Hiob 22
1 Na Temanni Elifas buaa sɛ,
Then responded Eliphaz the Temanite, and said: —
2 “Onyankopɔn bɛnya onipa ho mfasoɔ anaa? Mpo onyansafoɔ ho bɛba no mfasoɔ anaa?
Unto GOD, can a man act as friend? Surely a discreet man befriendeth 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 shouldst be righteous? or any profit, that thou shouldst be blameless in thy ways?
4 “Wo kronnyɛ enti na ɔka wʼanim na ɔbɔ wo kwaadu anaa?
Is it, for thy reverence, that he will accuse thee? will enter with thee into judgment?
5 Ɛnyɛ wʼamumuyɛ na ɛsoɔ? Ɛnyɛ wo bɔne na ɛdɔɔso dodo?
Is not, thy wickedness, great? and, without end, [are not] thine iniquities?
6 Wopɛɛ banbɔ firii wo nuanom nkyɛn a ɛnni nteaseɛ biara; wopaa nnipa ho ntoma ma wɔdaa adagya.
Surely then hast been wont to put thy brother in pledge, for nothing, and, the garments of the ill-clad, hast thou stripped off:
7 Woamma abrɛfoɔ nsuo annom na woamfa aduane amma deɛ ɛkɔm de no.
No water—to the weary, hast thou given to drink, and, from the hungry, thou hast withheld bread:
8 Nanso na woyɛ obi a ɔwɔ tumi, na ɔwɔ nsase, onimuonyamfoɔ a ɔte so.
A man of might, to him, pertaineth the land, and, the favorite, dwelleth therein:
9 Wopamoo akunafoɔ ma wɔkɔɔ nsapan na womaa nwisiaa nso ahoɔden saeɛ.
Widows, thou hast sent away empty, and, the arms of the fatherless, thou dost crush.
10 Ɛno enti na mfidie atwa wo ho ahyia, na amanehunu a ɛba ntɛm so abɔ wo hu yi,
For this cause, round about thee, are snares, and a dread startleth thee suddenly;
11 adɛn enti na esum aduru a wonhunu adeɛ, na asorɔkye akata wo so.
Or darkness—thou canst not see, and, a flood of waters, covereth thee.
12 “Onyankopɔn nni ɔsoro akyirikyiri? Hwɛ sɛdeɛ ɔsoro akyirikyiri nsoromma korɔn!
Is not, GOD, [in] the height of the heavens? Behold, then, the head of the stars, that they are high.
13 Nanso woka sɛ, ‘Ɛdeɛn na Onyankopɔn nim? Esum yi mu na ɔbu atɛn anaa?
Wilt thou say then, What doth GOD know? Out through a thick cloud, can he judge?
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, or, the vault of the heavens, doth he walk?
15 Wobɛkɔ so afa ɛkwan dada a abɔnefoɔ anante soɔ no so?
The path of the ancient time, wilt thou mark, which the men of iniquity trod?
16 Wɔpraa wɔn kɔɔeɛ ansa na wɔn berɛ reso, na nsuyire hohoroo wɔn fapem.
Who were snatched away before the time, and, a stream, washed away their foundation?
17 Na wɔka kyerɛɛ Onyankopɔn sɛ, ‘Gyaa yɛn! Ɛdeɛn na Otumfoɔ bɛtumi ayɛ yɛn?’
Who had been saying unto GOD, Depart from us! and—What can the Almighty do for himself?
18 Nanso, ɛyɛ ɔno na ɔde nnepa hyɛɛ wɔn afie mu, enti metwe me ho mefiri amumuyɛfoɔ afutuo ho.
Yet, he, had filled their houses with good! The counsel of the lawless, then, 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 shall see and rejoice, and, the innocent, shall laugh them to scorn:
20 ‘Wɔasɛe yɛn atamfoɔ, na ogya ahye wɔn agyapadeɛ.’
If our assailants do not vanish, then, their abundance, a fire consumeth!
21 “Fa wo ho ma Onyankopɔn na nya asomdwoeɛ wɔ ne mu; saa ɛkwan yi so na yiedie bɛyɛ wo kyɛfa.
Shew thyself to be one with him—I pray thee—and prosper, thereby, shall there come on thee blessing.
22 Tie akwankyerɛ a ɛfiri nʼanom, na fa ne nsɛm sie wʼakoma mu.
Accept, I beseech thee, from his mouth—instruction, —and lay up his sayings 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 unto the Almighty and submit thyself, if thou far remove perversity from thy tent,
24 na woto wo sika mpɔ gu mfuturo mu ne Ofir sikakɔkɔɔ gu abotan a ɛwɔ abɔn mu no so a,
Then lay up, in the dust, precious ore, and, among the stones of the torrent-beds, fine gold:
25 ɛnneɛ Otumfoɔ bɛyɛ wo sikakɔkɔɔ; ɔbɛyɛ dwetɛ amapa ama wo.
So shall, the Almighty, become, thy precious ores, yea glittering silver unto thee!
26 Afei nokorɛm wobɛnya anigyeɛ wɔ Otumfoɔ mu na wobɛpagya wʼani akyerɛ Onyankopɔn.
For, then, in the Almighty, shalt thou take exquisite delight, and shalt lift up—unto GOD—thy face;
27 Wobɛbɔ no mpaeɛ, na ɔbɛtie wo, na wobɛdi wo bɔhyɛ so.
Thou shalt make entreaty unto him, and he will hear thee, and, thy vows, shalt thou pay;
28 Deɛ woyɛ wʼadwene sɛ wobɛyɛ no bɛba mu, na hann bɛtɔ wʼakwan so.
And thou shalt decree a purpose, and it shall be fulfilled unto thee, and, upon thy ways, shall have shone a light;
29 Sɛ nnipa hwe ase na woka sɛ, ‘Ma wɔn so!’ a, ɔbɛgye wɔn a wɔahwe ase no nkwa.
When men cast themselves down, then thou shalt say: Up! And, him that is of downcast eyes, shall he save;
30 Ɔbɛgye abɔnefoɔ mpo, ɔnam wo nsa a ɛho nni fi so bɛgye wɔn.”
He shall deliver the innocent, and thou shalt escape by the pureness of thy hands.
