Hiob 20
1 Na Naamani Sofar buaa sɛ,
Then responded Zophar the Naamathite, and said: —
2 “Me tiri mu ntene me, na ɛhyɛ me sɛ memmua ɛfiri sɛ me ho yera me yie.
Not so, do my thoughts answer me, and to this end, is my haste within me:
3 Mate animka bi a ɛgu me ho fi, na nteaseɛ a menya no hyɛ me sɛ memmua.
The correction meant to confound me, I must hear, but, the spirit—out of my understanding, will give me a reply.
4 “Ampa ara wonim sɛdeɛ nneɛma teɛ firi tete, ɛfiri ɛberɛ a wɔde nnipa duaa asase so,
Knowest thou, this—from antiquity, from the placing of man upon earth: —
5 sɛ amumuyɛfoɔ ani gye ɛberɛ tiawa bi mu, na wɔn a wɔnnsuro nyame nso anigyeɛ nkyɛ.
That, the joy-shout of the lawless, is short, and, the rejoicing of the impious, for a moment?
6 Ɛwom sɛ nʼahohoahoa kɔduru ɔsoro, na ne tiri kɔpem omununkum deɛ,
Though his elevation mount up to the heavens, and, his head, to the clouds, doth reach,
7 nanso, ɔbɛyera afebɔɔ te sɛ nʼankasa agyanan; na wɔn a wɔhunuu no no bɛbisa sɛ, ‘Ɔwɔ he?’
Like his own stubble, shall he utterly perish, They who had seen him, shall say, Where is he?
8 Ɔtu kɔ te sɛ daeɛ, na wɔrenhunu no bio. Wɔtwam kɔ te sɛ anadwo mu anisoadehunu.
Like a dream, shall he fly away, and they shall not find him, yea he shall be chased away, as a vision of the night.
9 Ani a ɛhunu noɔ no renhunu no bio; na ne siberɛ nso renhunu no bio.
The eye that hath scanned him, shall not do it again, neither, any more, shall his place behold him:
10 Ne mma bɛsrɛ adeɛ afiri ahiafoɔ hɔ; ɛsɛ sɛ nʼankasa de nʼahonya sane ma.
His children, shall seek the favour of the poor, and, his own hand, shall give back his wealth.
11 Ne mmeranteberɛ mu ahoɔden a ahyɛ ne nnompe ma no ne no bɛkɔ mfuturo mu.
His bones, are full of youthful vigour, yet, with him—in the dust, shall it lie down.
12 “Ɛwom sɛ bɔne yɛ nʼanom dɛ na ɔde sie ne tɛkrɛma ase;
Though, a sweet taste in his mouth, be given by vice, though he hide it under his tongue;
13 ɛwom sɛ ɔntumi nnyaa mu na ɔma ɛka ne dodom,
Though he spare it, and will not let it go, but retain it in the midst of his mouth,
14 nanso, nʼaduane bɛyɛ nwono wɔ ne yafunu mu; ɛbɛyɛ ɔtweaseɛ ano borɔ wɔ ne mu.
His food, in his stomach, is changed, the gall of adders, within him!
15 Ɔbɛfe ahonyadeɛ a ɔmeneeɛ no; Onyankopɔn bɛma ne yafunu apu agu.
Wealth, hath he swallowed, and hath vomited the same, Out of his belly, shall, GOD, drive it forth:
16 Ɔbɛfefe awɔ borɔ; Ɔnanka se bɛkum no.
The poison of adders, shall he suck, The tongue of the viper shall slay him;
17 Ɔrennya nsuwansuwa no nnom nsubɔntene a nufosuo ne ɛwoɔ sene wɔ mu no.
Let him not see in the channels the flowings of torrents of honey and milk.
18 Ɔbɛdane deɛ ɔbrɛ nyaeɛ no aba a ɔrenni bi; ɔremfa nʼadwadie mu mfasoɔ nnye nʼani.
In vain, he toiled, he shall not swallow, like wealth to be restored, in which he cannot exult!
19 Ɛfiri sɛ ɔhyɛɛ ahiafoɔ so ma wɔdii ohia buruburo; ɔde ne nsa ato afie a ɛnyɛ ɔno na ɔsiiɛ so.
For he hath oppressed—hath forsaken the poor, A house, hath he seized, which he cannot rebuild.
20 “Ampa ara ɔrennya ahomegyeɛ mfiri deɛ wapere anya no mu; ɔrentumi mfa nʼakoradeɛ nnye ne ho nkwa.
Surely he hath known no peace in his inmost mind, —With his dearest thing, shall he not get away:
21 Wafom nneɛma nyinaa awie; ne nkɔsoɔ nnuru baabiara.
Nothing escaped his devouring greed, —For this cause, shall his prosperity not continue:
22 Nʼadedodoɔ nyinaa mu no, ɔbɛkɔ ɔhaw mu; na amanehunu a emu yɛ den bɛto no.
When his abundance is gone, he shall be in straits, All the power of distress, shall come upon him.
23 Ɛberɛ a nʼafuru ayɛ ma no, Onyankopɔn bɛtɔ nʼabufuo ogya agu ne so na wabobɔ no basabasa.
It shall be that, to fill his belly, he will thrust at him the glow of his anger, and rain [it] upon him for his punishment.
24 Ɛwom sɛ ɔdwane firi dadeɛ akodeɛ ano nanso bɛmma a ano yɛ kɔbere mfrafraeɛ bɛwɔ no.
He shall flee from the armour of iron, —There shall pierce him, a bow of bronze!
25 Wɔbɛtwe bɛmma no firi nʼakyi, ano hyɛnhyɛn no bɛfiri ne brɛboɔ mu. Ehu bɛba ne so;
He hath drawn it out, and it hath come forth out of his back, —yea the flashing arrow-head, out of his gall, There shall march on him—terrors:
26 esum kabii bɛduru nʼakoradeɛ. Ogya a wɔmfite mu bɛhye no, na asɛe deɛ aka wɔ ne ntomadan mu.
Every misfortune, is laid up for his treasures, —There shall consume, a fire, not blown up, —it shall destroy what remaineth in his tent:
27 Ɔsoro bɛda nʼafɔdie adi, na asase asɔre atia no.
The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, and, the earth, be rising up against him:
28 Nsuyire bɛtwe ne fie akɔ, saa ara na nsuworosoɔ bɛyɛ Onyankopɔn abufuhyeɛ da no.
The increase of his house shall vanish, melting away in the day of his anger.
29 Yei ne hyɛberɛ a Onyankopɔn de ma amumuyɛfoɔ, awugyadeɛ a Onyankopɔn de ato wɔn hɔ.”
This, is the portion of the lawless man, from God, and the inheritance decreed him from the Mighty One.
