Hiob 15
1 Temanitɔ, Elifaz ɖo Hiob ƒe nyawo ŋu be,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
2 “Ɖe nunyala aɖo nya ŋu kple susu gbɔlo alo ana ɣedzeƒeya xɔdzo nayɔ eƒe dɔ mea?
“Would a wise man answer with such empty ‘knowledge’ that is just a lot of hot air?
3 Ɖe wòatsɔ nya manyatalenuwo ahe nya alo atsɔ nuƒoƒo si nye nya dzodzro ahe nyaea?
He wouldn't argue with unprofitable speeches using words that do no good.
4 Kura gɔ̃ hã la, èɖi gbɔ̃ mawuvɔvɔ̃ eye nèhe mawusubɔsubɔ adodoea ɖe megbe.
But you are doing away with the fear of God, and destroying communion with him.
5 Wò nu vɔ̃e ƒoe ɖe nuwò ale nètia ayetɔwo ƒe aɖe.
It's your sins that are doing the talking, and you are choosing deceptive words.
6 Wò ŋutɔ wò nue bu fɔ wò, menye tɔnyee o, eye wò ŋutɔ wò nuyiwoe ɖu ɖasefo ɖe ŋuwò.
Your own mouth is condemning you, not me; your own lips are testifying against you.
7 “Wòe nye ame gbãtɔ si wodzi kpɔa? Ɖe wodzi wò hafi togbɛwo va dzɔa?
Were you the very first person to be born? Were you born before the hills were created?
8 Èse Mawu ƒe aɖaŋudede kple toa? Gbɔwò ko nunya tso aƒe ɖoa?
Were you there listening in God's council? Does wisdom only belong to you?
9 Nu ka nènya si míawo ya míenya o? Nu ka gɔmee nèse esi gɔme míawo míese o?
What do you know that we don't? What do you understand that we don't?
10 Ta ƒowɔ tɔwo kple amegãɖeɖiwo le mía dzi, ame siwo tsi wu fofowò gɔ̃ hã.
We have among us old, gray-haired people much older than your father!
11 Ɖe Mawu ƒe akɔfanamenya siwo wògblɔ bɔlɔɔ la, mesɔ agbɔ na wò oa?
Are the comforts God provides too little for you? Are God's gentle words not enough for you?
12 Nu ka ŋuti wò dzi kplɔ wò dzoe, wò ŋkuwo le dzo dam,
Why do you let yourself be carried away by your emotions?
13 ale be nènyɔ wò dziku ɖe Mawu ŋu eye nètrɔ nya siawo kɔ ɖi tso wò nu me?
Why do your eyes flash in anger that you turn against God and let yourself speak this way?
14 “Nu kae nye amegbetɔ be, wòadza alo ame si nyɔnu dzi la be wòanɔ dzɔdzɔe?
Who can say they are clean? Which human being can say that they do what is right?
15 Ne Mawu meka ɖe eƒe kɔkɔetɔwo dzi o eye dziƒowo gɔ̃ hã medza le eƒe ŋkume o,
Look, God doesn't even trust his angels—even the heavenly beings are not pure in his sight!
16 aleke wòahanye amegbetɔ si nye aɖi, esi dovo eye wòno nu vɔ̃ɖi abe tsi ene!
How much less pure are those who are unclean and corrupt, drinking in sin like water!
17 “Ɖo tom ne maɖe nu me na wò; na magblɔ nu si teƒe mekpɔ la na wò,
If you are ready to listen to me, I will show you. I will explain my insights.
18 nu si nunyalawo ɖe gbeƒãe eye womeɣla naneke si woxɔ tso wo fofowo gbɔ o,
This is what wise men have said, confirmed by their ancestors,
19 ame siwo ko wotsɔ anyigba la na, esi amedzro aɖeke meto wo dome o.
those who to whom alone the land was given before foreigners ever were there.
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.
The wicked writhe in pain all their lives, through all the years these oppressors survive.
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.
Terrifying sounds fill their ears; even when they think they're safe, the destroyer will attack them.
22 Dzi ɖe le eƒo be mate ŋu asi le viviti la nu o elabena wotsɔe de asi na yi.
They don't believe they will escape the darkness—they know a sword is waiting for them.
23 Ele tsaglalã tsam le nuɖuɖu dim abe akaga ene elabena enya be vivitidogbe la tu aƒe kpokploe.
They wander around looking for food, asking ‘Where is it?’ They know that their day of darkness is close at hand.
24 Xaxa kple vevesese na ŋɔdzi lé eya amea ŋutɔ eye wova dze edzi abe fia si le klalo na aʋakpekpe ene.
Misery and torment overwhelm them like a king preparing for battle.
25 Elabena eŋlɔ kɔ do ɖe mo na Mawu eye wòdze aglã ɖe Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la ŋu,
They shake their fists in God's face, defiantly challenging the Almighty,
26 helũ ɖe edzi ɖekematsɔlemetɔe kple akpoxɔnu titri sesẽ aɖe.
insolently attacking him with their shields.
27 “Togbɔ be eda ami ɖe mo gbɔ eye wòlolo ɖe ali gbɔ hã la,
They have become fat in their rebellion, their bellies bloated with fat.
28 anɔ du gbagbãwo kple xɔ siwo me ame aɖeke mele o la me, xɔ siwo gbã zu glikpo.
But their cities will become desolate; they will live in abandoned houses that are crumbling into ruins.
29 Magakpɔ hotsui o eye eƒe kesinɔnuwo maganɔ anyi alo eƒe nunɔamesiwo nagbagba ɖe anyigba dzi o.
They will lose their riches, their wealth will not endure, their possessions will not spread over the earth.
30 Masi le viviti la nu o, dzo ƒe aɖe ana eƒe alɔwo nayrɔ eye Mawu ƒe numegbɔgbɔ akplɔe adzoe.
They will not escape from the darkness. Like a tree whose shoots are burned up in a forest fire, the breath of God will blow him away.
31 Megable eɖokui, atsɔ eƒe dzi aɖo nu si nye tofloko la ŋu o elabena ɖeke maɖe vi nɛ o.
They should not trust in things that are worthless, for their reward will be worthless.
32 Hafi eƒe ɣeyiɣi nade la, woaɖo eteƒe nɛ abe ale si dze ene eye eƒe alɔdzewo matsi ɖe edzi o.
This will be paid in full before their time has come. They are like tree branches that wither,
33 Anɔ abe wainka si ŋu wogbe waintsetse gbogbowo katã le la ene alo abe amiti si dudu eƒe seƒoƒowo ene.
like vines that lose their unripe grapes, or olive trees that lose their flowers.
34 Elabena mawumavɔ̃lawo ƒe ha madzi ɖe edzi o eye dzo afia ame siwo lɔ̃a zãnuxɔxɔ ƒe agbadɔwo.
For those who reject God are barren, and fire will burn up the homes of those who love bribes.
35 Wofɔa fukpekpe ƒe fu, hedzia nu vɔ̃ɖi eye beble ɖoa atsyɔ̃ ɖe woƒe vidzidɔwo me.”
They plan trouble and produce evil, giving birth to deception.”
