Hiob 20

1 Na Naamani Sofar buaa sɛ,

Then Zophar the Naamathite made answer and said,

2 “Me tiri mu ntene me, na ɛhyɛ me sɛ memmua ɛfiri sɛ me ho yera me yie.

For this cause my thoughts are troubling me and driving me on.

3 Mate animka bi a ɛgu me ho fi, na nteaseɛ a menya no hyɛ me sɛ memmua.

I have to give ear to arguments which put me to shame, and your answers to me are wind without wisdom.

4 “Ampa ara wonim sɛdeɛ nneɛma teɛ firi tete, ɛfiri ɛberɛ a wɔde nnipa duaa asase so,

Have you knowledge of this from early times, when man was placed on the earth,

5 sɛ amumuyɛfoɔ ani gye ɛberɛ tiawa bi mu, na wɔn a wɔnnsuro nyame nso anigyeɛ nkyɛ.

That the pride of the sinner is short, and the joy of the evil-doer but for a minute?

6 Ɛwom sɛ nʼahohoahoa kɔduru ɔsoro, na ne tiri kɔpem omununkum deɛ,

Though he is lifted up to the heavens, and his head goes up to the clouds;

7 nanso, ɔbɛyera afebɔɔ te sɛ nʼankasa agyanan; na wɔn a wɔhunuu no no bɛbisa sɛ, ‘Ɔwɔ he?’

Like the waste from his body he comes to an end for ever: those who have seen him say, Where is he?

8 Ɔtu kɔ te sɛ daeɛ, na wɔrenhunu no bio. Wɔtwam kɔ te sɛ anadwo mu anisoadehunu.

He is gone like a dream, and is not seen again; he goes in flight like a vision of the night.

9 Ani a ɛhunu noɔ no renhunu no bio; na ne siberɛ nso renhunu no bio.

The eye which saw him sees him no longer; and his place has no more knowledge of him.

10 Ne mma bɛsrɛ adeɛ afiri ahiafoɔ hɔ; ɛsɛ sɛ nʼankasa de nʼahonya sane ma.

His children are hoping that the poor will be kind to them, and his hands give back his wealth.

11 Ne mmeranteberɛ mu ahoɔden a ahyɛ ne nnompe ma no ne no bɛkɔ mfuturo mu.

His bones are full of young strength, but it will go down with him into the dust.

12 “Ɛwom sɛ bɔne yɛ nʼanom dɛ na ɔde sie ne tɛkrɛma ase;

Though evil-doing is sweet in his mouth, and he keeps it secretly under his tongue;

13 ɛwom sɛ ɔntumi nnyaa mu na ɔma ɛka ne dodom,

Though he takes care of it, and does not let it go, but keeps it still in his mouth;

14 nanso, nʼaduane bɛyɛ nwono wɔ ne yafunu mu; ɛbɛyɛ ɔtweaseɛ ano borɔ wɔ ne mu.

His food becomes bitter in his stomach; the poison of snakes is inside him.

15 Ɔbɛfe ahonyadeɛ a ɔmeneeɛ no; Onyankopɔn bɛma ne yafunu apu agu.

He takes down wealth as food, and sends it up again; it is forced out of his stomach by God.

16 Ɔbɛfefe awɔ borɔ; Ɔnanka se bɛkum no.

He takes the poison of snakes into his mouth, the tongue of the snake is the cause of his death.

17 Ɔrennya nsuwansuwa no nnom nsubɔntene a nufosuo ne ɛwoɔ sene wɔ mu no.

Let him not see the rivers of oil, the streams of honey and milk.

18 Ɔbɛdane deɛ ɔbrɛ nyaeɛ no aba a ɔrenni bi; ɔremfa nʼadwadie mu mfasoɔ nnye nʼani.

He is forced to give back the fruit of his work, and may not take it for food; he has no joy in the profit of his trading.

19 Ɛfiri sɛ ɔhyɛɛ ahiafoɔ so ma wɔdii ohia buruburo; ɔde ne nsa ato afie a ɛnyɛ ɔno na ɔsiiɛ so.

Because he has been cruel to the poor, turning away from them in their trouble; because he has taken a house by force which he did not put up;

20 “Ampa ara ɔrennya ahomegyeɛ mfiri deɛ wapere anya no mu; ɔrentumi mfa nʼakoradeɛ nnye ne ho nkwa.

There is no peace for him in his wealth, and no salvation for him in those things in which he took delight.

21 Wafom nneɛma nyinaa awie; ne nkɔsoɔ nnuru baabiara.

He had never enough for his desire; for this cause his well-being will quickly come to an end.

22 Nʼadedodoɔ nyinaa mu no, ɔbɛkɔ ɔhaw mu; na amanehunu a emu yɛ den bɛto no.

Even when his wealth is great, he is full of care, for the hand of everyone who is in trouble is turned against him.

23 Ɛberɛ a nʼafuru ayɛ ma no, Onyankopɔn bɛtɔ nʼabufuo ogya agu ne so na wabobɔ no basabasa.

God gives him his desire, and sends the heat of his wrath on him, making it come down on him like rain.

24 Ɛwom sɛ ɔdwane firi dadeɛ akodeɛ ano nanso bɛmma a ano yɛ kɔbere mfrafraeɛ bɛwɔ no.

He may go in flight from the iron spear, but the arrow from the bow of brass will go through him;

25 Wɔbɛtwe bɛmma no firi nʼakyi, ano hyɛnhyɛn no bɛfiri ne brɛboɔ mu. Ehu bɛba ne so;

He is pulling it out, and it comes out of his back; and its shining point comes out of his side; he is overcome by fears.

26 esum kabii bɛduru nʼakoradeɛ. Ogya a wɔmfite mu bɛhye no, na asɛe deɛ aka wɔ ne ntomadan mu.

All his wealth is stored up for the dark: a fire not made by man sends destruction on him, and on everything in his tent.

27 Ɔsoro bɛda nʼafɔdie adi, na asase asɔre atia no.

The heavens make clear his sin, and the earth gives witness against him.

28 Nsuyire bɛtwe ne fie akɔ, saa ara na nsuworosoɔ bɛyɛ Onyankopɔn abufuhyeɛ da no.

The produce of his house is taken away into another country, like things given into the hands of others in the day of wrath.

29 Yei ne hyɛberɛ a Onyankopɔn de ma amumuyɛfoɔ, awugyadeɛ a Onyankopɔn de ato wɔn hɔ.”

This is the reward of the evil man, and the heritage given to him by God.