Hiob 22
1 Na Temanni Elifas buaa sɛ,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered, and said,
2 “Onyankopɔn bɛnya onipa ho mfasoɔ anaa? Mpo onyansafoɔ ho bɛba no mfasoɔ anaa?
Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.
3 Sɛ woyɛ ɔteneneeni a, anigyeɛ bɛn na Otumfoɔ no bɛnya? Sɛ wʼakwan ho nni asɛm a, mfasoɔ bɛn na ɔbɛnya?
Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou are righteous? Or is it gain to him that thou make thy ways perfect?
4 “Wo kronnyɛ enti na ɔka wʼanim na ɔbɔ wo kwaadu anaa?
Is it for thy fear of him that he reproves thee, that he enters with thee into judgment?
5 Ɛnyɛ wʼamumuyɛ na ɛsoɔ? Ɛnyɛ wo bɔne na ɛdɔɔso dodo?
Is not thy wickedness great? Neither is there any end to thine iniquities.
6 Wopɛɛ banbɔ firii wo nuanom nkyɛn a ɛnni nteaseɛ biara; wopaa nnipa ho ntoma ma wɔdaa adagya.
For thou have taken pledges from thy brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 Woamma abrɛfoɔ nsuo annom na woamfa aduane amma deɛ ɛkɔm de no.
Thou have not given water to the weary to drink, and thou have withheld bread from the hungry.
8 Nanso na woyɛ obi a ɔwɔ tumi, na ɔwɔ nsase, onimuonyamfoɔ a ɔte so.
But as for the mighty man, he had the land. And the honorable man, he dwelt in it.
9 Wopamoo akunafoɔ ma wɔkɔɔ nsapan na womaa nwisiaa nso ahoɔden saeɛ.
Thou have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
10 Ɛno enti na mfidie atwa wo ho ahyia, na amanehunu a ɛba ntɛm so abɔ wo hu yi,
Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubles thee,
11 adɛn enti na esum aduru a wonhunu adeɛ, na asorɔkye akata wo so.
or darkness, so that thou cannot see, and abundance of waters cover thee.
12 “Onyankopɔn nni ɔsoro akyirikyiri? Hwɛ sɛdeɛ ɔsoro akyirikyiri nsoromma korɔn!
Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the height of the stars, how high they are!
13 Nanso woka sɛ, ‘Ɛdeɛn na Onyankopɔn nim? Esum yi mu na ɔbu atɛn anaa?
And thou say, What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?
14 Omununkum kabii akata nʼanim enti ɔnhunu yɛn ɛberɛ a ɔnenam ɔsoro kɔntɔnkurowi mu.’
Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he does not see, and he walks on the vault of heaven.
15 Wobɛkɔ so afa ɛkwan dada a abɔnefoɔ anante soɔ no so?
Will thou keep the old way which wicked men have trodden?
16 Wɔpraa wɔn kɔɔeɛ ansa na wɔn berɛ reso, na nsuyire hohoroo wɔn fapem.
Who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream,
17 Na wɔka kyerɛɛ Onyankopɔn sɛ, ‘Gyaa yɛn! Ɛdeɛn na Otumfoɔ bɛtumi ayɛ yɛn?’
who said to God, Depart from us, and, What can the Almighty do for us?
18 Nanso, ɛyɛ ɔno na ɔde nnepa hyɛɛ wɔn afie mu, enti metwe me ho mefiri amumuyɛfoɔ afutuo ho.
Yet he filled their houses with good things. But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19 Teneneefoɔ hunu wɔn asehweɛ ma wɔn ani gye; na wɔn a wɔn ho nni asɛm sere wɔn ka sɛ,
The righteous see it, and are glad. And the innocent laugh them to scorn,
20 ‘Wɔasɛe yɛn atamfoɔ, na ogya ahye wɔn agyapadeɛ.’
Saying, Surely those who rose up against us are cut off, and the remnant of them, the fire has consumed.
21 “Fa wo ho ma Onyankopɔn na nya asomdwoeɛ wɔ ne mu; saa ɛkwan yi so na yiedie bɛyɛ wo kyɛfa.
Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace. By this good shall come to thee.
22 Tie akwankyerɛ a ɛfiri nʼanom, na fa ne nsɛm sie wʼakoma mu.
Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thy heart.
23 Sɛ wosane kɔ Otumfoɔ no nkyɛn a, ɔbɛgye wo atom bio: sɛ woyi amumuyɛsɛm firi wo ntomadan mu
If thou return to the Almighty, thou shall be built up, thou put away unrighteousness far from thy tents.
24 na woto wo sika mpɔ gu mfuturo mu ne Ofir sikakɔkɔɔ gu abotan a ɛwɔ abɔn mu no so a,
Then thou shall lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
25 ɛnneɛ Otumfoɔ bɛyɛ wo sikakɔkɔɔ; ɔbɛyɛ dwetɛ amapa ama wo.
Yea, the Almighty will be thy treasure, and precious silver to thee.
26 Afei nokorɛm wobɛnya anigyeɛ wɔ Otumfoɔ mu na wobɛpagya wʼani akyerɛ Onyankopɔn.
For then shall thou delight thyself in the Almighty, and shall lift up thy face to God.
27 Wobɛbɔ no mpaeɛ, na ɔbɛtie wo, na wobɛdi wo bɔhyɛ so.
Thou shall make thy prayer to him, and he will hear thee, and thou shall pay thy vows.
28 Deɛ woyɛ wʼadwene sɛ wobɛyɛ no bɛba mu, na hann bɛtɔ wʼakwan so.
Thou shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established to thee. And light shall shine upon thy ways.
29 Sɛ nnipa hwe ase na woka sɛ, ‘Ma wɔn so!’ a, ɔbɛgye wɔn a wɔahwe ase no nkwa.
When they cast thee down, thou shall say, There is lifting up, and he will save the humble man.
30 Ɔbɛgye abɔnefoɔ mpo, ɔnam wo nsa a ɛho nni fi so bɛgye wɔn.”
He will deliver even him who is not innocent. Yea, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of thy hands.
