Hiob 22
1 Na Temanni Elifas buaa sɛ,
And 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 it is unto himself that the wise man is profitable.
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 if thou art righteous? And is it gain [to him] that thou makest thy ways perfect?
4 “Wo kronnyɛ enti na ɔka wʼanim na ɔbɔ wo kwaadu anaa?
Will he reason with thee for fear of thee? Will he enter with thee into judgment?
5 Ɛnyɛ wʼamumuyɛ na ɛsoɔ? Ɛnyɛ wo bɔne na ɛdɔɔso dodo?
Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities without end?
6 Wopɛɛ banbɔ firii wo nuanom nkyɛn a ɛnni nteaseɛ biara; wopaa nnipa ho ntoma ma wɔdaa adagya.
For thou hast taken a pledge of thy brother for nought, and stripped off the clothing of the naked.
7 Woamma abrɛfoɔ nsuo annom na woamfa aduane amma deɛ ɛkɔm de no.
Thou hast not given water to the fainting to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
8 Nanso na woyɛ obi a ɔwɔ tumi, na ɔwɔ nsase, onimuonyamfoɔ a ɔte so.
But the powerful man, he had the land; and the man of high rank dwelt in it.
9 Wopamoo akunafoɔ ma wɔkɔɔ nsapan na womaa nwisiaa nso ahoɔden saeɛ.
Widows hast thou sent empty away, 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 troubleth thee;
11 adɛn enti na esum aduru a wonhunu adeɛ, na asorɔkye akata wo so.
Or darkness, that thou canst not see, and floods of waters cover thee.
12 “Onyankopɔn nni ɔsoro akyirikyiri? Hwɛ sɛdeɛ ɔsoro akyirikyiri nsoromma korɔn!
Is not God in the height of the heavens? And behold the summit of the stars: how exalted are they!
13 Nanso woka sɛ, ‘Ɛdeɛn na Onyankopɔn nim? Esum yi mu na ɔbu atɛn anaa?
And thou sayest, What doth God know? will he judge through the dark cloud?
14 Omununkum kabii akata nʼanim enti ɔnhunu yɛn ɛberɛ a ɔnenam ɔsoro kɔntɔnkurowi mu.’
Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh on the vault of the heavens.
15 Wobɛkɔ so afa ɛkwan dada a abɔnefoɔ anante soɔ no so?
Dost thou mark the ancient path which wicked men have trodden?
16 Wɔpraa wɔn kɔɔeɛ ansa na wɔn berɛ reso, na nsuyire hohoroo wɔn fapem.
Who were carried off before the time, whose foundation was overflowed with a flood;
17 Na wɔka kyerɛɛ Onyankopɔn sɛ, ‘Gyaa yɛn! Ɛdeɛn na Otumfoɔ bɛtumi ayɛ yɛn?’
Who said unto God, Depart from us! and what could the Almighty do to them?
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. 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.’
Is not he who rose against us destroyed, and doth not the fire consume his residue?
21 “Fa wo ho ma Onyankopɔn na nya asomdwoeɛ wɔ ne mu; saa ɛkwan yi so na yiedie bɛyɛ wo kyɛfa.
Reconcile thyself now with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.
22 Tie akwankyerɛ a ɛfiri nʼanom, na fa ne nsɛm sie wʼakoma mu.
Receive, I pray thee, instruction 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 shalt be built up. If thou remove 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,
And put the precious ore with the dust, and [the gold of] Ophir among the stones of the torrents,
25 ɛnneɛ Otumfoɔ bɛyɛ wo sikakɔkɔɔ; ɔbɛyɛ dwetɛ amapa ama wo.
Then the Almighty will be thy precious ore, and silver heaped up unto thee;
26 Afei nokorɛm wobɛnya anigyeɛ wɔ Otumfoɔ mu na wobɛpagya wʼani akyerɛ Onyankopɔn.
Yea, then shalt thou delight thyself in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God:
27 Wobɛbɔ no mpaeɛ, na ɔbɛtie wo, na wobɛdi wo bɔhyɛ so.
Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he will hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows;
28 Deɛ woyɛ wʼadwene sɛ wobɛyɛ no bɛba mu, na hann bɛtɔ wʼakwan so.
And thou shalt decree a thing, and it shall be established unto 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 are made low, then thou shalt say, Rise up! and he shall save him that is of downcast eyes.
30 Ɔbɛgye abɔnefoɔ mpo, ɔnam wo nsa a ɛho nni fi so bɛgye wɔn.”
[Even] him that is not innocent shall he deliver; yea, he shall be delivered by the pureness of thy hands.
