Hiob 15
1 Temanitɔ, Elifaz ɖo Hiob ƒe nyawo ŋu be,
Then responded Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:
2 “Ɖe nunyala aɖo nya ŋu kple susu gbɔlo alo ana ɣedzeƒeya xɔdzo nayɔ eƒe dɔ mea?
Should, a wise man, answer unreal knowledge? or fill, with the east wind, his inner man?
3 Ɖe wòatsɔ nya manyatalenuwo ahe nya alo atsɔ nuƒoƒo si nye nya dzodzro ahe nyaea?
Disputing with discourse that doth no good, or with speech, wherein is no profit?
4 Kura gɔ̃ hã la, èɖi gbɔ̃ mawuvɔvɔ̃ eye nèhe mawusubɔsubɔ adodoea ɖe megbe.
But, thou, wouldst take away reverence, and wouldst attain unto meditation before GOD.
5 Wò nu vɔ̃e ƒoe ɖe nuwò ale nètia ayetɔwo ƒe aɖe.
For thine own mouth would teach thine iniquity, and thou wouldst choose the tongue of the crafty.
6 Wò ŋutɔ wò nue bu fɔ wò, menye tɔnyee o, eye wò ŋutɔ wò nuyiwoe ɖu ɖasefo ɖe ŋuwò.
Thine own mouth shall condemn thee, and, not I, And, thine own lips, shall testify against thee.
7 “Wòe nye ame gbãtɔ si wodzi kpɔa? Ɖe wodzi wò hafi togbɛwo va dzɔa?
The first of mankind, wast thou born? Or, before the hills, wast thou brought forth?
8 Èse Mawu ƒe aɖaŋudede kple toa? Gbɔwò ko nunya tso aƒe ɖoa?
In the secret council of GOD, hast thou been wont to hearken? Or canst thou attain for thyself unto wisdom?
9 Nu ka nènya si míawo ya míenya o? Nu ka gɔmee nèse esi gɔme míawo míese o?
What knowest thou, that we know not? [What] understandest thou, and the same, is not with us?
10 Ta ƒowɔ tɔwo kple amegãɖeɖiwo le mía dzi, ame siwo tsi wu fofowò gɔ̃ hã.
Both hoary and venerable, are among us, one mightier than thy father in days!
11 Ɖe Mawu ƒe akɔfanamenya siwo wògblɔ bɔlɔɔ la, mesɔ agbɔ na wò oa?
Too small for thee, are the consolations of GOD? or a word spoken gently with thee?
12 Nu ka ŋuti wò dzi kplɔ wò dzoe, wò ŋkuwo le dzo dam,
How doth thine own heart carry thee away, and how thine eyes do roll!
13 ale be nènyɔ wò dziku ɖe Mawu ŋu eye nètrɔ nya siawo kɔ ɖi tso wò nu me?
For thy spirit, replieth against GOD, and thou bringest forth—out of thy mouth—words!
14 “Nu kae nye amegbetɔ be, wòadza alo ame si nyɔnu dzi la be wòanɔ dzɔdzɔe?
What is a mortal, that he should be pure? or that righteous should be one born of a woman?
15 Ne Mawu meka ɖe eƒe kɔkɔetɔwo dzi o eye dziƒowo gɔ̃ hã medza le eƒe ŋkume o,
Lo! in his holy ones, he putteth not confidence, and, 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 when one is detested and corrupt, a man who drinketh in—like water—perversity.
17 “Ɖo tom ne maɖe nu me na wò; na magblɔ nu si teƒe mekpɔ la na wò,
I will tell thee—hear me, Since this I have seen, I must needs declare it.
18 nu si nunyalawo ɖe gbeƒãe eye womeɣla naneke si woxɔ tso wo fofowo gbɔ o,
Which, wise men, tell, and deny not [that which is] from their fathers.
19 ame siwo ko wotsɔ anyigba la na, esi amedzro aɖeke meto wo dome o.
To them alone, was the earth given, and no alien passed through their midst:
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.
All the days of the lawless man, he, doth writhe with pain, and, the number of years, is hidden from the tyrant;
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.
A noise of dreadful things, is in his ears, In prosperity, the destroyer cometh upon him;
22 Dzi ɖe le eƒo be mate ŋu asi le viviti la nu o elabena wotsɔe de asi na yi.
He hath no confidence to come back out of darkness, he, being destined to the power oft the sword;
23 Ele tsaglalã tsam le nuɖuɖu dim abe akaga ene elabena enya be vivitidogbe la tu aƒe kpokploe.
A wanderer, he, for bread, [saying] Where [is it]? He knoweth that, prepared by his own hand, is the day of darkness;
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 shall startle him, It shall overpower him, like a king ready for the onset:
25 Elabena eŋlɔ kɔ do ɖe mo na Mawu eye wòdze aglã ɖe Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la ŋu,
Because he had stretched out—against GOD—his hand, and, against the Almighty, had been wont to behave himself proudly;
26 helũ ɖe edzi ɖekematsɔlemetɔe kple akpoxɔnu titri sesẽ aɖe.
He used to run against him with uplifted neck, with the stout bosses of his bucklers;
27 “Togbɔ be eda ami ɖe mo gbɔ eye wòlolo ɖe ali gbɔ hã la,
For he had covered his face with his fatness, and had gathered a superabundance on his loins;
28 anɔ du gbagbãwo kple xɔ siwo me ame aɖeke mele o la me, xɔ siwo gbã zu glikpo.
And had inhabited demolished cities, houses, wherein men would not dwell, that were destined to become heaps.
29 Magakpɔ hotsui o eye eƒe kesinɔnuwo maganɔ anyi alo eƒe nunɔamesiwo nagbagba ɖe anyigba dzi o.
He shall not be rich, nor shall his substance continue, neither shall their shadow stretch along on the earth;
30 Masi le viviti la nu o, dzo ƒe aɖe ana eƒe alɔwo nayrɔ eye Mawu ƒe numegbɔgbɔ akplɔe adzoe.
He shall not depart out of darkness, his young branch, shall the flame dry up, and he shall depart, by the breath of his own mouth!
31 Megable eɖokui, atsɔ eƒe dzi aɖo nu si nye tofloko la ŋu o elabena ɖeke maɖe vi nɛ o.
Let no one trust in him that—by vanity—is deceived, for, vanity, shall be his recompense;
32 Hafi eƒe ɣeyiɣi nade la, woaɖo eteƒe nɛ abe ale si dze ene eye eƒe alɔdzewo matsi ɖe edzi o.
Before his day, shall it be accomplished, with, his palm-top, not covered with leaves;
33 Anɔ abe wainka si ŋu wogbe waintsetse gbogbowo katã le la ene alo abe amiti si dudu eƒe seƒoƒowo ene.
He shall wrong—like a vine—his sour grapes, and shall cast off—as an olive-tree—his blossom.
34 Elabena mawumavɔ̃lawo ƒe ha madzi ɖe edzi o eye dzo afia ame siwo lɔ̃a zãnuxɔxɔ ƒe agbadɔwo.
For, the family of the impious, is unfruitful, and, a fire, hath devoured the tents of bribery;
35 Wofɔa fukpekpe ƒe fu, hedzia nu vɔ̃ɖi eye beble ɖoa atsyɔ̃ ɖe woƒe vidzidɔwo me.”
Conceiving mischief, and bringing forth iniquity, yea, their inmost soul, prepareth deceit.
