Hiob 31

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

I Made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?

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

For what portion of God [is there] from above? and [what] inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

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

[Is] not destruction to the wicked? and a strange [punishment] to the workers of iniquity?

4 Ɔnhunu mʼakwan na ɔnkan anammɔn biara a metuo anaa?

Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?

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

If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;

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

Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know my integrity.

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

If my step hath turned out of the way, and my heart walked after my eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to my hands;

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

[Then] let me sow, and let another eat; yes, let my offspring be rooted out.

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

If my heart hath been deceived by a woman, or [if] I have laid wait at my neighbor's door;

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

[Then] let my wife grind to another, and let others bow down upon her.

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

For this [is] a hainous crime; yea, it [is] an iniquity [to be punished by] the judges.

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

For it [is] a fire [that] consumeth to destruction, and would root out all my increase.

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

If I despised the cause of my man-servant or of my maid-servant, when they contended 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 riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?

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?

Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?

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

If I have withheld the poor from [their] desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

17 Mabɔ mʼaduane ho atirimuɔden a mamma nwisiaa bi?

Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten of it;

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

(For from my youth he was brought up with me, as [with] a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb; )

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

If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;

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

If his loins have not blessed me, and [if] he hath not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

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

If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:

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

[Then] let my arm fall from my shoulder-blade, and my arm be broken from the bone.

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

For destruction [from] God [was] a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.

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

If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, [Thou art] my confidence;

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

If I have rejoiced because my wealth [was] great, and because my hand had gained much;

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

If I have beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking [in] brightness;

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

And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:

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

This also [were] an iniquity [to be punished by] the judge: for I should have denied the God [that is] above.

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

If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or have lifted up myself when evil found him:

30 Memmaa mʼano nyɛɛ bɔne sɛ mɛdome obi nkwa.

Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.

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

If the men of my tabernacle have not said, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be 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 street: [but] I opened my doors to the traveler.

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

If I have covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding my iniquity in my bosom:

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

Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, [and] went not out of the door?

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 one would hear me! behold, my desire [is], [that] the Almighty would answer me, and [that] my adversary had written a book.

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

Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, [and] bind it [as] a crown to me.

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

I would declare to him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near to him.

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

If my land crieth against me, or its furrows likewise complain;

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

If I have eaten the fruits of it without money, or have caused its owners to lose their life:

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

Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.