Eliphaz
1Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
2“Would a wise person answer with empty notions
or fill their belly with the hot east wind?
3Would they argue with useless words,
with speeches that have no value?
4But you even undermine piety
and hinder devotion to God.
5Your sin prompts your mouth;
you adopt the tongue of the crafty.
6Your own mouth condemns you, not mine;
your own lips testify against you.
7“Are you the first man ever born?
Were you brought forth before the hills?
8Do you listen in on God’s council?
Do you have a monopoly on wisdom?
9What do you know that we do not know?
What insights do you have that we do not have?
10The gray-haired and the aged are on our side,
men even older than your father.
11Are God’s consolations not enough for you,
words spoken gently to you?
12Why has your heart carried you away,
and why do your eyes flash,
13so that you vent your rage against God
and pour out such words from your mouth?
14“What are mortals, that they could be pure,
or those born of woman, that they could be righteous?
15If God places no trust in his holy ones,
if even the heavens are not pure in his eyes,
16how much less mortals, who are vile and corrupt,
who drink up evil like water!
17“Listen to me and I will explain to you;
let me tell you what I have seen,
18what the wise have declared,
hiding nothing received from their ancestors
19(to whom alone the land was given
when no foreigners moved among them):
20All his days the wicked man suffers torment,
the ruthless man through all the years stored up for him.
21Terrifying sounds fill his ears;
when all seems well, marauders attack him.
22He despairs of escaping the realm of darkness;
he is marked for the sword.
23He wanders about for food like a vulture;
he knows the day of darkness is at hand.
24Distress and anguish fill him with terror;
troubles overwhelm him, like a king poised to attack,
25because he shakes his fist at God
and vaunts himself against the Almighty,
26defiantly charging against him
with a thick, strong shield.
27“Though his face is covered with fat
and his waist bulges with flesh,
28he will inhabit ruined towns
and houses where no one lives,
houses crumbling to rubble.
29He will no longer be rich and his wealth will not endure,
nor will his possessions spread over the land.
30He will not escape the darkness;
a flame will wither his shoots,
and the breath of God’s mouth will carry him away.
31Let him not deceive himself by trusting what is worthless,
for he will get nothing in return.
32Before his time he will wither,
and his branches will not flourish.
33He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes,
like an olive tree shedding its blossoms.
34For the company of the godless will be barren,
and fire will consume the tents of those who love bribes.
35They conceive trouble and give birth to evil;
their womb fashions deceit.”
Elifas Mmuaeɛ A Ɛtɔ So Mmienu
1Na Temanni Elifas buaa sɛ,
2“Enti onyansafoɔ de nsɛm a aba biara nni muo bɛyi nʼano
anaasɛ ɔde apueeɛ mframa a emu yɛ hye bɛhyɛ nʼafuru ma?
3Ɔde nsɛm huhuo bɛdi anobaabaeɛ,
aka nsɛm a ɛntu bunu biara anaa?
4Wototo onyamesuro ase mmom
na wosi Onyankopɔn mu ahotosoɔ ho ɛkwan.
5Wo bɔne kyerɛ wʼano deɛ ɔnka;
na woafa aniteɛ tɛkrɛma.
6Wo ankasa wʼano bu wo kumfɔ, ɛnyɛ me deɛ;
wʼankasa wʼano di adanseɛ tia wo.
7“Wone onipa a wɔwoo wo dii ɛkan?
Wɔwoo wo ansa na wɔrewo nkokoɔ?
8Wotie Onyankopɔn afotuo anaa?
Wo nko ara na wonim nyansa anaa?
9Ɛdeɛn na wonim a, yɛnnim?
Nhunumu bɛn na wowɔ a yɛnnie?
10Deɛ wafu dwono ne akɔkoraa wɔ yɛn afa,
wɔn a wɔanyini sene wʼagya mpo.
11Onyankopɔn awerɛkyekyerɛ
ne nsɛm a wɔka no brɛoo kyerɛ wo no sua ma wo anaa?
12Adɛn enti na wʼakoma atwe wo korɔ
adɛn enti na wʼani asɔ ogya,
13na woadane wʼabofuo agu Onyankopɔn so
na woma saa nsɛm yi pue firi wʼano?
14“Ɔdasani ne hwan a ɔbɛtumi ayɛ pɛ,
anaasɛ deɛ ɔbaa awo noɔ bɛn na ɔbɛtumi ayɛ ɔteneneeni?
15Onyankopɔn nni ahotosoɔ wɔ nʼakronkronfoɔ mu.
Ɔsorosoro mpo nnyɛ kronn wɔ nʼani so,
16na nkantom onipa bɔnefoɔ ne omumuyɛfoɔ a
ɔnom awurukasɛm sɛ nsuo.
17“Tie me, na mɛkyerɛ wo mu;
ma menka deɛ mahunu nkyerɛ wo,
18deɛ anyansafoɔ apae mu aka,
a wɔamfa biribiara a wɔnya firii wɔn agyanom hɔ no ansie
19(wɔn a wɔde asase no maa wɔn
ɛberɛ a ananafoɔ biara nni hɔ):
20Omumuyɛfoɔ kɔ ahohiahia mu ne nkwanna nyinaa.
Na basabasayɛni nso, wɔahyehyɛ ne mfeɛ nyinaa ama no.
21Nnyegyeɛ a ɛyɛ hu hyɛ nʼasom ma;
na sɛ ɛyɛ sɛ nneɛma rekɔ yie ma no a, akorɔmfoɔ to hyɛ ne so.
22Ɔpa aba sɛ ɔbɛdwane afiri esum mu;
wɔabɔ no ato hɔ ama akofena.
23Ɔkyinkyini hwehwɛ aduane;
ɔnim sɛ esum da no abɛn.
24Ɔhaw ne ahoyera yi no hu;
ɛhyɛ ne so sɛ ɔhene a wasiesie ne ho ama ɔko,
25ɛfiri sɛ ɔtenetene ne nsa kyerɛ Onyankopɔn
na ɔma ne ho so tia Otumfoɔ.
26Wɔde akokyɛm a emu pi na ɛyɛ den
kɔ ne so a wɔnsuro no.
27“Ɛwom sɛ sradeɛ ama wɔn afono atotɔ
na wɔn asene mu ɛnam agu mmɛbɛ deɛ,
28nanso wɔbɛtena nkuro a aguo so
na wɔatena afie a obi nte mu,
afie a ɛrebubu mu.
29Wɔrenkɔ so nyɛ adefoɔ bio, na wɔn ahonya rennyina,
na wɔn agyapadeɛ so bɛte na ayera wɔ asase so.
30Esum bɛduru wɔn;
ogyaframa bɛkusa wɔn mman,
na Onyankopɔn anom ahomeguo bɛsoa wɔn akɔ.
31Ɛnsɛ sɛ wɔde wɔn ho to nneɛma huhuo so de daadaa wɔn ho,
ɛfiri sɛ wɔrennya hwee mfiri mu.
32Ansa na wɔn da bɛduru no, wɔbɛtua wɔn ka a ebi renka,
na wɔn mman renyɛ frɔmfrɔm.
33Wɔbɛyɛ sɛ bobedua a wɔapore so aba a ɛnnyiniiɛ,
te sɛ ngo dua a ne nhyerɛnne repore gu fam.
34Na abɔnefoɔ fekuo a wɔnnim Onyankopɔn no renso aba,
na ogya bɛhye wɔn a wɔdɔ kɛtɛasehyɛ no ntomadan.
35Wɔnyinsɛn ɔhaw na wɔwo amumuyɛ;
wɔn awotwaa siesie nnaadaa.”
