Hiob 3
1 Akyire no, Hiob kasaeɛ, na ɔdomee ɛda a wɔwoo no.
After this, opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.
2 Ɔkaa sɛ,
So then Job began, and said:
3 “Ma ɛda a wɔwoo me no nyera, ne anadwo a wɔkaa sɛ, ‘Wɔawo ɔbabarima no!’
Perish, the day wherein I was born, and the night it was said, Lo! a manchild!
4 Saa ɛda no nnuru sum; mma Ɔsoro Onyankopɔn nhwehwɛ akyire kwan; mma hann biara ntɔ ngu so.
That day, be it darkness, —Let not God enquire after it from above, May there shine upon it no clear beam:
5 Ma esum ne owusum nnye no mfa; ma omununkum nkata so; na esum mmunkam ne hann so.
Let darkness and death-shade buy it back, May there settle down upon it a cloud, Let a day’s dark eclipse cause it terror:
6 Ma esum kabii nnye saa anadwo no mfa; ma wɔnyi saa anadwo no mfiri asranna so na wɔmmfa nhyɛ ɔbosome biara mu.
That night, darkness take it, —May it not rejoice among the days of the year, Into the number of months, let it not enter.
7 Saa anadwo no nyɛ obonini; mma wɔnnte anigyeɛ nteam wɔ mu.
Lo! that night, be it barren, Let no joyous shouting enter therein:
8 Ma wɔn a wɔdome nna no nnome saa ɛda no; wɔn a wɔayɛ krado sɛ wɔbɛkanyane dɛnkyɛmmirampɔn no.
Let day-cursers denounce it, Those skilled in rousing the dragon of the sky:
9 Ma nʼanɔpa nsoromma nnuru sum; na ɔntwɛne adekyeeɛ kwa a ɔnhunu anɔpa owia nsensaneɛ a ɛdi ɛkan,
Darkened be the stars of its twilight, —Let it wait for light, and there be none, neither let it see the eyelashes of the dawn:
10 ɛfiri sɛ anto deɛ ɔwoo me awotwaa mu ama wawo me, anka mʼani nhunu saa abɛbrɛsɛ yi.
Because it closed not the doors of the womb wherein I was, and so hid trouble from mine eyes.
11 “Adɛn enti na manwu awoeɛ hɔ, ɛberɛ a mefiri me maame awotwaa mu no?
Wherefore, in the womb, did I not die? From the womb, come forth and cease to breathe?
12 Adɛn enti na nkotodwe gyee me ne nufoɔ sɛ mennum?
For what reason, were there prepared for me—knees? and why—breasts, that I might suck?
13 Anka sɛsɛɛ meda hɔ asomdwoeɛ mu; anka mada regye mʼahome
Surely, at once, had I lain down, and been quiet, I had fallen asleep, then, had I been at rest:
14 me ne ewiase ahemfo ne fotufoɔ, wɔn a wɔsisii adan maa wɔn ho na ɛnnɛ yi abubuo no,
With kings, and counselors of the earth, who had built them pyramids:
15 me ne sodifoɔ a na wɔwɔ sika kɔkɔɔ, wɔn a wɔde dwetɛ hyɛɛ wɔn afie mu ma.
Or with rulers possessing, gold, —Who had filled their houses with silver:
16 Anaasɛ adɛn enti na wɔansie me sɛ ɔpɔn ba, te sɛ abadomaa a wanhunu adekyeeɛ hann da?
Or that, like an untimely birth hidden away, I had not come into being, like infants that never saw light:
17 Ɛhɔ na amumuyɛfoɔ gyae basabasayɛ, na abrɛfoɔ nya ahomegyeɛ.
There, the lawless, cease from raging, and there the toil-worn are at rest:
18 Nneduafoɔ nso nya wɔn ahofadie; na wɔnte nnommumfoɔ wuranom ateatea bio.
At once are prisoners at peace, they hear not the voice of a driver:
19 Nketewa ne akɛseɛ wɔ hɔ, na akoa de ne ho firi ne wura nsam.
Small and great, there, they are, and, the slave, is free from his master.
20 “Adɛn enti na wɔma mmɔborɔfoɔ hann, na ɔkra mu ahohiahiafoɔ nya nkwa?
Wherefore give, to the wretched, light? Or, life, to the embittered in soul?—
21 Wɔn kɔn dɔ owuo, nanso ɛmma. Wɔbrɛ hwehwɛ owuo sene sɛdeɛ wɔhwehwɛ akoradeɛ.
Who long for death, and it is not, And have digged for it, beyond hid treasures:
22 Sɛ wɔwu a, wɔn ani gye na wɔduru damena mu a, wɔdi ahurisie.
Who rejoice unto exultation, Are glad, when they can find the grave:
23 Adɛn enti na wɔde nkwa ma onipa a ɔnni daakye, deɛ Onyankopɔn aka no ahyɛ mu?
To a man, whose way is concealed, And GOD hath straitly enclosed him?
24 Ahomekokoguo adane mʼaduane; na mʼapinisie gu te sɛ nsuo.
For, in the face of my food, my sighing, cometh in, and, poured out like the water, are my groans:
25 Deɛ na mesuro no aba me so; deɛ na ɛbɔ me hu no ato me.
For, a dread, I dreaded, and it hath come upon me, and, that from which I shrank, hath overtaken me.
26 Menni ahotɔ, menni asomdwoeɛ; menni ahomegyeɛ na mmom, ɔhaw nko ara.”
I was not careless, nor was I secure, nor had I settled down, —when there came—consternation!
