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, then, profit God? Behold, the wise man profiteth himself.
3 Sɛ woyɛ ɔteneneeni a, anigyeɛ bɛn na Otumfoɔ no bɛnya? Sɛ wʼakwan ho nni asɛm a, mfasoɔ bɛn na ɔbɛnya?
Is it a pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous; Or a gain to him, that thou walkest uprightly?
4 “Wo kronnyɛ enti na ɔka wʼanim na ɔbɔ wo kwaadu anaa?
Will he contend with thee because he feareth thee? Will he enter with thee into judgment?
5 Ɛnyɛ wʼamumuyɛ na ɛsoɔ? Ɛnyɛ wo bɔne na ɛdɔɔso dodo?
Hath not thy wickedness been great? Have not thine iniquities been numberless?
6 Wopɛɛ banbɔ firii wo nuanom nkyɛn a ɛnni nteaseɛ biara; wopaa nnipa ho ntoma ma wɔdaa adagya.
For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother unjustly, And stripped the poor of their clothing.
7 Woamma abrɛfoɔ nsuo annom na woamfa aduane amma deɛ ɛkɔm de no.
Thou hast given the weary no water to drink, And withholden bread from the hungry.
8 Nanso na woyɛ obi a ɔwɔ tumi, na ɔwɔ nsase, onimuonyamfoɔ a ɔte so.
But the man of power, his was the land, And the honorable man dwelt in it.
9 Wopamoo akunafoɔ ma wɔkɔɔ nsapan na womaa nwisiaa nso ahoɔden saeɛ.
Thou hast sent widows away empty, And broken the arms of the fatherless.
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 confoundeth thee;
11 adɛn enti na esum aduru a wonhunu adeɛ, na asorɔkye akata wo so.
Or darkness, through which thou canst not see, And floods of water cover thee.
12 “Onyankopɔn nni ɔsoro akyirikyiri? Hwɛ sɛdeɛ ɔsoro akyirikyiri nsoromma korɔn!
Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the stars, how high they are!
13 Nanso woka sɛ, ‘Ɛdeɛn na Onyankopɔn nim? Esum yi mu na ɔbu atɛn anaa?
Hence thou sayest, “What doth God know? Can he govern behind the thick darkness?
14 Omununkum kabii akata nʼanim enti ɔnhunu yɛn ɛberɛ a ɔnenam ɔsoro kɔntɔnkurowi mu.’
Dark clouds are a veil to him, and he cannot see; And he walketh upon the arch of heaven.”
15 Wobɛkɔ so afa ɛkwan dada a abɔnefoɔ anante soɔ no so?
Wilt thou take the old way Which wicked men have trodden,
16 Wɔpraa wɔn kɔɔeɛ ansa na wɔn berɛ reso, na nsuyire hohoroo wɔn fapem.
Who were cut down before their time, And whose foundations were swept away by 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 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.
And yet he filled their houses with good things!—Far from me be 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 their fate, and rejoice; And the innocent hold them in derision.
20 ‘Wɔasɛe yɛn atamfoɔ, na ogya ahye wɔn agyapadeɛ.’
“Truly our adversary is destroyed, And fire hath consumed his abundance!”
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: Thus shall prosperity return to 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 put away iniquity from thy tent.
24 na woto wo sika mpɔ gu mfuturo mu ne Ofir sikakɔkɔɔ gu abotan a ɛwɔ abɔn mu no so a,
Cast to the dust thy gold, And the gold of Ophir to the stones of the brook:
25 ɛnneɛ Otumfoɔ bɛyɛ wo sikakɔkɔɔ; ɔbɛyɛ dwetɛ amapa ama wo.
Then shall the Almighty be thy gold, Yea, treasures of silver unto thee;
26 Afei nokorɛm wobɛnya anigyeɛ wɔ Otumfoɔ mu na wobɛpagya wʼani akyerɛ Onyankopɔn.
For then shalt thou have 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 pray to him, and he shall hear thee, And thou shalt perform thy vows.
28 Deɛ woyɛ wʼadwene sɛ wobɛyɛ no bɛba mu, na hann bɛtɔ wʼakwan so.
The purpose which thou formest shall prosper with 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 men are cast down, thou shalt say, “There lifting up!” And the humble person he will save.
30 Ɔbɛgye abɔnefoɔ mpo, ɔnam wo nsa a ɛho nni fi so bɛgye wɔn.”
He will deliver even him that is not innocent. The purity of thy hands shall save him.
