Hiob 20
1 Tete Naamatitɔ, Zofar ɖo eŋu nɛ be,
Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said:
2 “Nu siwo le fu ɖem na nye susue dɔm be maɖo eŋu na wò elabena metsi dzi le ɖokuinye me ŋutɔ.
For this do my thoughts lead me to reply, And for this is my ardor within me.
3 Mese mokaname aɖe si ɖe bubu le ŋunye, eye nye gɔmesese de dzi ƒo nam be maɖo nyawo ŋu.
I have heard my shameful rebuke; And the spirit, from my understanding, answereth for me.
4 “Meka ɖe edzi be ènya ale si wònɔ tso blema, tso ɣeyiɣi si ke wowɔ amegbetɔ da ɖe anyigba dzi be
Knowest thou not, that from the days of old, From the time when man was placed upon the earth,
5 ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe nukoko nu mesena yina o, eye Mawumavɔ̃lawo ƒe aseyetsotso nɔa anyi ɣeyiɣi kpui aɖe ko.
The triumphing of the wicked hath been short, And the joy of the impious but for a moment?
6 Togbɔ be eƒe dada yi ɖatɔ dziƒo, eƒe ta yi ɖatɔ lilikpowo ke hã la,
Though his greatness mount up to the heavens, And his head reach to the clouds,
7 atsrɔ̃ gbidii abe eya ŋutɔ ƒe afɔdzi ene eye ame siwo kpɔe la agblɔ be, ‘Afi ka wòle?’
Yet shall he perish for ever, and be mingled with dust; They who saw him shall say, Where is he?
8 Edzona dzona abe drɔ̃e ene, womagakpɔe o eye wòabu abe ŋutega si wokpɔ le zã me ene.
He shall flee away like a dream, and shall not be found; Yea, he shall disappear like a vision of the nigh.
9 Ŋku si kpɔe la magakpɔe akpɔ o, eye eƒe nɔƒe hã magakpɔe akpɔ o.
The eye also which saw him shall see him no more, And his dwelling-place shall never more behold him.
10 Ele be viawo nawɔ ɖɔɖɔɖo anyo dɔ me na ame dahewo, eya ŋutɔ ƒe asiwo aɖe asi le eƒe kesinɔnuwo ŋu.
His sons shall seek the favor of the poor, And their hands shall give back his wealth.
11 Ɖekakpuimeŋusẽ dzodzoe si yɔ eƒe ƒuwo me la aku kplii ayi ke me.
His bones are full of his youth, But they shall lie down with him in the dust.
12 “Togbɔ be nu vɔ̃ɖi vivi le eƒe nu me, eye wòɣlae ɖe eƒe aɖe te,
Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, Though he hide it under his tongue,
13 togbɔ be mate ŋu aɖe asi le eŋu o eye wòbe ɖe nu me nɛ hã la,
Though he cherish it, and will not part with it, And keep it fast in his mouth,
14 eƒe nuɖuɖu ave le eƒe dɔ me, eye wòazu da ƒe aɖi le eƒe dɔgbowo me.
Yet his meat shall be changed within him, And become to him the poison of asps.
15 Atu kesinɔnu siwo wòmi la aƒu gbe. Mawu ana eƒe dɔgbowo nadzɔ wo katã aƒo ɖi.
He hath glutted himself with riches, And he shall throw them up again; Yea, God shall cast them out of his body.
16 Eno da ƒe aɖi eye ƒli ƒe aɖi awui.
He shall suck the poison of asps; The tongue of the viper shall destroy him.
17 Makpɔ gome le tɔʋu kple tɔsisi siwo me anyitsi kple notsi babla le sisim le la me o.
He shall never see the flowing streams, And the rivers of honey and milk.
18 Maɖu nu siwo ŋu wòdze agbagba le o, ke boŋ atsɔ wo ana eye maɖu viɖe si do tso eƒe asitsatsa hã me o
The fruits of his toil he shall give back, and shall not enjoy them: It is substance to be restored, and he shall not rejoice therein.
19 elabena ete ame dahewo ɖe to wozu hiãtɔwo eye wòxɔ aƒe siwo metu o.
Because he hath oppressed and abandoned the poor, And seized upon the house which he did not build;
20 “Vavã makpɔ gbɔdzɔe le eƒe nudzodzrowo me o eye maɖe eɖokui to eƒe nunɔamesiwo dzi o.
Because he knew no rest in his bosom, He shall not save that in which he delighteth.
21 Naneke masusɔ nɛ esi wòavuvu o eƒe kesinɔnuwo matɔ ɖi o.
Because nothing escaped his greediness, His prosperity shall not endure.
22 Le eƒe nukpɔkpɔ gbogboawo dome la, xaxa ava edzi eye hiãtuame ƒe ŋusẽ katã ava edzi.
In the fulness of his abundance he shall be brought low; Every hand of the wretched shall come upon him.
23 Ne eƒe ƒodo yɔ nyuie la Mawu atrɔ eƒe dziku bibi akɔ ɖe edzi eye wòana eƒe dɔmedzoe nadza ɖe edzi.
He shall, indeed, have wherewith to fill himself: God shall send upon him the fury of his anger, And rain it down upon him for his food.
24 Togbɔ be esi le gayibɔlãnu nu hã la, akɔbliŋutrɔ ƒo ɖee.
If he fleeth from the iron weapon, The bow of brass shall pierce him through.
25 Eɖee do goe tso eƒe lãme eye wòho eƒe tsutsyɔeƒe le eƒe aklã me. Ŋɔdzi alée,
He draweth the arrow, and it cometh forth from his body; Yea, the glittering steel cometh out of his gall. Terrors are upon him;
26 eye viviti tsiɖitsiɖi le eƒe kesinɔnuwo lalam. Dzo si womeƒlɔ ɖo o la afiae eye wòabi nu si susɔ ɖe eƒe agbadɔ me la keŋkeŋkeŋ.
Calamity of every kind is treasured up for him. A fire not blown shall consume him; It shall consume whatever is left in his tent.
27 Dziƒo aɖe eƒe vodada ɖe go eye anyigba atso ɖe eŋu.
The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, And the earth shall rise up against him.
28 Tsiɖɔɖɔ akplɔ eƒe aƒe adzoe eye le Mawu ƒe dɔmedzoeŋkeke la dzi la, tsi sisiwo akplɔe adzoe.
The substance of his house shall disappear; It shall flow away in the day of His wrath.
29 Esia nye gomekpɔkpɔ si Mawu ɖo ɖi na ame vɔ̃ɖiwo, eye wònye domenyinu tso Mawu gbɔ na wo.”
Such is the portion of the wicked man from God, And the inheritance appointed for him by the Almighty.
