Hiob 22
1 Na Temanni Elifas buaa sɛ,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
2 “Onyankopɔn bɛnya onipa ho mfasoɔ anaa? Mpo onyansafoɔ ho bɛba no mfasoɔ anaa?
“Can a man be of use to God? Can even a wise man benefit Him?
3 Sɛ woyɛ ɔteneneeni a, anigyeɛ bɛn na Otumfoɔ no bɛnya? Sɛ wʼakwan ho nni asɛm a, mfasoɔ bɛn na ɔbɛnya?
Does it delight the Almighty that you are righteous? Does He profit if your ways are blameless?
4 “Wo kronnyɛ enti na ɔka wʼanim na ɔbɔ wo kwaadu anaa?
Is it for your reverence that He rebukes you and enters into judgment against you?
5 Ɛnyɛ wʼamumuyɛ na ɛsoɔ? Ɛnyɛ wo bɔne na ɛdɔɔso dodo?
Is not your wickedness great? Are not your iniquities endless?
6 Wopɛɛ banbɔ firii wo nuanom nkyɛn a ɛnni nteaseɛ biara; wopaa nnipa ho ntoma ma wɔdaa adagya.
For you needlessly demanded security from your brothers and deprived the naked of their clothing.
7 Woamma abrɛfoɔ nsuo annom na woamfa aduane amma deɛ ɛkɔm de no.
You gave no water to the weary and withheld food from the famished,
8 Nanso na woyɛ obi a ɔwɔ tumi, na ɔwɔ nsase, onimuonyamfoɔ a ɔte so.
while the land belonged to a mighty man, and a man of honor lived on it.
9 Wopamoo akunafoɔ ma wɔkɔɔ nsapan na womaa nwisiaa nso ahoɔden saeɛ.
You sent widows away empty-handed, and the strength of the fatherless was crushed.
10 Ɛno enti na mfidie atwa wo ho ahyia, na amanehunu a ɛba ntɛm so abɔ wo hu yi,
Therefore snares surround you, and sudden peril terrifies you;
11 adɛn enti na esum aduru a wonhunu adeɛ, na asorɔkye akata wo so.
it is so dark you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you.
12 “Onyankopɔn nni ɔsoro akyirikyiri? Hwɛ sɛdeɛ ɔsoro akyirikyiri nsoromma korɔn!
Is not God as high as the heavens? Look at the highest stars, how lofty they are!
13 Nanso woka sɛ, ‘Ɛdeɛn na Onyankopɔn nim? Esum yi mu na ɔbu atɛn anaa?
Yet you say: ‘What does God know? Does He judge through thick darkness?
14 Omununkum kabii akata nʼanim enti ɔnhunu yɛn ɛberɛ a ɔnenam ɔsoro kɔntɔnkurowi mu.’
Thick clouds veil Him so He does not see us as He traverses the vault of heaven.’
15 Wobɛkɔ so afa ɛkwan dada a abɔnefoɔ anante soɔ no so?
Will you stay on the ancient path that wicked men have trod?
16 Wɔpraa wɔn kɔɔeɛ ansa na wɔn berɛ reso, na nsuyire hohoroo wɔn fapem.
They were snatched away before their time, and their foundations were swept away by a flood.
17 Na wɔka kyerɛɛ Onyankopɔn sɛ, ‘Gyaa yɛn! Ɛdeɛn na Otumfoɔ bɛtumi ayɛ yɛn?’
They said to God, ‘Depart from us. What can the Almighty do to us?’
18 Nanso, ɛyɛ ɔno na ɔde nnepa hyɛɛ wɔn afie mu, enti metwe me ho mefiri amumuyɛfoɔ afutuo ho.
But it was He who filled their houses with good things; so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.
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; the innocent mock them:
20 ‘Wɔasɛe yɛn atamfoɔ, na ogya ahye wɔn agyapadeɛ.’
‘Surely our foes are destroyed, and fire has consumed their excess.’
21 “Fa wo ho ma Onyankopɔn na nya asomdwoeɛ wɔ ne mu; saa ɛkwan yi so na yiedie bɛyɛ wo kyɛfa.
Reconcile now and be at peace with Him; thereby good will come to you.
22 Tie akwankyerɛ a ɛfiri nʼanom, na fa ne nsɛm sie wʼakoma mu.
Receive instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in your heart.
23 Sɛ wosane kɔ Otumfoɔ no nkyɛn a, ɔbɛgye wo atom bio: sɛ woyi amumuyɛsɛm firi wo ntomadan mu
If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored. If you remove injustice from your tents
24 na woto wo sika mpɔ gu mfuturo mu ne Ofir sikakɔkɔɔ gu abotan a ɛwɔ abɔn mu no so a,
and consign your gold to the dust and the gold of Ophir to the stones of the ravines,
25 ɛnneɛ Otumfoɔ bɛyɛ wo sikakɔkɔɔ; ɔbɛyɛ dwetɛ amapa ama wo.
then the Almighty will be your gold and the finest silver for you.
26 Afei nokorɛm wobɛnya anigyeɛ wɔ Otumfoɔ mu na wobɛpagya wʼani akyerɛ Onyankopɔn.
Surely then you will delight in the Almighty and lift up your face to God.
27 Wobɛbɔ no mpaeɛ, na ɔbɛtie wo, na wobɛdi wo bɔhyɛ so.
You will pray to Him, and He will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.
28 Deɛ woyɛ wʼadwene sɛ wobɛyɛ no bɛba mu, na hann bɛtɔ wʼakwan so.
Your decisions will be carried out, and light will shine on your ways.
29 Sɛ nnipa hwe ase na woka sɛ, ‘Ma wɔn so!’ a, ɔbɛgye wɔn a wɔahwe ase no nkwa.
When men are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up!’ then He will save the lowly.
30 Ɔbɛgye abɔnefoɔ mpo, ɔnam wo nsa a ɛho nni fi so bɛgye wɔn.”
He will deliver even one who is not innocent, rescuing him through the cleanness of your hands.”
