< Hiob 11 >
1 Naamatitɔ, Zofar ɖo eŋu na Hiob be,
And Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,
2 “Ɖe woagbe nya siawo ŋu ɖoɖo na wòa? Ɖe woabe nyawɔla sia tɔ dzɔa?
Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man of much talk be justified?
3 Ɖe wò nya dzodzro siawo ade ga nu na amewoa? Ɖe ame aɖeke meli aka mo na wò ne èle fewu ɖum oa?
Should thy fictions make men hold their peace? and shouldest thou mock, and no one make [thee] ashamed?
4 Ègblɔ na Mawu be ‘Kpɔtsɔtsɔ mele nu siwo dzi mexɔ se la ŋu o eye medza le ŋkuwòme.’
For thou sayest, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.
5 O, aleke medi be Mawu naƒo nu, ne wòake eƒe nuyiwo ɖe ŋutiwò,
But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee;
6 ne wòaɖe nunya ƒe nu ɣaɣlawo afia wò elabena mo evee li na nunya. Vavã, nya esia be: Mawu ŋlɔ wò nu vɔ̃wo dometɔ aɖewo be gɔ̃ hã.
And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, how that they are the double of what is realised; and know that God passeth by [much] of thine iniquity!
7 “Àte ŋu ase Mawu ƒe nya goglowo gɔmea? Àte ŋu adzro Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la ƒe mlɔenuwo ke mea?
Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection?
8 Wokɔkɔ wu dziƒowo, nu ka nàte ŋu awɔ? Wogoglo wu tsiẽƒe ƒe gogloƒewo, nu ka nènya? (Sheol )
[It is as] the heights of heaven; what wilt thou do? deeper than Sheol; what canst thou know? (Sheol )
9 Wodidi wu anyigba eye wokeke wu atsiaƒu.
The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.
10 Ke ne eva do, hede wò gaxɔ me eye wòdrɔ̃ ʋɔnu wò la, ame ka ate ŋu atsi tsitre ɖe eŋu?
If he pass by, and shut up, and call to judgment, who can hinder him?
11 Vavã enyaa alakpatɔwo eye ne ekpɔ nu vɔ̃ɖi la, ɖe medzea sii oa?
For he knoweth vain men, and seeth wickedness when [man] doth not consider it;
12 Gake abe ale si gbetedzi mate ŋu adzi vi wòanye amegbetɔ o ene la, nenema kee womate ŋu awɔ bometsila hã wòazu nunyala o.
Yet a senseless man will make bold, though man be born [like] the foal of a wild ass.
13 “Ke hã la, ne ètsɔ wò dzi nɛ blibo, ne èwu wò asiwo dzi do ɖe egbɔ,
If thou prepare thy heart and stretch out thy hands toward him,
14 ne èɖe nu vɔ̃ siwo le wò asi me la ɖa eye ne mèɖe mɔ na nu vɔ̃ɖi aɖeke be wòanɔ wò agbadɔ me o la,
If thou put far away the iniquity which is in thy hand, and let not wrong dwell in thy tents;
15 ekema àkɔ wò mo dzi ŋukpemanɔmee, ànɔ te sesĩe eye mavɔ̃ o.
Surely then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot, and thou shalt be stedfast and shalt not fear:
16 Le nyateƒe me la, àŋlɔ wò hiãkame be eye àɖo ŋku edzi ko abe tsi sisi si nu va yi la ene.
For thou shalt forget misery; as waters that are passed away shalt thou remember it;
17 Wò agbe me akɔ wu ŋdɔkutsu dzati eye viviti anɔ na wò abe ŋdikekeli ene.
And life shall arise brighter than noonday; though thou be enshrouded in darkness, thou shalt be as the morning,
18 Ànɔ dedie elabena mɔkpɔkpɔ li, àtsa ŋku godoo eye àmlɔ anyi bɔkɔɔ le dedinɔnɔ me.
And thou shalt have confidence, because there shall be hope; and having searched about [thee], thou shalt take rest in safety.
19 Àmlɔ anyi eye ame aɖeke mava do ŋɔdzi na wò o; ale ame geɖewo ava bia amenuveve tso gbɔwò.
Yea, thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; and many shall seek thy favour.
20 Ke ɖeɖi ate ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe ŋkuwo ŋu, bebeƒe abu ɖe wo eye woƒe mɔkpɔkpɔ azu kudɔƒoƒo.”
But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and [all] refuge shall vanish from them, and their hope [shall be] the breathing out of life.