Hiob 4
1 Na Temanni Elifas buaa Hiob se,
Then Eliphaz the Thaemanite answered and said,
2 “Sɛ obi pɛ sɛ ɔne wo kasa a, worennya ntoboase ana? Hena na wobetumi aka nʼano ato mu?
Hast you been often spoken to in distress? but who shall endure the force of your words?
3 Dwene sɛnea wakyerɛkyerɛ nnipa bebree, sɛnea woahyɛ nsa a emu ayɛ mmerɛw no den.
For whereas you have instructed many, and have strengthened the hands of the weak one,
4 Wo nsɛm ahyɛ wɔn a wɔahintiw no den; woahyɛ nkotodwe a ayɛ mmerɛw mu den.
and have supported the failing with words, and have imparted courage to feeble knees.
5 Na afei a ɔhaw aba no, wʼaba mu abu; adwira wo, na wo werɛ ahow.
Yet now [that] pain has come upon you, and touched you, you are troubled.
6 So ɛnsɛ sɛ wo nyamesuro yɛ wʼahotoso na wʼakwan a ɛho nni asɛm no yɛ wʼanidaso ana?
Is not your fear [founded] in folly, your hope also, and the mischief of your way?
7 “Dwene ho: Wɔasɛe obi a ne ho nni asɛm pɛn ana? Ɛhefa na wɔsɛee obi a ɔyɛ pɛ?
Remember then who has perished, being pure? or when were the true-hearted utterly destroyed?
8 Sɛnea mahu no, wɔn a wofuntum bɔne ne wɔn a wodua ɔhaw no twa so aba.
Accordingly as I have seen men ploughing barren places, and they that sow them will reap sorrows for themselves.
9 Onyankopɔn home ano, wɔsɛe; nʼabufuw turuw a wɔyera.
They shall perish by the command of the Lord, and shall be utterly consumed by the breath of his wrath.
10 Gyata betumi abobɔ mu na wɔaworo so, nanso wɔabubu gyata akɛse no se.
The strength of the lion, and the voice of the lioness, and the exulting cry of serpents are quenched.
11 Gyata annya hanam a owu, na gyatabere mma no bɔ hwete.
The old lion has perished for lack of food, and the lions' whelps have forsaken one another.
12 “Wɔbɛkaa kokoamsɛm bi kyerɛɛ me na mʼaso tee no sɛ asomsɛm.
But if there had been any truth in your words, none of these evils would have befallen you. Shall not mine ear receive excellent [revelations] from him?
13 Wɔ anadwo daeso basabasa mu, bere a nnipa adeda nnahɔɔ no,
But [as when] terror falls upon men, with dread and a sound in the night,
14 ehu ne nketenkete kyeree me ɛmaa me nnompe nyinaa wosowee.
horror and trembling seized me, and caused all my bones greatly to shake.
15 Honhom bi twaa mʼani so, na me ho nwi sɔre gyinae.
And a spirit came before my face; and my hair and flesh quivered.
16 Egyinae, nanso, manhu nʼabɔsu. Biribi begyinaa mʼanim, na metee nne bɔkɔɔ bi a ɛrebisa se,
I arose and perceived it not: I looked, and there, was no form before my eyes: but I only heard a breath and a voice, [saying],
17 ‘Onipa desani betumi ateɛ asen Onyankopɔn? Na mpo ɔhoɔdenfo betumi ayɛ kronkron asen ne Yɛfo ana?
What, shall a mortal be pure before the Lord? or a man be blameless in regard to his works?
18 Sɛ Onyankopɔn ntumi mfa ne ho nto nʼankasa asomfo so, sɛ ɔka nʼabɔfo mfomso kyerɛ wɔn a,
Whereas he trust not in his servants, and perceives perverseness 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!
But [as for] them that dwell in houses of clay, of whom we also are formed of the same clay, he smites them like a moth.
20 Efi anɔpahema kosi anwummere wobubu wɔn mu nketenkete; na wɔyera korakora a obiara nhu wɔn bio.
And from the morning to evening they no longer exist: they have perished, because they can’t help themselves.
21 So wommiamia wɔn ntamadan ahama mu, a ɛno nti wowuwu a wonni nyansa ana?’
For he blows upon them, and they are withered: they have perished for lack of wisdom.
