Hiob 28
1 Ɛwɔ deɛ wɔtu dwetɛ ne beaeɛ a wɔhoa sika kɔkɔɔ ho.
Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold which they refine;
2 Wɔtu dadeɛ firi fam, na wɔnane kɔbere firi dadeben mu.
Iron is taken out of the dust, and copper is molten out of the stone.
3 Onipa ma esum ba awieeɛ; na ɔhwehwɛ kɔ akyirikyiri asase mu kɔpɛ dadeben wɔ esum kabii mu.
[Man] putteth an end to the darkness, and exploreth to the utmost limit, the stones of darkness and of the shadow of death.
4 Baabi a ɛne deɛ ɔdasani teɛ ntam ɛkwan ware no, ɔtu amena de fagudeɛtuo afidie hyɛ hɔ, mmeammea a onipa nan sii hɔ akyɛre baabi a ɛmmɛn nnipa no, ɛhɔ na ɔdi aforosiane.
He openeth a shaft far from the inhabitants [of the earth]: forgotten of the foot, they hang suspended; away below men they hover.
5 Asase a ɛbɔ aduane no, wɔnane aseɛ no te sɛ deɛ wɔde ogya na ayɛ;
As for the earth, out of it cometh bread, and underneath it is turned up as by fire;
6 aboɔdemmoɔ firi nʼabotan mu na sikakɔkɔɔ mpɔ nso wɔ ne mfuturo mu.
The stones of it are the place of sapphires, and it hath dust of gold.
7 Ɔkɔdeɛ biara nnim saa kwan a ahinta no, akorɔma biara ani nhunuiɛ.
It is a path no bird of prey knoweth, and the vulture's eye hath not seen it;
8 Mmoa ahantanfoɔ nnante wɔ hɔ na agyata nkɔdɛɛdɛɛ wɔ hɔ.
The proud beasts have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed over it.
9 Onipa nsa paapae abotan denden na ɔma mmepɔ ase da hɔ.
[Man] putteth forth his hand upon the flinty rock, he overturneth the mountains by the root.
10 Ɔtwa aka fa abotan mu, na ɔhunu nʼademudeɛ nyinaa.
He cutteth out channels in the rocks, and his eye seeth every precious thing.
11 Ɔhwehwɛ baabi a nsubɔntene ti wɔ na ɔda nneɛma a ahinta adi.
He bindeth the streams that they drip not, and what is hidden he bringeth forth to light.
12 Nanso ɛhe na yɛbɛhunu deɛ nyansa hyɛ? Ɛhe na nteaseɛ teɛ?
But wisdom, where shall it be found? and where is the place of understanding?
13 Onipa renhunu ne bo a ɛsom; wɔrenhunu wɔ ateasefoɔ asase so.
Man knoweth not the value thereof; and it is not found in the land of the living.
14 Na ebunu ka sɛ, “Ɛnni me mu”; na ɛpo nso sɛ, “Ɛnni me nkyɛn.”
The deep saith, It is not in me; and the sea saith, It is not with me.
15 Wɔrentumi mfa sikakɔkɔɔ amapa ntɔ, na wɔrentumi mfa dwetɛ nkari ne boɔ.
Choice gold cannot be given for it, nor silver be weighed for its price.
16 Wɔrentumi mfa Ofir sikakɔkɔɔ ntɔ apopobibirieboɔ anaa aboɔdemmoɔ nso saa ara.
It is not set in the balance with gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, and the sapphire.
17 Wɔrentumi mfa ahwehwɛ anaa sikakɔkɔɔ ntoto ho, na wɔrentumi mfa sikakɔkɔɔ nnwinneɛ nsesa.
Gold and glass cannot be compared to it, nor vessels of fine gold be its exchange.
18 Ɛnsɛ sɛ yɛbɔ ahwene panin ne ahwehwɛboɔ din; nyansa boɔ sene nhwene pa.
Corals and crystal are no more remembered; yea, the acquisition of wisdom is above rubies.
19 Etiopia akarateboɔ ne no nsɛ; wɔrentumi mfa sikakɔkɔɔ kronn ntɔ.
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be compared to it, neither shall it be set in the balance with pure gold.
20 Ɛnneɛ na ɛhe na nyansa firie? Ɛhe na nteaseɛ teɛ?
Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
21 Wɔde asie abɔdeɛ biara ani, wɔde asie ewiem nnomaa mpo.
For it is hidden from the eyes of all living, and concealed from the fowl of the heavens.
22 Ɔsɛeɛ ne Owuo ka sɛ, “Yɛate no huhuhuhu kɛkɛ.”
Destruction and death say, We have heard its report with our ears.
23 Onyankopɔn te ɛkwan a ɛkɔ hɔ ase, na ɔno nko ara na ɔnim baabi a ɛteɛ,
God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth its place:
24 ɛfiri sɛ ɔhwɛ kɔduru nsase ano na ɔhunu biribiara a ɛwɔ ɔsoro ase.
For he looketh to the ends of the earth, he seeth under the whole heaven.
25 Ɛberɛ a ɔhyɛɛ mframa ano den too hɔ na ɔsusuu nsuwa no,
In making a weight for the wind, and meting out the waters by measure,
26 ɛberɛ a ɔkaa no ɔhyɛ so kyerɛɛ osutɔ na ɔtwaa ɛkwan maa aprannaa no,
In appointing a statute for the rain, and a way for the thunder's flash:
27 afei ɔhwɛɛ nyansa na ɔkarii no hwɛeɛ; na ɔgyee no too mu na ɔsɔɔ no hwɛeɛ.
Then did he see it, and declare it; he established it, yea, and searched it out;
28 Na ɔka kyerɛɛ onipa sɛ, “Awurade suro, ɛno ne nyansa; na sɛ wɔkyiri bɔne a, wowɔ nteaseɛ.”
And unto man he said, Lo, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
