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 profitable to God, as he that is wise may be profitable to 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] gain [to him], that thou makest thy ways perfect?
4 “Wò Mawuvɔvɔ̃ tae wòka mo na wò hetsɔ nya ɖe ŋuwòa?
Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter 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 thy iniquities infinite?
6 Èbia megbedanu tso nɔviwò ŋutsuwo si susumanɔmetɔe eye nèɖe avɔ le amewo ŋu wotsi amama.
For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for naught, 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 withheld bread from the hungry.
8 evɔ nèhenye ŋusẽtɔ, anyigba le asiwò eye nèle anyigba dzi, bubu le ŋuwò.
But [as for] the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honorable man dwelt 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] around thee, and sudden fear troubleth 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 hight of heaven? and behold the hight 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, How 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?
Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
16 Wokplɔ wo dzoe hafi woƒe ɣeyiɣi de eye tsiɖɔɖɔ kplɔ woƒe gɔmeɖokpewo dzoe.
Who were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflowed with a flood!
17 Wogblɔ na Mawu be, ‘Ɖe asi le mía ŋu! Nu kae Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la awɔ mí?’
Who said to God, depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for 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 see [it], and are glad: and the innocent deride them.
20 ‘Wotsrɔ̃ míaƒe futɔwo vavã eye dzo va fia woƒe kesinɔnuwo.’
Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.
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: by this good shall come to thee.
22 Xɔ nufiame tso eƒe nu me, eye nàtsɔ eƒe nyawo adzra ɖo ɖe wò dzi me
Receive, I pray thee, the law 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 shalt return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.
24 eye nètsɔ wò dzonu veviwo kɔ ɖe ke me, tsɔ wò sika adodoe si tso Ofir ƒu gbe ɖe agakpewo tome la,
Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the [gold] of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
25 ekema Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la anye wò sika kple klosalo nyuitɔ.
Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defense and thou shalt have plenty of silver.
26 Ekema le nyateƒe me la, Ŋusẽkatãtɔ ƒe nu ado dzidzɔ na wò eye àwu wò mo dzi ɖe Mawu ŋu.
For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face to God.
27 Àdo gbe ɖa nɛ, wòaɖo to wò eye àxe wò adzɔgbeɖefewo nɛ.
Thou shalt make thy prayer to him, and he shall 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 to thee: and the 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 [men] are cast down, then thou shalt say, [There is] exaltation; and he shall save the humble person.
30 Aɖe ame si ŋu fɔɖiɖi le gɔ̃ hã, ame si woaɖe to wò asi ƒe kɔkɔenɔnɔ me.”
He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thy hands.
