Eliphaz
1Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
2“Can a man be of benefit to God?
Can even a wise person benefit him?
3What pleasure would it give the Almighty if you were righteous?
What would he gain if your ways were blameless?
4“Is it for your piety that he rebukes you
and brings charges against you?
5Is not your wickedness great?
Are not your sins endless?
6You demanded security from your relatives for no reason;
you stripped people of their clothing, leaving them naked.
7You gave no water to the weary
and you withheld food from the hungry,
8though you were a powerful man, owning land—
an honored man, living on it.
9And you sent widows away empty-handed
and broke the strength of the fatherless.
10That is why snares are all around you,
why sudden peril terrifies you,
11why it is so dark you cannot see,
and why a flood of water covers you.
12“Is not God in the heights of heaven?
And see how lofty are the highest stars!
13Yet you say, ‘What does God know?
Does he judge through such darkness?
14Thick clouds veil him, so he does not see us
as he goes about in the vaulted heavens.’
15Will you keep to the old path
that the wicked have trod?
16They were carried off before their time,
their foundations washed away by a flood.
17They said to God, ‘Leave us alone!
What can the Almighty do to us?’
18Yet it was he who filled their houses with good things,
so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked.
19The righteous see their ruin and rejoice;
the innocent mock them, saying,
20‘Surely our foes are destroyed,
and fire devours their wealth.’
21“Submit to God and be at peace with him;
in this way prosperity will come to you.
22Accept instruction from his mouth
and lay up his words in your heart.
23If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored:
If you remove wickedness far from your tent
24and assign your nuggets to the dust,
your gold of Ophir to the rocks in the ravines,
25then the Almighty will be your gold,
the choicest silver for you.
26Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty
and will lift up your face to God.
27You will pray to him, and he will hear you,
and you will fulfill your vows.
28What you decide on will be done,
and light will shine on your ways.
29When people are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up!’
then he will save the downcast.
30He will deliver even one who is not innocent,
who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”
Elifas Mmuaeɛ A Ɛtɔ So Mmiɛnsa
1Na Temanni Elifas buaa sɛ,
2“Onyankopɔn bɛnya onipa ho mfasoɔ anaa?
Mpo onyansafoɔ ho bɛba no mfasoɔ anaa?
3Sɛ woyɛ ɔteneneeni a, anigyeɛ bɛn na Otumfoɔ no bɛnya?
Sɛ wʼakwan ho nni asɛm a, mfasoɔ bɛn na ɔbɛnya?
4“Wo kronnyɛ enti na ɔka wʼanim
na ɔbɔ wo kwaadu anaa?
5Ɛnyɛ wʼamumuyɛ na ɛsoɔ?
Ɛnyɛ wo bɔne na ɛdɔɔso dodo?
6Wopɛɛ banbɔ firii wo nuanom nkyɛn a ɛnni nteaseɛ biara;
wopaa nnipa ho ntoma ma wɔdaa adagya.
7Woamma abrɛfoɔ nsuo annom
na woamfa aduane amma deɛ ɛkɔm de no.
8Nanso na woyɛ obi a ɔwɔ tumi, na ɔwɔ nsase,
onimuonyamfoɔ a ɔte so.
9Wopamoo akunafoɔ ma wɔkɔɔ nsapan
na womaa nwisiaa nso ahoɔden saeɛ.
10Ɛno enti na mfidie atwa wo ho ahyia,
na amanehunu a ɛba ntɛm so abɔ wo hu yi,
11adɛn enti na esum aduru a wonhunu adeɛ,
na asorɔkye akata wo so.
12“Onyankopɔn nni ɔsoro akyirikyiri?
Hwɛ sɛdeɛ ɔsoro akyirikyiri nsoromma korɔn!
13Nanso woka sɛ, ‘Ɛdeɛn na Onyankopɔn nim?
Esum yi mu na ɔbu atɛn anaa?
14Omununkum kabii akata nʼanim enti ɔnhunu yɛn
ɛberɛ a ɔnenam ɔsoro kɔntɔnkurowi mu.’
15Wobɛkɔ so afa ɛkwan dada a
abɔnefoɔ anante soɔ no so?
16Wɔpraa wɔn kɔɔeɛ ansa na wɔn berɛ reso,
na nsuyire hohoroo wɔn fapem.
17Na wɔka kyerɛɛ Onyankopɔn sɛ, ‘Gyaa yɛn!
Ɛdeɛn na Otumfoɔ bɛtumi ayɛ yɛn?’
18Nanso, ɛyɛ ɔno na ɔde nnepa hyɛɛ wɔn afie mu,
enti metwe me ho mefiri amumuyɛfoɔ afutuo ho.
19Teneneefoɔ hunu wɔn asehweɛ ma wɔn ani gye;
na wɔn a wɔn ho nni asɛm sere wɔn ka sɛ,
20‘Wɔasɛe yɛn atamfoɔ,
na ogya ahye wɔn agyapadeɛ.’
21“Fa wo ho ma Onyankopɔn na nya asomdwoeɛ wɔ ne mu;
saa ɛkwan yi so na yiedie bɛyɛ wo kyɛfa.
22Tie akwankyerɛ a ɛfiri nʼanom,
na fa ne nsɛm sie wʼakoma mu.
23Sɛ wosane kɔ Otumfoɔ no nkyɛn a, ɔbɛgye wo atom bio:
sɛ woyi amumuyɛsɛm firi wo ntomadan mu
24na woto wo sika mpɔ gu mfuturo mu
ne Ofir sikakɔkɔɔ gu abotan a ɛwɔ abɔn mu no so a,
25ɛnneɛ Otumfoɔ bɛyɛ wo sikakɔkɔɔ;
ɔbɛyɛ dwetɛ amapa ama wo.
26Afei nokorɛm wobɛnya anigyeɛ wɔ Otumfoɔ mu
na wobɛpagya wʼani akyerɛ Onyankopɔn.
27Wobɛbɔ no mpaeɛ, na ɔbɛtie wo,
na wobɛdi wo bɔhyɛ so.
28Deɛ woyɛ wʼadwene sɛ wobɛyɛ no bɛba mu,
na hann bɛtɔ wʼakwan so.
29Sɛ nnipa hwe ase na woka sɛ, ‘Ma wɔn so!’ a,
ɔbɛgye wɔn a wɔahwe ase no nkwa.
30Ɔbɛgye abɔnefoɔ mpo,
ɔnam wo nsa a ɛho nni fi so bɛgye wɔn.”
