Job 22
1 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:
Temanitɔ, Elifaz ɖo eŋu be,
2 Can a man be profitable unto God? Or can he that is wise be profitable unto Him?
“Ɖe ame anye viɖenu na Mawua? Ɖe nunyala gɔ̃ hã anye viɖenu nɛa?
3 Is it any advantage to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? Or is it gain to Him, that thou makest thy ways blameless?
Dzidzɔ ka wòanye na Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la ne ènye ame dzɔdzɔe? Eye viɖe ka wòakpɔ ne fɔɖiɖi mele wò mɔwo ŋu o?
4 Is it for thy fear of Him that He reproveth thee, that He entereth with thee into judgment?
“Wò Mawuvɔvɔ̃ tae wòka mo na wò hetsɔ nya ɖe ŋuwòa?
5 Is not thy wickedness great? And are not thine iniquities without end?
Ɖe wò nu vɔ̃ɖi wɔwɔ mekpe ŋutɔ oa? Ɖe nuwuwu li na wò nu vɔ̃woa?
6 For thou hast taken pledges of thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
Èbia megbedanu tso nɔviwò ŋutsuwo si susumanɔmetɔe eye nèɖe avɔ le amewo ŋu wotsi amama.
7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
Mèna tsi ame siwo nu ti kɔ na la wono o eye nète nuɖuɖu dɔwuitɔwo,
8 And as a mighty man, who hath the earth, and as a man of rank, who dwelleth in it,
evɔ nèhenye ŋusẽtɔ, anyigba le asiwò eye nèle anyigba dzi, bubu le ŋuwò.
9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
Èɖo ahosiwo ɖa asi ƒuƒlu eye nèɖe tsyɔ̃eviwo ƒe ŋusẽ ɖa.
10 Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden dread affrighted thee,
Eya ta mɔkawo ɖe to ɖe wò ɖo eya ta dzɔgbevɔ̃e ƒo ɖe dziwò kpoyi hedo ŋɔdzi na wò
11 Or darkness, that thou canst not see, and abundance of waters cover thee.
eya ta viviti do ale gbegbe be màgate ŋu akpɔ nu o eye eya tae tɔɖɔɖɔ va tsyɔ dziwò ɖo.
12 Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the topmost of the stars, how high they are!
“Ɖe Mawu mele dziƒo kɔkɔtɔ oa? Ɖe mekpɔ ale si ɣletivi kɔkɔtɔwo kɔkɔe oa?
13 And thou sayest: 'What doth God know? Can He judge through the dark cloud?
Gake ègblɔ be, ‘Nu ka Mawu nya? Ɖe wòdrɔ̃a ʋɔnu to viviti ma tɔgbi mea?
14 Thick clouds are a covering to Him, that He seeth not; and He walketh in the circuit of heaven.'
Lilikpo dodowo xe eŋkume eya ta mekpɔa mí ne ele tsatsam le dziƒo ƒe agbo sesẽwo me o.’
15 Wilt thou keep the old way which wicked men have trodden?
Ɖe nàgalé mɔ xoxo si dzi ame vɔ̃ɖiwo zɔ va yi la me ɖe asia?
16 Who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream;
Wokplɔ wo dzoe hafi woƒe ɣeyiɣi de eye tsiɖɔɖɔ kplɔ woƒe gɔmeɖokpewo dzoe.
17 Who said unto God: 'Depart from us'; and what could the Almighty do unto them?
Wogblɔ na Mawu be, ‘Ɖe asi le mía ŋu! Nu kae Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la awɔ mí?’
18 Yet He filled their houses with good things — but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Evɔ wònye eyae tsɔ nu nyuiwo yɔ xɔ na wo fũu, eya ta menɔ adzɔge na ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe aɖaŋudede.
19 The righteous saw it, and were glad, and the innocent laugh them to scorn:
Ame dzɔdzɔewo kpɔ woƒe gbegblẽ eye dzi dzɔ wo, ame maɖifɔwo gblɔ ɖe wo ŋu fewuɖutɔe be,
20 'Surely their substance is cut off, and their abundance the fire hath consumed.'
‘Wotsrɔ̃ míaƒe futɔwo vavã eye dzo va fia woƒe kesinɔnuwo.’
21 Acquaint now thyself with Him, and be at peace; thereby shall thine increase be good.
“Tsɔ ɖokuiwò na Mawu eye nànɔ ŋutifafa me kplii, to esia me la, dzɔgbenyui ava wò mɔ dzi.
22 Receive, I pray thee, instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in thy heart.
Xɔ nufiame tso eƒe nu me, eye nàtsɔ eƒe nyawo adzra ɖo ɖe wò dzi me
23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up — if thou put away unrighteousness far from thy tents,
Ne ètrɔ va Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la gbɔ la, agaɖo wò te. Ne èɖe nu vɔ̃ɖi wɔwɔ ɖa xaa tso wò agbadɔ gbɔ,
24 And lay thy treasure in the dust, and the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks;
eye nètsɔ wò dzonu veviwo kɔ ɖe ke me, tsɔ wò sika adodoe si tso Ofir ƒu gbe ɖe agakpewo tome la,
25 And the Almighty be thy treasure, and precious silver unto thee;
ekema Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la anye wò sika kple klosalo nyuitɔ.
26 Then surely shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.
Ekema le nyateƒe me la, Ŋusẽkatãtɔ ƒe nu ado dzidzɔ na wò eye àwu wò mo dzi ɖe Mawu ŋu.
27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto Him, and He will hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows;
Àdo gbe ɖa nɛ, wòaɖo to wò eye àxe wò adzɔgbeɖefewo nɛ.
28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee, and light shall shine upon thy ways.
Nu si nèɖo la, ava eme na wò eye kekeli aklẽ ɖe wò mɔwo dzi.
29 When they cast thee down, thou shalt say: 'There is lifting up'; for the humble person He saveth.
Ne woɖiɖi amewo ɖe anyi, eye nègblɔ be, ‘Fɔ wo ɖe dzi!’ la, ekema woafɔ ame siwo wote ɖe anyi la ɖe dzi.
30 He delivereth him that is innocent, yea, thou shalt be delivered through the cleanness of thy hands.
Aɖe ame si ŋu fɔɖiɖi le gɔ̃ hã, ame si woaɖe to wò asi ƒe kɔkɔenɔnɔ me.”
