Hiob 29
1 Hiob toaa so sɛ,
And Job adds to lift up his allegory and says:
2 “Mafe abosome a atwam no, nna a Onyankopɔn hwɛɛ me soɔ no,
“Who makes me as [in] months past, As [in] the days of God’s preserving me?
3 ɛberɛ a ne kanea hyerɛn mʼatifi na mede ne kanea menantee esum mu no!
In His causing His lamp to shine on my head, By His light I walk [through] darkness.
4 Ao, ɛnna a mesii soɔ no, ɛberɛ a Onyankopɔn adamfofa a emu yɛ den hyiraa me fie,
As I have been in days of my maturity, And the counsel of God on my tent.
5 ɛberɛ a na Otumfoɔ da so ka me ho na me mma atwa me ho ahyia,
When yet the Mighty One [is] with me. Around me—my young ones,
6 ɛberɛ a na nufosuo mu sradeɛ afɔ mʼakwan na abotan hwiee ngo sɛ nsuo maa me.
When washing my goings with butter, And the firm rock [is] with me—streams of oil.
7 “Ɛberɛ a na mekɔ kuropɔn ɛpono ano mekɔtena mʼadwa so wɔ ɔmanfoɔ adwaberem,
When I go out to the gate by the city, In a broad place I prepare my seat.
8 mmeranteɛ hunu me a, wɔgyina nkyɛn na mpanimfoɔ sɔre gyina hɔ;
Youths have seen me, and they have been hidden, And the aged have risen—they stood up.
9 atitire gyae kasa na wɔde wɔn nsa kata wɔn ano;
Princes have kept in words, And they place a hand on their mouth.
10 mmapɔmma tɛm dinn, na wɔn tɛkrɛma ka wɔn dodom.
The voice of leaders has been hidden, And their tongue has cleaved to the palate.
11 Wɔn a wɔte me nka nyinaa ka me ho asɛmpa, na wɔn a wɔhunu me nyinaa kamfo me,
For the ear heard, and declares me blessed, And the eye has seen, and testifies [to] me.
12 ɛfiri sɛ, meboaa ahiafoɔ a wɔsu pɛɛ mmoa, ne nwisiaa a wɔnni aboafoɔ.
For I deliver the afflicted who is crying, And the fatherless who has no helper.
13 Onipa a na ɔrewuo no hyiraa me; na memaa akunafoɔ ani gyee wɔn akoma mu.
The blessing of the perishing comes on me, And I cause the heart of the widow to sing.
14 Mede tenenee firaa sɛ mʼaduradeɛ; atɛntenenee yɛɛ me nkatasoɔ ne mʼabotire.
I have put on righteousness, and it clothes me, My justice as a robe and a crown.
15 Meyɛɛ aniwa maa anifirafoɔ, ne ɛnan maa abubuafoɔ.
I have been eyes to the blind, And I [am] feet to the lame.
16 Meyɛɛ ahiafoɔ agya; na mekaa ahɔhoɔ asɛm maa wɔn.
I [am] a father to the needy, And the cause I have not known I search out.
17 Mebubuu amumuyɛfoɔ se na mehwim wɔn a wɔdi wɔn nya no firii wɔn anom.
And I break the jaw-teeth of the perverse, And from his teeth I cast away prey.
18 “Medwenee sɛ, ‘Mɛwu wɔ mʼankasa me fie mu, na me nna adɔɔso sɛ anwea.
And I say, I expire with my nest, And I multiply days as the sand.
19 Me nhini bɛduru nsuo ano, na obosuo agugu me mman so anadwo mu nyinaa.
My root is open to the waters, And dew lodges on my branch.
20 Mʼanimuonyam bɛkɔ so ayɛ frɔmm wɔ me so, na mʼahoɔden ayɛ foforɔ.’
My glory [is] fresh with me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.
21 “Nnipa hwehwɛɛ sɛ wɔtie me, wɔyɛɛ dinn, twɛnee mʼafotuo.
They have listened to me, Indeed, they wait, and are silent for my counsel.
22 Sɛ mekasa wie a wɔnnkasa bio, ɛfiri sɛ me nsɛm tɔɔ wɔn asom yie.
After my word they do not change, And my speech drops on them,
23 Wɔtwɛnee me sɛdeɛ wɔtwɛne osutɔ, na wɔmenee me nsɛm sɛ osutɔ berɛ nsuo.
And they wait for me as [for] rain, And they have opened wide their mouth [As] for the spring rain.
24 Wɔn abasa mu buiɛ no, mesere kyerɛɛ wɔn; mʼanimteɛ som bo ma wɔn.
I laugh at them—they give no credence, And do not cause the light of my face to fall.
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 choose their way, and sit [as] head, And I dwell as a king in a troop, When he comforts mourners.”
