Hiob 17
1 Nu te nye gbɔgbɔ ŋu belibelibeli, nye ŋkekewo hã le kpuie eye yɔdo le lalayem.
“My (life/time to live) is almost ended; I have no strength left; my grave is waiting for me.
2 Vavãe, fewuɖulawo ƒo xlãm, ele be nye ŋkuwo nanɔ woƒe amenuɖiaɖia ŋu.
Those who are around me are making fun of me; I [SYN] watch them while they (taunt/make fun of) me.”
3 “O Mawu, tsɔ ŋugbedodo si dim nèle la nam. Ame kae gali si ade megbe nam?
“God, [it is as though I am in prison; ] please pay the money in order that I may be released, because there is certainly no one else who will help me.
4 Ètu woƒe susu ɖe gɔmesese ŋu eya ta màna woƒe alɔ nade dzi o.
You have prevented my friends from understanding [what is true about me]; do not allow them to triumph over me, [saying that I have done things that are wrong].
5 Ne ame aɖe gbe exɔlɔ̃wo ɖe nu si woanae ta la, viawo ƒe ŋkuwo atsi.
[Our ancestors often said, ‘It often happens that] when someone betrays his friends in order to get some of their property, it is that person’s children who will be punished for it;’ [so I desire/hope that will be true of these friends of mine who are lying about me].
6 “Mawu tsɔm wɔ lodonue na ame sia ame, ame si ƒe ŋkume amewo ɖea ta ɖo gɔ̃ hã.
“But now people use that saying of our ancestors when they talk about me; they spit in my face [to insult me].
7 Nuxaxa na be nye ŋkuwo dzi tsyɔ eye nye ameti blibo la mele abe vɔvɔli ene.
(My sight has become dim/I cannot see well) because I am extremely sad, and my arms and legs are [very thin, with the result that they almost do not cast] [MET] a shadow.
8 Ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe mo wɔ yaa le esia ta; dɔ me ve ame maɖifɔwo ɖe mawumavɔ̃lawo ŋuti.
Those who [say that they] are good/righteous are shocked [when they see what has happened to me], and people who [say that they] (are innocent/have not done anything that is wrong) say that I am wicked/godless and should be punished.
9 Ke hã la, ame dzɔdzɔewo alé woƒe mɔwo me ɖe asi eye asi dzadzɛtɔwo akpɔ ŋusẽ ɖe edzi.
Those who [claim that they] are righteous will continue to do what [they think] is right, and those [who say] they have not sinned will continue to become stronger.
10 “Mi katã mitrɔ va ko, migadze agbagba kpɔ! Gake nyemakpɔ nunyala aɖeke le mia dome o.
“But even if all of those people came [and stood in front of me], I would not find anyone among them who is wise.
11 Nye ŋkekewo va yi, nye ɖoɖowo me gblẽ eye nenema kee nye nye dzi ƒe didiwo hã.
My (life/time to live) is almost ended; I have not been able to do the things that I confidently expected to do; [I have not been able to accomplish] anything that I [SYN] desired.
12 Ame siawo trɔ zã wòzu ŋkeke, ke esi viviti do ɖe wo la, wogblɔ be, ‘Kekeli tsɔ ɖe mía gbɔ’
My friends do not know when it is night and when it is day; when it is night, they claim that it is daylight; when it is becoming dark, they claim it is becoming light.
If my home will be the place where dead people are, where will I sleep in the darkness? (Sheol h7585)
14 ne megblɔ na zãnuxɔxɔ be, ‘Wòe nye fofonye,’ eye megblɔ na ŋɔvi be, ‘Wòe nye danye’ alo ‘Wòe nye nɔvinye nyɔnu’ la,
I may say to the grave, ‘You will be [like] a father to me,’ and say to the maggots [that will eat my body], ‘You will be [like] a mother or younger sisters to me [because you will be where I will always be].’
15 ekema afi ka nye mɔkpɔkpɔ la le?
But if I say those things, (will there be anything good that I can confidently expect to happen to me?/there will be nothing good that I can confidently expect to happen to me.) [RHQ] (Is there anyone who knows anything good that I can expect when I am in the grave?/No one knows anything good that I can expect when I am in the grave.) [RHQ]
After I descend to the place where the dead are, (will I be able to confidently expect anything good there?/I certainly will not be able to confidently expect anything good there.) [RHQ] [It will be as though] [RHQ] I and the things I hope for will descend with me into the dust [where the dead are].” (Sheol h7585)
