Hiob 21
1 Hiob ɖo nya ŋu nɛ be,
Job replied,
2 “Ɖo to nyuie nàse nye nyawo, esia nenye akɔfafa si nànam.
“Please listen carefully to what I say—that would be one comfort you could give me.
3 Migbɔ dzi ɖi nam, ne maƒo nu eye ne meƒo nu vɔ la, miate ŋu ayi miaƒe alɔmeɖeɖe dzi.
Bear with me; let me speak. After I've spoken you can resume mocking me.
4 “Amegbetɔe mele konyi fam na? Nu ka ta nyemagbe dzigbɔɖeanyi o?
Am I complaining against people? Of course not. Why shouldn't I be impatient?
5 Mikpɔm ɖa, ne miaƒe mo nawɔ yaa eye miaƒu asi nu.
Just take a look at me. Aren't you appalled? Cover your mouth with your hand in shock!
6 Ne mebu nu sia ŋuti la ŋɔ dziam eye nye ameti blibo la medzona nyanyanya.
Every time I think of what's happened to me I am horrified and I shake all over with fear.
7 Nu ka ta ame vɔ̃ɖiwo nɔa agbe, tsina, kua amegã, eye woƒe ŋusẽ dzina ɖe edzi ɖo?
Why do the wicked continue to live, to grow old and increasingly powerful?
8 Wonɔa agbe, kpɔa wo viwo lia ke heƒoa xlã wo eye woƒe dzidzimeviwo tsina le wo ŋkume.
Their children are with them; they watch their grandchildren grow up.
9 Woƒe aƒewo me le dedie, wovo tso vɔvɔ̃ ƒe asi me eye Mawu ƒe ameƒoti mevaa wo dzi o.
They live in their homes in safety—they are not afraid. God does not use his rod to beat them.
10 Woƒe nyitsuwo megbea asiyɔyɔ o, woƒe nyinɔwo dzia vi eye fu megena le wo ƒo o.
Their bulls always breed successfully; their cows give birth to calves and do not miscarry.
11 Woɖea wo viwo doa goe abe lãha ene eye wo vi suewo nɔa fefem henɔa ɣe ɖum.
They send out their little ones like lambs to play; their children dance around.
12 Wodzia ha ɖe asiʋuiwo kple kasaŋkuwo ŋu eye wotua aglo ɖe kpẽ ƒe ɖiɖi ŋu.
They sing accompanied by the tambourine and lyre; they celebrate with the music of the flute.
They live out their lives contentedly, and go down to Sheol in peace. (Sheol h7585)
14 gake wogblɔna na Mawu be, ‘Ɖe asi le mía ŋu! Medzro mí be míanya wò mɔwo o.
Yet they tell God, ‘Get lost! We don't want anything to do with you.
15 Ame kae nye Ŋusẽkatãtɔ be míasubɔe? Viɖe ka míakpɔ ne míedo gbe ɖa nɛ?’
Who does the Almighty think he is for us to serve him as slaves? What benefit is there for 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.
Such people believe they make their own fortune, but I don't accept their way of thinking.
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 is the lamp of the wicked snuffed out? How often does disaster come upon them? How often does God punish the wicked in his anger?
18 Zi nenie wole abe gbe ƒuƒu si ya lɔ ɖe nu alo atsa si ahom lɔ ɖe nu ene?
Are they blown along like straw in the wind? Does a tornado come in and carry them away?
19 Wogblɔ be, ‘Mawu ɖo amegbetɔ ƒe tohehe ɖi na via ŋutsuwo.’ Anyo be wòahe to na amea ŋutɔ, ne wòanya nu si wònye!
Some say, ‘God saves up people's punishment for their children.’ But I say, ‘God should punish those people themselves so that they can learn from it.’
20 Eya ŋutɔ ƒe ŋkuwo nekpɔ eƒe gbegblẽ, eye wòano Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la ƒe dɔmedzoekplu
Let them see their destruction themselves, and drink deeply from God's anger.
21 elabena ɖe wòtsɔ ɖe le eme na ƒometɔ siwo wògblẽ ɖe megbe esi ɣleti siwo woɖo ɖi nɛ la wu nua?
For they don't care what happens to their families once they're dead.
22 “Ɖe ame aɖe ate ŋu afia gɔmesese Mawu, esi wònye eyae drɔ̃a ʋɔnu ame kɔkɔtɔ gɔ̃ hã?
Can anyone teach God anything he doesn't already know, since he is the one who judges even heavenly beings?
23 Ame aɖe ku esi eƒe agbe ɖo vivime, wòle dedinɔnɔ me eye wòɖe dzi ɖi bɔkɔɔ,
One person dies in good health, totally comfortable and secure.
24 eƒe ŋutilã kpɔ nunyiame nyuitɔ eye ƒutomemi yɔ eƒe ƒuwo me fũu.
Their body is fat from eating well; their bones still strong.
25 Ame bubu ku le eƒe luʋɔ ƒe nuxaxa me eye mese vivi na nu vivi aɖeke kpɔ o.
Another dies after a miserable life without every experiencing happiness.
26 Ke wo ame evea mlɔ kasanu le ke me, eye ŋɔviwo ɖi ba ɖe wo kple evea dzi.
Yet they are both buried in the same dust; they are treated alike in death, eaten by maggots.
27 “Menya nu siwo susum miele la nyuie kple nu vɔ̃ɖi siwo ɖom miele be miadze agɔ le dzinye.
Look, I know what you're thinking, and your schemes to do me wrong.
28 Miegblɔ be, ‘Afi ka ame xɔŋkɔ la ƒe aƒe le eye agbadɔ si me ame vɔ̃ɖiwo nɔ la ɖe?’
You may ask me, ‘Where is the home of the great man? Where is the place where the wicked live?’
29 Miebia gbe mɔzɔlawo kpɔ oa? Mietsɔ ɖeke le woƒe nuteƒekpɔkpɔ si wogblɔ fia mi la me be
Haven't you asked people who travel? Don't you pay attention to what they tell you?
30 woɖea ame vɔ̃ɖi le dzɔgbevɔ̃egbe, eye woɖenɛ le dzikugbe oa?
Wicked people are spared in times of disaster; they are rescued from the day of judgment.
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 confronts them with their actions? Who pays them back for what they have done?
32 Wokɔnɛ yia yɔdo gbɔe eye wodzɔa eƒe yɔdokpe ŋu.
When they eventually die and are carried to the graveyard, their tomb is guarded. The earth of the grave softly covers them.
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.
Everyone attends their funeral service; a huge procession of people comes to pay their last respects.
34 “Eya ta aleke miate ŋu awɔ atsɔ miaƒe bometsinyawo afa akɔ nam mahã? Naneke mele miaƒe nyaŋuɖoɖowo me wu alakpa o!”
Why do you try to comfort me with worthless nonsense? Your answers are just a pack of lies!”
