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 be profitable to God, as he that is wise may be profitable to himself?
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, that thou art righteous? or [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 reprove 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 thy iniquities infinite?
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 for naught, 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 withheld bread from the hungry.
8 Nanso na woyɛ obi a ɔwɔ tumi, na ɔwɔ nsase, onimuonyamfoɔ a ɔte so.
But [as for] the mighty man, he had the earth; 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 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] around 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 abundance of waters cover thee.
12 “Onyankopɔn nni ɔsoro akyirikyiri? Hwɛ sɛdeɛ ɔsoro akyirikyiri nsoromma korɔn!
[Is] not God in the hight of heaven? and behold the hight 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, How 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?
Hast thou marked 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 out of time, whose foundation was overflowed with a flood!
17 Na wɔka kyerɛɛ Onyankopɔn sɛ, ‘Gyaa yɛn! Ɛdeɛn na Otumfoɔ bɛtumi ayɛ yɛn?’
Who said to God, depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for 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 see [it], and are glad: and the innocent deride them.
20 ‘Wɔasɛe yɛn atamfoɔ, na ogya ahye wɔn agyapadeɛ.’
Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.
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: by this good shall come to thee.
22 Tie akwankyerɛ a ɛfiri nʼanom, na fa ne nsɛm sie wʼakoma mu.
Receive, I pray thee, the law 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 shalt return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.
24 na woto wo sika mpɔ gu mfuturo mu ne Ofir sikakɔkɔɔ gu abotan a ɛwɔ abɔn mu no so a,
Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the [gold] of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
25 ɛnneɛ Otumfoɔ bɛyɛ wo sikakɔkɔɔ; ɔbɛyɛ dwetɛ amapa ama wo.
Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defense and thou shalt have plenty of silver.
26 Afei nokorɛm wobɛnya anigyeɛ wɔ Otumfoɔ mu na wobɛpagya wʼani akyerɛ Onyankopɔn.
For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face to God.
27 Wobɛbɔ no mpaeɛ, na ɔbɛtie wo, na wobɛdi wo bɔhyɛ so.
Thou shalt make thy prayer to him, and he shall 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 to thee: and the 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, then thou shalt say, [There is] exaltation; and he shall save the humble person.
30 Ɔbɛgye abɔnefoɔ mpo, ɔnam wo nsa a ɛho nni fi so bɛgye wɔn.”
He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thy hands.
