Hiob 31

1 “Me ne mʼani yɛɛ apam sɛ meremfiri akɔnnɔ mu nhwɛ ababaawa.

I made a covenant with mine eyes, and I will not think upon a virgin.

2 Ɛdeɛn ne onipa kyɛfa a ɛfiri ɔsoro Onyankopɔn nkyɛn? Ɛdeɛn ne nʼagyapadeɛ a ɛfiri ɔsoro Otumfoɔ no nkyɛn?

Now what portion has God given from above? and is there an inheritance [given] of the Mighty One from the highest?

3 Ɛnyɛ ɔsɛeɛ mma amumuyɛfoɔ? Ɛnyɛ asiane mma wɔn a wɔyɛ bɔne?

Alas! destruction to the unrighteous, and rejection to them that do iniquity.

4 Ɔnhunu mʼakwan na ɔnkan anammɔn biara a metuo anaa?

Will he not see my way, and number all my steps?

5 “Sɛ manante wɔ nkontompo mu anaasɛ matu mmirika adi nnaadaasɛm akyi a,

But if I had gone with scorners, and if too my foot has hasted to deceit:

6 ma Onyankopɔn nkari me wɔ nsania papa so na ɔbɛhunu sɛ me ho nni asɛm.

(for I am weighed in a just balance, and the Lord knows my innocence: )

7 Sɛ mʼanammɔntuo afom ɛkwan, sɛ mʼakoma adi mʼani akyi, anaasɛ me nsa ho agu fi a

if my foot has turned aside out of the way, or if mine heart has followed mine eye, and if too I have touched gifts with my hands;

8 ɛnneɛ ma afoforɔ nni deɛ madua, na ma wɔntutu me mfudeɛ ngu.

then let me sow, and let others eat; and let me be uprooted on the earth.

9 “Sɛ ɔbaa bi atɔ mʼakoma so, anaasɛ matɛ me yɔnko bi ɛpono akyi a,

If my heart has gone forth after another man's wife, and if I laid wait at her doors;

10 ɛnneɛ, me yere nyam ɔbarima foforɔ aduane, na mmarima afoforɔ ne no nna.

then let my wife also please another, and let my children be brought low.

11 Ɛfiri sɛ, anka ɛno na ɛbɛyɛ aniwusɛm ne bɔne a ɛsɛ sɛ wɔtwe aso wɔ so.

For the rage of anger is not to be controlled, [in the case] of defiling [another] man's wife.

12 Ɛyɛ ogya a ɛhye kɔduru ɔsɛeɛ mu na ɛbɛtumi atutu mʼagyapadeɛ nyinaa ase.

For it is a fire burning on every side, and whoever it attacks, it utterly destroys.

13 “Sɛ mabu mʼasomfoɔ mmarima ne mmaa ntɛnkyea ɛberɛ a wɔ ne me nyaa asɛm,

And if too I despised the judgement of my servant or [my] handmaid, when they pleaded with me;

14 na sɛ Onyankopɔn de si mʼanim a, ɛdeɛn na mɛyɛ? Sɛ wɔfrɛ me akontabuo a, mmuaeɛ bɛn na mɛma?

what then shall I do if the Lord should try me? and if also he should at all visit me, can I make an answer?

15 Ɛnyɛ deɛ ɔbɔɔ me wɔ yafunu mu no na ɔbɔɔ wɔn? Ɛnyɛ onipa korɔ no na ɔbɔɔ yɛn nyinaa wɔ yɛn maamenom yafunu mu?

Were not they too formed as I also was formed in the womb? yes, we were formed in the same womb.

16 “Ohiani bi wɔ hɔ a ɔhia mmoa a mammoa no? Anaa mabu akunafoɔ bi abasa mu?

But the helpless missed not whatever need they had, and I did not cause the eye of the widow to fail.

17 Mabɔ mʼaduane ho atirimuɔden a mamma nwisiaa bi?

And if too I ate my morsel alone, and did not impart [of it] to the orphan;

18 Dabi, ɛfiri me mmeranteberɛ mu, matete wɔn sɛdeɛ agya bɛyɛ, na me nkwa nna nyinaa mu, mahwɛ akunafoɔ.

(for I nourished [them] as a father from my youth and guided [them] from my mother's womb.)

19 Sɛ mahunu obi a ɔnni aduradeɛ na ɔrebrɛ, anaa ohiani bi a ɔnni atadeɛ,

And if too I overlooked the naked as he was perishing, and did not clothe him;

20 na sɛ wamfiri akoma mu anhyira me wɔ ɛberɛ a mede me nnwan ho nwi kaa no hye,

and if the poor did not bless me, and their shoulders were [not] warmed with the fleece of my lambs;

21 sɛ mama me nsa so atia awisiaa bi, ɛsiane sɛ mewɔ tumi wɔ asɛnniiɛ enti a,

if I lifted my hand against an orphan, trusting that my strength was far superior [to his]:

22 ɛnneɛ ma mʼabasa mpan mfiri mʼabatiri, ma ɛmmubu mfiri ne pɔ so.

let them my shoulder start from the blade-bone, and my arm be crushed off from the elbow.

23 Mesuroo ɔsɛeɛ a ɛfiri Onyankopɔn nkyɛn, na nʼanimuonyam ho suro enti mantumi anyɛ saa nneɛma yi.

For the fear of the Lord constrained me, and I can’t bear up by reason of his burden.

24 “Sɛ mede me werɛ ahyɛ sikakɔkɔɔ mu anaasɛ maka akyerɛ sikakɔkɔɔ amapa sɛ, ‘Wo na wobɔ me ho ban,’

If I made gold my treasure, and if too I trusted the precious stone;

25 sɛ masɛpɛ me ho wɔ mʼahodeɛ bebrebe enti, ahodeɛ a me nsa aka yi,

and if too I rejoiced when my wealth was abundant, and if too I laid my hand on innumerable [treasures]:

26 sɛ mahwɛ owia a ɛhyerɛn anaa ɔsrane a ɛnam animuonyam mu,

(do we not see the shining sun eclipsed, and the moon waning? for they have not [power to continue]: )

27 ama aka mʼakoma a obiara nnim na me nsa yɛɛ wɔn atuu de anidie maa wɔn a,

and if my heart was secretly deceived, and if I have laid my hand upon my mouth and kissed it:

28 ɛnneɛ na yeinom nso bɛyɛ bɔne a wɔbu ho atɛn, ɛfiri sɛ na manni Onyankopɔn a ɔte ɔsoro no nokorɛ.

let this also then be reckoned to me as the greatest iniquity: for I [should] have lied against the Lord Most High.

29 “Mʼani nnyee wɔ me ɔtamfoɔ amanehunu ho anaa menseree no wɔ ɔhaw a aba ne so.

And if too I was glad at the fall of mine enemies, and mine heart said, Aha!

30 Memmaa mʼano nyɛɛ bɔne sɛ mɛdome obi nkwa.

let then mine ear hear my curse, and let me be a byword amongst my people in my affliction.

31 Mʼasomfoɔ a wɔwɔ me fidua mu nkaa da sɛ, ‘Ɔma ɛkɔm de yɛn.’

And if too my handmaids have often said, Oh that we might be satisfied with his flesh; (whereas I was very kind:

32 Ɔhɔhoɔ biara anna abɔntene so da, ɛfiri sɛ me ɛpono ano daa hɔ da biara maa akwantufoɔ,

for the stranger did not lodge without, and my door was opened to every one that came: )

33 Makata me bɔne so sɛdeɛ nnipa yɛ de mʼafɔdie ahyɛ mʼakoma mu?

or if too having sinned unintentionally, I hid my sin;

34 Suro a mesuro nnipadɔm ne ahohora a ɛfiri mmusua hɔ no enti meyɛɛ komm a mamfiri adi?

(for I did not stand in awe of a great multitude, so as not to declare boldly before them: ) and if too I permitted a poor man to go out of my door with an empty bosom:

35 (“Ao, sɛ anka mewɔ obi a ɔbɛtie me. Mede me din ahyɛ mʼanoyie ase, ma Otumfoɔ no mmua me; ma deɛ ɔbɔ me kwaadu no ntwerɛ ne soboɔbɔ.

(Oh that I had a hearer, ) and if I had not feared the hand of the Lord; and [as to] the written charge which I had against any one,

36 Ampa ara, anka mede bɛhyɛ mʼabatiri, anka mede bɛhyɛ sɛ ahenkyɛ.

I would place [it] as a chaplet on my shoulders, and read it.

37 Anka mɛbu mʼanammɔntuo biara ho akonta akyerɛ no; anka mɛkɔ nʼanim sɛ ɔheneba.)

And if I did not read it and return it, having taken nothing from the debtor:

38 “Sɛ mʼasase team tia me na nisuo fɔ nʼakofie nyinaa,

If at any time the land groaned against me, and if its furrows mourned together;

39 sɛ madi so aba a mentuaa ka anaasɛ mabu ɛso apaafoɔ no abamu a,

and if I ate its strength alone without price, and if I too grieved the heart of the owner of the soil, by taking [anything] from [him]:

40 ma nkasɛɛ mfifiri nsi ayuo anan mu na wira mfu nsi atokoɔ anan mu.” Hiob nsɛm no asi.

then let the nettle come up to me instead of wheat, and a bramble instead of barley. And Job ceased speaking.