Hiob 14
1 “Onipa a ɔbaa awo no no ne nna yɛ tiaa bi na ɔhaw dɔɔso wɔ mu.
“Man, who is born of a woman, is of few days, and full of trouble.
2 Ɔfefɛ te sɛ nhwiren na ɛtwintwam; ɔte sɛ sunsum a ɛretwam akɔ, ɔntena hɔ nkyɛ.
He grows up like a flower, and is cut down. He also flees like a shadow, and doesn’t continue.
3 Woma wʼani kɔ saa onipa yi so? Wode no bɛba wʼanim abɛbu no atɛn anaa?
Do you open your eyes on such a one, and bring me into judgement with you?
4 Hwan na ɔbɛtumi ayi deɛ ɛyɛ kronn afiri efi mu? Obiara nni hɔ.
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.
5 Woahyehyɛ onipa nkwa nna; woahyɛ nʼabosome dodoɔ ato hɔ na woahyɛ no ɛberɛ a ɔrentumi ntra.
Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his bounds that he can’t pass.
6 Enti, yi wʼani firi ne so na ɔnyɛ deɛ ɔpɛ, kɔsi sɛ ɔbɛwie nʼadwuma sɛ ɔpaani.
Look away from him, that he may rest, until he accomplishes, as a hireling, his day.
7 “Dua mpo anidasoɔ wɔ hɔ ma no: Sɛ wɔtwa a, ɛbɛfefɛ bio, na ne mman foforɔ no rempempan.
“For there is hope for a tree if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, that the tender branch of it will not cease.
8 Ne nhini bɛtumi anyini akyɛre asase mu na ne dunsini nso awu wɔ dɔteɛ mu,
Though its root grows old in the earth, and its stock dies in the ground,
9 nanso, ɔnya nsuo a ɛfefɛ, na ɛyiyi mman sɛ dua a wɔatɛ.
yet through the scent of water it will bud, and sprout boughs like a plant.
10 Nanso, sɛ nnipa wu a wɔde no hyɛ fam; ɔhome deɛ ɛtwa toɔ a, na afei ɔnni hɔ bio.
But man dies, and is laid low. Yes, man gives up the spirit, and where is he?
11 Sɛdeɛ nsuo tu yera wɔ ɛpo mu no, anaa sɛdeɛ nsuka mu weɛ no,
As the waters fail from the sea, and the river wastes and dries 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 lies down and doesn’t rise. Until the heavens are no more, they will not awake, nor be roused out of their 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)
“Oh that you would hide me in Sheol, that you would keep me secret until your wrath is past, that you would appoint me a set time and remember me! (Sheol h7585)
14 Sɛ onipa wu a, ɔbɛba nkwa mu bio anaa? Mʼaperedie nna mu nyinaa mɛtwɛn akɔsi sɛ me foforɔyɛ bɛba.
If a man dies, will he live again? I would wait all the days of my warfare, until my release should come.
15 Wobɛfrɛ na mɛgye wo so; wʼani bɛgyina abɔdeɛ a wo nsa ayɛ.
You would call, and I would answer you. You would have a desire for the work of your hands.
16 Afei wobɛkan mʼanammɔntuo na worenni me bɔne akyi.
But now you count my steps. Don’t you watch over my sin?
17 Wɔbɛsɔ me bɔne ano wɔ kotokuo mu, na woakata mʼamumuyɛ so.
My disobedience is sealed up in a bag. You fasten up my iniquity.
18 “Nanso, sɛdeɛ mmepɔ so hohoro na ɛdwirie na abotan nso twe firi ne siberɛ no,
“But the mountain falling comes to nothing. The 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.
The waters wear the stones. The torrents of it wash away the dust of the earth. So you destroy the hope of man.
20 Wotintim ne so prɛko pɛ, na ɔtwam kɔ; wosakyera ne nipasu na wogya no kwan.
You forever prevail against him, and he departs. You change his face, and send him away.
21 Sɛ wɔhyɛ ne mmammarima animuonyam a, ɔnnim; na sɛ wɔbrɛ wɔn ase a, ɔnhunu.
His sons come to honour, and he doesn’t know it. They are brought low, but he doesn’t perceive it of them.
22 Ɔno ara wedeɛ mu yea na ɔteɛ na ɔno ara ne ho na ɔgyam.”
But his flesh on him has pain, and his soul within him mourns.”
