Job 29

1 Job again took up his parable, and said,

Hiob toaa so se,

2 “Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;

“Mʼani agyina asram a atwa mu no, nna a Onyankopɔn hwɛɛ me so no,

3 when his lamp shone on my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,

bere a ne kanea hyerɛn mʼatifi na mede ne kanea nantewee sum mu no!

4 as I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was in my tent,

Ao, nna a misii so no, bere a Onyankopɔn adamfofa a emu yɛ den hyiraa me fi,

5 when the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me,

bere a na Otumfo no da so ka me ho na me mma atwa me ho ahyia no,

6 when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil for me,

bere a na nufusu mu srade afɔw mʼakwan na abotan hwiee ngo sɛ nsu maa me no.

7 when I went out to the city gate, when I prepared my seat in the street.

“Bere a na mekɔ kuropɔn pon ano mekɔtena mʼagua so wɔ ɔmanfo aguabɔbea,

8 The young men saw me and hid themselves. The aged rose up and stood.

mmerante hu me a, wogyina nkyɛn na mpanyimfo sɔre gyina hɔ;

9 The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.

atitiriw gyae kasa na wɔde wɔn nsa kata wɔn ano;

10 The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.

mmapɔmma tɛm dinn, na wɔn tɛkrɛma ka wɔn dudom.

11 For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it commended me,

Wɔn a wɔte me nka nyinaa ka me ho asɛmpa, na wɔn a wohu me nyinaa kamfo me,

12 because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless also, who had no one to help him,

efisɛ meboaa ahiafo a wosu pɛɛ mmoa, ne ayisaa a wonni aboafo.

13 the blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.

Onipa a na ɔrewu no hyiraa me; na memaa akunafo ani gyee wɔn koma mu.

14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was as a robe and a diadem.

Mede trenee furaa sɛ mʼadurade; atɛntrenee yɛɛ me nkataso ne mʼabotiri.

15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.

Meyɛɛ aniwa maa anifuraefo, ne anan maa mmubuafo.

16 I was a father to the needy. I researched the cause of him whom I didn’t know.

Meyɛɛ ahiafo agya; na mekaa ahɔho asɛm maa wɔn.

17 I broke the jaws of the unrighteous and plucked the prey out of his teeth.

Mibubuu amumɔyɛfo se na mihwim wɔn a wodi wɔn nya no fii wɔn anom.

18 Then I said, ‘I will die in my own house, I will count my days as the sand.

“Medwenee sɛ, ‘Mewu wɔ mʼankasa me fi mu, na me nna dɔɔso sɛ nwea.

19 My root is spread out to the waters. The dew lies all night on my branch.

Me ntin beduu nsu ano, na obosu agugu me mman so anadwo mu nyinaa.

20 My glory is fresh in me. My bow is renewed in my hand.’

Mʼanuonyam rempa da, na agyan ayɛ foforo wɔ me nsam daa.’

21 “Men listened to me, waited, and kept silence for my counsel.

“Nnipa hwehwɛɛ sɛ wotie me, wɔyɛɛ dinn, twɛn mʼafotu.

22 After my words they didn’t speak again. My speech fell on them.

Sɛ mekasa wie a wɔnnkasa bio, efisɛ me nsɛm tɔɔ wɔn asom yiye.

23 They waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.

Wɔtwɛn me sɛnea wɔtwɛn osu a ɛpete, na wɔmenee me nsɛm sɛ osutɔ bere nsu.

24 I smiled on them when they had no confidence. They didn’t reject the light of my face.

Sɛ meserew mekyerɛ wɔn a, wɔntaa nnye nni; mʼanimtew som bo ma wɔn.

25 I chose out their way, and sat as chief. I lived as a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners.

Mebɔɔ kwan maa wɔn na metenaa ase sɛ wɔn hene; metenaa ase sɛ ɔhene a ɔwɔ nʼasraafo mu; meyɛɛ sɛ obi a ɔkyekye agyaadwotwafo werɛ.