Job 31
1 I made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?
“Me ne mʼani yɛɛ apam sɛ meremfi akɔnnɔ mu, nhwɛ ababaa.
2 For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
Dɛn ne onipa kyɛfa a efi ɔsoro Nyankopɔn nkyɛn? Dɛn ne nʼagyapade a efi ɔsoro Tumfo no nkyɛn?
3 Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?
Ɛnyɛ ɔsɛe mma amumɔyɛfo, atoyerɛnkyɛm mma wɔn a wɔyɛ bɔne ana?
4 Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?
Onhu mʼakwan na ɔnkan anammɔn biara a mitu ana?
5 If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;
“Sɛ manantew wɔ nkontompo mu anaasɛ matu mmirika adi nnaadaasɛm akyi a,
6 Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know my integrity.
ma Onyankopɔn nkari me wɔ nsania papa so na obehu sɛ me ho nni asɛm;
7 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;
sɛ mʼanammɔntu afom ɔkwan, sɛ me koma adi mʼani akyi, anaasɛ me nsa ho agu fi a
8 Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.
ɛno de ma afoforo nni nea madua, na ma wontutu me nnɔbae ngu.
9 If my heart hath been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour’s door;
“Sɛ ɔbea bi atɔ me koma so, anaasɛ matɛw me yɔnko bi pon akyi a,
10 Then let my wife grind to another, and let others bow down upon her.
ɛno de, me yere nyam ɔbarima foforo aduan, na mmarima afoforo ne no nna.
11 For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.
Efisɛ anka ɛno na ɛbɛyɛ aniwusɛm ne bɔne a ɛsɛ sɛ wɔtwe aso wɔ so.
12 For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all my increase.
Ɛyɛ ogya a ɛhyew kodu Ɔsɛe mu; na ebetumi atutu me nnɔbae ase.
13 If I despised the cause of my male or female servant, when they contended with me;
“Sɛ mabu mʼasomfo mmarima ne mmea ntɛnkyew, bere a wɔne me nyaa asɛm,
14 What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
sɛ Onyankopɔn de si mʼanim a dɛn na mɛyɛ? Sɛ wɔfrɛ me akontaabu a, mmuae bɛn na mɛma?
15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?
Ɛnyɛ nea ɔbɔɔ me wɔ ɔyafunu mu no na ɔbɔɔ wɔn? Ɛnyɛ onipa koro no na ɔyɛɛ yɛn baanu wɔ yɛn nanom yafunu mu?
16 If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
“Sɛ mamma ahiafo nea wɔn koma pɛ anaa mama akunafo ani ayɛ wɔn yaw,
17 Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten of it;
sɛ mabɔ mʼaduan ho atirimɔden a mamma ayisaa bi,
18 (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother’s womb; )
nanso efi mmerantebere mu matetew no sɛnea agya bɛyɛ, na efi ɔyafunu mu, mahwɛ akunafo.
19 If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;
Sɛ mahu obi a onni adurade na ɔrebrɛ, anaa ohiani bi a onni atade,
20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he hath not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
na sɛ wɔamfi koma mu anhyira me sɛ mede me nguan ho nwi kaa wɔn hyew,
21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:
sɛ mama me nsa so atia ayisaa bi, esiane sɛ mewɔ tumi wɔ asennii nti a,
22 Then let my arm fall from my shoulder blade, and my arm be broken from the bone.
ɛno de, ma me basa mpan mfi me mmati, ma emmubu mfi nʼapɔw so.
23 For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.
Misuroo ɔsɛe a efi Onyankopɔn nkyɛn, na nʼanuonyam ho suro nti mantumi anyɛ saa nneyɛe no.
24 If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;
“Sɛ mede me werɛ ahyɛ sikakɔkɔɔ mu anaasɛ maka akyerɛ sikakɔkɔɔ ankasa se, ‘Wo na wobɔ me ho ban,’
25 If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gained much;
sɛ masɛpɛw me ho wɔ mʼahode bebrebe nti, ahode a me nsa aka yi,
26 If I have beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;
sɛ mahwɛ owia ne ne hyerɛn anaa ɔsram a ɔnam anuonyam mu,
27 And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:
ama aka me koma a obiara nnim na me nsa yɛɛ wɔn atuu de nidi maa wɔn a,
28 This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.
ɛno de, na eyinom nso bɛyɛ bɔne a wobu ho atɛn, efisɛ na manni Onyankopɔn a ɔte ɔsoro no nokware.
29 If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or have lifted up myself when evil found him:
“Sɛ mʼani gyee wɔ me tamfo amanehunu nti anaa mesrew no wɔ ɔhaw a aba ne so nti,
30 Neither have I allowed my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.
memmaa mʼano nyɛɛ bɔne sɛ mɛdome ne nkwa,
31 If the men of my tent have not said, O that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.
sɛ nnipa a wɔwɔ me fi mu nkaa da sɛ, ‘Hena na Hiob pon so nam mmee no da?’
32 The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller.
Ɔhɔho biara anna abɔnten so da, efisɛ me pon ano daa hɔ da biara maa akwantufo,
33 If I have covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding my iniquity in my bosom:
Makata me bɔne so sɛnea nnipa yɛ de mʼafɔdi ahyɛ me koma mu
34 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?
esiane sɛ misuroo nnipadɔm ne ahohora a efi mmusua hɔ no nti na meyɛɛ komm a mamfi adi.
35 O that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that my adversary had written a book.
(“Ao, sɛ anka mewɔ obi a obetie me. Mede me din ahyɛ mʼanoyi ase, ma Otumfo no mmua me; ma nea ɔbɔ me kwaadu no nkyerɛw ne sobobɔ.
36 Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.
Ampa ara, mɛhyɛ wɔ me mmati, mɛhyɛ sɛ ahenkyɛw.
37 I would declare to him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near to him.
Mebu mʼanammɔntu biara ho akontaa akyerɛ no; mɛkɔ nʼanim sɛ ɔheneba.)
38 If my land crieth against me, or its furrows likewise complain;
“Sɛ mʼasase teɛ mu tia me na nusu fɔw ne nkɔ nyinaa,
39 If I have eaten the fruits of it without money, or have caused its owners to lose their life:
sɛ madi so aba a mintuaa ka anaasɛ mabu so apaafo no aba mu a,
40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and weeds instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
ma nsɔe mfifi nsi awi anan mu na wura mfuw nsi atoko anan mu.” Hiob nsɛm no asi.
