Hiob 23
1 Tete Hiob ɖo eŋu be,
Job replied,
2 “Egbe gɔ̃ hã nye konyifafa do gã ɖe edzi, eƒe asi sẽ ɖe dzinye, evɔ mele hũu ɖem hafi.
“Just the same, my complaints today remain bitter. In spite of my groaning he is still punishing me.
3 Nenye ɖe manya afi si makpɔe le, nenye ɖe mayi enɔƒe la, anyo ŋutɔ!
If only I knew where I could find him so I could go to where he sits in judgment.
4 Matsɔ nye nya aɖo eŋkume eye nye nu me ayɔ fũu kple nya siwo matsɔ aɖe ɖokuinye nu
There I would lay out my case before him and present all my arguments in full.
5 Ne makpɔ ale si wòaɖo eŋu nam eye mabu nya si wòagblɔ la ŋuti.
I would discover how he would answer me and learn what he has to say to me.
6 Ɖe wòatsi tsitre ɖe ŋunye kple ŋusẽ gã aɖea? Ao, ke boŋ aɖo tom
Would he fight against me using his mighty power? No, he would pay attention to what I have to say.
7 Afi ma ame dzɔdzɔe ate ŋu atsɔ eƒe nyawo aɖo eŋkume le eye woaɖem tegbee tso nye ʋɔnudrɔ̃la ƒe asi me.
There a good person could reason with him, and I would be acquitted forever by my judge.
8 “Gake ne meyi ɣedzeƒe la, mele afi ma o, ne meyi ɣetoɖoƒe la, nyemekpɔe le afi ma hã o.
If I go to the east, he's not there; if I go the west, I don't find him.
9 Ne ele dɔ wɔm le anyiehe la, nyemekpɔnɛ o, ne etrɔ ɖe dziehe hã la, nye ŋku melɔnɛ o.
If he's working in the north, I don't perceive him; if he's moving south, I don't see him.
10 Gake enya mɔ si dzi mele, ne edom kpɔ la, mato eme abe sika ene.
Yet he always knows where I'm going. When he has proved me, I will come out shining like gold.
11 Nye afɔwo le eƒe afɔtoƒewo yome kplikplikpli, melé eƒe mɔ tsɔ eye nyemedze ɖe aga o.
I have kept in step with him; I have followed his way without turning aside.
12 Nyemete ɖe aga tso eƒe nuyiwo ƒe sededewo gbɔ o, mede asixɔxɔ eƒe nyawo ŋu wu nye gbe sia gbe ƒe nuɖuɖu.
I have not neglected his commands, for I value what he has told me to do more than the food I eat every day.
13 “Ke eya ɖekae li, ame ka ate ŋu axe mɔ nɛ? Nu sia nu si dze eŋu lae wòwɔna.
But God is unchangeable—who can turn him from his purposes? He does whatever he wants to do.
14 Ena se siwo wòde ɖi la va eme ɖe ŋutinye eye ɖoɖo siawo tɔgbi gale esi ɖe ŋunye.
So he will finish whatever he has planned for me—and he has many plans for me.
15 Esia ta ŋɔ dzim le eŋkume eye ne mebu esiawo katã ŋuti la, mevɔ̃na nɛ.
That's why I'm terrified at meeting him; when I think of him I tremble with fear.
16 Mawu na dzi ɖe le ƒonye, Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la do ŋɔdzi nam.
God has made me faint-hearted; the Almighty has scared me to death.
17 Ke hã la, viviti la alo blukɔ tsiɖitsiɖi si tsyɔ mo nam la mena ɖoɖoe zi le nunye o.
Yet I'm still here despite the dark—even though I can't see through the utter darkness.
