Job 22
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded and said,
Temanitɔ, Elifaz ɖo eŋu be,
2 “How can anyone be of help to God? Even wise people are only helpful to themselves.
“Ɖe ame anye viɖenu na Mawua? Ɖe nunyala gɔ̃ hã anye viɖenu nɛa?
3 Is it any benefit to the Almighty if you're a good person? What does he gain if you do what's right?
Dzidzɔ ka wòanye na Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la ne ènye ame dzɔdzɔe? Eye viɖe ka wòakpɔ ne fɔɖiɖi mele wò mɔwo ŋu o?
4 Does he correct you and bring charges against you because of your reverence?
“Wò Mawuvɔvɔ̃ tae wòka mo na wò hetsɔ nya ɖe ŋuwòa?
5 No: it's because you're so wicked! Your sins are never-ending!
Ɖe wò nu vɔ̃ɖi wɔwɔ mekpe ŋutɔ oa? Ɖe nuwuwu li na wò nu vɔ̃woa?
6 For no reason at all you took your brother's clothing as a security for a debt, and left them stripped naked.
Èbia megbedanu tso nɔviwò ŋutsuwo si susumanɔmetɔe eye nèɖe avɔ le amewo ŋu wotsi amama.
7 You refused water to the thirsty; you denied food to the hungry.
Mèna tsi ame siwo nu ti kɔ na la wono o eye nète nuɖuɖu dɔwuitɔwo,
8 Is it because the land belongs to the powerful, and only the privileged have a right to live there?
evɔ nèhenye ŋusẽtɔ, anyigba le asiwò eye nèle anyigba dzi, bubu le ŋuwò.
9 You have sent widows away empty-handed; you have crushed the outstretched arms of orphans, begging for help.
Èɖo ahosiwo ɖa asi ƒuƒlu eye nèɖe tsyɔ̃eviwo ƒe ŋusẽ ɖa.
10 That's why you're surrounded by traps to catch you, and why you suddenly panic in terror.
Eya ta mɔkawo ɖe to ɖe wò ɖo eya ta dzɔgbevɔ̃e ƒo ɖe dziwò kpoyi hedo ŋɔdzi na wò
11 That's why it's so dark you cannot see, and why you feel like you're drowning.
eya ta viviti do ale gbegbe be màgate ŋu akpɔ nu o eye eya tae tɔɖɔɖɔ va tsyɔ dziwò ɖo.
12 Doesn't God live in highest heaven and looks down on even the highest stars?
“Ɖe Mawu mele dziƒo kɔkɔtɔ oa? Ɖe mekpɔ ale si ɣletivi kɔkɔtɔwo kɔkɔe oa?
13 But you ask, ‘What does God know? How can he see and judge what happens in down here in darkness?
Gake ègblɔ be, ‘Nu ka Mawu nya? Ɖe wòdrɔ̃a ʋɔnu to viviti ma tɔgbi mea?
14 Thick clouds cover him so he can't see anything as he walks around in heaven.’
Lilikpo dodowo xe eŋkume eya ta mekpɔa mí ne ele tsatsam le dziƒo ƒe agbo sesẽwo me o.’
15 Why do you insist on following the traditional thinking of the wicked?
Ɖe nàgalé mɔ xoxo si dzi ame vɔ̃ɖiwo zɔ va yi la me ɖe asia?
16 They were taken before their time; all they had built was washed away.
Wokplɔ wo dzoe hafi woƒe ɣeyiɣi de eye tsiɖɔɖɔ kplɔ woƒe gɔmeɖokpewo dzoe.
17 They had told God, ‘Get lost! What can the Almighty do to us?’
Wogblɔ na Mawu be, ‘Ɖe asi le mía ŋu! Nu kae Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la awɔ mí?’
18 And yet he was the one who had filled their homes with good things—but I don't accept their way of thinking.
Evɔ wònye eyae tsɔ nu nyuiwo yɔ xɔ na wo fũu, eya ta menɔ adzɔge na ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe aɖaŋudede.
19 Those who do right rejoice when they see the destruction of the wicked, and the innocent mock them,
Ame dzɔdzɔewo kpɔ woƒe gbegblẽ eye dzi dzɔ wo, ame maɖifɔwo gblɔ ɖe wo ŋu fewuɖutɔe be,
20 saying, ‘Our enemies are destroyed, and fire has burned up all that's left of them.’
‘Wotsrɔ̃ míaƒe futɔwo vavã eye dzo va fia woƒe kesinɔnuwo.’
21 Come back to God and be reconciled to him, and you'll be prosperous again.
“Tsɔ ɖokuiwò na Mawu eye nànɔ ŋutifafa me kplii, to esia me la, dzɔgbenyui ava wò mɔ dzi.
22 Listen to what he tells you and keep his words in mind.
Xɔ nufiame tso eƒe nu me, eye nàtsɔ eƒe nyawo adzra ɖo ɖe wò dzi me
23 If you return to God you will be restored. If you renounce your sinful life
Ne ètrɔ va Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la gbɔ la, agaɖo wò te. Ne èɖe nu vɔ̃ɖi wɔwɔ ɖa xaa tso wò agbadɔ gbɔ,
24 and give up your love of money and desire for possessions,
eye nètsɔ wò dzonu veviwo kɔ ɖe ke me, tsɔ wò sika adodoe si tso Ofir ƒu gbe ɖe agakpewo tome la,
25 then the Almighty will be your gold and your precious silver.
ekema Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la anye wò sika kple klosalo nyuitɔ.
26 Then you will find delight in the Almighty, and be able to face him without feeling ashamed.
Ekema le nyateƒe me la, Ŋusẽkatãtɔ ƒe nu ado dzidzɔ na wò eye àwu wò mo dzi ɖe Mawu ŋu.
27 You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will keep your promises to him.
Àdo gbe ɖa nɛ, wòaɖo to wò eye àxe wò adzɔgbeɖefewo nɛ.
28 Whatever you decide to do will be successful, and wherever you go, light will shine on you.
Nu si nèɖo la, ava eme na wò eye kekeli aklẽ ɖe wò mɔwo dzi.
29 When others are humbled, and you say, ‘please help them,’ God will save them.
Ne woɖiɖi amewo ɖe anyi, eye nègblɔ be, ‘Fɔ wo ɖe dzi!’ la, ekema woafɔ ame siwo wote ɖe anyi la ɖe dzi.
30 God saves those who are innocent, and you will be saved if you do what is right.”
Aɖe ame si ŋu fɔɖiɖi le gɔ̃ hã, ame si woaɖe to wò asi ƒe kɔkɔenɔnɔ me.”
