Job 22
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
Temanitɔ, Elifaz ɖo eŋu be,
2 "Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.
“Ɖe ame anye viɖenu na Mawua? Ɖe nunyala gɔ̃ hã anye viɖenu nɛa?
3 Is it any pleasure to Shaddai, that you are righteous? Or does it benefit him, 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 Is it for your piety that he reproves you, that he enters with you into judgment?
“Wò Mawuvɔvɔ̃ tae wòka mo na wò hetsɔ nya ɖe ŋuwòa?
5 Isn't your wickedness great? Neither is there any end to your iniquities.
Ɖe wò nu vɔ̃ɖi wɔwɔ mekpe ŋutɔ oa? Ɖe nuwuwu li na wò nu vɔ̃woa?
6 For you have taken pledges from your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
Èbia megbedanu tso nɔviwò ŋutsuwo si susumanɔmetɔe eye nèɖe avɔ le amewo ŋu wotsi amama.
7 You haven't given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld 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. The honorable man, he lived 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 have been broken.
Èɖo ahosiwo ɖa asi ƒuƒlu eye nèɖe tsyɔ̃eviwo ƒe ŋusẽ ɖa.
10 Therefore snares are around you. 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, so that you can not see, and floods of waters cover you.
eya ta viviti do ale gbegbe be màgate ŋu akpɔ nu o eye eya tae tɔɖɔɖɔ va tsyɔ dziwò ɖo.
12 "Isn't God in the heights of heaven? See the height of the stars, how high they are.
“Ɖe Mawu mele dziƒo kɔkɔtɔ oa? Ɖe mekpɔ ale si ɣletivi kɔkɔtɔwo kɔkɔe oa?
13 You say, 'What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?
Gake ègblɔ be, ‘Nu ka Mawu nya? Ɖe wòdrɔ̃a ʋɔnu to viviti ma tɔgbi mea?
14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he doesn't see. He walks on the vault of the sky.'
Lilikpo dodowo xe eŋkume eya ta mekpɔa mí ne ele tsatsam le dziƒo ƒe agbo sesẽwo me o.’
15 Will you 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 to God, 'Depart from us;' and, 'What can Shaddai do for us?'
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. The innocent ridicule them,
Ame dzɔdzɔewo kpɔ woƒe gbegblẽ eye dzi dzɔ wo, ame maɖifɔwo gblɔ ɖe wo ŋu fewuɖutɔe be,
20 saying, 'Surely those who rose up against us are cut off. The fire has consumed the remnant of them.'
‘Wotsrɔ̃ míaƒe futɔwo vavã eye dzo va fia woƒe kesinɔnuwo.’
21 "Acquaint yourself with him, now, and be at peace. Thereby good shall come to you.
“Tsɔ ɖokuiwò na Mawu eye nànɔ ŋutifafa me kplii, to esia me la, dzɔgbenyui ava wò mɔ dzi.
22 Please receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.
Xɔ nufiame tso eƒe nu me, eye nàtsɔ eƒe nyawo adzra ɖo ɖe wò dzi me
23 If you return to Shaddai, you shall be built up, if you put away unrighteousness 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 Lay your treasure in the dust, 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 Shaddai will be your treasure, and precious silver to you.
ekema Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la anye wò sika kple klosalo nyuitɔ.
26 For then you will delight yourself in Shaddai, and shall 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 shall make your prayer to him, and he will hear you. You shall pay your vows.
Àdo gbe ɖa nɛ, wòaɖo to wò eye àxe wò adzɔgbeɖefewo nɛ.
28 And you will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you, and light will shine on your ways.
Nu si nèɖo la, ava eme na wò eye kekeli aklẽ ɖe wò mɔwo dzi.
29 When they cast down, you shall say, 'be lifted up.' And he will save the humble.
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 will even deliver him who is not innocent. Yes, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of your hands."
Aɖe ame si ŋu fɔɖiɖi le gɔ̃ hã, ame si woaɖe to wò asi ƒe kɔkɔenɔnɔ me.”
