Hiob 16
1 Afei Hiob buaeɛ sɛ,
And Job answers and says:
2 “Mate nsɛm bebree a ɛte sɛ yeinom; na mo nyinaa moyɛ gyamserefoɔ!
“I have heard many such things, Miserable comforters [are] you all.
3 Mo kasa tentene no mma awieeɛ anaa? Ɛdeɛn na ɛha mo enti a mogu so redi anobaabaeɛ yi?
Is there an end to words of wind? Or what emboldens you that you answer?
4 Sɛ mo na mowɔ me tebea yi mu a, anka me nso mɛtumi akasa sɛ mo; anka mɛtumi akeka nsɛm a ɛyɛ dɛ atia mo na mabu mo animtiaa.
I also, like you, might speak, If your soul were in my soul’s stead. I might join against you with words, And nod at you with my head.
5 Nanso, anka mɛhyɛ mo den; anka awerɛkyekyerɛ nsɛm a ɛbɛfiri mʼanomu no bɛma mo ahotɔ.
I might harden you with my mouth, And the moving of my lips might be sparing.
6 “Nanso sɛ mekasa a, ɔyea a mete no remmoto; na sɛ mankasa nso a, ɛrennyae.
If I speak, my pain is not restrained, And I cease—what goes from me?
7 Ao Onyankopɔn, ampa ara woama mabrɛ; woasɛe me fie pasaa.
Only, now, it has wearied me; You have desolated all my company,
8 Woakyekyere me, ma abɛyɛ adansedie; me so teɛ ara na ɛreteɛ, na ɛdi adanseɛ tia me.
And You loathe me, For it has been a witness, And my failure rises up against me, It testifies in my face.
9 Onyankopɔn to hyɛ me so tete me wɔ nʼabufuo mu na ɔtwɛre ne se gu me so; deɛ ɔne me anya no pɔkyere nʼani hwɛ me.
His anger has torn, and He hates me, He has gnashed at me with His teeth, My adversary sharpens His eyes for me.
10 Nnipa bue wɔn ano di me ho fɛw; wɔbɔ me sotorɔ de bu me animtiaa na wɔka wɔn ho bɔ mu de tia me.
They have gaped on me with their mouth, In reproach they have struck my cheeks, Together they set themselves against me.
11 Onyankopɔn de me ama abɔnefoɔ. Wato me atwene amumuyɛfoɔ nsam.
God shuts me up to the perverse, And turns me over to the hands of the wicked.
12 Na biribiara kɔ yie ma me, nanso ɔdwerɛɛ me; ɔsɔɔ me kɔn mu, too me hwee hɔ. Ɔde me asi nʼani so;
I have been at ease, and He breaks me, And He has laid hold on my neck, And He breaks me in pieces, And He raises me to Him for a mark.
13 nʼagyantofoɔ atwa me ho ahyia, ɔhwiree me sawa mu a wanhunu me mmɔbɔ maa me bɔnwoma pete guu fam.
His archers go around against me. He split my reins, and does not spare, He pours out my gall to the earth.
14 Ɔba me so ɛberɛ biara; na ɔto hyɛ me so sɛ ɔkofoɔ.
He breaks me—breach on breach, He runs on me as a mighty one.
15 “Mapam ayitoma akata me wedeɛ so na masie mʼanintɔn wɔ mfuturo mu.
I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, And have rolled my horn in the dust.
16 Agyaadwotwa ama mʼani ayɛ kɔɔ; sunsum kabii atwa mʼani ho ahyia.
My face is foul with weeping, And on my eyelids [is] death-shade.
17 Nanso, me nsa nyɛɛ basabasayɛ biara na me mpaeɛbɔ yɛ kronn.
Not for violence in my hands, And my prayer [is] pure.
18 “Ao asase, nkata me mogya so; na mma wɔnsie me sufrɛ!
O earth, do not cover my blood! And let there not be a place for my cry.
19 Seesei mpo, me danseni wɔ soro; Me ɔkamafoɔ wɔ soro hɔ.
Also, now, behold, my witness [is] in the heavens, And my testifier in the high places.
20 Me ɔdimafoɔ yɛ mʼadamfo ɛberɛ a mesu gu Onyankopɔn soɔ yi;
My interpreter [is] my friend, My eye has dropped to God;
21 ɔgyina onipa anan mu di ma no wɔ Onyankopɔn anim sɛdeɛ obi di ma nʼadamfo no.
And He reasons for a man with God, As a son of man for his friend.
22 “Mfeɛ kakra bi akyi mɛtu kwan akɔ koransane.
When a few years come, Then I go [on] the path of no return.”
