Hiob 15
1 Na Temanni Elifas buaa sɛ,
Then responded Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:
2 “Enti onyansafoɔ de nsɛm a aba biara nni muo bɛyi nʼano anaasɛ ɔde apueeɛ mframa a emu yɛ hye bɛhyɛ nʼafuru ma?
Should, a wise man, answer unreal knowledge? or fill, with the east wind, his inner man?
3 Ɔde nsɛm huhuo bɛdi anobaabaeɛ, aka nsɛm a ɛntu bunu biara anaa?
Disputing with discourse that doth no good, or with speech, wherein is no profit?
4 Wototo onyamesuro ase mmom na wosi Onyankopɔn mu ahotosoɔ ho ɛkwan.
But, thou, wouldst take away reverence, and wouldst attain unto meditation before GOD.
5 Wo bɔne kyerɛ wʼano deɛ ɔnka; na woafa aniteɛ tɛkrɛma.
For thine own mouth would teach thine iniquity, and thou wouldst choose the tongue of the crafty.
6 Wo ankasa wʼano bu wo kumfɔ, ɛnyɛ me deɛ; wʼankasa wʼano di adanseɛ tia wo.
Thine own mouth shall condemn thee, and, not I, And, thine own lips, shall testify against thee.
7 “Wone onipa a wɔwoo wo dii ɛkan? Wɔwoo wo ansa na wɔrewo nkokoɔ?
The first of mankind, wast thou born? Or, before the hills, wast thou brought forth?
8 Wotie Onyankopɔn afotuo anaa? Wo nko ara na wonim nyansa anaa?
In the secret council of GOD, hast thou been wont to hearken? Or canst thou attain for thyself unto wisdom?
9 Ɛdeɛn na wonim a, yɛnnim? Nhunumu bɛn na wowɔ a yɛnnie?
What knowest thou, that we know not? [What] understandest thou, and the same, is not with us?
10 Deɛ wafu dwono ne akɔkoraa wɔ yɛn afa, wɔn a wɔanyini sene wʼagya mpo.
Both hoary and venerable, are among us, one mightier than thy father in days!
11 Onyankopɔn awerɛkyekyerɛ ne nsɛm a wɔka no brɛoo kyerɛ wo no sua ma wo anaa?
Too small for thee, are the consolations of GOD? or a word spoken gently with thee?
12 Adɛn enti na wʼakoma atwe wo korɔ adɛn enti na wʼani asɔ ogya,
How doth thine own heart carry thee away, and how thine eyes do roll!
13 na woadane wʼabofuo agu Onyankopɔn so na woma saa nsɛm yi pue firi wʼano?
For thy spirit, replieth against GOD, and thou bringest forth—out of thy mouth—words!
14 “Ɔdasani ne hwan a ɔbɛtumi ayɛ pɛ, anaasɛ deɛ ɔbaa awo noɔ bɛn na ɔbɛtumi ayɛ ɔteneneeni?
What is a mortal, that he should be pure? or that righteous should be one born of a woman?
15 Onyankopɔn nni ahotosoɔ wɔ nʼakronkronfoɔ mu. Ɔsorosoro mpo nnyɛ kronn wɔ nʼani so,
Lo! in his holy ones, he putteth not confidence, and, the heavens, are not pure in his eyes:
16 na nkantom onipa bɔnefoɔ ne omumuyɛfoɔ a ɔnom awurukasɛm sɛ nsuo.
How much less when one is detested and corrupt, a man who drinketh in—like water—perversity.
17 “Tie me, na mɛkyerɛ wo mu; ma menka deɛ mahunu nkyerɛ wo,
I will tell thee—hear me, Since this I have seen, I must needs declare it.
18 deɛ anyansafoɔ apae mu aka, a wɔamfa biribiara a wɔnya firii wɔn agyanom hɔ no ansie
Which, wise men, tell, and deny not [that which is] from their fathers.
19 (wɔn a wɔde asase no maa wɔn ɛberɛ a ananafoɔ biara nni hɔ):
To them alone, was the earth given, and no alien passed through their midst:
20 Omumuyɛfoɔ kɔ ahohiahia mu ne nkwanna nyinaa. Na basabasayɛni nso, wɔahyehyɛ ne mfeɛ nyinaa ama no.
All the days of the lawless man, he, doth writhe with pain, and, the number of years, is hidden from the tyrant;
21 Nnyegyeɛ a ɛyɛ hu hyɛ nʼasom ma; na sɛ ɛyɛ sɛ nneɛma rekɔ yie ma no a, akorɔmfoɔ to hyɛ ne so.
A noise of dreadful things, is in his ears, In prosperity, the destroyer cometh upon him;
22 Ɔpa aba sɛ ɔbɛdwane afiri esum mu; wɔabɔ no ato hɔ ama akofena.
He hath no confidence to come back out of darkness, he, being destined to the power oft the sword;
23 Ɔkyinkyini hwehwɛ aduane; ɔnim sɛ esum da no abɛn.
A wanderer, he, for bread, [saying] Where [is it]? He knoweth that, prepared by his own hand, is the day of darkness;
24 Ɔhaw ne ahoyera yi no hu; ɛhyɛ ne so sɛ ɔhene a wasiesie ne ho ama ɔko,
Distress and anguish shall startle him, It shall overpower him, like a king ready for the onset:
25 ɛfiri sɛ ɔtenetene ne nsa kyerɛ Onyankopɔn na ɔma ne ho so tia Otumfoɔ.
Because he had stretched out—against GOD—his hand, and, against the Almighty, had been wont to behave himself proudly;
26 Wɔde akokyɛm a emu pi na ɛyɛ den kɔ ne so a wɔnsuro no.
He used to run against him with uplifted neck, with the stout bosses of his bucklers;
27 “Ɛwom sɛ sradeɛ ama wɔn afono atotɔ na wɔn asene mu ɛnam agu mmɛbɛ deɛ,
For he had covered his face with his fatness, and had gathered a superabundance on his loins;
28 nanso wɔbɛtena nkuro a aguo so na wɔatena afie a obi nte mu, afie a ɛrebubu mu.
And had inhabited demolished cities, houses, wherein men would not dwell, that were destined to become heaps.
29 Wɔrenkɔ so nyɛ adefoɔ bio, na wɔn ahonya rennyina, na wɔn agyapadeɛ so bɛte na ayera wɔ asase so.
He shall not be rich, nor shall his substance continue, neither shall their shadow stretch along on the earth;
30 Esum bɛduru wɔn; ogyaframa bɛkusa wɔn mman, na Onyankopɔn anom ahomeguo bɛsoa wɔn akɔ.
He shall not depart out of darkness, his young branch, shall the flame dry up, and he shall depart, by the breath of his own mouth!
31 Ɛnsɛ sɛ wɔde wɔn ho to nneɛma huhuo so de daadaa wɔn ho, ɛfiri sɛ wɔrennya hwee mfiri mu.
Let no one trust in him that—by vanity—is deceived, for, vanity, shall be his recompense;
32 Ansa na wɔn da bɛduru no, wɔbɛtua wɔn ka a ebi renka, na wɔn mman renyɛ frɔmfrɔm.
Before his day, shall it be accomplished, with, his palm-top, not covered with leaves;
33 Wɔbɛyɛ sɛ bobedua a wɔapore so aba a ɛnnyiniiɛ, te sɛ ngo dua a ne nhyerɛnne repore gu fam.
He shall wrong—like a vine—his sour grapes, and shall cast off—as an olive-tree—his blossom.
34 Na abɔnefoɔ fekuo a wɔnnim Onyankopɔn no renso aba, na ogya bɛhye wɔn a wɔdɔ kɛtɛasehyɛ no ntomadan.
For, the family of the impious, is unfruitful, and, a fire, hath devoured the tents of bribery;
35 Wɔnyinsɛn ɔhaw na wɔwo amumuyɛ; wɔn awotwaa siesie nnaadaa.”
Conceiving mischief, and bringing forth iniquity, yea, their inmost soul, prepareth deceit.
