Hiob 4
1 Na Temanni Elifas buaa Hiob se,
And Eliphaz the Temanite made answer and said,
2 “Sɛ obi pɛ sɛ ɔne wo kasa a, worennya ntoboase ana? Hena na wobetumi aka nʼano ato mu?
If one says a word, will it be a weariness to you? but who is able to keep from saying what is in his mind?
3 Dwene sɛnea wakyerɛkyerɛ nnipa bebree, sɛnea woahyɛ nsa a emu ayɛ mmerɛw no den.
Truly, you have been a helper to others, and you have made feeble hands strong;
4 Wo nsɛm ahyɛ wɔn a wɔahintiw no den; woahyɛ nkotodwe a ayɛ mmerɛw mu den.
He who was near to falling has been lifted up by your words, and you have given strength to bent knees.
5 Na afei a ɔhaw aba no, wʼaba mu abu; adwira wo, na wo werɛ ahow.
But now it has come on you and it is a weariness to you; you are touched by it and your mind is troubled.
6 So ɛnsɛ sɛ wo nyamesuro yɛ wʼahotoso na wʼakwan a ɛho nni asɛm no yɛ wʼanidaso ana?
Is not your fear of God your support, and your upright way of life your hope?
7 “Dwene ho: Wɔasɛe obi a ne ho nni asɛm pɛn ana? Ɛhefa na wɔsɛee obi a ɔyɛ pɛ?
Have you ever seen destruction come to an upright man? or when were the god-fearing ever cut off?
8 Sɛnea mahu no, wɔn a wofuntum bɔne ne wɔn a wodua ɔhaw no twa so aba.
What I have seen is that those by whom trouble has been ploughed, and evil planted, get the same for themselves.
9 Onyankopɔn home ano, wɔsɛe; nʼabufuw turuw a wɔyera.
By the breath of God destruction takes them, and by the wind of his wrath they are cut off.
10 Gyata betumi abobɔ mu na wɔaworo so, nanso wɔabubu gyata akɛse no se.
Though the noise of the lion and the sounding of his voice, may be loud, the teeth of the young lions are broken.
11 Gyata annya hanam a owu, na gyatabere mma no bɔ hwete.
The old lion comes to his end for need of food, and the young of the she-lion go wandering in all directions.
12 “Wɔbɛkaa kokoamsɛm bi kyerɛɛ me na mʼaso tee no sɛ asomsɛm.
A word was given to me secretly, and the low sound of it came to my ears.
13 Wɔ anadwo daeso basabasa mu, bere a nnipa adeda nnahɔɔ no,
In troubled thoughts from visions of the night, when deep sleep comes on men,
14 ehu ne nketenkete kyeree me ɛmaa me nnompe nyinaa wosowee.
Fear came on me and shaking, and my bones were full of trouble;
15 Honhom bi twaa mʼani so, na me ho nwi sɔre gyinae.
And a breath was moving over my face; the hair of my flesh became stiff:
16 Egyinae, nanso, manhu nʼabɔsu. Biribi begyinaa mʼanim, na metee nne bɔkɔɔ bi a ɛrebisa se,
Something was present before me, but I was not able to see it clearly; there was a form before my eyes: a quiet voice came to my ears, saying:
17 ‘Onipa desani betumi ateɛ asen Onyankopɔn? Na mpo ɔhoɔdenfo betumi ayɛ kronkron asen ne Yɛfo ana?
May a man be upright before God? or a man be clean before his Maker?
18 Sɛ Onyankopɔn ntumi mfa ne ho nto nʼankasa asomfo so, sɛ ɔka nʼabɔfo mfomso kyerɛ wɔn a,
Truly, he puts no faith in his servants, and he sees error in his angels;
19 na nkantom wɔn a wɔtete dɔte afi mu, wɔn a wɔn fapem sisi mfutuma mu na wɔdwerɛw wɔn ntɛm so sen abubummaba!
How much more those living in houses of earth, whose bases are in the dust! They are crushed more quickly than an insect;
20 Efi anɔpahema kosi anwummere wobubu wɔn mu nketenkete; na wɔyera korakora a obiara nhu wɔn bio.
Between morning and evening they are completely broken; they come to an end for ever, and no one takes note.
21 So wommiamia wɔn ntamadan ahama mu, a ɛno nti wowuwu a wonni nyansa ana?’
If their tent-cord is pulled up, do they not come to an end, and without wisdom?
