Job 22
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
Temanitɔ, Elifaz ɖo eŋu be,
2 Can a man, then, profit God? Behold, the wise man profiteth himself.
“Ɖe ame anye viɖenu na Mawua? Ɖe nunyala gɔ̃ hã anye viɖenu nɛa?
3 Is it a pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous; Or a gain to him, that thou walkest uprightly?
Dzidzɔ ka wòanye na Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la ne ènye ame dzɔdzɔe? Eye viɖe ka wòakpɔ ne fɔɖiɖi mele wò mɔwo ŋu o?
4 Will he contend with thee because he feareth thee? Will he enter with thee into judgment?
“Wò Mawuvɔvɔ̃ tae wòka mo na wò hetsɔ nya ɖe ŋuwòa?
5 Hath not thy wickedness been great? Have not thine iniquities been numberless?
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 unjustly, And stripped the poor of their clothing.
Èbia megbedanu tso nɔviwò ŋutsuwo si susumanɔmetɔe eye nèɖe avɔ le amewo ŋu wotsi amama.
7 Thou hast given the weary no water to drink, And withholden bread from the hungry.
Mèna tsi ame siwo nu ti kɔ na la wono o eye nète nuɖuɖu dɔwuitɔwo,
8 But the man of power, his was the land, And the honorable 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 broken the arms of the fatherless.
Èɖo ahosiwo ɖa asi ƒuƒlu eye nèɖe tsyɔ̃eviwo ƒe ŋusẽ ɖa.
10 Therefore snares are round about thee, And sudden fear confoundeth thee;
Eya ta mɔkawo ɖe to ɖe wò ɖo eya ta dzɔgbevɔ̃e ƒo ɖe dziwò kpoyi hedo ŋɔdzi na wò
11 Or darkness, through which thou canst not see, And floods of water 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 stars, how high they are!
“Ɖe Mawu mele dziƒo kɔkɔtɔ oa? Ɖe mekpɔ ale si ɣletivi kɔkɔtɔwo kɔkɔe oa?
13 Hence thou sayest, “What doth God know? Can he govern behind the thick darkness?
Gake ègblɔ be, ‘Nu ka Mawu nya? Ɖe wòdrɔ̃a ʋɔnu to viviti ma tɔgbi mea?
14 Dark clouds are a veil to him, and he cannot see; And he walketh upon the arch of heaven.”
Lilikpo dodowo xe eŋkume eya ta mekpɔa mí ne ele tsatsam le dziƒo ƒe agbo sesẽwo me o.’
15 Wilt thou take 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 cut down before their time, And whose foundations were swept away by a flood?
Wokplɔ wo dzoe hafi woƒe ɣeyiɣi de eye tsiɖɔɖɔ kplɔ woƒe gɔmeɖokpewo dzoe.
17 Who said unto God, “Depart from us!” And, “What can the Almighty do to us?”
Wogblɔ na Mawu be, ‘Ɖe asi le mía ŋu! Nu kae Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la awɔ mí?’
18 And yet he filled their houses with good things!—Far from me be the counsel of the wicked!
Evɔ wònye eyae tsɔ nu nyuiwo yɔ xɔ na wo fũu, eya ta menɔ adzɔge na ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe aɖaŋudede.
19 The righteous see their fate, and rejoice; And the innocent hold them in derision.
Ame dzɔdzɔewo kpɔ woƒe gbegblẽ eye dzi dzɔ wo, ame maɖifɔwo gblɔ ɖe wo ŋu fewuɖutɔe be,
20 “Truly our adversary is destroyed, And fire hath consumed his abundance!”
‘Wotsrɔ̃ míaƒe futɔwo vavã eye dzo va fia woƒe kesinɔnuwo.’
21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: Thus shall prosperity return to thee.
“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 iniquity from thy tent.
Ne ètrɔ va Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la gbɔ la, agaɖo wò te. Ne èɖe nu vɔ̃ɖi wɔwɔ ɖa xaa tso wò agbadɔ gbɔ,
24 Cast to the dust thy gold, And the gold of Ophir to the stones of the brook:
eye nètsɔ wò dzonu veviwo kɔ ɖe ke me, tsɔ wò sika adodoe si tso Ofir ƒu gbe ɖe agakpewo tome la,
25 Then shall the Almighty be thy gold, Yea, treasures of silver unto thee;
ekema Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la anye wò sika kple klosalo nyuitɔ.
26 For then shalt thou have 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 pray to him, and he shall hear thee, And thou shalt perform thy vows.
Àdo gbe ɖa nɛ, wòaɖo to wò eye àxe wò adzɔgbeɖefewo nɛ.
28 The purpose which thou formest shall prosper with 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 men are cast down, thou shalt say, “There lifting up!” And the humble person he will save.
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 deliver even him that is not innocent. The purity of thy hands shall save him.
Aɖe ame si ŋu fɔɖiɖi le gɔ̃ hã, ame si woaɖe to wò asi ƒe kɔkɔenɔnɔ me.”
