Hiob 29
1 Hiob yi eƒe nuƒoƒo dzi be,
And Job continued and said in his parable,
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 months past, wherein God preserved me!
3 esi eƒe akaɖi klẽ ɖe nye ta dzi eye eƒe kekeli na mezɔ to blukɔ tsiɖitsiɖi me!
As when his lamp shone over my head; when 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] when I steadfastly pursued my ways, when God took care of my house.
5 esi Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la ganɔ kplim ko eye vinyewo ƒo xlãm,
When I was very fruitful, and my children were about me;
6 esi nye toƒe nye notsi kpeke ɖeɖe eye amitimi ɖuɖu bababa tso agakpe me nam.
when my ways were moistened with butter, and the mountains flowed for me with milk.
7 “Ne meyi dua ƒe agbo nu, henɔ anyi ɖe zikpui dzi gli, le dua ƒe ablɔme la,
When I went forth early in the city, and the seat was placed for me in the streets.
8 ɖekakpuiawo kpɔam, heƒoa asa nam eye ame tsitsiwo tsona ɖe tsitrenu,
The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and all the old men stood up.
9 dumegãwo tɔna ne wole nu ƒom hetsɔa asi ɖoa nu.
And the great men ceased speaking, and laid their finger on their mouth.
10 Gbɔgblɔ buna ɖe ame ŋkutawo eye woƒe aɖe léna ɖe woƒe nu me.
And they that heard [me] blessed me, and their tongue clave to their throat.
11 Ame sia ame si ɖo tom la kafuam eye ame siwo kpɔm la ƒoa nu nyui tso ŋutinye
For the ear heard, and blessed me; and the eye saw me, and turned aside.
12 elabena mexɔna na hiãtɔ siwo le ɣli dom be woakpe ɖe yewo ŋu kple tsyɔ̃evi si si kpeɖeŋutɔ mele o.
For I saved the poor out of the hand of the oppressor, and helped the fatherless who had no helper.
13 Ame si le kukum la ƒe yayra vaa dzinye eye menana ahosi ƒe dzi kpɔa dzidzɔ.
Let the blessing of the perishing one come upon me; yes, the mouth of the widow has blessed me.
14 Metsɔ dzɔdzɔenyenye do abe awu ene eye nuteƒewɔwɔ nye nye awu ʋlaya kple tablanu.
Also I put on righteousness, and clothed myself with judgement like a mantle.
15 Menye ŋku na ŋkuagbãtɔ kple afɔ na tekunɔ.
I was the eye of the blind, and the foot of the lame.
16 Menye tɔ na hiãtɔwo eye mexɔa nya ɖe amedzrowo nu.
I was the father of the helpless; and I searched out the cause which I knew not.
17 Meŋea tsyo na ame vɔ̃ɖiwo eye meɖea nu si woda adzoe la le woƒe aɖutame.
And I broke the jaw teeth of the unrighteous; I plucked the spoil out of the midst of their teeth.
18 “Mebu be, ‘Maku ɖe nye ŋutɔ nye aƒe me, nye ŋkekewo asɔ gbɔ abe ke ene.
And I said, My age shall continue as the stem of a palm tree; I shall live a long while.
19 Nye kewo aƒo ɖe to, ade tsi gbɔ eye zãmu adza ɖe nye alɔwo dzi zã blibo la.
[My] root was spread out by the water, and the dew would lodge on my crop.
20 Nye ŋutikɔkɔe anɔ yeye zum ɣe sia ɣi le ŋunye eye dati anɔ yeye ɖaa le asinyeme.’
My glory was fresh in me, and by bow prospered in his hand.
21 “Amewo ɖoa tom henɔa nye asinu kpɔm, nɔa lalam na nye aɖaŋuɖoɖo le ɖoɖoezizi me.
[Men] heard me, and gave heed, and they were silent at my counsel.
22 Ne meƒo nu la, womegaƒoa nu o eye nye nyawo gena ɖe woƒe towo me bɔlɔɔ.
At my word they spoke not again, and they were very gland whenever I spoke to 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.
As the thirsty earth expecting the rain, so they [waited for] my speech.
24 Womexɔnɛ sena ne meko nu na wo o, nye mo ƒe kekeli nye nu xɔasi na wo.
Were I to laugh on them, they would not believe [it]; and the light of my face has not failed.
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 chief, and lived as a king in the midst of warriors, as one comforting mourners.
