Hiob 28
1 Ɛwɔ deɛ wɔtu dwetɛ ne beaeɛ a wɔhoa sika kɔkɔɔ ho.
Surely there is for silver a source, And a place for the gold they refine;
2 Wɔtu dadeɛ firi fam, na wɔnane kɔbere firi dadeben mu.
Iron from the dust is taken, And [from] the firm stone brass.
3 Onipa ma esum ba awieeɛ; na ɔhwehwɛ kɔ akyirikyiri asase mu kɔpɛ dadeben wɔ esum kabii mu.
An end hath he set to darkness, And to all perfection he is searching, A stone of darkness and death-shade.
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.
A stream hath broken out from a sojourner, Those forgotten of the foot, They were low, from man they wandered.
5 Asase a ɛbɔ aduane no, wɔnane aseɛ no te sɛ deɛ wɔde ogya na ayɛ;
The earth! from it cometh forth bread, And its under-part is turned like fire.
6 aboɔdemmoɔ firi nʼabotan mu na sikakɔkɔɔ mpɔ nso wɔ ne mfuturo mu.
A place of the sapphire [are] its stones, And it hath dust of gold.
7 Ɔkɔdeɛ biara nnim saa kwan a ahinta no, akorɔma biara ani nhunuiɛ.
A path — not known it hath a ravenous fowl, Nor scorched it hath an eye of the kite,
8 Mmoa ahantanfoɔ nnante wɔ hɔ na agyata nkɔdɛɛdɛɛ wɔ hɔ.
Nor trodden it have the sons of pride, Not passed over it hath the fierce lion.
9 Onipa nsa paapae abotan denden na ɔma mmepɔ ase da hɔ.
Against the flint he sent forth his hand, He overturned from the root mountains.
10 Ɔtwa aka fa abotan mu, na ɔhunu nʼademudeɛ nyinaa.
Among rocks, brooks he hath cleaved, And every precious thing hath his eye seen.
11 Ɔhwehwɛ baabi a nsubɔntene ti wɔ na ɔda nneɛma a ahinta adi.
From overflowing floods he hath bound, And the hidden thing bringeth out [to] light.
12 Nanso ɛhe na yɛbɛhunu deɛ nyansa hyɛ? Ɛhe na nteaseɛ teɛ?
And the wisdom — whence is it found? And where [is] this, the place of understanding?
13 Onipa renhunu ne bo a ɛsom; wɔrenhunu wɔ ateasefoɔ asase so.
Man hath not known its arrangement, Nor is it found in the land of the living.
14 Na ebunu ka sɛ, “Ɛnni me mu”; na ɛpo nso sɛ, “Ɛnni me nkyɛn.”
The deep hath said, 'It [is] not in me,' And the sea hath said, 'It is not with me.'
15 Wɔrentumi mfa sikakɔkɔɔ amapa ntɔ, na wɔrentumi mfa dwetɛ nkari ne boɔ.
Gold is not given for it, Nor is silver weighed — its price.
16 Wɔrentumi mfa Ofir sikakɔkɔɔ ntɔ apopobibirieboɔ anaa aboɔdemmoɔ nso saa ara.
It is not valued with pure gold of Ophir, With precious onyx and sapphire,
17 Wɔrentumi mfa ahwehwɛ anaa sikakɔkɔɔ ntoto ho, na wɔrentumi mfa sikakɔkɔɔ nnwinneɛ nsesa.
Not equal it do gold and crystal, Nor [is] its exchange a vessel of fine gold.
18 Ɛnsɛ sɛ yɛbɔ ahwene panin ne ahwehwɛboɔ din; nyansa boɔ sene nhwene pa.
Corals and pearl are not remembered, The acquisition of wisdom [is] above rubies.
19 Etiopia akarateboɔ ne no nsɛ; wɔrentumi mfa sikakɔkɔɔ kronn ntɔ.
Not equal it doth the topaz of Cush, With pure gold it is not valued.
20 Ɛnneɛ na ɛhe na nyansa firie? Ɛhe na nteaseɛ teɛ?
And the wisdom — whence doth it come? And where [is] this, the place of understanding?
21 Wɔde asie abɔdeɛ biara ani, wɔde asie ewiem nnomaa mpo.
It hath been hid from the eyes of all living. And from the fowl of the heavens It hath been hidden.
22 Ɔsɛeɛ ne Owuo ka sɛ, “Yɛate no huhuhuhu kɛkɛ.”
Destruction and death have said: 'With our ears we have heard its fame.'
23 Onyankopɔn te ɛkwan a ɛkɔ hɔ ase, na ɔno nko ara na ɔnim baabi a ɛteɛ,
God hath understood its way, And He hath known its place.
24 ɛfiri sɛ ɔhwɛ kɔduru nsase ano na ɔhunu biribiara a ɛwɔ ɔsoro ase.
For He to the ends of the earth doth look, Under the whole heavens He doth see,
25 Ɛberɛ a ɔhyɛɛ mframa ano den too hɔ na ɔsusuu nsuwa no,
To make for the wind a weight, And the waters He meted out in measure.
26 ɛberɛ a ɔkaa no ɔhyɛ so kyerɛɛ osutɔ na ɔtwaa ɛkwan maa aprannaa no,
In His making for the rain a limit, And a way for the brightness of the voices,
27 afei ɔhwɛɛ nyansa na ɔkarii no hwɛeɛ; na ɔgyee no too mu na ɔsɔɔ no hwɛeɛ.
Then He hath seen and declareth it, He hath prepared it, and also searched it out,
28 Na ɔka kyerɛɛ onipa sɛ, “Awurade suro, ɛno ne nyansa; na sɛ wɔkyiri bɔne a, wowɔ nteaseɛ.”
And He saith to man: — 'Lo, fear of the Lord, that [is] wisdom, And to turn from evil [is] understanding.'
