Hiob 28
1 “Klosalokuƒe li eye teƒe li si wololõa sika le.
There are silver mines and places where gold is refined.
2 Wokua gayibɔ le tome eye wokpɔa akɔbli ne wololõ akɔblikpe.
Iron is extracted from the earth and copper is smelted from its ore.
3 Amegbetɔ ɖo seƒe na viviti, etsana le didiƒewo kple viviti tsiɖitsiɖitɔ kekeake me hena tomenuwo.
Miners take lamps into the darkness underground and search for ore as far as they can go in the shadows and the gloom.
4 Eɖe do wògoglo yi eme ʋĩi hedidi tso amenɔƒe gbɔ, teƒe si amewo ƒe afɔ mede kpɔ o; teƒe goglo sia, si didi tso amewo gbɔ lae wonɔa ka me henɔa nyenyem le yame le.
They dig a mineshaft far from where people live or anyone ever goes. They swing from ropes that hang in the pits.
5 Anyigba si me wokpɔa nuɖuɖu tsonae lae wotrɔ le tome abe dzo me wòto ene.
Bread comes from the earth, but underneath it looks as if it has been turned upside-down by fire.
6 Woɖea safirkpe tso eƒe kpe siwo wogbã la me eye woɖea sika tso eƒe kewɔ me.
Here the rocks contain lapis lazuli and the dust contains gold.
7 Xe ƒonuwo menya toƒe ɣaɣla ma o eye aʋako aɖeke ƒe ŋku mekpɔe kpɔ o
No birds of prey can see these paths, no falcon's eye can perceive.
8 Gbemelã siwo dana la meka afɔ afi ma kpɔ o, eye dzata aɖeke hã mezɔ afi ma kpɔ o.
No wild beasts have passed that way; the lion has not walked there.
9 Ame ƒe asi gbã kpe sesẽawo eye wòna towo te dze go.
Miners attack the hard rock; they overturn the roots of mountains.
10 Eɖea mɔ ɖe kpeawo tome eye eƒe ŋkuwo kpɔa eƒe nu xɔasi vovovowo katã.
They tunnel through the rock, looking carefully for every precious stone.
11 Etsana le tsidzɔƒewo eye wòhea nu ɣaɣlawo vaa kekeli nu.
They dam the sources of the rivers, and bring to light what is hidden.
12 “Ke afi ka woakpɔ nunya le? Afi ka gɔmesese nɔna?
But where can wisdom be found? Where is the place to gain understanding?
13 Amegbetɔ mese eƒe nuvãnyenye gɔme o, womate ŋu akpɔe le agbagbeawo ƒe anyigba dzi o.
Human beings do not know the way to wisdom; it is not found among the living.
14 Gogloƒe gblɔ be, ‘Menye tɔnyee o,’ Atsiaƒu gblɔ be, ‘Mele gbɔnye o,’
The deep waters say, ‘It's not here,’ and the sea says, ‘It's not here either.’
15 Womate ŋu aƒlee kple sika nyuitɔ alo woada klosalo ɖe eƒe home nu o.
It cannot be bought with gold; nor can it be purchased with silver.
16 Màte ŋu aƒlee kple sika adodoe si tso Ofir alo kple kpe xɔasiwo, oniks kple safir o.
Its value cannot be measured, even with the gold of Ophir; it is more precious than onyx or lapis lazuli.
17 Sika alo kristalkpe masɔ kplii o eye womatsɔ sikanuwo gɔ̃ hã aɖɔlii o.
Gold or fine glass cannot compare with wisdom; it cannot be exchanged for gold jewelry.
18 Womayɔ sui kple adzagba ƒe ŋkɔwo gɔ̃ hã ɖe eŋu o elabena nunya ƒe asixɔxɔ kɔ wu gbloti tɔ sãsãsã.
Coral and crystal are not worth mentioning; the price of wisdom is far above rubies.
19 Womatsɔ Kuskpe xɔasi, topaz, asɔ kplii o eye sika nyuitɔ mate ŋu aƒlee o.
Topaz from Ethiopia can't compare with it; it cannot be bought with the purest gold.
20 “Ekema afi ka nunya tso? Afi ka nye gɔmesese ƒe nɔƒe?
So where does wisdom come from? Where is the place to gain understanding?
21 Eɣla ɖe nu gbagbe ɖe sia ɖe ƒe ŋkukpɔƒe eye woɣlae ɖe dziƒoxeviwo gɔ̃ hã.
Wisdom is hidden from the sight of all living things, even the birds of the air cannot see it.
22 Tsiẽƒe kple ku gblɔ be, ‘Nyasegblɔ tso eŋuti koe ɖo míaƒe towo me.’
Abaddon and Death say, ‘We've only heard a rumor of it.’
23 Mawue nya egbɔmɔ eye eya koe nya afi si wòle.
Only God understands the path to wisdom; he knows where it is found.
24 Elabena eyae tea ŋu kpɔa anyigba ƒe mlɔenu ke, eye wòkpɔa nu sia nu si le ɣea te.
For he looks to the very end of the earth; he sees everything under heaven.
25 Esi wòɖo ya ƒe ŋusẽ anyi, hedzidze tsiwo vɔ,
He decided how strong the wind should blow, and regulated the waters.
26 esi wòwɔ se na tsidzadza, heta mɔ na dziɖegbe kple ahom vɔ la,
He set a limit for the rain and made a path for the lightning.
27 enye kɔ kpɔ nunya, dzro eme kpɔ eye wòda asi ɖe edzi, hedoe kpɔ.
Then he considered wisdom. He examined it, gave it his approval, and declared it good.
28 Tete wògblɔ na amegbetɔ be, ‘Kpɔ ɖa, Aƒetɔ la vɔvɔ̃e nye nunya eye nugbegbe le vɔ̃ gbɔe nye gɔmesese.’”
He said to humankind, ‘To reverence the Lord is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
