Hiob 21
1 Hiob ɖo nya ŋu nɛ be,
Then responded Job, and said: —
2 “Ɖo to nyuie nàse nye nyawo, esia nenye akɔfafa si nànam.
Hear ye patiently my words, and let this be your consolation:
3 Migbɔ dzi ɖi nam, ne maƒo nu eye ne meƒo nu vɔ la, miate ŋu ayi miaƒe alɔmeɖeɖe dzi.
Suffer me, that, I, may speak, and, after I have spoken, thou canst mock!
4 “Amegbetɔe mele konyi fam na? Nu ka ta nyemagbe dzigbɔɖeanyi o?
Did, I, unto man, make my complaint? Wherefore, then, should my spirit not be impatient?
5 Mikpɔm ɖa, ne miaƒe mo nawɔ yaa eye miaƒu asi nu.
Turn round to me, and be astonished, and lay hand on mouth!
6 Ne mebu nu sia ŋuti la ŋɔ dziam eye nye ameti blibo la medzona nyanyanya.
When I call to mind, then am I dismayed, and there seizeth my flesh a shuddering: —
7 Nu ka ta ame vɔ̃ɖiwo nɔa agbe, tsina, kua amegã, eye woƒe ŋusẽ dzina ɖe edzi ɖo?
Wherefore do, lawless men, live, advance in years, even wax mighty in power?
8 Wonɔa agbe, kpɔa wo viwo lia ke heƒoa xlã wo eye woƒe dzidzimeviwo tsina le wo ŋkume.
Their seed, is established in their sight, along with them, yea their offspring, before their eyes;
9 Woƒe aƒewo me le dedie, wovo tso vɔvɔ̃ ƒe asi me eye Mawu ƒe ameƒoti mevaa wo dzi o.
Their houses, are at peace, without dread, neither is, the rod of GOD, upon them;
10 Woƒe nyitsuwo megbea asiyɔyɔ o, woƒe nyinɔwo dzia vi eye fu megena le wo ƒo o.
His bull, covereth, and causeth not aversion, His cow safely calveth, and casteth not her young;
11 Woɖea wo viwo doa goe abe lãha ene eye wo vi suewo nɔa fefem henɔa ɣe ɖum.
They send forth—like a flock—their young ones, and, their children, skip about for joy;
12 Wodzia ha ɖe asiʋuiwo kple kasaŋkuwo ŋu eye wotua aglo ɖe kpẽ ƒe ɖiɖi ŋu.
They rejoice aloud as [with] timbrel and lyre, and make merry to the sound of the pipe;
They complete, in prosperity, their days, and, in a moment to hades, they sink down. (Sheol h7585)
14 gake wogblɔna na Mawu be, ‘Ɖe asi le mía ŋu! Medzro mí be míanya wò mɔwo o.
Yet they said unto GOD, Depart from us, and, In the knowledge of thy ways, find we no pleasure.
15 Ame kae nye Ŋusẽkatãtɔ be míasubɔe? Viɖe ka míakpɔ ne míedo gbe ɖa nɛ?’
What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? Or what shall we profit, that we should urge him?
16 Evɔa woƒe dzidzedzekpɔkpɔ mele woawo ŋutɔ ƒe asi me o, eya ta menɔ adzɔge na ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe aɖaŋudede.
Lo! not in their own hand, is their welfare, The counsel of lawless men, is 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 oft, the lamp of the lawless, goeth out, and their calamity, cometh upon them, Sorrows, apportioneth he in his anger;
18 Zi nenie wole abe gbe ƒuƒu si ya lɔ ɖe nu alo atsa si ahom lɔ ɖe nu ene?
They become as straw before the wind, and as chaff, which the storm stealeth 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!
Shall, GOD, reserve, for his children, his sorrow? Let him recompense him so that he may know it;
20 Eya ŋutɔ ƒe ŋkuwo nekpɔ eƒe gbegblẽ, eye wòano Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la ƒe dɔmedzoekplu
His own eyes, shall see his misfortune, and, the wrath of the Almighty, shall he drink.
21 elabena ɖe wòtsɔ ɖe le eme na ƒometɔ siwo wògblẽ ɖe megbe esi ɣleti siwo woɖo ɖi nɛ la wu nua?
For what shall be his pleasure in his house after him, when, the number of his months, is cut in twain?
22 “Ɖe ame aɖe ate ŋu afia gɔmesese Mawu, esi wònye eyae drɔ̃a ʋɔnu ame kɔkɔtɔ gɔ̃ hã?
Is it, to GOD, one can teach knowledge, seeing that, he, shall judge, them who are on high?
23 Ame aɖe ku esi eƒe agbe ɖo vivime, wòle dedinɔnɔ me eye wòɖe dzi ɖi bɔkɔɔ,
This, man dieth, in the very perfection of his prosperity, wholly tranquil and secure;
24 eƒe ŋutilã kpɔ nunyiame nyuitɔ eye ƒutomemi yɔ eƒe ƒuwo me fũu.
His veins, are filled with nourishment, and, the marrow of his bones, is fresh;
25 Ame bubu ku le eƒe luʋɔ ƒe nuxaxa me eye mese vivi na nu vivi aɖeke kpɔ o.
Whereas, this other man, dieth, in bitterness of soul, and hath never tasted good fortune:
26 Ke wo ame evea mlɔ kasanu le ke me, eye ŋɔviwo ɖi ba ɖe wo kple evea dzi.
Together, in the dust, they lie down, and, the worm, spreadeth a covering over them.
27 “Menya nu siwo susum miele la nyuie kple nu vɔ̃ɖi siwo ɖom miele be miadze agɔ le dzinye.
Lo! I know your plans, and the devices, wherewith ye would do me violence!
28 Miegblɔ be, ‘Afi ka ame xɔŋkɔ la ƒe aƒe le eye agbadɔ si me ame vɔ̃ɖiwo nɔ la ɖe?’
For ye say, Where is the house of the noble-minded? And where the dwelling-tent of the lawless?
29 Miebia gbe mɔzɔlawo kpɔ oa? Mietsɔ ɖeke le woƒe nuteƒekpɔkpɔ si wogblɔ fia mi la me be
Have ye not asked the passers-by in the way? And, their signs, can ye not recognise?
30 woɖea ame vɔ̃ɖi le dzɔgbevɔ̃egbe, eye woɖenɛ le dzikugbe oa?
That, to the day of calamity, is the wicked reserved, to the day of indignant visitation, are they led.
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 can declare—to his face—his way? And, what, he, hath done, who shall recompense to him?
32 Wokɔnɛ yia yɔdo gbɔe eye wodzɔa eƒe yɔdokpe ŋu.
Yet, he, to the graves, is borne, and, over the tomb, one keepeth watch;
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.
Pleasant to him are the mounds of the torrent-bed, —and, after him, doth every man march, as, before him, there were without number.
34 “Eya ta aleke miate ŋu awɔ atsɔ miaƒe bometsinyawo afa akɔ nam mahã? Naneke mele miaƒe nyaŋuɖoɖowo me wu alakpa o!”
How then should ye comfort me with vanity, since, as for your replies, there lurketh, [in them] treachery?
