Hiob 20
1 Tete Naamatitɔ, Zofar ɖo eŋu nɛ be,
And Zophar the Naamathite answereth and saith: —
2 “Nu siwo le fu ɖem na nye susue dɔm be maɖo eŋu na wò elabena metsi dzi le ɖokuinye me ŋutɔ.
Therefore my thoughts cause me to answer, And because of my sensations in me.
3 Mese mokaname aɖe si ɖe bubu le ŋunye, eye nye gɔmesese de dzi ƒo nam be maɖo nyawo ŋu.
The chastisement of my shame I hear, And the spirit of mine understanding Doth cause me to answer:
4 “Meka ɖe edzi be ènya ale si wònɔ tso blema, tso ɣeyiɣi si ke wowɔ amegbetɔ da ɖe anyigba dzi be
This hast thou known from antiquity? Since the placing of man on earth?
5 ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe nukoko nu mesena yina o, eye Mawumavɔ̃lawo ƒe aseyetsotso nɔa anyi ɣeyiɣi kpui aɖe ko.
That the singing of the wicked [is] short, And the joy of the profane for a moment,
6 Togbɔ be eƒe dada yi ɖatɔ dziƒo, eƒe ta yi ɖatɔ lilikpowo ke hã la,
Though his excellency go up to the heavens, And his head against a cloud he strike —
7 atsrɔ̃ gbidii abe eya ŋutɔ ƒe afɔdzi ene eye ame siwo kpɔe la agblɔ be, ‘Afi ka wòle?’
As his own dung for ever he doth perish, His beholders say: 'Where [is] he?'
8 Edzona dzona abe drɔ̃e ene, womagakpɔe o eye wòabu abe ŋutega si wokpɔ le zã me ene.
As a dream he fleeth, and they find him not, And he is driven away as a vision of the night,
9 Ŋku si kpɔe la magakpɔe akpɔ o, eye eƒe nɔƒe hã magakpɔe akpɔ o.
The eye hath not seen him, and addeth not. And not again doth 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 sons do the poor oppress, And his hands give back his wealth.
11 Ɖekakpuimeŋusẽ dzodzoe si yɔ eƒe ƒuwo me la aku kplii ayi ke me.
His bones have been full of his youth, And with him on the dust it lieth down.
12 “Togbɔ be nu vɔ̃ɖi vivi le eƒe nu me, eye wòɣlae ɖe eƒe aɖe te,
Though he doth sweeten evil in his mouth, Doth hide it under his tongue,
13 togbɔ be mate ŋu aɖe asi le eŋu o eye wòbe ɖe nu me nɛ hã la,
Hath pity on it, and doth not forsake it, And keep it back in the midst of his palate,
14 eƒe nuɖuɖu ave le eƒe dɔ me, eye wòazu da ƒe aɖi le eƒe dɔgbowo me.
His food in his bowels is turned, The bitterness of asps [is] in his heart.
15 Atu kesinɔnu siwo wòmi la aƒu gbe. Mawu ana eƒe dɔgbowo nadzɔ wo katã aƒo ɖi.
Wealth he hath swallowed, and doth vomit it. From his belly God driveth it out.
16 Eno da ƒe aɖi eye ƒli ƒe aɖi awui.
Gall of asps he sucketh, Slay him doth the tongue of a viper.
17 Makpɔ gome le tɔʋu kple tɔsisi siwo me anyitsi kple notsi babla le sisim le la me o.
He looketh not on rivulets, Flowing of brooks of honey and butter.
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
He is giving back [what] he laboured for, And doth not consume [it]; As a bulwark [is] his exchange, and he exults not.
19 elabena ete ame dahewo ɖe to wozu hiãtɔwo eye wòxɔ aƒe siwo metu o.
For he oppressed — he forsook the poor, A house he hath taken violently away, And he doth not build it.
20 “Vavã makpɔ gbɔdzɔe le eƒe nudzodzrowo me o eye maɖe eɖokui to eƒe nunɔamesiwo dzi o.
For he hath not known ease in his belly. With his desirable thing he delivereth not himself.
21 Naneke masusɔ nɛ esi wòavuvu o eƒe kesinɔnuwo matɔ ɖi o.
There is not a remnant to his food, Therefore his good doth not stay.
22 Le eƒe nukpɔkpɔ gbogboawo dome la, xaxa ava edzi eye hiãtuame ƒe ŋusẽ katã ava edzi.
In the fulness of his sufficiency he is straitened. Every perverse hand doth meet him.
23 Ne eƒe ƒodo yɔ nyuie la Mawu atrɔ eƒe dziku bibi akɔ ɖe edzi eye wòana eƒe dɔmedzoe nadza ɖe edzi.
It cometh to pass, at the filling of his belly, He sendeth forth against him The fierceness of His anger, Yea, He raineth on him in his eating.
24 Togbɔ be esi le gayibɔlãnu nu hã la, akɔbliŋutrɔ ƒo ɖee.
He fleeth from an iron weapon, Pass through him doth a bow of brass.
25 Eɖee do goe tso eƒe lãme eye wòho eƒe tsutsyɔeƒe le eƒe aklã me. Ŋɔdzi alée,
One hath drawn, And it cometh out from the body, And a glittering weapon from his gall proceedeth. On him [are] 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.
All darkness is hid for his treasures, Consume him doth a fire not blown, Broken is the remnant in his tent.
27 Dziƒo aɖe eƒe vodada ɖe go eye anyigba atso ɖe eŋu.
Reveal do the heavens his iniquity, And earth is raising itself against him.
28 Tsiɖɔɖɔ akplɔ eƒe aƒe adzoe eye le Mawu ƒe dɔmedzoeŋkeke la dzi la, tsi sisiwo akplɔe adzoe.
Remove doth the increase of his house, Poured forth in a 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 a wicked man from God. And an inheritance appointed him by God.
