1Afei Elihu kae se,
2“Mo anyansafo, muntie me nsɛm;
mo nimdefo monyɛ aso mma me.
3Efisɛ aso sɔ nsɛm hwɛ
sɛnea tɛkrɛma ka aduan hwɛ no.
4Momma yɛnsese, nhu nea eye ma yɛn.
Momma yɛn nyinaa mmɔ mu nsua nea eye.
5“Hiob ka se, ‘Me ho nni asɛm,
nanso Onyankopɔn abu me ntɛnkyew.
6Ɛwɔ mu sɛ mʼasɛm da kwan mu,
nanso wobu me ɔtorofo;
ɛwɔ mu sɛ menyɛɛ bɔne biara,
nanso ne bɛmma no ama me apirakuru a enwu da.’
7Onipa bɛn na ɔte sɛ Hiob a
ɔnom animtiaabu sɛ nsu?
8Ɔne amumɔyɛfo nantew;
na ɔne atirimɔdenfo nso bɔ.
9Efisɛ ɔka se, ‘Sɛ onipa bɔ mmɔden sɛ ɔbɛsɔ Onyankopɔn ani a
onnya so mfaso biara.’
10“Enti mo mmarima a mowɔ ntease muntie me.
Ɛmpare Onyankopɔn sɛ ɔbɛyɛ bɔne,
sɛ Otumfo no bɛyɛ mfomso.
11Nnipa nneyɛe so na ɔhwɛ tua wɔn ka;
nea ɛfata ne nneyɛe na ɔma ɛba ne so.
12Ɛmfata sɛ wɔde mfomso susuw Onyankopɔn,
na ɛmfata sɛ wɔde ntɛnkyew susuw Otumfo.
13Hena na ɔde no sii asase so?
Hena na ɔde wiase nyinaa hyɛɛ ne nsa?
14Sɛ ɛyɛɛ ne pɛ
na oyii ne Honhom ne nʼahome a,
15anka adesamma nyinaa bɛbɔ mu ayera,
na onipa bɛsan akɔ mfutuma mu.
16“Sɛ mowɔ nhumu a, muntie eyi;
muntie nea meka.
17So obi a okyi atɛntrenee betumi adi nnipa so?
Mubetumi abu Ɔtreneeni kɛse no fɔ ana?
18Ɛnyɛ Ɔno na ɔka kyerɛ ahemfo se, ‘Mo so nni mfaso,’
na ɔka kyerɛɛ atitiriw se, ‘Moyɛ atirimɔdenfo,’
19nea ɔnhwɛ mmapɔmma anim
na onyiyi adefo ne ahiafo mu,
efisɛ wɔn nyinaa yɛ ne nsa ano adwuma.
20Wowuwu mmere tiaa bi mu, wɔ anadwo dasu mu;
nnipa no ho wosow na wɔsen kɔ;
ahoɔdenfo totɔ a emfi nipa.
21“Nʼani hwɛ nnipa akwan;
na ohu wɔn anammɔntu biara.
22Baabiara nni hɔ a aduru sum, sum kabii,
a amumɔyɛfo betumi ahintaw.
23Ɛho nhia Onyankopɔn sɛ ɔbɛhwehwɛ nnipa mu bio,
a enti ɛsɛ sɛ wɔba nʼanim begye atemmu.
24Ɔbobɔ abirɛmpɔn gu a ɔnyɛ nhwehwɛmu biara,
na ɔde afoforo sisi wɔn anan mu.
25Efisɛ ohu wɔn nneyɛe,
otu wɔn gu anadwo na wɔdwerɛw wɔn.
26Otua wɔn amumɔyɛsɛm so ka
wɔ faako a obiara betumi ahu wɔn,
27efisɛ wɔman fii nʼakyi kɔe
na wɔampɛ nʼakwan biara anhwɛ.
28Wɔmaa ahiafo sufrɛ duu nʼanim
na ɛma ɔtee mmɔborɔni su.
29Nanso sɛ ɔyɛ komm a, hena na obetumi abu no fɔ?
Sɛ ɔde nʼanim hintaw nso a, hena na obehu no?
Nanso odi onipa ne ɔman so pɛpɛɛpɛ,
30ɔmma onipa a onnim Nyame nni hene,
sɛnea ɔrensum nnipa no mfiri.
31“Sɛ ɛba sɛ onipa ka kyerɛ Onyankopɔn se,
‘Mayɛ bɔne na merenyɛ bɔne bio.
32Kyerɛ me na minhu;
na sɛ mayɛ bɔne a, merenyɛ saa bio.’
33So ɛsɛ sɛ Onyankopɔn gyina nea woka so tua wo ka,
wɔ bere a woayɛ sɛ worennu wo ho ana?
Ɛsɛ sɛ wusi gyinae, ɛnyɛ me;
enti ka nea wunim kyerɛ me.
34“Nnipa a wɔwɔ ntease pae mu ka,
nimdefo a wotie me ka kyerɛ me se,
35‘Hiob nkasa nimdeɛ kwan so;
aba biara nni ne kasa mu.’
36Ao, sɛ wɔsɔɔ Hiob hwɛ kɔɔ akyiri a anka eye,
efisɛ oyiyii nsɛm ano sɛ omumɔyɛfo!
37Ɔde atuatew ka ne bɔne ho;
ɔde ahantan bɔ ne nsam gu yɛn so
na ɔma ne nsɛm a ɔka tia Onyankopɔn no dɔɔso.”
1Then Elihu said:
2“Hear my words, you wise men;
listen to me, you men of learning.
3For the ear tests words
as the tongue tastes food.
4Let us discern for ourselves what is right;
let us learn together what is good.
5“Job says, ‘I am innocent,
but God denies me justice.
6Although I am right,
I am considered a liar;
although I am guiltless,
his arrow inflicts an incurable wound.’
7Is there anyone like Job,
who drinks scorn like water?
8He keeps company with evildoers;
he associates with the wicked.
9For he says, ‘There is no profit
in trying to please God.’
10“So listen to me, you men of understanding.
Far be it from God to do evil,
from the Almighty to do wrong.
11He repays everyone for what they have done;
he brings on them what their conduct deserves.
12It is unthinkable that God would do wrong,
that the Almighty would pervert justice.
13Who appointed him over the earth?
Who put him in charge of the whole world?
14If it were his intention
and he withdrew his spirit34:14 Or Spirit and breath,
15all humanity would perish together
and mankind would return to the dust.
16“If you have understanding, hear this;
listen to what I say.
17Can someone who hates justice govern?
Will you condemn the just and mighty One?
18Is he not the One who says to kings, ‘You are worthless,’
and to nobles, ‘You are wicked,’
19who shows no partiality to princes
and does not favor the rich over the poor,
for they are all the work of his hands?
20They die in an instant, in the middle of the night;
the people are shaken and they pass away;
the mighty are removed without human hand.
21“His eyes are on the ways of mortals;
he sees their every step.
22There is no deep shadow, no utter darkness,
where evildoers can hide.
23God has no need to examine people further,
that they should come before him for judgment.
24Without inquiry he shatters the mighty
and sets up others in their place.
25Because he takes note of their deeds,
he overthrows them in the night and they are crushed.
26He punishes them for their wickedness
where everyone can see them,
27because they turned from following him
and had no regard for any of his ways.
28They caused the cry of the poor to come before him,
so that he heard the cry of the needy.
29But if he remains silent, who can condemn him?
If he hides his face, who can see him?
Yet he is over individual and nation alike,
30to keep the godless from ruling,
from laying snares for the people.
31“Suppose someone says to God,
‘I am guilty but will offend no more.
32Teach me what I cannot see;
if I have done wrong, I will not do so again.’
33Should God then reward you on your terms,
when you refuse to repent?
You must decide, not I;
so tell me what you know.
34“Men of understanding declare,
wise men who hear me say to me,
35‘Job speaks without knowledge;
his words lack insight.’
36Oh, that Job might be tested to the utmost
for answering like a wicked man!
37To his sin he adds rebellion;
scornfully he claps his hands among us
and multiplies his words against God.”
