Hiob 16
1 Hiob ɖo eŋu nɛ be,
Then responded Job, and said: —
2 “Mese nya siawo tɔgbi wòsɔ gbɔ, akɔfala gbɔlowo ko mi katã mienye!
I have heard many such things, Wearisome comforters, are ye all!
3 Miaƒe nuƒo legbe, gɔdɔ̃gɔdɔ̃awo mawu nu akpɔ oa? Nu kae le mia vem be miegale nyahehe dzi kokoko?
Is there to be an end to windy words? Or what so strongly exciteth thee, that thou must respond?
4 Nenye miawoe le tenyeƒe la, nye hã maƒo nu abe miawo ke ene, agblɔ nyatinyatiwo ɖe mia ŋu eye maʋuʋu ta ɖe mia ŋu.
I also, like you, could speak, —If your soul were in the place of my soul, I could string together words against you, and could therewith shake over you my head.
5 Maƒo nu ade dzi ƒo na mi eye akɔfanya siwo ado tso nunye la ana miaƒe dzi adze eme.
I could make you determined, by my mouth, and then my lip-solace should restrain you.
6 “Gake ne meƒo nu la, nye vevesesewo dzi maka ɖe kpɔtɔ o eye ne medzudzɔ hã la, veveseseawo medzona o.
Though I do speak, unassuaged is my stinging pain, —And, if I forbear, of what am I relieved?
7 O Mawu, vavãe èna mevɔ le eme keŋkeŋ eye nètsrɔ̃ nye aƒekɔ la katã.
But, now, hath he wearied me, thou hast destroyed all my family;
8 Èna meɖi ku, vɔ keŋ eye wòzu ɖaseɖiɖi, nye kuɖiɖi tsi tsitre hezu ɖasefo ɖe ŋunye.
And, having captured me, it hath served, as a witness; and so my wasting away hath risen up against me, in my face, it answereth.
9 Yehowa ƒom, hevuvum le eƒe dziku me eye wòɖu aɖukli ɖe ŋunye, nye ketɔ fɔ ŋku ɖaɖɛwo ɖe dzinye.
His anger, hath torn and persecuted me, He hath gnashed upon me with his teeth, Mine adversary, hath sharpened his eyes for me.
10 Amewo ke woƒe nuwo baa hedo ɣli ɖe tanye. Woƒo tome nam fewuɖutɔe eye wowɔ ɖeka ɖe ŋunye.
They have gaped upon me with their mouth, With reproach, have they smitten my cheek, Together, against me, have they closed their ranks.
11 Mawu dem asi na ame vɔ̃ɖiwo eye wòkɔm ƒu gbe ɖe ŋutasẽlawo ƒe fego me.
GOD doth abandon me to him that is perverse, and, into the hands of the lawless, he throweth me headlong.
12 Nuwo nɔ edzi dzem nam nyuie gake ekakam. Elé kɔʋume nam hegbãm gudugudugudu. Etsɔm wɔ ade si minyam wòle,
At ease, was I when he shattered me, Yea he seized me by my neck, and dashed me in pieces, then set me up for himself as a mark:
13 eƒe aŋutrɔdalawo ɖe to ɖem. Eŋɔ nye ayikuwo nublanuimakpɔmakpɔtɔe eye wòna nye vevego gbã hekɔ ɖe anyigba.
His archers came round against me, He clave asunder my reins, and spared not, He poured out, on the earth, my gall:
14 Eva ƒo ɖe dzinye enuenu eye wòlũ ɖe dzinye abe kalẽtɔ ene.
He made a breach in me, breach upon breach, He ran upon me, like a mighty man.
15 “Metɔ akpanya hetsyɔ na nye ŋutilã eye metsɔ nye mo de ke me.
Sackcloth, sewed I on my skin, and rolled—in the dust—my horn:
16 Avifafa na nye mo biã dzẽe, vɔvɔli ƒo xlã nye ŋkuwo,
My face, is reddened from weeping, and, upon mine eyelashes, is the death-shade: —
17 evɔ nye asiwo mewɔ nu tovo aɖeke o eye nye gbedodoɖa hã dza hafi.
Though no violence was in my hands, and, my prayer, was pure.
18 “O, anyigba, mègatsyɔ nye ʋu dzi o eye ɖoɖoe megazi le nye ɣlidodo nu o!
O earth! do not cover my blood, and let there be no place for mine outcry.
19 Azɔ gɔ̃ hã la, nye ɖasefo le dziƒo eye nye nyaxɔɖeakɔla le afi ma.
Even now, lo! in the heavens, is my witness,
20 Tanyeʋlila nye xɔ̃nye, esi nye ŋkuwo le aɖatsi ɖuɖum na Mawu.
And, he that voucheth for me is on high. My friends are, they who scorn me, Unto GOD, hath mine eye shed tears: —
21 Eɖea kuku na Mawu ɖe ame ta abe ale si ame ɖea kuku ɖe xɔlɔ̃a tae ene.
That one might plead, for a man, with GOD, —Even a son of man, for his friend!
22 “Ƒe ʋɛ aɖewo koe ava yi hafi madze mɔ ayi demagbɔnugbe.
When, a few years, come, then, by a path by which I shall not return, shall I depart.
