Hiob 22
1 Temanitɔ, Elifaz ɖo eŋu be,
Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:
2 “Ɖe ame anye viɖenu na Mawua? Ɖe nunyala gɔ̃ hã anye viɖenu nɛa?
Can a man be profitable unto God? Or can he that is wise be profitable unto Him?
3 Dzidzɔ ka wòanye na Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la ne ènye ame dzɔdzɔe? Eye viɖe ka wòakpɔ ne fɔɖiɖi mele wò mɔwo ŋu o?
Is it any advantage to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? Or is it gain to Him, that thou makest thy ways blameless?
4 “Wò Mawuvɔvɔ̃ tae wòka mo na wò hetsɔ nya ɖe ŋuwòa?
Is it for thy fear of Him that He reproveth thee, that He entereth with thee into judgment?
5 Ɖe wò nu vɔ̃ɖi wɔwɔ mekpe ŋutɔ oa? Ɖe nuwuwu li na wò nu vɔ̃woa?
Is not thy wickedness great? And are not thine iniquities without end?
6 Èbia megbedanu tso nɔviwò ŋutsuwo si susumanɔmetɔe eye nèɖe avɔ le amewo ŋu wotsi amama.
For thou hast taken pledges of thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 Mèna tsi ame siwo nu ti kɔ na la wono o eye nète nuɖuɖu dɔwuitɔwo,
Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
8 evɔ nèhenye ŋusẽtɔ, anyigba le asiwò eye nèle anyigba dzi, bubu le ŋuwò.
And as a mighty man, who hath the earth, and as a man of rank, who dwelleth in it,
9 Èɖo ahosiwo ɖa asi ƒuƒlu eye nèɖe tsyɔ̃eviwo ƒe ŋusẽ ɖa.
Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
10 Eya ta mɔkawo ɖe to ɖe wò ɖo eya ta dzɔgbevɔ̃e ƒo ɖe dziwò kpoyi hedo ŋɔdzi na wò
Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden dread affrighted thee,
11 eya ta viviti do ale gbegbe be màgate ŋu akpɔ nu o eye eya tae tɔɖɔɖɔ va tsyɔ dziwò ɖo.
Or darkness, that thou canst not see, and abundance of waters cover thee.
12 “Ɖe Mawu mele dziƒo kɔkɔtɔ oa? Ɖe mekpɔ ale si ɣletivi kɔkɔtɔwo kɔkɔe oa?
Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the topmost of the stars, how high they are!
13 Gake ègblɔ be, ‘Nu ka Mawu nya? Ɖe wòdrɔ̃a ʋɔnu to viviti ma tɔgbi mea?
And thou sayest: 'What doth God know? Can He judge through the dark cloud?
14 Lilikpo dodowo xe eŋkume eya ta mekpɔa mí ne ele tsatsam le dziƒo ƒe agbo sesẽwo me o.’
Thick clouds are a covering to Him, that He seeth not; and He walketh in the circuit of heaven.'
15 Ɖe nàgalé mɔ xoxo si dzi ame vɔ̃ɖiwo zɔ va yi la me ɖe asia?
Wilt thou keep the old way which wicked men have trodden?
16 Wokplɔ wo dzoe hafi woƒe ɣeyiɣi de eye tsiɖɔɖɔ kplɔ woƒe gɔmeɖokpewo dzoe.
Who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream;
17 Wogblɔ na Mawu be, ‘Ɖe asi le mía ŋu! Nu kae Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la awɔ mí?’
Who said unto God: 'Depart from us'; and what could the Almighty do unto them?
18 Evɔ wònye eyae tsɔ nu nyuiwo yɔ xɔ na wo fũu, eya ta menɔ adzɔge na ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe aɖaŋudede.
Yet He filled their houses with good things — but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19 Ame dzɔdzɔewo kpɔ woƒe gbegblẽ eye dzi dzɔ wo, ame maɖifɔwo gblɔ ɖe wo ŋu fewuɖutɔe be,
The righteous saw it, and were glad, and the innocent laugh them to scorn:
20 ‘Wotsrɔ̃ míaƒe futɔwo vavã eye dzo va fia woƒe kesinɔnuwo.’
'Surely their substance is cut off, and their abundance the fire hath consumed.'
21 “Tsɔ ɖokuiwò na Mawu eye nànɔ ŋutifafa me kplii, to esia me la, dzɔgbenyui ava wò mɔ dzi.
Acquaint now thyself with Him, and be at peace; thereby shall thine increase be good.
22 Xɔ nufiame tso eƒe nu me, eye nàtsɔ eƒe nyawo adzra ɖo ɖe wò dzi me
Receive, I pray thee, instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in thy heart.
23 Ne ètrɔ va Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la gbɔ la, agaɖo wò te. Ne èɖe nu vɔ̃ɖi wɔwɔ ɖa xaa tso wò agbadɔ gbɔ,
If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up — if thou put away unrighteousness far from thy 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 lay thy treasure in the dust, and the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks;
25 ekema Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la anye wò sika kple klosalo nyuitɔ.
And the Almighty be thy treasure, and precious silver unto thee;
26 Ekema le nyateƒe me la, Ŋusẽkatãtɔ ƒe nu ado dzidzɔ na wò eye àwu wò mo dzi ɖe Mawu ŋu.
Then surely shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.
27 Àdo gbe ɖa nɛ, wòaɖo to wò eye àxe wò adzɔgbeɖefewo nɛ.
Thou shalt make thy prayer unto Him, and He will hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows;
28 Nu si nèɖo la, ava eme na wò eye kekeli aklẽ ɖe wò mɔwo dzi.
Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee, and light shall shine upon thy 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 they cast thee down, thou shalt say: 'There is lifting up'; for the humble person He saveth.
30 Aɖe ame si ŋu fɔɖiɖi le gɔ̃ hã, ame si woaɖe to wò asi ƒe kɔkɔenɔnɔ me.”
He delivereth him that is innocent, yea, thou shalt be delivered through the cleanness of thy hands.
