Job’s Reply
1Job replied,
2“You people think you are the only ones who matter!
You are sure that wisdom will die with you!
3But I have a brain, just like you.
I’m as clever as you are.
In fact, everyone knows as much as you do.
4“My friends laugh at me all the time,
even though I called out to God and he answered.
My friends laugh at me,
even though I’m honest and right.
5People who have an easy life look down on those who have problems.
They think trouble comes only to those whose feet are slipping.
6Why doesn’t anyone bother the tents of robbers?
Why do those who make God angry remain secure?
They are in God’s hands!
7“But ask the animals what God does.
They will teach you.
Or ask the birds in the sky.
They will tell you.
8Or speak to the earth. It will teach you.
Or let the fish in the ocean educate you.
9Are there any of these creatures that don’t know
what the powerful hand of the Lord has done?
10He holds the life of every creature in his hand.
He controls the breath of every human being.
11Our tongues tell us what tastes good and what doesn’t.
And our ears tell us what’s true and what isn’t.
12Old people are wise.
Those who live a long time have understanding.
13“Wisdom and power belong to God.
Advice and understanding also belong to him.
14What he tears down can’t be rebuilt.
The people he puts in prison can’t be set free.
15If he holds back the water, everything dries up.
If he lets the water loose, it floods the land.
16Strength and understanding belong to him.
Those who tell lies and those who believe them also belong to him.
17He removes the wisdom of rulers and leads them away.
He makes judges look foolish.
18He sets people free from the chains that kings put on them.
Then he dresses the kings in the clothes of slaves.
19He removes the authority of priests and leads them away.
He removes from their positions
officials who have been in control for a long time.
20He shuts the mouths of trusted advisers.
He takes away the understanding of elders.
21He looks down on proud leaders.
He takes away the strength of those who are mighty.
22He tells people the secrets of darkness.
He brings total darkness out into the light.
23He makes nations great, and then he destroys them.
He makes nations grow, and then he scatters them.
24He takes away the understanding of the leaders of the earth.
He makes them wander in a desert where no one lives.
25Without any light, they feel their way along in darkness.
God makes them unsteady like those who get drunk.
Hiob Bua Sofar
1Na Hiob buaa sɛ,
2“Ampa ara mone nnipa no,
na mowu a na nyansa asa!
3Nanso mewɔ adwene sɛ mo ara
na monnsene me.
Hwan na ɔnnim saa nneɛma yi nyinaa?
4“Mayɛ aseredeɛ ama me nnamfonom,
mefrɛɛ Onyankopɔn na ɔbuaeɛ.
Mayɛ aseredeɛ tata, nanso metene, na me ho nni asɛm.
5Nnipa a wɔn ho tɔ wɔn bu amanehunu animtiaa
sɛdeɛ wɔbu wɔn a wɔn nan rewatiri no awieeɛ animtiaa.
6Wɔmmfa wɔn nsa nka akorɔmfoɔ ntomadan,
na wɔn a wɔma Onyankopɔn bo fuo no wɔ banbɔ
na Onyankopɔn bɔ deɛ ɔde ma wɔn ho ban.
7“Bisa mmoa no, na wɔbɛkyerɛ wo
anaasɛ ewiem nnomaa no, na wɔbɛka akyerɛ wo
8anaasɛ kasa kyerɛ asase, na ɛbɛkyerɛ wo,
anaasɛ ma ɛpo mu mpataa nka nkyerɛ wo.
9Wɔn nyinaa mu hwan na ɔnnim sɛ
Awurade nsa na ayɛ yei.
10Ne nsam na abɔdeɛ nyinaa ahome wɔ
ne adasamma nyinaa ahome.
11Aso nsɔ nsɛm nnhwɛ,
sɛdeɛ tɛkrɛma ka aduane hwɛ no anaa?
12Wɔnnya nyansa mfiri mpanin nkyɛn,
na ɛnyɛ ɔnyinkyerɛ na ɛde nteaseɛ ba anaa?
13“Nyansa ne tumi yɛ Onyankopɔn dea;
afotuo ne nteaseɛ yɛ ne dea.
14Deɛ ɔbubu guo no, obiara rentumi nsi;
deɛ ɔde no to nneduadan mu no, obiara rentumi nyi no.
15Sɛ ɔma osuo gyae tɔ a, asase no so yɛ wesee;
sɛ ɔgyaa osutɔ mu a, ɛsɛe asase no.
16Ahoɔden ne nkonimdie wɔ no
osisifoɔ ne deɛ wɔsisi noɔ nso wɔ no.
17Ɔpa afotufoɔ ho ntoma ma wɔkɔ
na ɔma atemmufoɔ yɛ nkwasea.
18Ɔworɔ ahemfo nkyehoma
na ɔde abɔsoɔ bɔ wɔn asene.
19Ɔpa asɔfoɔ ho ntoma,
na ɔtu nnipa a wɔn ase atim akyɛre gu.
20Ɔka afotufoɔ a wɔgye wɔn die no kasaboa hyɛ,
na ɔgye mpanimfoɔ nhunumu.
21Ɔde animguaseɛ gu atitire so
na ɔtintim gye ahoɔdenfoɔ nsam akodeɛ.
22Ɔda esum mu nneɛma a ahinta adi
na ɔde esum kabii ba hann mu.
23Ɔyɛ aman akɛseɛ, na ɔsɛe wɔn;
ɔtrɛ aman mu, na ɔhwete wɔn mu.
24Ɔgye ewiase akannifoɔ adwene firi wɔn nsam;
na ɔma wɔkyinkyini asase wesee a ɛkwan nna soɔ so.
25Wɔhwehwɛ wɔ esum mu a wɔnni kanea;
na ɔma wɔtɔ ntintan sɛ asabofoɔ.
