Job 4
1 Then responded Eliphaz the Temanite, and said: —
Tete Temanitɔ Elifaz ɖo eŋu na Hiob be,
2 If one attempt a word unto thee, wilt thou be impatient? But, to restrain speech, who, can endure?
“Ne ame aɖe te kpɔ be yeaƒo nu kpli wò la, ɖe nàgbɔ dzi ɖi aseea? Ke ame kae ate ŋu azi ɖoɖoe le nu sia ŋuti?
3 Lo! thou hast admonished many, and, slack hands, hast thou been wont to uphold:
Bu ale si nèfia nu ame geɖewo kple ale si nèdo ŋusẽ asi beliwoe ŋuti.
4 Him that was stumbling, have thy words raised up, and, sinking knees, hast thou strengthened.
Wò nyawo lé ame siwo yina anyi dze ge la ɖe te eye nèdo ŋusẽ klo beliwo.
5 But, now, it cometh upon thee, and thou despairest, It smiteth even thee, and thou art dismayed.
Ke azɔ la, dzɔgbevɔ̃e va dziwò, eye dzi ɖe le ƒo wò; eƒo wò ƒu anyi eye nèse veve.
6 Is not, thy reverence, thy confidence? And is not, thy hope, the very integrity of thy ways?
Ɖe wò Mawuvɔvɔ̃ manye wò dzideƒo eye wò blibodede nanye wò mɔkpɔkpɔ oa?
7 Remember, I pray thee, who, being innocent, hath perished, or when, the upright, have been cut off.
“Azɔ bu eŋuti kpɔ. Ame maɖifɔ ka wohe to na kpɔ? Afi ka wogblẽ ame dzɔdzɔe dome le kpɔ?
8 So far as I have seen, They who plow for iniquity and sow misery, reap the same:
Abe ale si mede dzesii ene la, ame siwo ŋlɔ vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi ƒe agble eye woƒã dzɔgbevɔ̃e lae ŋenɛ.
9 By the blast of GOD, they perish, And, by the breath of his nostrils, are they consumed:
Ne Mawu gbɔ ɖe wo dzi la woyrɔna eye ne eƒe dziku fla la wotsrɔ̃na.
10 [Notwithstanding] the roaring of the lion, and the noise of the howling lion, yet, the teeth of the fierce lions, are broken:
Dzatawo aɖe gbe, axlɔ̃ sesĩe gake woate ŋu aŋe aɖu na dzataviwo.
11 The strong lion perishing for lack of prey, Even the whelps of the lioness, are scattered.
Dzata kuna ne mekpɔ nu lé o eye dzatanɔwo kakana.
12 But, unto me, something was brought by stealth, —and mine ear caught a whispering of the same:
“Wotsɔ nya aɖe vɛ nam le adzame, nye towo see wotsɔe do dalĩ nam.
13 When there were thoughts, from visions of the night, —When deep sleep falleth upon men,
Le drɔ̃ewo me le zã me, esi amewo dɔ alɔ̃ yi eme ʋĩi la,
14 Dread, came upon me, and trembling, The multitude of my bones, it put in dread:
vɔvɔ̃ kple dzodzo nyanyanya lém eye wona nye ƒuwo katã dzo kpekpekpe.
15 Then, a spirit, over my face, floated along, The hair of my flesh bristled-up:
Gbɔgbɔ aɖe ɖo asagba va to nye ŋkume yi eye ɖadoe ɖo to ɖe ŋunye.
16 It stood still, but I could not distinguish its appearance, I looked, but there was no form before mine eyes, —A whispering voice, I heard: —
Etɔ gake nyemate ŋu agblɔ nu si wònye o. Nɔnɔme aɖe va tsi tsitre ɖe ŋkunye me eye mese gbe bɔlɔe aɖe be,
17 Shall, mortal man, be more just than GOD? Or a man be more pure than, his Maker?
‘Ɖe ame kodzogbea anɔ dzɔdzɔe wu Mawua? Ɖe amegbetɔ anɔ dzadzɛe wu eƒe Wɔlaa?
18 Lo! in his own servants, he trusteth not, and, his own messengers, he chargeth with error:
Ne Mawu meka ɖe eƒe dɔlawo dzi o eye wòbua fɔ eƒe dɔlawo be woda vo,
19 How much more the dwellers in houses of clay, which, in the dust, have their foundation, which are crushed sooner than a moth:
ʋuu keke, ke wòahanye ame siwo le anyixɔwo me, ame siwo gɔme woɖo anyi ɖe ke me eye wogbãa wo bɔbɔe abe ŋɔvi ene!
20 Betwixt morning and evening, are they broken in pieces, With none to save, they utterly perish:
Wogbãa wo gudugudu le fɔŋli kple zã dome, ame aɖeke menyana gɔ̃ hã o, ale wotsrɔ̃na gbidii.
21 Is not their tent-rope within them, torn away? They die, disrobed of wisdom!
Ɖe womehoa woƒe agbadɔkawo, ale be woaku numanyamanyae oa?’”
