Hiob 7
1 “Asase so som nyɛ den mma onipa ana? Ne nkwanna nte sɛ ɔpaani de?
“People need to work hard on this earth, like soldiers do; all during the time that we are alive, we work hard [RHQ], like laborers/servants do.
2 Sɛnea akoa ani gyina anwummere sunsuma, anaasɛ ɔpaani ho pere no nʼakatua ho no,
We are like [SIM] slaves who keep wanting to be in the cool shade, and we are like [SIM] workers who are waiting to be paid.
3 saa ara na wɔatwa asram hunu ato me hɔ, ne anadwo a ɔhaw wɔ mu ama me.
God has given me many months [in which I think that it is] useless [to remain alive]; he has allotted/given to me many nights during which I feel miserable.
4 Sɛ meda a, midwen bisa se, ‘Bere bɛn na ade bɛkye?’ Nanso anadwo twa mu nkakrankakra, na mepere kosi ahemadakye.
When I lie down [at night] I say, ‘How long will it be until morning?’ But nights are long, and I (toss/turn over and over) [on my bed] until dawn.
5 Asunson ne aporɔporɔw afura me nipadua, me were atetew na ɛrefi nsu.
My body is covered with maggots and scabs; pus oozes out of my open sores.
6 “Me nna kɔ ntɛm sen ɔnwemfo akurokurowa, na ɛkɔ awiei a anidaso biara nni mu.
My days pass as quickly as a weaver’s (shuttle/stick that takes the thread back and forth), and they end without my confidently expecting [that things will be better the next day].
7 Ao, Onyankopɔn, kae sɛ me nkwanna te sɛ ɔhome; na mʼani renhu anigye bio da.
God, do not forget that my life is [as short as] a breath [MET]; I [think that] I [SYN] will never again be happy.
8 Ani a ehu me mprempren no renhu me bio; mobɛhwehwɛ me, nanso na minni hɔ bio.
God, you [SYN] see me now, but [some day] you will not see me any more. You will search for me, but I will be gone [because I will be dead].
Like [SIM] clouds (disperse/break up) and then disappear, people [die and] descend to the place where dead people are, and they do not return; (Sheol h7585)
10 Ɔrensan mma ne fi da biara da bio; nʼatenae renkae no bio.
they never return to their houses, and people among whom they lived do not remember them any more.
11 “Ɛno nti meremmua mʼano; mifi me honhom ahoyeraw mu akasa, mefi me kra ɔyaw mu anwiinwii.
So, I will not be silent; while I am suffering I will speak; I will complain [to God about what has happened to me] because I [SYN] am very angry.
12 So meyɛ ɛpo anaa aboa kɛse a ɔwɔ bun mu, na mode me ahyɛ ɔwɛmfo nsa yi?
[God, ] why do you watch closely what I am doing? [Do you think that] I am a [dangerous] sea monster?
13 Sɛ midwen sɛ minya awerɛkyekye wɔ me mpa so, na mʼakongua adwudwo mʼanwiinwii ano a,
When [I lie down at night, ] I think, ‘I will be comforted here on my bed; my pain will be less while I am sleeping.’
14 ɛno mpo na wode adaeso yi me hu na wode anisoadehu hunahuna me,
But then you give me dreams that cause me to be afraid; you give me visions that terrify me,
15 ɛno nti mepɛ ɔsɛn ne owu, sen me nipadua yi.
with the result that I would prefer to be strangled to death than to continue to [be alive] being only a bunch of bones.
16 Mimmu me nkwa; mentena ase afebɔɔ. Munnyaa me; na me nna nka hwee.
I detest continuing to be alive; I do not want to live for many years [HYP]. Allow me to be alone, [because I will be alive] for only a very short remaining time [HYP].
17 “Ɔdesani ne hena a ne ho hia wo sɛɛ, na wʼani ku ne ho,
“We human beings are not [very important]; so, why do you pay a lot of attention to us [DOU]?
18 na wohwehwɛ ne mu anɔpa biara na wosɔ no hwɛ bere biara?
You look at us every morning [to see what we are doing], and examine us every moment [to see if we are doing what is right].
19 Worennyi wʼani mfi me so da, anaasɛ worennyaa me bere tiaa bi mpo ana?
(When will you stop looking at me and leave me alone [for a little time], long enough to swallow my spit?/Please stop looking at me and leave me alone [for a little time], long enough to swallow my spit.) [RHQ]
20 Sɛ mayɛ bɔne a, dɛn na mayɛ wo, Ao adesamma so wɛmfo? Adɛn nti na watu wʼani asi me so? Mayɛ adesoa ama wo ana?
[Why do] you watch me constantly? If I sin, that certainly does not harm you! Why have you set me up like a target to shoot at? Do you consider me to be a heavy load that you are forced to carry?
21 Adɛn nti na wonkata me mmarato so na womfa me bɔne nkyɛ me? Ɛrenkyɛ biara, mɛda mfutuma mu. Wobɛhwehwɛ me nanso na minni hɔ bio.”
[If I have sinned, ] are you not able to forgive me for my sins— the things that I have done that are wrong? Soon I will lie in my grave; you will search for me, but [you will not find me because] I will be [dead and] gone.”
