Job 22
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
Temanitɔ, Elifaz ɖo eŋu be,
2 Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?
“Ɖe ame anye viɖenu na Mawua? Ɖe nunyala gɔ̃ hã anye viɖenu nɛa?
3 [Is it] any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or [is it] gain [to him], that thou makest thy ways perfect?
Dzidzɔ ka wòanye na Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la ne ènye ame dzɔdzɔe? Eye viɖe ka wòakpɔ ne fɔɖiɖi mele wò mɔwo ŋu o?
4 Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?
“Wò Mawuvɔvɔ̃ tae wòka mo na wò hetsɔ nya ɖe ŋuwòa?
5 [Is] not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite?
Ɖe wò nu vɔ̃ɖi wɔwɔ mekpe ŋutɔ oa? Ɖe nuwuwu li na wò nu vɔ̃woa?
6 For thou hast taken a pledge from 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 But [as for] the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt 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 fear troubleth 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 height 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, How 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 Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
Ɖe nàgalé mɔ xoxo si dzi ame vɔ̃ɖiwo zɔ va yi la me ɖe asia?
16 Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood:
Wokplɔ wo dzoe hafi woƒe ɣeyiɣi de eye tsiɖɔɖɔ kplɔ woƒe gɔmeɖokpewo dzoe.
17 Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for 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 see [it], and are 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 Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.
‘Wotsrɔ̃ míaƒe futɔwo vavã eye dzo va fia woƒe kesinɔnuwo.’
21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.
“Tsɔ ɖokuiwò na Mawu eye nànɔ ŋutifafa me kplii, to esia me la, dzɔgbenyui ava wò mɔ dzi.
22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine 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, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.
Ne ètrɔ va Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la gbɔ la, agaɖo wò te. Ne èɖe nu vɔ̃ɖi wɔwɔ ɖa xaa tso wò agbadɔ gbɔ,
24 Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the [gold] of Ophir as 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 Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.
ekema Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la anye wò sika kple klosalo nyuitɔ.
26 For then 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 shall 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 the light shall shine upon thy ways.
Nu si nèɖo la, ava eme na wò eye kekeli aklẽ ɖe wò mɔwo dzi.
29 When [men] are cast down, then thou shalt say, [There is] lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.
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 shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.
Aɖe ame si ŋu fɔɖiɖi le gɔ̃ hã, ame si woaɖe to wò asi ƒe kɔkɔenɔnɔ me.”
