Hiob 4
1 Na Temanni Elifas buaa Hiob sɛ,
Then Eliphaz the Thaemanite answered and said,
2 “Sɛ obi pɛ sɛ ɔne wo kasa a, worennya ntoboaseɛ mma no anaa? Hwan na wɔbɛtumi aka nʼano ato mu?
Hast you been often spoken to in distress? but who shall endure the force of your words?
3 Dwene sɛdeɛ wakyerɛkyerɛ nnipa bebree, sɛdeɛ woahyɛ nsa a emu ayɛ mmerɛ den.
For whereas you have instructed many, and have strengthened the hands of the weak one,
4 Wo nsɛm ahyɛ wɔn a wɔasunti no den; woahyɛ nkotodwe a ayɛ mmerɛ mu den.
and have supported the failing with words, and have imparted courage to feeble knees.
5 Na afei a ɔhaw aba no, wʼaba mu abu; aba wo so, na wo ho adwiri wo.
Yet now [that] pain has come upon you, and touched you, you are troubled.
6 Wo nyamesuro mma wo ahotosoɔ anaa, na wʼakwan a ɛho nni asɛm mma wo anidasoɔ anaa?
Is not your fear [founded] in folly, your hope also, and the mischief of your way?
7 “Dwene ho: Wɔasɛe obi a ne ho nni asɛm pɛn anaa? Ɛhefa na wɔsɛee obi a ɔyɛ pɛ?
Remember then who has perished, being pure? or when were the true-hearted utterly destroyed?
8 Sɛdeɛ mahunu no, wɔn a wɔfɛntɛm bɔne ne wɔn a wɔdua ɔhaw no, wɔtwa so aba.
Accordingly as I have seen men plowing barren places, and they that sow them will reap sorrows for themselves.
9 Sɛ Onyankopɔn home a, wɔsɛe; nʼabufuo ma wɔyera.
They shall perish by the command of the Lord, and shall be utterly consumed by the breath of his wrath.
10 Agyata bɛtumi abobom na wɔapɔ so, nanso wɔbɛbubu gyata akɛseɛ no se.
The strength of the lion, and the voice of the lioness, and the exulting cry of serpents are quenched.
11 Gyata annya haboa a ɔwu, na gyatabereɛ mma no bɔ hwete.
The old lion has perished for lack of food, and the lions' whelps have forsaken one another.
12 “Wɔbɛkaa kokoamsɛm bi kyerɛɛ me na mʼaso tee no sɛ asomusɛm.
But if there had been any truth in your words, none of these evils would have befallen you. Shall not mine ear receive excellent [revelations] from him?
13 Wɔ anadwo daeɛso basabasa mu, ɛberɛ a nnipa adeda nnahɔɔ no,
But [as when] terror falls upon men, with dread and a sound in the night,
14 ehu ne nketenkete kyeree me. Ɛmaa me nnompe nyinaa wosoeɛ.
horror and trembling seized me, and caused all my bones greatly to shake.
15 Honhom bi twaa mʼani so, na me ho nwi sɔre gyinaeɛ.
And a spirit came before my face; and my hair and flesh quivered.
16 Ɛgyinaeɛ, nanso, manhunu nʼabɔsuo. Biribi bɛgyinaa mʼanim, na metee nne bɔkɔɔ bi a ɛrebisa sɛ,
I arose and perceived it not: I looked, and there, was no form before my eyes: but I only heard a breath and a voice, [saying],
17 ‘Onipa dasani bɛtumi atene asene Onyankopɔn? Onipa bɛtumi ayɛ kronn asene ne Yɛfoɔ anaa?
What, shall a mortal be pure before the Lord? or a man be blameless in regard to his works?
18 Sɛ Onyankopɔn ntumi mfa ne ho nto nʼankasa asomfoɔ so, na sɛ ɔka nʼabɔfoɔ mpo anim a,
Whereas he trust not in his servants, and perceives perverseness in his angels.
19 hwan ne onipa a wɔde dɔteɛ anwene no, a ne fapem sisi mfuturo mu na wɔdwerɛ no ntɛm so sene abubummabaa?
But [as for] them that dwell in houses of clay, of whom we also are formed of the same clay, he smites them like a moth.
20 Ɛfiri anɔpahema kɔsi anwummerɛ wɔbubu wɔn mu nketenkete; na wɔyera korakora a obiara nhunu wɔn bio.
And from the morning to evening they no longer exist: they have perished, because they can’t help themselves.
21 Wɔtete wɔn ntomadan nhoma mu, ɛno enti wɔwuwu a wɔnnim.’
For he blows upon them, and they are withered: they have perished for lack of wisdom.
