Hiob 31
1 “Me ne mʼani yɛɛ apam sɛ meremfiri akɔnnɔ mu nhwɛ ababaawa.
I made a couenant with mine eyes: why then should I thinke on a mayde?
2 Ɛdeɛn ne onipa kyɛfa a ɛfiri ɔsoro Onyankopɔn nkyɛn? Ɛdeɛn ne nʼagyapadeɛ a ɛfiri ɔsoro Otumfoɔ no nkyɛn?
For what portion should I haue of God from aboue? and what inheritance of the Almightie from on hie?
3 Ɛnyɛ ɔsɛeɛ mma amumuyɛfoɔ? Ɛnyɛ asiane mma wɔn a wɔyɛ bɔne?
Is not destruction to the wicked and strange punishment to the workers of iniquitie?
4 Ɔnhunu mʼakwan na ɔnkan anammɔn biara a metuo anaa?
Doeth not he beholde my wayes and tell all my steps?
5 “Sɛ manante wɔ nkontompo mu anaasɛ matu mmirika adi nnaadaasɛm akyi a,
If I haue walked in vanitie, or if my foote hath made haste to deceite,
6 ma Onyankopɔn nkari me wɔ nsania papa so na ɔbɛhunu sɛ me ho nni asɛm.
Let God weigh me in the iust balance, and he shall know mine vprightnes.
7 Sɛ mʼanammɔntuo afom ɛkwan, sɛ mʼakoma adi mʼani akyi, anaasɛ me nsa ho agu fi a
If my steppe hath turned out of the way, or mine heart hath walked after mine eye, or if any blot hath cleaued to mine handes,
8 ɛnneɛ ma afoforɔ nni deɛ madua, na ma wɔntutu me mfudeɛ ngu.
Let me sowe, and let another eate: yea, let my plantes be rooted out.
9 “Sɛ ɔbaa bi atɔ mʼakoma so, anaasɛ matɛ me yɔnko bi ɛpono akyi a,
If mine heart hath bene deceiued by a woman, or if I haue layde wayte at the doore of my neighbour,
10 ɛnneɛ, me yere nyam ɔbarima foforɔ aduane, na mmarima afoforɔ ne no nna.
Let my wife grinde vnto another man, and let other men bow downe vpon her:
11 Ɛfiri sɛ, anka ɛno na ɛbɛyɛ aniwusɛm ne bɔne a ɛsɛ sɛ wɔtwe aso wɔ so.
For this is a wickednes, and iniquitie to bee condemned:
12 Ɛyɛ ogya a ɛhye kɔduru ɔsɛeɛ mu na ɛbɛtumi atutu mʼagyapadeɛ nyinaa ase.
Yea, this is a fire that shall deuoure to destruction, and which shall roote out al mine increase,
13 “Sɛ mabu mʼasomfoɔ mmarima ne mmaa ntɛnkyea ɛberɛ a wɔ ne me nyaa asɛm,
If I did contemne the iudgement of my seruant, and of my mayde, when they did contend 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 when God standeth vp? and when he shall visit me, what shall I answere?
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?
He that hath made me in the wombe, hath he not made him? hath not he alone facioned vs in the wombe?
16 “Ohiani bi wɔ hɔ a ɔhia mmoa a mammoa no? Anaa mabu akunafoɔ bi abasa mu?
If I restrained the poore of their desire, or haue caused the eyes of the widow to faile,
17 Mabɔ mʼaduane ho atirimuɔden a mamma nwisiaa bi?
Or haue eaten my morsels alone, and the fatherles hath not eaten thereof,
18 Dabi, ɛfiri me mmeranteberɛ mu, matete wɔn sɛdeɛ agya bɛyɛ, na me nkwa nna nyinaa mu, mahwɛ akunafoɔ.
(For from my youth hee hath growen vp with me as with a father, and from my mothers wombe I haue bene a guide vnto her)
19 Sɛ mahunu obi a ɔnni aduradeɛ na ɔrebrɛ, anaa ohiani bi a ɔnni atadeɛ,
If I haue seene any perish for want of clothing, or any poore without couering,
20 na sɛ wamfiri akoma mu anhyira me wɔ ɛberɛ a mede me nnwan ho nwi kaa no hye,
If his loynes haue not blessed me, because he was warmed with the fleece of my sheepe,
21 sɛ mama me nsa so atia awisiaa bi, ɛsiane sɛ mewɔ tumi wɔ asɛnniiɛ enti a,
If I haue lift vp mine hande against the fatherlesse, when I saw that I might helpe him in the gate,
22 ɛnneɛ ma mʼabasa mpan mfiri mʼabatiri, ma ɛmmubu mfiri ne pɔ so.
Let mine arme fal from my shoulder, and mine arme be broken from the bone.
23 Mesuroo ɔsɛeɛ a ɛfiri Onyankopɔn nkyɛn, na nʼanimuonyam ho suro enti mantumi anyɛ saa nneɛma yi.
For Gods punishment was fearefull vnto me, and I could not be deliuered from his highnes.
24 “Sɛ mede me werɛ ahyɛ sikakɔkɔɔ mu anaasɛ maka akyerɛ sikakɔkɔɔ amapa sɛ, ‘Wo na wobɔ me ho ban,’
If I made gold mine hope, or haue sayd to the wedge of golde, Thou art my confidence,
25 sɛ masɛpɛ me ho wɔ mʼahodeɛ bebrebe enti, ahodeɛ a me nsa aka yi,
If I reioyced because my substance was great, or because mine hand had gotten much,
26 sɛ mahwɛ owia a ɛhyerɛn anaa ɔsrane a ɛnam animuonyam mu,
If I did behold the sunne, when it shined, or the moone, walking in her brightnes,
27 ama aka mʼakoma a obiara nnim na me nsa yɛɛ wɔn atuu de anidie maa wɔn a,
If mine heart did flatter me in secrete, or if my mouth did kisse mine hand,
28 ɛnneɛ na yeinom nso bɛyɛ bɔne a wɔbu ho atɛn, ɛfiri sɛ na manni Onyankopɔn a ɔte ɔsoro no nokorɛ.
(This also had bene an iniquitie to be condemned: for I had denied the God aboue)
29 “Mʼani nnyee wɔ me ɔtamfoɔ amanehunu ho anaa menseree no wɔ ɔhaw a aba ne so.
If I reioyced at his destruction that hated me, or was mooued to ioye when euill came vpon him,
30 Memmaa mʼano nyɛɛ bɔne sɛ mɛdome obi nkwa.
Neither haue I suffred my mouth to sinne, by wishing a curse vnto his soule.
31 Mʼasomfoɔ a wɔwɔ me fidua mu nkaa da sɛ, ‘Ɔma ɛkɔm de yɛn.’
Did not the men of my Tabernacle say, Who shall giue vs of his flesh? we can not bee satisfied.
32 Ɔhɔhoɔ biara anna abɔntene so da, ɛfiri sɛ me ɛpono ano daa hɔ da biara maa akwantufoɔ,
The stranger did not lodge in the streete, but I opened my doores vnto him, that went by the way.
33 Makata me bɔne so sɛdeɛ nnipa yɛ de mʼafɔdie ahyɛ mʼakoma mu?
If I haue hid my sinne, as Adam, concealing mine iniquitie in my bosome,
34 Suro a mesuro nnipadɔm ne ahohora a ɛfiri mmusua hɔ no enti meyɛɛ komm a mamfiri adi?
Though I could haue made afraid a great multitude, yet the most contemptible of the families did feare me: so I kept silence, and went not out of the doore.
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 some to heare me! beholde my signe that the Almightie will witnesse for me: though mine aduersary should write a booke against me,
36 Ampa ara, anka mede bɛhyɛ mʼabatiri, anka mede bɛhyɛ sɛ ahenkyɛ.
Woulde not I take it vpon my shoulder, and binde it as a crowne vnto me?
37 Anka mɛbu mʼanammɔntuo biara ho akonta akyerɛ no; anka mɛkɔ nʼanim sɛ ɔheneba.)
I will tell him the nomber of my goings, and goe vnto him as to a prince.
38 “Sɛ mʼasase team tia me na nisuo fɔ nʼakofie nyinaa,
If my lande cry against me, or the furrowes thereof complayne together,
39 sɛ madi so aba a mentuaa ka anaasɛ mabu ɛso apaafoɔ no abamu a,
If I haue eaten the fruites thereof without siluer: or if I haue grieued the soules of the masters thereof,
40 ma nkasɛɛ mfifiri nsi ayuo anan mu na wira mfu nsi atokoɔ anan mu.” Hiob nsɛm no asi.
Let thistles growe in steade of wheate, and cockle in the stead of Barley. The wordes of Iob are ended.
