Hiob 29
1 Hiob toaa so sɛ,
And Job continued and said in his parable,
2 “Mafe abosome a atwam no, nna a Onyankopɔn hwɛɛ me soɔ no,
Oh that I were as in months past, wherein God preserved me!
3 ɛberɛ a ne kanea hyerɛn mʼatifi na mede ne kanea menantee esum mu no!
As when his lamp shone over my head; when by his light I walked through darkness.
4 Ao, ɛnna a mesii soɔ no, ɛberɛ a Onyankopɔn adamfofa a emu yɛ den hyiraa me fie,
[As] when I steadfastly pursued my ways, when God took care of my house.
5 ɛberɛ a na Otumfoɔ da so ka me ho na me mma atwa me ho ahyia,
When I was very fruitful, and my children were about me;
6 ɛberɛ a na nufosuo mu sradeɛ afɔ mʼakwan na abotan hwiee ngo sɛ nsuo maa me.
when my ways were moistened with butter, and the mountains flowed for me with milk.
7 “Ɛberɛ a na mekɔ kuropɔn ɛpono ano mekɔtena mʼadwa so wɔ ɔmanfoɔ adwaberem,
When I went forth early in the city, and the seat was placed for me in the streets.
8 mmeranteɛ hunu me a, wɔgyina nkyɛn na mpanimfoɔ sɔre gyina hɔ;
The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and all the old men stood up.
9 atitire gyae kasa na wɔde wɔn nsa kata wɔn ano;
And the great men ceased speaking, and laid their finger on their mouth.
10 mmapɔmma tɛm dinn, na wɔn tɛkrɛma ka wɔn dodom.
And they that heard [me] blessed me, and their tongue clave to their throat.
11 Wɔn a wɔte me nka nyinaa ka me ho asɛmpa, na wɔn a wɔhunu me nyinaa kamfo me,
For the ear heard, and blessed me; and the eye saw me, and turned aside.
12 ɛfiri sɛ, meboaa ahiafoɔ a wɔsu pɛɛ mmoa, ne nwisiaa a wɔnni aboafoɔ.
For I saved the poor out of the hand of the oppressor, and helped the fatherless who had no helper.
13 Onipa a na ɔrewuo no hyiraa me; na memaa akunafoɔ ani gyee wɔn akoma mu.
Let the blessing of the perishing one come upon me; yes, the mouth of the widow has blessed me.
14 Mede tenenee firaa sɛ mʼaduradeɛ; atɛntenenee yɛɛ me nkatasoɔ ne mʼabotire.
Also I put on righteousness, and clothed myself with judgment like a mantle.
15 Meyɛɛ aniwa maa anifirafoɔ, ne ɛnan maa abubuafoɔ.
I was the eye of the blind, and the foot of the lame.
16 Meyɛɛ ahiafoɔ agya; na mekaa ahɔhoɔ asɛm maa wɔn.
I was the father of the helpless; and I searched out the cause which I knew not.
17 Mebubuu amumuyɛfoɔ se na mehwim wɔn a wɔdi wɔn nya no firii wɔn anom.
And I broke the jaw teeth of the unrighteous; I plucked the spoil out of the midst of their teeth.
18 “Medwenee sɛ, ‘Mɛwu wɔ mʼankasa me fie mu, na me nna adɔɔso sɛ anwea.
And I said, My age shall continue as the stem of a palm tree; I shall live a long while.
19 Me nhini bɛduru nsuo ano, na obosuo agugu me mman so anadwo mu nyinaa.
[My] root was spread out by the water, and the dew would lodge on my crop.
20 Mʼanimuonyam bɛkɔ so ayɛ frɔmm wɔ me so, na mʼahoɔden ayɛ foforɔ.’
My glory was fresh in me, and by bow prospered in his hand.
21 “Nnipa hwehwɛɛ sɛ wɔtie me, wɔyɛɛ dinn, twɛnee mʼafotuo.
[Men] heard me, and gave heed, and they were silent at my counsel.
22 Sɛ mekasa wie a wɔnnkasa bio, ɛfiri sɛ me nsɛm tɔɔ wɔn asom yie.
At my word they spoke not again, and they were very gland whenever I spoke to them.
23 Wɔtwɛnee me sɛdeɛ wɔtwɛne osutɔ, na wɔmenee me nsɛm sɛ osutɔ berɛ nsuo.
As the thirsty earth expecting the rain, so they [waited for] my speech.
24 Wɔn abasa mu buiɛ no, mesere kyerɛɛ wɔn; mʼanimteɛ som bo ma wɔn.
Were I to laugh on them, they would not believe [it]; and the light of my face has not failed.
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 out their way, and sat chief, and lived as a king in the midst of warriors, as one comforting mourners.
