Hiob 20
1 Tete Naamatitɔ, Zofar ɖo eŋu nɛ be,
Then responded 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.
Not so, do my thoughts answer me, and to this end, is my haste within me:
3 Mese mokaname aɖe si ɖe bubu le ŋunye, eye nye gɔmesese de dzi ƒo nam be maɖo nyawo ŋu.
The correction meant to confound me, I must hear, but, the spirit—out of my understanding, will give me a reply.
4 “Meka ɖe edzi be ènya ale si wònɔ tso blema, tso ɣeyiɣi si ke wowɔ amegbetɔ da ɖe anyigba dzi be
Knowest thou, this—from antiquity, from the placing of man upon earth: —
5 ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe nukoko nu mesena yina o, eye Mawumavɔ̃lawo ƒe aseyetsotso nɔa anyi ɣeyiɣi kpui aɖe ko.
That, the joy-shout of the lawless, is short, and, the rejoicing of the impious, for a moment?
6 Togbɔ be eƒe dada yi ɖatɔ dziƒo, eƒe ta yi ɖatɔ lilikpowo ke hã la,
Though his elevation mount up to the heavens, and, his head, to the clouds, doth reach,
7 atsrɔ̃ gbidii abe eya ŋutɔ ƒe afɔdzi ene eye ame siwo kpɔe la agblɔ be, ‘Afi ka wòle?’
Like his own stubble, shall he utterly perish, They who had seen him, shall say, Where is he?
8 Edzona dzona abe drɔ̃e ene, womagakpɔe o eye wòabu abe ŋutega si wokpɔ le zã me ene.
Like a dream, shall he fly away, and they shall not find him, yea he shall be chased away, as a vision of the night.
9 Ŋku si kpɔe la magakpɔe akpɔ o, eye eƒe nɔƒe hã magakpɔe akpɔ o.
The eye that hath scanned him, shall not do it again, neither, any more, shall his place 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 children, shall seek the favour of the poor, and, his own hand, shall give back his wealth.
11 Ɖekakpuimeŋusẽ dzodzoe si yɔ eƒe ƒuwo me la aku kplii ayi ke me.
His bones, are full of youthful vigour, yet, with him—in the dust, shall it lie down.
12 “Togbɔ be nu vɔ̃ɖi vivi le eƒe nu me, eye wòɣlae ɖe eƒe aɖe te,
Though, a sweet taste in his mouth, be given by vice, 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 spare it, and will not let it go, but retain it in the midst of his mouth,
14 eƒe nuɖuɖu ave le eƒe dɔ me, eye wòazu da ƒe aɖi le eƒe dɔgbowo me.
His food, in his stomach, is changed, the gall of adders, within him!
15 Atu kesinɔnu siwo wòmi la aƒu gbe. Mawu ana eƒe dɔgbowo nadzɔ wo katã aƒo ɖi.
Wealth, hath he swallowed, and hath vomited the same, Out of his belly, shall, GOD, drive it forth:
16 Eno da ƒe aɖi eye ƒli ƒe aɖi awui.
The poison of adders, shall he suck, The tongue of the viper shall slay him;
17 Makpɔ gome le tɔʋu kple tɔsisi siwo me anyitsi kple notsi babla le sisim le la me o.
Let him not see in the channels the flowings of torrents 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
In vain, he toiled, he shall not swallow, like wealth to be restored, in which he cannot exult!
19 elabena ete ame dahewo ɖe to wozu hiãtɔwo eye wòxɔ aƒe siwo metu o.
For he hath oppressed—hath forsaken the poor, A house, hath he seized, which he cannot rebuild.
20 “Vavã makpɔ gbɔdzɔe le eƒe nudzodzrowo me o eye maɖe eɖokui to eƒe nunɔamesiwo dzi o.
Surely he hath known no peace in his inmost mind, —With his dearest thing, shall he not get away:
21 Naneke masusɔ nɛ esi wòavuvu o eƒe kesinɔnuwo matɔ ɖi o.
Nothing escaped his devouring greed, —For this cause, shall his prosperity not continue:
22 Le eƒe nukpɔkpɔ gbogboawo dome la, xaxa ava edzi eye hiãtuame ƒe ŋusẽ katã ava edzi.
When his abundance is gone, he shall be in straits, All the power of distress, 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.
It shall be that, to fill his belly, he will thrust at him the glow of his anger, and rain [it] upon him for his punishment.
24 Togbɔ be esi le gayibɔlãnu nu hã la, akɔbliŋutrɔ ƒo ɖee.
He shall flee from the armour of iron, —There shall pierce him, a bow of bronze!
25 Eɖee do goe tso eƒe lãme eye wòho eƒe tsutsyɔeƒe le eƒe aklã me. Ŋɔdzi alée,
He hath drawn it out, and it hath come forth out of his back, —yea the flashing arrow-head, out of his gall, There shall march on him—terrors:
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.
Every misfortune, is laid up for his treasures, —There shall consume, a fire, not blown up, —it shall destroy what remaineth in his tent:
27 Dziƒo aɖe eƒe vodada ɖe go eye anyigba atso ɖe eŋu.
The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, and, the earth, be rising up against him:
28 Tsiɖɔɖɔ akplɔ eƒe aƒe adzoe eye le Mawu ƒe dɔmedzoeŋkeke la dzi la, tsi sisiwo akplɔe adzoe.
The increase of his house shall vanish, melting away in the day of his anger.
29 Esia nye gomekpɔkpɔ si Mawu ɖo ɖi na ame vɔ̃ɖiwo, eye wònye domenyinu tso Mawu gbɔ na wo.”
This, is the portion of the lawless man, from God, and the inheritance decreed him from the Mighty One.
