Hiob 15
1 Temanitɔ, Elifaz ɖo Hiob ƒe nyawo ŋu be,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
2 “Ɖe nunyala aɖo nya ŋu kple susu gbɔlo alo ana ɣedzeƒeya xɔdzo nayɔ eƒe dɔ mea?
“Does a wise man answer with empty counsel or fill his belly with the hot east wind?
3 Ɖe wòatsɔ nya manyatalenuwo ahe nya alo atsɔ nuƒoƒo si nye nya dzodzro ahe nyaea?
Should he argue with useless words or speeches that serve no purpose?
4 Kura gɔ̃ hã la, èɖi gbɔ̃ mawuvɔvɔ̃ eye nèhe mawusubɔsubɔ adodoea ɖe megbe.
But you even undermine the fear of God and hinder meditation before Him.
5 Wò nu vɔ̃e ƒoe ɖe nuwò ale nètia ayetɔwo ƒe aɖe.
For your iniquity instructs your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty.
6 Wò ŋutɔ wò nue bu fɔ wò, menye tɔnyee o, eye wò ŋutɔ wò nuyiwoe ɖu ɖasefo ɖe ŋuwò.
Your own mouth, not mine, condemns you; your own lips testify against you.
7 “Wòe nye ame gbãtɔ si wodzi kpɔa? Ɖe wodzi wò hafi togbɛwo va dzɔa?
Were you the first man ever born? Were you brought forth before the hills?
8 Èse Mawu ƒe aɖaŋudede kple toa? Gbɔwò ko nunya tso aƒe ɖoa?
Do you listen in on the council of God or limit wisdom to yourself?
9 Nu ka nènya si míawo ya míenya o? Nu ka gɔmee nèse esi gɔme míawo míese o?
What do you know that we do not? What do you understand that is not clear to us?
10 Ta ƒowɔ tɔwo kple amegãɖeɖiwo le mía dzi, ame siwo tsi wu fofowò gɔ̃ hã.
Both the gray-haired and the aged are on our side— men much older than your father.
11 Ɖe Mawu ƒe akɔfanamenya siwo wògblɔ bɔlɔɔ la, mesɔ agbɔ na wò oa?
Are the consolations of God not enough for you, even words spoken gently to you?
12 Nu ka ŋuti wò dzi kplɔ wò dzoe, wò ŋkuwo le dzo dam,
Why has your heart carried you away, and why do your eyes flash,
13 ale be nènyɔ wò dziku ɖe Mawu ŋu eye nètrɔ nya siawo kɔ ɖi tso wò nu me?
as you turn your spirit against God and pour such words from your mouth?
14 “Nu kae nye amegbetɔ be, wòadza alo ame si nyɔnu dzi la be wòanɔ dzɔdzɔe?
What is man, that he should be pure, or one born of woman, that he should be righteous?
15 Ne Mawu meka ɖe eƒe kɔkɔetɔwo dzi o eye dziƒowo gɔ̃ hã medza le eƒe ŋkume o,
If God puts no trust in His holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in His eyes,
16 aleke wòahanye amegbetɔ si nye aɖi, esi dovo eye wòno nu vɔ̃ɖi abe tsi ene!
how much less man, who is vile and corrupt, who drinks injustice like water?
17 “Ɖo tom ne maɖe nu me na wò; na magblɔ nu si teƒe mekpɔ la na wò,
Listen to me and I will inform you. I will describe what I have seen,
18 nu si nunyalawo ɖe gbeƒãe eye womeɣla naneke si woxɔ tso wo fofowo gbɔ o,
what was declared by wise men and was not concealed from their fathers,
19 ame siwo ko wotsɔ anyigba la na, esi amedzro aɖeke meto wo dome o.
to whom alone the land was given when no foreigner passed among them.
20 Ame vɔ̃ɖi kpea fuwo ƒe fu le eƒe agbemeŋkekewo katã me, nenema ke ŋutasẽla hã kpea fu le ƒe siwo katã woɖo ɖi nɛ la me.
A wicked man writhes in pain all his days; only a few years are reserved for the ruthless.
21 Gbeɖiɖi siwo ŋu ŋɔdzi le la yɔ eƒe tome fũu eye ne wòdze abe nuwo ɖe wole afɔ tsɔm ene la, adzohawo va dzea edzi.
Sounds of terror fill his ears; in his prosperity the destroyer attacks him.
22 Dzi ɖe le eƒo be mate ŋu asi le viviti la nu o elabena wotsɔe de asi na yi.
He despairs of his return from darkness; he is marked for the sword.
23 Ele tsaglalã tsam le nuɖuɖu dim abe akaga ene elabena enya be vivitidogbe la tu aƒe kpokploe.
He wanders about as food for vultures; he knows the day of darkness is at hand.
24 Xaxa kple vevesese na ŋɔdzi lé eya amea ŋutɔ eye wova dze edzi abe fia si le klalo na aʋakpekpe ene.
Distress and anguish terrify him, overwhelming him like a king poised to attack.
25 Elabena eŋlɔ kɔ do ɖe mo na Mawu eye wòdze aglã ɖe Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la ŋu,
For he has stretched out his hand against God and has vaunted himself against the Almighty,
26 helũ ɖe edzi ɖekematsɔlemetɔe kple akpoxɔnu titri sesẽ aɖe.
rushing headlong at Him with a thick, studded shield.
27 “Togbɔ be eda ami ɖe mo gbɔ eye wòlolo ɖe ali gbɔ hã la,
Though his face is covered with fat and his waistline bulges with flesh,
28 anɔ du gbagbãwo kple xɔ siwo me ame aɖeke mele o la me, xɔ siwo gbã zu glikpo.
he will dwell in ruined cities, in abandoned houses destined to become rubble.
29 Magakpɔ hotsui o eye eƒe kesinɔnuwo maganɔ anyi alo eƒe nunɔamesiwo nagbagba ɖe anyigba dzi o.
He will no longer be rich; his wealth will not endure. His possessions will not overspread the land.
30 Masi le viviti la nu o, dzo ƒe aɖe ana eƒe alɔwo nayrɔ eye Mawu ƒe numegbɔgbɔ akplɔe adzoe.
He will not escape from the darkness; the flame will wither his shoots, and the breath of God’s mouth will carry him away.
31 Megable eɖokui, atsɔ eƒe dzi aɖo nu si nye tofloko la ŋu o elabena ɖeke maɖe vi nɛ o.
Let him not deceive himself with trust in emptiness, for emptiness will be his reward.
32 Hafi eƒe ɣeyiɣi nade la, woaɖo eteƒe nɛ abe ale si dze ene eye eƒe alɔdzewo matsi ɖe edzi o.
It will be paid in full before his time, and his branch will not flourish.
33 Anɔ abe wainka si ŋu wogbe waintsetse gbogbowo katã le la ene alo abe amiti si dudu eƒe seƒoƒowo ene.
He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes, like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms.
34 Elabena mawumavɔ̃lawo ƒe ha madzi ɖe edzi o eye dzo afia ame siwo lɔ̃a zãnuxɔxɔ ƒe agbadɔwo.
For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery.
35 Wofɔa fukpekpe ƒe fu, hedzia nu vɔ̃ɖi eye beble ɖoa atsyɔ̃ ɖe woƒe vidzidɔwo me.”
They conceive trouble and give birth to evil; their womb is pregnant with deceit.”
