Hiob 22
1 Temanitɔ, Elifaz ɖo eŋu be,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
2 “Ɖe ame anye viɖenu na Mawua? Ɖe nunyala gɔ̃ hã anye viɖenu nɛa?
“Can a man be useful to God? Can a wise man be useful to 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 pleasure to the Almighty if you are righteous? Is it gain to him if you make your ways blameless?
4 “Wò Mawuvɔvɔ̃ tae wòka mo na wò hetsɔ nya ɖe ŋuwòa?
Is it because of your reverence for him that he rebukes you and takes you to judgment?
5 Ɖe wò nu vɔ̃ɖi wɔwɔ mekpe ŋutɔ oa? Ɖe nuwuwu li na wò nu vɔ̃woa?
Is not your wickedness great? Is there no end to your iniquities?
6 Èbia megbedanu tso nɔviwò ŋutsuwo si susumanɔmetɔe eye nèɖe avɔ le amewo ŋu wotsi amama.
For you have demanded guarantee of a loan from your brother for no reason, and you have stripped away clothing from the naked.
7 Mèna tsi ame siwo nu ti kɔ na la wono o eye nète nuɖuɖu dɔwuitɔwo,
You have not given water to weary people to drink; you have withheld bread from hungry people
8 evɔ nèhenye ŋusẽtɔ, anyigba le asiwò eye nèle anyigba dzi, bubu le ŋuwò.
although you, a mighty man, possessed the earth, although you, an honored man, lived in it.
9 Èɖo ahosiwo ɖa asi ƒuƒlu eye nèɖe tsyɔ̃eviwo ƒe ŋusẽ ɖa.
You have sent widows away empty; 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 all around you, and sudden fear troubles you.
11 eya ta viviti do ale gbegbe be màgate ŋu akpɔ nu o eye eya tae tɔɖɔɖɔ va tsyɔ dziwò ɖo.
There is darkness, so that you cannot see; an abundance of waters covers you.
12 “Ɖe Mawu mele dziƒo kɔkɔtɔ oa? Ɖe mekpɔ ale si ɣletivi kɔkɔtɔwo kɔkɔe oa?
Is not God in the heights of heaven? Look at the height of the stars, how high they are!
13 Gake ègblɔ be, ‘Nu ka Mawu nya? Ɖe wòdrɔ̃a ʋɔnu to viviti ma tɔgbi mea?
You say, 'What does God know? Can he judge through the thick 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 to him, so that he does not see us; he walks on the vault of heaven.'
15 Ɖe nàgalé mɔ xoxo si dzi ame vɔ̃ɖiwo zɔ va yi la me ɖe asia?
Will you keep the old way that wicked men have walked—
16 Wokplɔ wo dzoe hafi woƒe ɣeyiɣi de eye tsiɖɔɖɔ kplɔ woƒe gɔmeɖokpewo dzoe.
those who were snatched away before their time, those whose foundations have washed away like a river,
17 Wogblɔ na Mawu be, ‘Ɖe asi le mía ŋu! Nu kae Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la awɔ mí?’
those who said to God, 'Depart from us'; those who said, '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.
Yet he filled their houses with good things; the plans of wicked people are far from me.
19 Ame dzɔdzɔewo kpɔ woƒe gbegblẽ eye dzi dzɔ wo, ame maɖifɔwo gblɔ ɖe wo ŋu fewuɖutɔe be,
Righteous people see their fate and are glad; innocent people laugh them to scorn.
20 ‘Wotsrɔ̃ míaƒe futɔwo vavã eye dzo va fia woƒe kesinɔnuwo.’
They say, 'Surely those who rose up against us are cut off; fire has consumed their possessions.'
21 “Tsɔ ɖokuiwò na Mawu eye nànɔ ŋutifafa me kplii, to esia me la, dzɔgbenyui ava wò mɔ dzi.
Now agree with God and be at peace with him; in that way, good will come to you.
22 Xɔ nufiame tso eƒe nu me, eye nàtsɔ eƒe nyawo adzra ɖo ɖe wò dzi me
Receive, I beg you, instruction from his mouth; store 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 built up, if you put unrighteousness far away 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,
Lay your treasure down in the dust, the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks,
25 ekema Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la anye wò sika kple klosalo nyuitɔ.
and the Almighty will be your treasure, precious silver to you.
26 Ekema le nyateƒe me la, Ŋusẽkatãtɔ ƒe nu ado dzidzɔ na wò eye àwu wò mo dzi ɖe Mawu ŋu.
For then you will take pleasure in the Almighty; you will lift up your face to God.
27 Àdo gbe ɖa nɛ, wòaɖo to wò eye àxe wò adzɔgbeɖefewo nɛ.
You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you; you will pay your vows to him.
28 Nu si nèɖo la, ava eme na wò eye kekeli aklẽ ɖe wò mɔwo dzi.
You will also decree anything, and it will be confirmed for you; light will shine on your paths.
29 Ne woɖiɖi amewo ɖe anyi, eye nègblɔ be, ‘Fɔ wo ɖe dzi!’ la, ekema woafɔ ame siwo wote ɖe anyi la ɖe dzi.
God humbles a proud man, and he saves the one with lowered eyes.
30 Aɖe ame si ŋu fɔɖiɖi le gɔ̃ hã, ame si woaɖe to wò asi ƒe kɔkɔenɔnɔ me.”
He will rescue even the man who is not innocent; who will be rescued through the cleanness of your hands.”
