Hiob 29
1 Hiob toaa so sɛ,
And Job continued his discourse:
2 “Mafe abosome a atwam no, nna a Onyankopɔn hwɛɛ me soɔ no,
“How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me,
3 ɛberɛ a ne kanea hyerɛn mʼatifi na mede ne kanea menantee esum mu no!
when His lamp shone above my head, and by His light I walked through the darkness,
4 Ao, ɛnna a mesii soɔ no, ɛberɛ a Onyankopɔn adamfofa a emu yɛ den hyiraa me fie,
when I was in my prime, when the friendship of God rested on my tent,
5 ɛberɛ a na Otumfoɔ da so ka me ho na me mma atwa me ho ahyia,
when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me,
6 ɛberɛ a na nufosuo mu sradeɛ afɔ mʼakwan na abotan hwiee ngo sɛ nsuo maa me.
when my steps were bathed in cream and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
7 “Ɛberɛ a na mekɔ kuropɔn ɛpono ano mekɔtena mʼadwa so wɔ ɔmanfoɔ adwaberem,
When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square,
8 mmeranteɛ hunu me a, wɔgyina nkyɛn na mpanimfoɔ sɔre gyina hɔ;
the young men saw me and withdrew, and the old men rose to their feet.
9 atitire gyae kasa na wɔde wɔn nsa kata wɔn ano;
The princes refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands.
10 mmapɔmma tɛm dinn, na wɔn tɛkrɛma ka wɔn dodom.
The voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.
11 Wɔn a wɔte me nka nyinaa ka me ho asɛmpa, na wɔn a wɔhunu me nyinaa kamfo me,
For those who heard me called me blessed, and those who saw me commended me,
12 ɛfiri sɛ, meboaa ahiafoɔ a wɔsu pɛɛ mmoa, ne nwisiaa a wɔnni aboafoɔ.
because I rescued the poor who cried out and the fatherless who had no helper.
13 Onipa a na ɔrewuo no hyiraa me; na memaa akunafoɔ ani gyee wɔn akoma mu.
The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
14 Mede tenenee firaa sɛ mʼaduradeɛ; atɛntenenee yɛɛ me nkatasoɔ ne mʼabotire.
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; justice was my robe and my turban.
15 Meyɛɛ aniwa maa anifirafoɔ, ne ɛnan maa abubuafoɔ.
I served as eyes to the blind and as feet to the lame.
16 Meyɛɛ ahiafoɔ agya; na mekaa ahɔhoɔ asɛm maa wɔn.
I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger.
17 Mebubuu amumuyɛfoɔ se na mehwim wɔn a wɔdi wɔn nya no firii wɔn anom.
I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth.
18 “Medwenee sɛ, ‘Mɛwu wɔ mʼankasa me fie mu, na me nna adɔɔso sɛ anwea.
So I thought: ‘I will die in my nest and multiply my days as the sand.
19 Me nhini bɛduru nsuo ano, na obosuo agugu me mman so anadwo mu nyinaa.
My roots will spread out to the waters, and the dew will rest nightly on my branches.
20 Mʼanimuonyam bɛkɔ so ayɛ frɔmm wɔ me so, na mʼahoɔden ayɛ foforɔ.’
My glory is ever new within me, and my bow is renewed in my hand.’
21 “Nnipa hwehwɛɛ sɛ wɔtie me, wɔyɛɛ dinn, twɛnee mʼafotuo.
Men listened to me with expectation, waiting silently for my counsel.
22 Sɛ mekasa wie a wɔnnkasa bio, ɛfiri sɛ me nsɛm tɔɔ wɔn asom yie.
After my words, they spoke no more; my speech settled on them like dew.
23 Wɔtwɛnee me sɛdeɛ wɔtwɛne osutɔ, na wɔmenee me nsɛm sɛ osutɔ berɛ nsuo.
They waited for me as for rain and drank in my words like spring showers.
24 Wɔn abasa mu buiɛ no, mesere kyerɛɛ wɔn; mʼanimteɛ som bo ma wɔn.
If I smiled at them, they did not believe it; the light of my countenance was precious.
25 Mebɔɔ ɛkwan maa wɔn na metenaa ase sɛ wɔn ɔhene; metenaa ase sɛ ɔhene a ɔwɔ nʼakodɔm mu; meyɛɛ sɛ obi a ɔkyekyere agyaadwotwafoɔ werɛ.
I chose their course and presided as chief. So I dwelt as a king among his troops, as a comforter of the mourners.
