Hiob 22
1 Na Temanni Elifas buaa sɛ,
Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:
2 “Onyankopɔn bɛnya onipa ho mfasoɔ anaa? Mpo onyansafoɔ ho bɛba no mfasoɔ anaa?
Can a man be profitable unto God? Or can he that is wise be profitable unto Him?
3 Sɛ woyɛ ɔteneneeni a, anigyeɛ bɛn na Otumfoɔ no bɛnya? Sɛ wʼakwan ho nni asɛm a, mfasoɔ bɛn na ɔbɛnya?
Is it any advantage to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? Or is it gain to Him, that thou makest thy ways blameless?
4 “Wo kronnyɛ enti na ɔka wʼanim na ɔbɔ wo kwaadu anaa?
Is it for thy fear of Him that He reproveth thee, that He entereth with thee into judgment?
5 Ɛnyɛ wʼamumuyɛ na ɛsoɔ? Ɛnyɛ wo bɔne na ɛdɔɔso dodo?
Is not thy wickedness great? And are not 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 pledges of thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 Woamma abrɛfoɔ nsuo annom na woamfa aduane amma deɛ ɛkɔm de no.
Thou hast not given water to the weary 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.
And as a mighty man, who hath the earth, and as a man of rank, who dwelleth in it,
9 Wopamoo akunafoɔ ma wɔkɔɔ nsapan na womaa nwisiaa nso ahoɔden saeɛ.
Thou hast 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 dread affrighted thee,
11 adɛn enti na esum aduru a wonhunu adeɛ, na asorɔkye akata wo so.
Or darkness, that thou canst not 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 topmost of the stars, how high they are!
13 Nanso woka sɛ, ‘Ɛdeɛn na Onyankopɔn nim? Esum yi mu na ɔbu atɛn anaa?
And thou sayest: 'What doth God know? Can 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 in the circuit of heaven.'
15 Wobɛkɔ so afa ɛkwan dada a abɔnefoɔ anante soɔ no so?
Wilt 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 unto God: 'Depart from us'; and what could the Almighty do unto 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 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 saw it, and were glad, and the innocent laugh them to scorn:
20 ‘Wɔasɛe yɛn atamfoɔ, na ogya ahye wɔn agyapadeɛ.’
'Surely their substance is cut off, and their abundance the fire hath 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; thereby shall thine increase be good.
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 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,
And lay thy treasure in the dust, and the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks;
25 ɛnneɛ Otumfoɔ bɛyɛ wo sikakɔkɔɔ; ɔbɛyɛ dwetɛ amapa ama wo.
And the Almighty be thy treasure, and precious silver unto thee;
26 Afei nokorɛm wobɛnya anigyeɛ wɔ Otumfoɔ mu na wobɛpagya wʼani akyerɛ Onyankopɔn.
Then surely shalt thou have thy delight 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.
Thou shalt also 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 cast thee down, thou shalt say: 'There is lifting up'; for the humble person He saveth.
30 Ɔbɛgye abɔnefoɔ mpo, ɔnam wo nsa a ɛho nni fi so bɛgye wɔn.”
He delivereth him that is innocent, yea, thou shalt be delivered through the cleanness of thy hands.
