Hiob 15
1 Na Temanni Elifas buaa sɛ,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
2 “Enti onyansafoɔ de nsɛm a aba biara nni muo bɛyi nʼano anaasɛ ɔde apueeɛ mframa a emu yɛ hye bɛhyɛ nʼafuru ma?
“Does a wise man answer with empty counsel or fill his belly with the hot east wind?
3 Ɔde nsɛm huhuo bɛdi anobaabaeɛ, aka nsɛm a ɛntu bunu biara anaa?
Should he argue with useless words or speeches that serve no purpose?
4 Wototo onyamesuro ase mmom na wosi Onyankopɔn mu ahotosoɔ ho ɛkwan.
But you even undermine the fear of God and hinder meditation before Him.
5 Wo bɔne kyerɛ wʼano deɛ ɔnka; na woafa aniteɛ tɛkrɛma.
For your iniquity instructs your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty.
6 Wo ankasa wʼano bu wo kumfɔ, ɛnyɛ me deɛ; wʼankasa wʼano di adanseɛ tia wo.
Your own mouth, not mine, condemns you; your own lips testify against you.
7 “Wone onipa a wɔwoo wo dii ɛkan? Wɔwoo wo ansa na wɔrewo nkokoɔ?
Were you the first man ever born? Were you brought forth before the hills?
8 Wotie Onyankopɔn afotuo anaa? Wo nko ara na wonim nyansa anaa?
Do you listen in on the council of God or limit wisdom to yourself?
9 Ɛdeɛn na wonim a, yɛnnim? Nhunumu bɛn na wowɔ a yɛnnie?
What do you know that we do not? What do you understand that is not clear to us?
10 Deɛ wafu dwono ne akɔkoraa wɔ yɛn afa, wɔn a wɔanyini sene wʼagya mpo.
Both the gray-haired and the aged are on our side— men much older than your father.
11 Onyankopɔn awerɛkyekyerɛ ne nsɛm a wɔka no brɛoo kyerɛ wo no sua ma wo anaa?
Are the consolations of God not enough for you, even words spoken gently to you?
12 Adɛn enti na wʼakoma atwe wo korɔ adɛn enti na wʼani asɔ ogya,
Why has your heart carried you away, and why do your eyes flash,
13 na woadane wʼabofuo agu Onyankopɔn so na woma saa nsɛm yi pue firi wʼano?
as you turn your spirit against God and pour such words from your mouth?
14 “Ɔdasani ne hwan a ɔbɛtumi ayɛ pɛ, anaasɛ deɛ ɔbaa awo noɔ bɛn na ɔbɛtumi ayɛ ɔteneneeni?
What is man, that he should be pure, or one born of woman, that he should be righteous?
15 Onyankopɔn nni ahotosoɔ wɔ nʼakronkronfoɔ mu. Ɔsorosoro mpo nnyɛ kronn wɔ nʼani so,
If God puts no trust in His holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in His eyes,
16 na nkantom onipa bɔnefoɔ ne omumuyɛfoɔ a ɔnom awurukasɛm sɛ nsuo.
how much less man, who is vile and corrupt, who drinks injustice like water?
17 “Tie me, na mɛkyerɛ wo mu; ma menka deɛ mahunu nkyerɛ wo,
Listen to me and I will inform you. I will describe what I have seen,
18 deɛ anyansafoɔ apae mu aka, a wɔamfa biribiara a wɔnya firii wɔn agyanom hɔ no ansie
what was declared by wise men and was not concealed from their fathers,
19 (wɔn a wɔde asase no maa wɔn ɛberɛ a ananafoɔ biara nni hɔ):
to whom alone the land was given when no foreigner passed among them.
20 Omumuyɛfoɔ kɔ ahohiahia mu ne nkwanna nyinaa. Na basabasayɛni nso, wɔahyehyɛ ne mfeɛ nyinaa ama no.
A wicked man writhes in pain all his days; only a few years are reserved for the ruthless.
21 Nnyegyeɛ a ɛyɛ hu hyɛ nʼasom ma; na sɛ ɛyɛ sɛ nneɛma rekɔ yie ma no a, akorɔmfoɔ to hyɛ ne so.
Sounds of terror fill his ears; in his prosperity the destroyer attacks him.
22 Ɔpa aba sɛ ɔbɛdwane afiri esum mu; wɔabɔ no ato hɔ ama akofena.
He despairs of his return from darkness; he is marked for the sword.
23 Ɔkyinkyini hwehwɛ aduane; ɔnim sɛ esum da no abɛn.
He wanders about as food for vultures; he knows the day of darkness is at hand.
24 Ɔhaw ne ahoyera yi no hu; ɛhyɛ ne so sɛ ɔhene a wasiesie ne ho ama ɔko,
Distress and anguish terrify him, overwhelming him like a king poised to attack.
25 ɛfiri sɛ ɔtenetene ne nsa kyerɛ Onyankopɔn na ɔma ne ho so tia Otumfoɔ.
For he has stretched out his hand against God and has vaunted himself against the Almighty,
26 Wɔde akokyɛm a emu pi na ɛyɛ den kɔ ne so a wɔnsuro no.
rushing headlong at Him with a thick, studded shield.
27 “Ɛwom sɛ sradeɛ ama wɔn afono atotɔ na wɔn asene mu ɛnam agu mmɛbɛ deɛ,
Though his face is covered with fat and his waistline bulges with flesh,
28 nanso wɔbɛtena nkuro a aguo so na wɔatena afie a obi nte mu, afie a ɛrebubu mu.
he will dwell in ruined cities, in abandoned houses destined to become rubble.
29 Wɔrenkɔ so nyɛ adefoɔ bio, na wɔn ahonya rennyina, na wɔn agyapadeɛ so bɛte na ayera wɔ asase so.
He will no longer be rich; his wealth will not endure. His possessions will not overspread the land.
30 Esum bɛduru wɔn; ogyaframa bɛkusa wɔn mman, na Onyankopɔn anom ahomeguo bɛsoa wɔn akɔ.
He will not escape from the darkness; the flame will wither his shoots, and the breath of God’s mouth will carry him away.
31 Ɛnsɛ sɛ wɔde wɔn ho to nneɛma huhuo so de daadaa wɔn ho, ɛfiri sɛ wɔrennya hwee mfiri mu.
Let him not deceive himself with trust in emptiness, for emptiness will be his reward.
32 Ansa na wɔn da bɛduru no, wɔbɛtua wɔn ka a ebi renka, na wɔn mman renyɛ frɔmfrɔm.
It will be paid in full before his time, and his branch will not flourish.
33 Wɔbɛyɛ sɛ bobedua a wɔapore so aba a ɛnnyiniiɛ, te sɛ ngo dua a ne nhyerɛnne repore gu fam.
He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes, like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms.
34 Na abɔnefoɔ fekuo a wɔnnim Onyankopɔn no renso aba, na ogya bɛhye wɔn a wɔdɔ kɛtɛasehyɛ no ntomadan.
For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery.
35 Wɔnyinsɛn ɔhaw na wɔwo amumuyɛ; wɔn awotwaa siesie nnaadaa.”
They conceive trouble and give birth to evil; their womb is pregnant with deceit.”
