Hiob 22
1 Temanitɔ, Elifaz ɖo eŋu be,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
2 “Ɖe ame anye viɖenu na Mawua? Ɖe nunyala gɔ̃ hã anye viɖenu nɛa?
“Can a man be of use to God? Can even a wise man benefit Him?
3 Dzidzɔ ka wòanye na Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la ne ènye ame dzɔdzɔe? Eye viɖe ka wòakpɔ ne fɔɖiɖi mele wò mɔwo ŋu o?
Does it delight the Almighty that you are righteous? Does He profit if your ways are blameless?
4 “Wò Mawuvɔvɔ̃ tae wòka mo na wò hetsɔ nya ɖe ŋuwòa?
Is it for your reverence that He rebukes you and enters into judgment against you?
5 Ɖe wò nu vɔ̃ɖi wɔwɔ mekpe ŋutɔ oa? Ɖe nuwuwu li na wò nu vɔ̃woa?
Is not your wickedness great? Are not your iniquities endless?
6 Èbia megbedanu tso nɔviwò ŋutsuwo si susumanɔmetɔe eye nèɖe avɔ le amewo ŋu wotsi amama.
For you needlessly demanded security from your brothers and deprived the naked of their clothing.
7 Mèna tsi ame siwo nu ti kɔ na la wono o eye nète nuɖuɖu dɔwuitɔwo,
You gave no water to the weary and withheld food from the famished,
8 evɔ nèhenye ŋusẽtɔ, anyigba le asiwò eye nèle anyigba dzi, bubu le ŋuwò.
while the land belonged to a mighty man, and a man of honor lived on it.
9 Èɖo ahosiwo ɖa asi ƒuƒlu eye nèɖe tsyɔ̃eviwo ƒe ŋusẽ ɖa.
You sent widows away empty-handed, and the strength of the fatherless was crushed.
10 Eya ta mɔkawo ɖe to ɖe wò ɖo eya ta dzɔgbevɔ̃e ƒo ɖe dziwò kpoyi hedo ŋɔdzi na wò
Therefore snares surround you, and sudden peril terrifies you;
11 eya ta viviti do ale gbegbe be màgate ŋu akpɔ nu o eye eya tae tɔɖɔɖɔ va tsyɔ dziwò ɖo.
it is so dark you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you.
12 “Ɖe Mawu mele dziƒo kɔkɔtɔ oa? Ɖe mekpɔ ale si ɣletivi kɔkɔtɔwo kɔkɔe oa?
Is not God as high as the heavens? Look at the highest stars, how lofty they are!
13 Gake ègblɔ be, ‘Nu ka Mawu nya? Ɖe wòdrɔ̃a ʋɔnu to viviti ma tɔgbi mea?
Yet you say: ‘What does God know? Does He judge through thick darkness?
14 Lilikpo dodowo xe eŋkume eya ta mekpɔa mí ne ele tsatsam le dziƒo ƒe agbo sesẽwo me o.’
Thick clouds veil Him so He does not see us as He traverses the vault of heaven.’
15 Ɖe nàgalé mɔ xoxo si dzi ame vɔ̃ɖiwo zɔ va yi la me ɖe asia?
Will you stay on the ancient path that wicked men have trod?
16 Wokplɔ wo dzoe hafi woƒe ɣeyiɣi de eye tsiɖɔɖɔ kplɔ woƒe gɔmeɖokpewo dzoe.
They were snatched away before their time, and their foundations were swept away by a flood.
17 Wogblɔ na Mawu be, ‘Ɖe asi le mía ŋu! Nu kae Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la awɔ mí?’
They said to God, ‘Depart from us. What can the Almighty do to us?’
18 Evɔ wònye eyae tsɔ nu nyuiwo yɔ xɔ na wo fũu, eya ta menɔ adzɔge na ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe aɖaŋudede.
But it was He who filled their houses with good things; so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.
19 Ame dzɔdzɔewo kpɔ woƒe gbegblẽ eye dzi dzɔ wo, ame maɖifɔwo gblɔ ɖe wo ŋu fewuɖutɔe be,
The righteous see it and are glad; the innocent mock them:
20 ‘Wotsrɔ̃ míaƒe futɔwo vavã eye dzo va fia woƒe kesinɔnuwo.’
‘Surely our foes are destroyed, and fire has consumed their excess.’
21 “Tsɔ ɖokuiwò na Mawu eye nànɔ ŋutifafa me kplii, to esia me la, dzɔgbenyui ava wò mɔ dzi.
Reconcile now and be at peace with Him; thereby good will come to you.
22 Xɔ nufiame tso eƒe nu me, eye nàtsɔ eƒe nyawo adzra ɖo ɖe wò dzi me
Receive instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in your heart.
23 Ne ètrɔ va Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la gbɔ la, agaɖo wò te. Ne èɖe nu vɔ̃ɖi wɔwɔ ɖa xaa tso wò agbadɔ gbɔ,
If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored. If you remove injustice from your tents
24 eye nètsɔ wò dzonu veviwo kɔ ɖe ke me, tsɔ wò sika adodoe si tso Ofir ƒu gbe ɖe agakpewo tome la,
and consign your gold to the dust and the gold of Ophir to the stones of the ravines,
25 ekema Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la anye wò sika kple klosalo nyuitɔ.
then the Almighty will be your gold and the finest silver for you.
26 Ekema le nyateƒe me la, Ŋusẽkatãtɔ ƒe nu ado dzidzɔ na wò eye àwu wò mo dzi ɖe Mawu ŋu.
Surely then you will delight in the Almighty and lift up your face to God.
27 Àdo gbe ɖa nɛ, wòaɖo to wò eye àxe wò adzɔgbeɖefewo nɛ.
You will pray to Him, and He will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.
28 Nu si nèɖo la, ava eme na wò eye kekeli aklẽ ɖe wò mɔwo dzi.
Your decisions will be carried out, and light will shine on your ways.
29 Ne woɖiɖi amewo ɖe anyi, eye nègblɔ be, ‘Fɔ wo ɖe dzi!’ la, ekema woafɔ ame siwo wote ɖe anyi la ɖe dzi.
When men are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up!’ then He will save the lowly.
30 Aɖe ame si ŋu fɔɖiɖi le gɔ̃ hã, ame si woaɖe to wò asi ƒe kɔkɔenɔnɔ me.”
He will deliver even one who is not innocent, rescuing him through the cleanness of your hands.”
