Hiob 14
1 “Onipa a ɔbaa awo no no ne nna yɛ tiaa bi na ɔhaw dɔɔso wɔ mu.
Man, born of woman, living for a short time, is filled with many miseries.
2 Ɔfefɛ te sɛ nhwiren na ɛtwintwam; ɔte sɛ sunsum a ɛretwam akɔ, ɔntena hɔ nkyɛ.
He comes forth like a flower, and is crushed, and he flees, as if a shadow, and never remains in the same state.
3 Woma wʼani kɔ saa onipa yi so? Wode no bɛba wʼanim abɛbu no atɛn anaa?
And do you consider it fitting to look down with your eyes on someone in this way and to lead him into judgment with you?
4 Hwan na ɔbɛtumi ayi deɛ ɛyɛ kronn afiri efi mu? Obiara nni hɔ.
Who can make him clean who is conceived of unclean seed? Are you not the only one who can?
5 Woahyehyɛ onipa nkwa nna; woahyɛ nʼabosome dodoɔ ato hɔ na woahyɛ no ɛberɛ a ɔrentumi ntra.
The days of man are short, and the number of his months is with you; you have determined his limits, which cannot be surpassed.
6 Enti, yi wʼani firi ne so na ɔnyɛ deɛ ɔpɛ, kɔsi sɛ ɔbɛwie nʼadwuma sɛ ɔpaani.
Withdraw a little from him, so that he may rest, until his awaited day arrives, like that of the hired hand.
7 “Dua mpo anidasoɔ wɔ hɔ ma no: Sɛ wɔtwa a, ɛbɛfefɛ bio, na ne mman foforɔ no rempempan.
A tree has hope: if it has been cut, it turns green again, and its branches spring forth.
8 Ne nhini bɛtumi anyini akyɛre asase mu na ne dunsini nso awu wɔ dɔteɛ mu,
If its roots grow old in the earth, and its trunk passes into dust,
9 nanso, ɔnya nsuo a ɛfefɛ, na ɛyiyi mman sɛ dua a wɔatɛ.
at the scent of water, it will sprout and bring forth leaves, as when it had first been planted.
10 Nanso, sɛ nnipa wu a wɔde no hyɛ fam; ɔhome deɛ ɛtwa toɔ a, na afei ɔnni hɔ bio.
Truly, when a man dies, and has been left unprotected, and has decayed, I ask you where is he?
11 Sɛdeɛ nsuo tu yera wɔ ɛpo mu no, anaa sɛdeɛ nsuka mu weɛ no,
It is as if the waters had receded from the sea and an emptied river had dried up;
12 saa ara na onipa tɔ fam na ɔnsɔre bio; ɛnkɔsi sɛ ɔsoro bɛtwam no, nnipa rensɔre na wɔrennyane wɔn mfiri wɔn nna mu.
just so, when a man is fallen asleep, he will not rise again, until the heavens are worn away; he will not awaken, nor rise from his sleep.
13 “Sɛ anka wode me bɛsie damena mu de me ahinta kɔsi sɛ wʼabofuo bɛtwam! Sɛ anka wobɛhyɛ me berɛ na afei woakae me! (Sheol h7585)
Who will grant this to me, that you will protect me in the underworld, and hide me until your fury passes by, and establish a time for me, in which you will remember me? (Sheol h7585)
14 Sɛ onipa wu a, ɔbɛba nkwa mu bio anaa? Mʼaperedie nna mu nyinaa mɛtwɛn akɔsi sɛ me foforɔyɛ bɛba.
Do you suppose that a dead man will live again? On each of the days in which I now battle, I wait until my transformation occurs.
15 Wobɛfrɛ na mɛgye wo so; wʼani bɛgyina abɔdeɛ a wo nsa ayɛ.
You will call me and I will answer you; to the work of your hands, you will extend your right hand.
16 Afei wobɛkan mʼanammɔntuo na worenni me bɔne akyi.
Indeed, you have numbered my steps, but you have been lenient with my sins.
17 Wɔbɛsɔ me bɔne ano wɔ kotokuo mu, na woakata mʼamumuyɛ so.
You have sealed up my offenses, as if in a purse, but you have cured my iniquity.
18 “Nanso, sɛdeɛ mmepɔ so hohoro na ɛdwirie na abotan nso twe firi ne siberɛ no,
A falling mountain flows away, and a stone is transferred from its place.
19 sɛdeɛ nsuo yiyi aboɔ ho na osutɔ brane twe dɔteɛ kɔ no saa ara na wosɛe onipa anidasoɔ.
Waters wear away stones, and with a flood the land is reduced little by little; and similarly, you will destroy man.
20 Wotintim ne so prɛko pɛ, na ɔtwam kɔ; wosakyera ne nipasu na wogya no kwan.
You have strengthened him for a little while, so that he may cross over into eternity. You will change his face and send him forth.
21 Sɛ wɔhyɛ ne mmammarima animuonyam a, ɔnnim; na sɛ wɔbrɛ wɔn ase a, ɔnhunu.
Whether his sons have been noble or ignoble, he will not understand.
22 Ɔno ara wedeɛ mu yea na ɔteɛ na ɔno ara ne ho na ɔgyam.”
And in this way his body, while he yet lives, will have grief, and his soul will mourn over himself.
