Hiob 22
1 Temanitɔ, Elifaz ɖo eŋu be,
Then answered Eliphaz the Themanite, and said,
2 “Ɖe ame anye viɖenu na Mawua? Ɖe nunyala gɔ̃ hã anye viɖenu nɛa?
Can a man be serviceable unto God? Truly the intelligent is serviceable unto himself.
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 pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righteous? or is it any gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?
4 “Wò Mawuvɔvɔ̃ tae wòka mo na wò hetsɔ nya ɖe ŋuwòa?
Is it out of fear of thee that he will reproach thee? or go with thee into judgment?
5 Ɖe wò nu vɔ̃ɖi wɔwɔ mekpe ŋutɔ oa? Ɖe nuwuwu li na wò nu vɔ̃woa?
Is not thy evil great? and no end to thy iniquities?
6 Èbia megbedanu tso nɔviwò ŋutsuwo si susumanɔmetɔe eye nèɖe avɔ le amewo ŋu wotsi amama.
For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brothers 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 from the hungry thou hast withholden bread.
8 evɔ nèhenye ŋusẽtɔ, anyigba le asiwò eye nèle anyigba dzi, bubu le ŋuwò.
But as for the man of a strong arm, he obtained the land, and the highly honored could dwell therein.
9 Èɖo ahosiwo ɖa asi ƒuƒlu eye nèɖe tsyɔ̃eviwo ƒe ŋusẽ ɖa.
Widows hast thou sent 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 are snares round about thee, and sudden dread terrifieth thee.
11 eya ta viviti do ale gbegbe be màgate ŋu akpɔ nu o eye eya tae tɔɖɔɖɔ va tsyɔ dziwò ɖo.
Or seest thou not the darkness? and the abundance of water which covereth 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 beholding the highest elevation of the stars, however high they are?
13 Gake ègblɔ be, ‘Nu ka Mawu nya? Ɖe wòdrɔ̃a ʋɔnu to viviti ma tɔgbi mea?
But thou sayest, “What doth God know? can he judge behind the darkness?
14 Lilikpo dodowo xe eŋkume eya ta mekpɔa mí ne ele tsatsam le dziƒo ƒe agbo sesẽwo me o.’
Thick clouds are a covering for him, so that he will not see; and he walketh along on the circle of heaven.”
15 Ɖe nàgalé mɔ xoxo si dzi ame vɔ̃ɖiwo zɔ va yi la me ɖe asia?
Wilt thou [thus] observe the path of ancient times which the men of injustice have trodden?
16 Wokplɔ wo dzoe hafi woƒe ɣeyiɣi de eye tsiɖɔɖɔ kplɔ woƒe gɔmeɖokpewo dzoe.
Who were shrivelled up before their time, whose foundation was flooded away like a river;
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 wrought the Almighty for them?
18 Evɔ wònye eyae tsɔ nu nyuiwo yɔ xɔ na wo fũu, eya ta menɔ adzɔge na ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe aɖaŋudede.
And yet it was he that filled their houses with good things; but the counsel of the wicked be [still] far from me.
19 Ame dzɔdzɔewo kpɔ woƒe gbegblẽ eye dzi dzɔ wo, ame maɖifɔwo gblɔ ɖe wo ŋu fewuɖutɔe be,
The righteous will see it, and be glad; and the innocent will laugh them to scorn.
20 ‘Wotsrɔ̃ míaƒe futɔwo vavã eye dzo va fia woƒe kesinɔnuwo.’
“Is not he destroyed that rose up against us, and hath not the fire consumed what they had left?”
21 “Tsɔ ɖokuiwò na Mawu eye nànɔ ŋutifafa me kplii, to esia me la, dzɔgbenyui ava wò mɔ dzi.
Do but become acquainted with him, and be at peace: thereby will happiness come unto thee.
22 Xɔ nufiame tso eƒe nu me, eye nàtsɔ eƒe nyawo adzra ɖo ɖe wò dzi me
Do but accept instruction from his mouth, and lay up his saying 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, so thou wilt but remove wrong-doing far away 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 throw down in the dust precious metals, and [the gold of] Ophir to the stones of the brooks:
25 ekema Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la anye wò sika kple klosalo nyuitɔ.
Then will the Almighty be thy precious metal, and brightly-shining silver unto thee.
26 Ekema le nyateƒe me la, Ŋusẽkatãtɔ ƒe nu ado dzidzɔ na wò eye àwu wò mo dzi ɖe Mawu ŋu.
For then wilt thou have in the Almighty thy delight, and thou canst lift up unto God thy face.
27 Àdo gbe ɖa nɛ, wòaɖo to wò eye àxe wò adzɔgbeɖefewo nɛ.
Thou wilt make entreaty unto him, and he will hear thee, and thy vows wilt thou pay.
28 Nu si nèɖo la, ava eme na wò eye kekeli aklẽ ɖe wò mɔwo dzi.
And if thou decree a thing, it will be fulfilled unto thee; and upon thy ways the light will shine.
29 Ne woɖiɖi amewo ɖe anyi, eye nègblɔ be, ‘Fɔ wo ɖe dzi!’ la, ekema woafɔ ame siwo wote ɖe anyi la ɖe dzi.
For when men are brought low, thou wilt say, Pride [hath done it]; but those of lowly eyes [God] will help.
30 Aɖe ame si ŋu fɔɖiɖi le gɔ̃ hã, ame si woaɖe to wò asi ƒe kɔkɔenɔnɔ me.”
He will even deliver him who is not guiltless: and thou wilt be delivered by the purity of thy hands.
