< Job 21 >

1 And Job answers and says:
Hiob ɖo nya ŋu nɛ be,
2 “Hear my word diligently, And this is your consolation.
“Ɖo to nyuie nàse nye nyawo, esia nenye akɔfafa si nànam.
3 Bear with me, and I speak, And after my speaking—you may deride.
Migbɔ dzi ɖi nam, ne maƒo nu eye ne meƒo nu vɔ la, miate ŋu ayi miaƒe alɔmeɖeɖe dzi.
4 [Is] my complaint [against] man? And if [so], why may my temper not become short?
“Amegbetɔe mele konyi fam na? Nu ka ta nyemagbe dzigbɔɖeanyi o?
5 Turn to me, and be astonished, And put hand to mouth.
Mikpɔm ɖa, ne miaƒe mo nawɔ yaa eye miaƒu asi nu.
6 Indeed, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh has taken fright.
Ne mebu nu sia ŋuti la ŋɔ dziam eye nye ameti blibo la medzona nyanyanya.
7 Why do the wicked live? They have become old, Indeed, they have been mighty in wealth.
Nu ka ta ame vɔ̃ɖiwo nɔa agbe, tsina, kua amegã, eye woƒe ŋusẽ dzina ɖe edzi ɖo?
8 Their seed is established, Before their face with them, And their offspring before their eyes.
Wonɔa agbe, kpɔa wo viwo lia ke heƒoa xlã wo eye woƒe dzidzimeviwo tsina le wo ŋkume.
9 Their houses [are] peace without fear, Nor [is] a rod of God on them.
Woƒe aƒewo me le dedie, wovo tso vɔvɔ̃ ƒe asi me eye Mawu ƒe ameƒoti mevaa wo dzi o.
10 His bullock breeds without fail. His cow brings forth safely, and does not miscarry.
Woƒe nyitsuwo megbea asiyɔyɔ o, woƒe nyinɔwo dzia vi eye fu megena le wo ƒo o.
11 They send forth their sucklings as a flock, And their children skip,
Woɖea wo viwo doa goe abe lãha ene eye wo vi suewo nɔa fefem henɔa ɣe ɖum.
12 They lift [themselves] up at timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of a pipe.
Wodzia ha ɖe asiʋuiwo kple kasaŋkuwo ŋu eye wotua aglo ɖe kpẽ ƒe ɖiɖi ŋu.
13 They wear out their days in good, And in a moment go down [to] Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
Woɖua woƒe ƒewo le dzidzedzekpɔkpɔ me eye woyia yɔ me le ŋutifafa me (Sheol h7585)
14 And they say to God, Turn aside from us, And the knowledge of Your ways We have not desired.
gake wogblɔna na Mawu be, ‘Ɖe asi le mía ŋu! Medzro mí be míanya wò mɔwo o.
15 What [is] the Mighty One that we serve Him? And what do we profit when we meet with Him?
Ame kae nye Ŋusẽkatãtɔ be míasubɔe? Viɖe ka míakpɔ ne míedo gbe ɖa nɛ?’
16 Behold, their good [is] not in their hand (The counsel of the wicked Has been far from me).
Evɔa woƒe dzidzedzekpɔkpɔ mele woawo ŋutɔ ƒe asi me o, eya ta menɔ adzɔge na ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe aɖaŋudede.
17 How often is the lamp of the wicked extinguished, And their calamity comes on them? He apportions pangs in His anger.
“Ke hã la, zi nenie ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe akaɖi tsina? Zi nenie dzɔgbevɔ̃e dzɔna ɖe wo dzi, esi nye nu si Mawu ɖo ɖi na wo le eƒe dziku me?
18 They are as straw before wind, And as chaff a windstorm has stolen away,
Zi nenie wole abe gbe ƒuƒu si ya lɔ ɖe nu alo atsa si ahom lɔ ɖe nu ene?
19 God lays up for his sons his sorrow, He gives repayment to him—and he knows.
Wogblɔ be, ‘Mawu ɖo amegbetɔ ƒe tohehe ɖi na via ŋutsuwo.’ Anyo be wòahe to na amea ŋutɔ, ne wòanya nu si wònye!
20 His own eyes see his destruction, And he drinks of the wrath of the Mighty.
Eya ŋutɔ ƒe ŋkuwo nekpɔ eƒe gbegblẽ, eye wòano Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la ƒe dɔmedzoekplu
21 For what [is] his delight in his house after him, And the number of his months cut off?
elabena ɖe wòtsɔ ɖe le eme na ƒometɔ siwo wògblẽ ɖe megbe esi ɣleti siwo woɖo ɖi nɛ la wu nua?
22 Does [one] teach knowledge to God, Since He judges [those] on high?
“Ɖe ame aɖe ate ŋu afia gɔmesese Mawu, esi wònye eyae drɔ̃a ʋɔnu ame kɔkɔtɔ gɔ̃ hã?
23 This [one] dies in his perfect strength, Wholly at ease and quiet.
Ame aɖe ku esi eƒe agbe ɖo vivime, wòle dedinɔnɔ me eye wòɖe dzi ɖi bɔkɔɔ,
24 His breasts have been full of milk, And marrow moistens his bones.
eƒe ŋutilã kpɔ nunyiame nyuitɔ eye ƒutomemi yɔ eƒe ƒuwo me fũu.
25 And this [one] dies with a bitter soul, And has not eaten with gladness.
Ame bubu ku le eƒe luʋɔ ƒe nuxaxa me eye mese vivi na nu vivi aɖeke kpɔ o.
26 Together they lie down on the dust, And the worm covers them over.
Ke wo ame evea mlɔ kasanu le ke me, eye ŋɔviwo ɖi ba ɖe wo kple evea dzi.
27 Behold, I have known your thoughts, And the schemes against me you do wrongfully.
“Menya nu siwo susum miele la nyuie kple nu vɔ̃ɖi siwo ɖom miele be miadze agɔ le dzinye.
28 For you say, Where [is] the house of the noble? And where the tent—the dwelling places of the wicked?
Miegblɔ be, ‘Afi ka ame xɔŋkɔ la ƒe aƒe le eye agbadɔ si me ame vɔ̃ɖiwo nɔ la ɖe?’
29 Have you not asked those passing by the way? And do you not know their signs?
Miebia gbe mɔzɔlawo kpɔ oa? Mietsɔ ɖeke le woƒe nuteƒekpɔkpɔ si wogblɔ fia mi la me be
30 That the wicked is spared to a day of calamity. They are brought to a day of wrath.
woɖea ame vɔ̃ɖi le dzɔgbevɔ̃egbe, eye woɖenɛ le dzikugbe oa?
31 Who declares his way to his face? And [for] that which he has done, Who gives repayment to him?
Ame kae ɖe eƒe agbe vlo si nɔm wòle la ɖe mo nɛ kpɔ? Ame kae ɖoa nu tovo si wòwɔ la teƒe nɛ?
32 And he is brought to the graves, And a watch is kept over the heap.
Wokɔnɛ yia yɔdo gbɔe eye wodzɔa eƒe yɔdokpe ŋu.
33 The clods of the valley have been sweet to him, And he draws every man after him, And there is no numbering before him.
Ke siwo le balime la vivi enu, amewo katã dze eyome eye ameha gã aɖe si womate ŋu axlẽ o la dze ŋgɔ nɛ.
34 And how do you comfort me [with] vanity, And trespass has been left in your answers?”
“Eya ta aleke miate ŋu awɔ atsɔ miaƒe bometsinyawo afa akɔ nam mahã? Naneke mele miaƒe nyaŋuɖoɖowo me wu alakpa o!”

< Job 21 >