Hiob 14
1 “Onipa a ɔbaa awo no no ne nna yɛ tiaa bi na ɔhaw dɔɔso wɔ mu.
Man born of a 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.
Who cometh forth like a flower, and is destroyed, and fleeth as a shadow, and never continueth in the same state.
3 Woma wʼani kɔ saa onipa yi so? Wode no bɛba wʼanim abɛbu no atɛn anaa?
And dost thou think it meet to open thy eyes upon such an one, and to bring him into judgment with thee?
4 Hwan na ɔbɛtumi ayi deɛ ɛyɛ kronn afiri efi mu? Obiara nni hɔ.
Who can make him clean that is conceived of unclean seed? is it not thou who only art?
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 thee: thou hast appointed his bounds which cannot be passed.
6 Enti, yi wʼani firi ne so na ɔnyɛ deɛ ɔpɛ, kɔsi sɛ ɔbɛwie nʼadwuma sɛ ɔpaani.
Depart a little from him, that he may rest, until his wished for day come, as that of the hireling.
7 “Dua mpo anidasoɔ wɔ hɔ ma no: Sɛ wɔtwa a, ɛbɛfefɛ bio, na ne mman foforɔ no rempempan.
A tree hath hope: if it be cut, it groweth green again, and the boughs thereof sprout.
8 Ne nhini bɛtumi anyini akyɛre asase mu na ne dunsini nso awu wɔ dɔteɛ mu,
If its root be old in the earth, and its stock be dead in the dust:
9 nanso, ɔnya nsuo a ɛfefɛ, na ɛyiyi mman sɛ dua a wɔatɛ.
At the scent of water, it shall spring, and bring forth leaves, as when it was first planted.
10 Nanso, sɛ nnipa wu a wɔde no hyɛ fam; ɔhome deɛ ɛtwa toɔ a, na afei ɔnni hɔ bio.
But man when he shall be dead, and stripped and consumed, I pray you where is he?
11 Sɛdeɛ nsuo tu yera wɔ ɛpo mu no, anaa sɛdeɛ nsuka mu weɛ no,
As if the waters should depart out of the sea, and an emptied river should be 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.
So man when he is fallen asleep shall not rise again; till the heavens be broken, he shall not awake, nor rise up out of 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 me this, that thou mayst protect me in hell, and hide me till thy wrath pass, and appoint me a. time when thou wilt remember me? (Sheol h7585)
14 Sɛ onipa wu a, ɔbɛba nkwa mu bio anaa? Mʼaperedie nna mu nyinaa mɛtwɛn akɔsi sɛ me foforɔyɛ bɛba.
Shall man that is dead, thinkest thou, live again? all the days in which I am now in warfare, I expect until my change come.
15 Wobɛfrɛ na mɛgye wo so; wʼani bɛgyina abɔdeɛ a wo nsa ayɛ.
Thou shalt call me, and I will answer thee: to the work of thy hands thou shalt reach out thy right hand.
16 Afei wobɛkan mʼanammɔntuo na worenni me bɔne akyi.
Thou indeed hast numbered my steps, but spare my sins.
17 Wɔbɛsɔ me bɔne ano wɔ kotokuo mu, na woakata mʼamumuyɛ so.
Thou hast sealed up my offences as it were in a bag, but hast cured my iniquity.
18 “Nanso, sɛdeɛ mmepɔ so hohoro na ɛdwirie na abotan nso twe firi ne siberɛ no,
A mountain falling cometh to nought, and a rock is removed out of its place.
19 sɛdeɛ nsuo yiyi aboɔ ho na osutɔ brane twe dɔteɛ kɔ no saa ara na wosɛe onipa anidasoɔ.
Waters wear away the stones, and with inundation the ground by little and little is washed away: so in like manner thou shalt destroy man.
20 Wotintim ne so prɛko pɛ, na ɔtwam kɔ; wosakyera ne nipasu na wogya no kwan.
Thou hast strengthened him for a little while, that he may pass away for ever: thou shalt change his face, and shalt send him away.
21 Sɛ wɔhyɛ ne mmammarima animuonyam a, ɔnnim; na sɛ wɔbrɛ wɔn ase a, ɔnhunu.
Whether his children come to honour or dishonour, he shall not understand.
22 Ɔno ara wedeɛ mu yea na ɔteɛ na ɔno ara ne ho na ɔgyam.”
But yet his flesh, while he shall live, shall have pain, and his soul shall mourn over him.
