< Job 22 >

1 And Eliphaz the Temanite answers and says:
Temanitɔ, Elifaz ɖo eŋu be,
2 “Is a man profitable to God, Because a wise man is profitable to himself?
“Ɖe ame anye viɖenu na Mawua? Ɖe nunyala gɔ̃ hã anye viɖenu nɛa?
3 Is it a delight to the Mighty One That you are righteous? Is it gain, That you make your ways perfect?
Dzidzɔ ka wòanye na Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la ne ènye ame dzɔdzɔe? Eye viɖe ka wòakpɔ ne fɔɖiɖi mele wò mɔwo ŋu o?
4 Because of your reverence Does He reason [with] you? He enters with you into judgment:
“Wò Mawuvɔvɔ̃ tae wòka mo na wò hetsɔ nya ɖe ŋuwòa?
5 Is your wickedness not abundant? And there is no end to your iniquities.
Ɖe wò nu vɔ̃ɖi wɔwɔ mekpe ŋutɔ oa? Ɖe nuwuwu li na wò nu vɔ̃woa?
6 For you take a pledge of your brother for nothing, And you strip off the garments of the naked.
Èbia megbedanu tso nɔviwò ŋutsuwo si susumanɔmetɔe eye nèɖe avɔ le amewo ŋu wotsi amama.
7 You do not cause the weary to drink water, And you withhold bread from the hungry.
Mèna tsi ame siwo nu ti kɔ na la wono o eye nète nuɖuɖu dɔwuitɔwo,
8 As for the man of arm—he has the earth, And the accepted of face—he dwells in it.
evɔ nèhenye ŋusẽtɔ, anyigba le asiwò eye nèle anyigba dzi, bubu le ŋuwò.
9 You have sent widows away empty, And the arms of the fatherless are bruised.
Èɖo ahosiwo ɖa asi ƒuƒlu eye nèɖe tsyɔ̃eviwo ƒe ŋusẽ ɖa.
10 Therefore snares [are] all around you, And sudden fear troubles you.
Eya ta mɔkawo ɖe to ɖe wò ɖo eya ta dzɔgbevɔ̃e ƒo ɖe dziwò kpoyi hedo ŋɔdzi na wò
11 Or darkness—you do not see, And abundance of waters covers you.
eya ta viviti do ale gbegbe be màgate ŋu akpɔ nu o eye eya tae tɔɖɔɖɔ va tsyɔ dziwò ɖo.
12 Is God not high [in] the heavens? And see the summit of the stars, That they are high.
“Ɖe Mawu mele dziƒo kɔkɔtɔ oa? Ɖe mekpɔ ale si ɣletivi kɔkɔtɔwo kɔkɔe oa?
13 And you have said, How has God known? Does He judge through thickness?
Gake ègblɔ be, ‘Nu ka Mawu nya? Ɖe wòdrɔ̃a ʋɔnu to viviti ma tɔgbi mea?
14 Thick clouds [are] a secret place to Him, And He does not see, And He habitually walks [above] the circle of the heavens.
Lilikpo dodowo xe eŋkume eya ta mekpɔa mí ne ele tsatsam le dziƒo ƒe agbo sesẽwo me o.’
15 Do you observe the path of the age, That men of iniquity have trodden,
Ɖe nàgalé mɔ xoxo si dzi ame vɔ̃ɖiwo zɔ va yi la me ɖe asia?
16 Who have been cut down unexpectedly? A flood is poured out on their foundation.
Wokplɔ wo dzoe hafi woƒe ɣeyiɣi de eye tsiɖɔɖɔ kplɔ woƒe gɔmeɖokpewo dzoe.
17 Those saying to God, Turn aside from us, And what does the Mighty One do to them?
Wogblɔ na Mawu be, ‘Ɖe asi le mía ŋu! Nu kae Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la awɔ mí?’
18 And He has filled their houses [with] good (And the counsel of the wicked Has been 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 and they rejoice, And the innocent mocks at them:
Ame dzɔdzɔewo kpɔ woƒe gbegblẽ eye dzi dzɔ wo, ame maɖifɔwo gblɔ ɖe wo ŋu fewuɖutɔe be,
20 Surely our substance has not been cut off, And fire has consumed their excellence.
‘Wotsrɔ̃ míaƒe futɔwo vavã eye dzo va fia woƒe kesinɔnuwo.’
21 Now acquaint yourself with Him, and be at peace, Thereby your increase [is] good.
“Tsɔ ɖokuiwò na Mawu eye nànɔ ŋutifafa me kplii, to esia me la, dzɔgbenyui ava wò mɔ dzi.
22 Please receive a law from His mouth, And set His sayings in your heart.
Xɔ nufiame tso eƒe nu me, eye nàtsɔ eƒe nyawo adzra ɖo ɖe wò dzi me
23 If you return to the Mighty you are built up, You put iniquity far from your tents.
Ne ètrɔ va Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la gbɔ la, agaɖo wò te. Ne èɖe nu vɔ̃ɖi wɔwɔ ɖa xaa tso wò agbadɔ gbɔ,
24 So as to set a defense on the dust, And a covering on a rock of the valleys.
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 Mighty has been your defense, And silver [is] strength to you.
ekema Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la anye wò sika kple klosalo nyuitɔ.
26 For then you delight yourself on the Mighty, And lift up your face to God,
Ekema le nyateƒe me la, Ŋusẽkatãtɔ ƒe nu ado dzidzɔ na wò eye àwu wò mo dzi ɖe Mawu ŋu.
27 You make supplication to Him, And He hears you, And you complete your vows.
Àdo gbe ɖa nɛ, wòaɖo to wò eye àxe wò adzɔgbeɖefewo nɛ.
28 And you decree a saying, And it is established to you, And light has shone on your ways.
Nu si nèɖo la, ava eme na wò eye kekeli aklẽ ɖe wò mɔwo dzi.
29 For they have made low, And you say, Lift up. And He saves the bowed down of eyes.
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 delivers the one [who is] not innocent, Indeed, he has been delivered By the cleanness of your hands.”
Aɖe ame si ŋu fɔɖiɖi le gɔ̃ hã, ame si woaɖe to wò asi ƒe kɔkɔenɔnɔ me.”

< Job 22 >