Hiob 22
1 Na Temanni Elifas buaa sɛ,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
2 “Onyankopɔn bɛnya onipa ho mfasoɔ anaa? Mpo onyansafoɔ ho bɛba no mfasoɔ anaa?
“Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is 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 you are righteous? Or does it benefit him that you make your ways perfect?
4 “Wo kronnyɛ enti na ɔka wʼanim na ɔbɔ wo kwaadu anaa?
Is it for your piety that he reproves you, that he enters with you into judgment?
5 Ɛnyɛ wʼamumuyɛ na ɛsoɔ? Ɛnyɛ wo bɔne na ɛdɔɔso dodo?
Isn’t your wickedness great? Neither is there any end to your iniquities.
6 Wopɛɛ banbɔ firii wo nuanom nkyɛn a ɛnni nteaseɛ biara; wopaa nnipa ho ntoma ma wɔdaa adagya.
For you have taken pledges from your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 Woamma abrɛfoɔ nsuo annom na woamfa aduane amma deɛ ɛkɔm de no.
You haven’t given water to the weary to drink, and you have 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. The honorable man, he lived in it.
9 Wopamoo akunafoɔ ma wɔkɔɔ nsapan na womaa nwisiaa nso ahoɔden saeɛ.
You have 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 you. Sudden fear troubles you,
11 adɛn enti na esum aduru a wonhunu adeɛ, na asorɔkye akata wo so.
or darkness, so that you can not see, and floods of waters cover you.
12 “Onyankopɔn nni ɔsoro akyirikyiri? Hwɛ sɛdeɛ ɔsoro akyirikyiri nsoromma korɔn!
“Isn’t God in the heights of heaven? See the height of the stars, how high they are!
13 Nanso woka sɛ, ‘Ɛdeɛn na Onyankopɔn nim? Esum yi mu na ɔbu atɛn anaa?
You say, ‘What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?
14 Omununkum kabii akata nʼanim enti ɔnhunu yɛn ɛberɛ a ɔnenam ɔsoro kɔntɔnkurowi mu.’
Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he doesn’t see. He walks on the vault of the sky.’
15 Wobɛkɔ so afa ɛkwan dada a abɔnefoɔ anante soɔ no so?
Will you 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 to God, ‘Depart from us!’ and, ‘What can the Almighty do for us?’
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. The innocent ridicule them,
20 ‘Wɔasɛe yɛn atamfoɔ, na ogya ahye wɔn agyapadeɛ.’
saying, ‘Surely those who rose up against us are cut off. The fire has consumed their remnant.’
21 “Fa wo ho ma Onyankopɔn na nya asomdwoeɛ wɔ ne mu; saa ɛkwan yi so na yiedie bɛyɛ wo kyɛfa.
“Acquaint yourself with him now, and be at peace. By it, good will come to you.
22 Tie akwankyerɛ a ɛfiri nʼanom, na fa ne nsɛm sie wʼakoma mu.
Please receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.
23 Sɛ wosane kɔ Otumfoɔ no nkyɛn a, ɔbɛgye wo atom bio: sɛ woyi amumuyɛsɛm firi wo ntomadan mu
If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up, if you put away unrighteousness far from your tents.
24 na woto wo sika mpɔ gu mfuturo mu ne Ofir sikakɔkɔɔ gu abotan a ɛwɔ abɔn mu no so a,
Lay your treasure in the dust, the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks.
25 ɛnneɛ Otumfoɔ bɛyɛ wo sikakɔkɔɔ; ɔbɛyɛ dwetɛ amapa ama wo.
The Almighty will be your treasure, and precious silver to you.
26 Afei nokorɛm wobɛnya anigyeɛ wɔ Otumfoɔ mu na wobɛpagya wʼani akyerɛ Onyankopɔn.
For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and will lift up your face to God.
27 Wobɛbɔ no mpaeɛ, na ɔbɛtie wo, na wobɛdi wo bɔhyɛ so.
You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you. You will pay your vows.
28 Deɛ woyɛ wʼadwene sɛ wobɛyɛ no bɛba mu, na hann bɛtɔ wʼakwan so.
You will also decree a thing, and it will be established to you. Light will shine on your ways.
29 Sɛ nnipa hwe ase na woka sɛ, ‘Ma wɔn so!’ a, ɔbɛgye wɔn a wɔahwe ase no nkwa.
When they cast down, you will say, ‘be lifted up.’ He will save the humble person.
30 Ɔbɛgye abɔnefoɔ mpo, ɔnam wo nsa a ɛho nni fi so bɛgye wɔn.”
He will even deliver him who is not innocent. Yes, he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”
