Hiob 14
1 “Amegbetɔ si nyɔnu dzi ƒe agbemeŋkekewo le kpuie eye woyɔ fũu kple fukpekpe.
Man, born of woman, is of few days, and full of trouble.
2 Ekena abe seƒoƒo ene eye wòyrɔna, ele abe vɔvɔli si dzona kaba eye metɔna ɖi o la ene.
He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down; and he fleeth as a shadow, and continueth not.
3 Ɖe nàke ŋku ɖe esia tɔgbi ŋua? Ɖe nàkplɔe va ʋɔnui le ŋkuwòmea?
Yet dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?
4 Ame ka ate ŋu aɖe nu dzadzɛ tso nu si medza o la me? Ɖeka pɛ teti hã o!
Who can bring a clean [man] out of the unclean? Not one!
5 Èɖo ame ƒe ŋkekewo ɖi xoxo; èɖo eƒe ɣletiwo da ɖi eye nèɖo liƒo siwo dzi mate ŋu agbɔ o la ɖi nɛ.
If his days are determined, if the number of his months is with thee, [and] thou hast appointed his bounds which he must not pass,
6 Eya ta ɖe ŋku ɖa le eŋu eye nàɖe asi le eŋu va se ɖe esime eƒe ɣeyiɣi de abe agbatedɔwɔla ene.
Look away from him; and let him rest, till he accomplish, as a hireling, his day.
7 “Mɔkpɔkpɔ li na ati gɔ̃ hã, ne wolãe la, egadzena yeyee eye eƒe alɔ yeyeawo nu matsi o.
For there is hope for a tree: if it be cut down, it will sprout again, and its tender branch will not cease;
8 Eƒe kewo anya do xoxo ɖe tome eye eƒe takpo aku ɖe tome,
Though its root grow old in the earth, and its stock die in the ground,
9 ke hã la, ne tsi nya ʋẽ ɖee ko la, egadzena eye wòtoa alɔwo abe ati si wodo ene.
Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and put forth boughs like a young plant.
10 Gake ne amegbetɔ ya ku la, wotsɔnɛ mlɔa anyie kpoo nenema; egbɔa eƒe gbɔgbɔ mamlɛa eye meganɔa agbe o.
But a man dieth, and is prostrate; yea, man expireth, and where is he?
11 Abe ale si atsiaƒu ɖia ke alo tsi miena le tɔsisi me wòƒuna kplakplakpla ene la,
The waters recede from the lake, and the river wasteth and drieth up:
12 nenemae amegbetɔ mlɔa anyie eye megafɔna o va se ɖe esime dziƒo nu ava yi. Amegbetɔwo magafɔ alo anyɔ tso woƒe alɔ̃dɔdɔ me o.
So man lieth down, and riseth not again; till the heavens be no more, they do not awake, nor are raised out of their sleep.
13 “O, ne ɖe nàɣlam ɖe yɔdo me, atsyɔ nu dzinye va se ɖe esime wò dziku nu va yi ɖe! Alo nàɖo ɣeyiɣi nam eye emegbe nàɖo ŋku dzinye ɖe! (Sheol h7585)
Oh that thou wouldest hide me in Sheol, that thou wouldest keep me secret until thine anger be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me, — (Sheol h7585)
14 Ne ame ku la, ɖe wòaganɔ agbea? Le nye ɣeyiɣi sesẽwo me hã, manɔ nye yeyewɔwɔ ƒe ŋkeke la lalam.
(If a man die, shall he live [again]?) all the days of my time of toil would I wait, till my change should come:
15 Àyɔm eye matɔ, wò dzi alé dzo ɖe nu si wò asiwo wɔ la ŋu.
Thou wouldest call, and I would answer thee; thou wouldest have a desire after the work of thy hands.
16 Ekema àxlẽ nye afɔɖeɖewo, ke menye be wò ŋku nanɔ nye nu vɔ̃wo ŋu o.
For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?
17 Woatre nye dzidadawo nu ɖe akplo me eye àtsyɔ nu nye nu vɔ̃wo dzi.
My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou heapest up mine iniquity.
18 “Gake abe ale si ke ɖena le to te wòŋena dzea eme eye agakpe ʋãna le eteƒe ene la,
And indeed a mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of its place;
19 abe ale si tsi nyia kpewoe eye tsidzadza kplɔa ke si le anyigba dzonae ene la, nenemae nègblẽa ame ƒe mɔkpɔkpɔ mee.
The waters wear the stones, the floods thereof wash away the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.
20 Èdzea edzi kple ŋusẽ zi ɖeka eye ɖe wòvɔnae nye ekema; ètrɔa eƒe dzedzeme henyanɛ dzonae.
Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth away; thou changest his countenance, and dismissest him.
21 Ne wode bubu via ŋutsuwo ŋu hã la, menyanɛ o, ne woɖi gbɔ̃ wo hã la, mekpɔnɛ o.
His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, and he perceiveth it not.
22 Negbe eya ŋutɔ ƒe veve si sem wòle le ŋutilã me koe eye eya ŋutɔ fana na eɖokui.”
But his flesh hath pain for himself alone, and his soul mourneth for himself.
