Hiob 16
1 Hiob ɖo eŋu nɛ be,
And Job answereth and saith: —
2 “Mese nya siawo tɔgbi wòsɔ gbɔ, akɔfala gbɔlowo ko mi katã mienye!
I have heard many such things, Miserable 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 an end to words of wind? Or what doth embolden thee that thou answerest?
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, might speak, If your soul were in my soul's stead. I might join against you with words, And nod at you with my head.
5 Maƒo nu ade dzi ƒo na mi eye akɔfanya siwo ado tso nunye la ana miaƒe dzi adze eme.
I might harden you with my mouth, And the moving of my lips might be sparing.
6 “Gake ne meƒo nu la, nye vevesesewo dzi maka ɖe kpɔtɔ o eye ne medzudzɔ hã la, veveseseawo medzona o.
If I speak, my pain is not restrained, And I cease — what goeth from me?
7 O Mawu, vavãe èna mevɔ le eme keŋkeŋ eye nètsrɔ̃ nye aƒekɔ la katã.
Only, now, it hath wearied me; Thou hast desolated all my company,
8 Èna meɖi ku, vɔ keŋ eye wòzu ɖaseɖiɖi, nye kuɖiɖi tsi tsitre hezu ɖasefo ɖe ŋunye.
And Thou dost loathe me, For a witness it hath been, And rise up against me doth my failure, In my face it testifieth.
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 he hateth me, He hath gnashed at me with his teeth, My adversary sharpeneth 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 on me with their mouth, In reproach they have smitten my cheeks, Together against me they set themselves.
11 Mawu dem asi na ame vɔ̃ɖiwo eye wòkɔm ƒu gbe ɖe ŋutasẽlawo ƒe fego me.
God shutteth me up unto the perverse, And to the hands of the wicked turneth me over.
12 Nuwo nɔ edzi dzem nam nyuie gake ekakam. Elé kɔʋume nam hegbãm gudugudugudu. Etsɔm wɔ ade si minyam wòle,
At ease I have been, and he breaketh me, And he hath laid hold on my neck, And he breaketh me in pieces, And he raiseth me to him for a mark.
13 eƒe aŋutrɔdalawo ɖe to ɖem. Eŋɔ nye ayikuwo nublanuimakpɔmakpɔtɔe eye wòna nye vevego gbã hekɔ ɖe anyigba.
Go round against me do his archers. He splitteth my reins, and spareth not, He poureth out to the earth my gall.
14 Eva ƒo ɖe dzinye enuenu eye wòlũ ɖe dzinye abe kalẽtɔ ene.
He breaketh me — breach upon breach, He runneth upon me as a mighty one.
15 “Metɔ akpanya hetsyɔ na nye ŋutilã eye metsɔ nye mo de ke me.
Sackcloth I have sewed on my skin, And have rolled in the dust my horn.
16 Avifafa na nye mo biã dzẽe, vɔvɔli ƒo xlã nye ŋkuwo,
My face is foul with weeping, And on mine eyelids [is] death-shade.
17 evɔ nye asiwo mewɔ nu tovo aɖeke o eye nye gbedodoɖa hã dza hafi.
Not for violence in my hands, And my prayer [is] pure.
18 “O, anyigba, mègatsyɔ nye ʋu dzi o eye ɖoɖoe megazi le nye ɣlidodo nu o!
O earth, do not thou cover my blood! And let there not be a place for my cry.
19 Azɔ gɔ̃ hã la, nye ɖasefo le dziƒo eye nye nyaxɔɖeakɔla le afi ma.
Also, now, lo, in the heavens [is] my witness, And my testifier in the high places.
20 Tanyeʋlila nye xɔ̃nye, esi nye ŋkuwo le aɖatsi ɖuɖum na Mawu.
My interpreter [is] my friend, Unto God hath mine eye dropped:
21 Eɖea kuku na Mawu ɖe ame ta abe ale si ame ɖea kuku ɖe xɔlɔ̃a tae ene.
And he reasoneth for a man with God, And a son of man for his friend.
22 “Ƒe ʋɛ aɖewo koe ava yi hafi madze mɔ ayi demagbɔnugbe.
When a few years do come, Then a path I return not do I go.
