Hiob 21
1 Hiob ɖo nya ŋu nɛ be,
Then Job answered, and said:
2 “Ɖo to nyuie nàse nye nyawo, esia nenye akɔfafa si nànam.
Hear, I beseech you, my words, and do penance.
3 Migbɔ dzi ɖi nam, ne maƒo nu eye ne meƒo nu vɔ la, miate ŋu ayi miaƒe alɔmeɖeɖe dzi.
Suffer me, and I will speak, and after, if you please, laugh at my words.
4 “Amegbetɔe mele konyi fam na? Nu ka ta nyemagbe dzigbɔɖeanyi o?
Is my debate against man, that I should not have just reason to be troubled?
5 Mikpɔm ɖa, ne miaƒe mo nawɔ yaa eye miaƒu asi nu.
Hearken to me and be astonished, and lay your finger on your mouth.
6 Ne mebu nu sia ŋuti la ŋɔ dziam eye nye ameti blibo la medzona nyanyanya.
As for me, when I remember, I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh.
7 Nu ka ta ame vɔ̃ɖiwo nɔa agbe, tsina, kua amegã, eye woƒe ŋusẽ dzina ɖe edzi ɖo?
Why then do the wicked live, are they advanced, and strengthened with riches?
8 Wonɔa agbe, kpɔa wo viwo lia ke heƒoa xlã wo eye woƒe dzidzimeviwo tsina le wo ŋkume.
Their seed continueth before them, a multitude of kinsmen, and of children’s children in their sight.
9 Woƒe aƒewo me le dedie, wovo tso vɔvɔ̃ ƒe asi me eye Mawu ƒe ameƒoti mevaa wo dzi o.
Their houses are secure and peaceable, and the rod of God is not upon them.
10 Woƒe nyitsuwo megbea asiyɔyɔ o, woƒe nyinɔwo dzia vi eye fu megena le wo ƒo o.
Their cattle have conceived, and failed not: their cow has calved, and is not deprived of her fruit.
11 Woɖea wo viwo doa goe abe lãha ene eye wo vi suewo nɔa fefem henɔa ɣe ɖum.
Their little ones go out like a flock, and their children dance and play.
12 Wodzia ha ɖe asiʋuiwo kple kasaŋkuwo ŋu eye wotua aglo ɖe kpẽ ƒe ɖiɖi ŋu.
They take the timbrel, and the harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.
They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment they go down to hell. (Sheol h7585)
14 gake wogblɔna na Mawu be, ‘Ɖe asi le mía ŋu! Medzro mí be míanya wò mɔwo o.
Who have said to God: Depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.
15 Ame kae nye Ŋusẽkatãtɔ be míasubɔe? Viɖe ka míakpɔ ne míedo gbe ɖa nɛ?’
Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what doth it profit us if we pray to him?
16 Evɔa woƒe dzidzedzekpɔkpɔ mele woawo ŋutɔ ƒe asi me o, eya ta menɔ adzɔge na ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe aɖaŋudede.
Yet because their good things are not in their hand, may the counsel of the wicked be far from me.
17 “Ke hã la, zi nenie ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe akaɖi tsina? Zi nenie dzɔgbevɔ̃e dzɔna ɖe wo dzi, esi nye nu si Mawu ɖo ɖi na wo le eƒe dziku me?
How often shall the lamp of the wicked be put out, and a deluge come upon them, and he shall distribute the sorrows of his wrath?
18 Zi nenie wole abe gbe ƒuƒu si ya lɔ ɖe nu alo atsa si ahom lɔ ɖe nu ene?
They shall be as chaff before the face of the wind, and as ashes which the whirlwind scattereth.
19 Wogblɔ be, ‘Mawu ɖo amegbetɔ ƒe tohehe ɖi na via ŋutsuwo.’ Anyo be wòahe to na amea ŋutɔ, ne wòanya nu si wònye!
God shall lay up the sorrow of the father for his children: and when he shall repay, then shall he know.
20 Eya ŋutɔ ƒe ŋkuwo nekpɔ eƒe gbegblẽ, eye wòano Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la ƒe dɔmedzoekplu
His eyes shall see his own destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21 elabena ɖe wòtsɔ ɖe le eme na ƒometɔ siwo wògblẽ ɖe megbe esi ɣleti siwo woɖo ɖi nɛ la wu nua?
For what is it to him what befalleth his house after him: and if the number of his months be diminished by one half?
22 “Ɖe ame aɖe ate ŋu afia gɔmesese Mawu, esi wònye eyae drɔ̃a ʋɔnu ame kɔkɔtɔ gɔ̃ hã?
Shall any one teach God knowledge, who judgeth those that are high?
23 Ame aɖe ku esi eƒe agbe ɖo vivime, wòle dedinɔnɔ me eye wòɖe dzi ɖi bɔkɔɔ,
One man dieth strong, and hale, rich and happy.
24 eƒe ŋutilã kpɔ nunyiame nyuitɔ eye ƒutomemi yɔ eƒe ƒuwo me fũu.
His bowels are full of fat, and his bones are moistened with marrow.
25 Ame bubu ku le eƒe luʋɔ ƒe nuxaxa me eye mese vivi na nu vivi aɖeke kpɔ o.
But another dieth in bitterness of soul without any riches:
26 Ke wo ame evea mlɔ kasanu le ke me, eye ŋɔviwo ɖi ba ɖe wo kple evea dzi.
And yet they shall sleep together in the dust, and worms shall cover them.
27 “Menya nu siwo susum miele la nyuie kple nu vɔ̃ɖi siwo ɖom miele be miadze agɔ le dzinye.
Surely I know your thoughts, and your unjust judgments against me.
28 Miegblɔ be, ‘Afi ka ame xɔŋkɔ la ƒe aƒe le eye agbadɔ si me ame vɔ̃ɖiwo nɔ la ɖe?’
For you say: Where is the house of the prince? and where are the dwelling places of the wicked?
29 Miebia gbe mɔzɔlawo kpɔ oa? Mietsɔ ɖeke le woƒe nuteƒekpɔkpɔ si wogblɔ fia mi la me be
Ask any one of them that go by the way, and you shall perceive that he knoweth these same things.
30 woɖea ame vɔ̃ɖi le dzɔgbevɔ̃egbe, eye woɖenɛ le dzikugbe oa?
Because the wicked man is reserved to the day of destruction, and he shall be brought to the day of wrath.
31 Ame kae ɖe eƒe agbe vlo si nɔm wòle la ɖe mo nɛ kpɔ? Ame kae ɖoa nu tovo si wòwɔ la teƒe nɛ?
Who shall reprove his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done?
32 Wokɔnɛ yia yɔdo gbɔe eye wodzɔa eƒe yɔdokpe ŋu.
He shall be brought to the graves, and shall watch in the heap of the dead.
33 Ke siwo le balime la vivi enu, amewo katã dze eyome eye ameha gã aɖe si womate ŋu axlẽ o la dze ŋgɔ nɛ.
He hath been acceptable to the gravel of Cocytus, and he shall draw every man after him, and there are innumerable before him.
34 “Eya ta aleke miate ŋu awɔ atsɔ miaƒe bometsinyawo afa akɔ nam mahã? Naneke mele miaƒe nyaŋuɖoɖowo me wu alakpa o!”
How then do ye comfort me in vain, whereas your answer is shewn to be repugnant to truth?
