in vain hopes];

17 sɛ mabɔ mʼaduan ho atirimɔden a mamma ayisaa bi,

Or if ever I ate my bread by myself alone, and the fatherless did not eat 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 though we were of one father, and I have guided her [as though she was sprung] from my mother's womb; )

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

If ever I saw any one perishing for want of clothing, or the 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 have not been 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 swung my hand against the fatherless, because I saw in the gate those that would help me:

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

Then may my shoulder fall from my shoulder-blade, and my arm be broken from the channel-bone;

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

For dreaded by me was the calamitous punishment of God, and against his highness I can accomplish 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 confidence, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my trust:

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

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

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

If ever I looked at the light [of the sun] when he shone brightly and on the moon walking in splendor:

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

And my heart became misled in secret, and my hand kissed my mouth:

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 thus would I 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 ever I rejoiced at the downfall of him that hated me, or was elated when evil befell him; —

30 memmaa mʼano nyɛɛ bɔne sɛ mɛdome ne nkwa,

But I suffered not my mouth to sin by denouncing with a curse 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 tent said not, Oh is there one that is not satisfied of his flesh; —

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

In the street a stranger had not to lodge; my doors I held open to the roadside;

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

If I covered up my transgressions like a common man, by hiding in my bosom my iniquity;

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

Because I dreaded the great multitude, or because the contempt of families did terrify me, so that I kept silence, and dared not to go 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 who will bring me one that would hear me! behold, here is my plea; may the Almighty answer me; and any record which my opponent may have written, —

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

Surely upon my shoulder would I carry it: I would bind it as a crown unto me.

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

The number of my steps would I tell him: as [to] a prince would I go near unto him.—

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

If my land ever cried out because of me, or if its furrows wept together;

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

If I ever consumed its strength without payment, or caused the soul of its owners to grieve:

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

Then may instead of wheat, thorns come forth, and instead of barley, cockle. (Here end the words of Job.)