Hiob 29
1 Hiob yi eƒe nuƒoƒo dzi be,
Job again took up his parable, and said,
2 “O, ale si medi vevie be wòanɔ nam abe ale si wònɔ le ɣleti siwo va yi me la ene, le ŋkeke siwo me Mawu kpɔ tanye,
“Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;
3 esi eƒe akaɖi klẽ ɖe nye ta dzi eye eƒe kekeli na mezɔ to blukɔ tsiɖitsiɖi me!
when his lamp shone on my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,
4 O, nenye ɖe wòanɔ nam abe nye lãmesẽŋkekewo me ene, esi kadodo kple Mawu kplikplikpli na wòyra nye aƒe,
as I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was in my tent,
5 esi Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la ganɔ kplim ko eye vinyewo ƒo xlãm,
when the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me,
6 esi nye toƒe nye notsi kpeke ɖeɖe eye amitimi ɖuɖu bababa tso agakpe me nam.
when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil for me,
7 “Ne meyi dua ƒe agbo nu, henɔ anyi ɖe zikpui dzi gli, le dua ƒe ablɔme la,
when I went out to the city gate, when I prepared my seat in the street.
8 ɖekakpuiawo kpɔam, heƒoa asa nam eye ame tsitsiwo tsona ɖe tsitrenu,
The young men saw me and hid themselves. The aged rose up and stood.
9 dumegãwo tɔna ne wole nu ƒom hetsɔa asi ɖoa nu.
The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
10 Gbɔgblɔ buna ɖe ame ŋkutawo eye woƒe aɖe léna ɖe woƒe nu me.
The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
11 Ame sia ame si ɖo tom la kafuam eye ame siwo kpɔm la ƒoa nu nyui tso ŋutinye
For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it commended me,
12 elabena mexɔna na hiãtɔ siwo le ɣli dom be woakpe ɖe yewo ŋu kple tsyɔ̃evi si si kpeɖeŋutɔ mele o.
because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless also, who had no one to help him,
13 Ame si le kukum la ƒe yayra vaa dzinye eye menana ahosi ƒe dzi kpɔa dzidzɔ.
the blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
14 Metsɔ dzɔdzɔenyenye do abe awu ene eye nuteƒewɔwɔ nye nye awu ʋlaya kple tablanu.
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was as a robe and a diadem.
15 Menye ŋku na ŋkuagbãtɔ kple afɔ na tekunɔ.
I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.
16 Menye tɔ na hiãtɔwo eye mexɔa nya ɖe amedzrowo nu.
I was a father to the needy. I researched the cause of him whom I did not know.
17 Meŋea tsyo na ame vɔ̃ɖiwo eye meɖea nu si woda adzoe la le woƒe aɖutame.
I broke the jaws of the unrighteous and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
18 “Mebu be, ‘Maku ɖe nye ŋutɔ nye aƒe me, nye ŋkekewo asɔ gbɔ abe ke ene.
Then I said, ‘I will die in my own house, I will count my days as the sand.
19 Nye kewo aƒo ɖe to, ade tsi gbɔ eye zãmu adza ɖe nye alɔwo dzi zã blibo la.
My root is spread out to the waters. The dew lies all night on my branch.
20 Nye ŋutikɔkɔe anɔ yeye zum ɣe sia ɣi le ŋunye eye dati anɔ yeye ɖaa le asinyeme.’
My glory is fresh in me. My bow is renewed in my hand.’
21 “Amewo ɖoa tom henɔa nye asinu kpɔm, nɔa lalam na nye aɖaŋuɖoɖo le ɖoɖoezizi me.
“Men listened to me, waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
22 Ne meƒo nu la, womegaƒoa nu o eye nye nyawo gena ɖe woƒe towo me bɔlɔɔ.
After my words they did not speak again. My speech fell on them.
23 Wonɔa lalayem abe ale si wolalana na tsidzadza ene eye woxɔa nye nyawo dea wo ɖokui me abe ale si wonoa kelemetsi ene.
They waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.
24 Womexɔnɛ sena ne meko nu na wo o, nye mo ƒe kekeli nye nu xɔasi na wo.
I smiled on them when they had no confidence. They did not reject the light of my face.
25 Metiaa mɔ si woato la na wo, menɔa wo dome abe woƒe tatɔ ene eye menɔa wo dome abe woƒe fia le eƒe aʋakɔwo dome ene. Menɔna abe ame si faa akɔ na konyifalawo ene.
I chose out their way, and sat as chief. I lived as a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners.
