Hiob 29
1 Hiob yi eƒe nuƒoƒo dzi be,
And Job continued to take 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,
Who will give me back months like those which are past, days like those when God guarded me;
3 esi eƒe akaɖi klẽ ɖe nye ta dzi eye eƒe kekeli na mezɔ to blukɔ tsiɖitsiɖi me!
When his lamp shone over my head, when by his light I could walk in 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 the days of my abundance, when the confidence of God was upon my tent:
5 esi Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la ganɔ kplim ko eye vinyewo ƒo xlãm,
When the Almighty was yet with me, when my servants stood round about me;
6 esi nye toƒe nye notsi kpeke ɖeɖe eye amitimi ɖuɖu bababa tso agakpe me nam.
When I bathed my steps in cream, and the rock poured out near me streamlets of oil!
7 “Ne meyi dua ƒe agbo nu, henɔ anyi ɖe zikpui dzi gli, le dua ƒe ablɔme la,
When I went out to the gate close by the city, when in the open place I established my seat:
8 ɖekakpuiawo kpɔam, heƒoa asa nam eye ame tsitsiwo tsona ɖe tsitrenu,
Young men saw me, and hid themselves; and the aged rose up, and remained standing;
9 dumegãwo tɔna ne wole nu ƒom hetsɔa asi ɖoa nu.
Princes stopped in the midst of [their] words, and laid their hand on their mouth:
10 Gbɔgblɔ buna ɖe ame ŋkutawo eye woƒe aɖe léna ɖe woƒe nu me.
The voice of nobles was arrested, and their tongue cleaved to their palate.
11 Ame sia ame si ɖo tom la kafuam eye ame siwo kpɔm la ƒoa nu nyui tso ŋutinye
For the ear that heard me called me happy; and the eye that saw me bore witness for 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 that cried, and the fatherless, yea, that had none to help him.
13 Ame si le kukum la ƒe yayra vaa dzinye eye menana ahosi ƒe dzi kpɔa dzidzɔ.
The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me; and the heart of the widow I caused to sing for joy.
14 Metsɔ dzɔdzɔenyenye do abe awu ene eye nuteƒewɔwɔ nye nye awu ʋlaya kple tablanu.
I took righteousness as my garment, and it clothed me: as a robe and a mitre was justice unto me.
15 Menye ŋku na ŋkuagbãtɔ kple afɔ na tekunɔ.
Eyes was I to the blind; and feet to the lame was I.
16 Menye tɔ na hiãtɔwo eye mexɔa nya ɖe amedzrowo nu.
A father was I to the needy; and the cause of him I knew not I used to investigate.
17 Meŋea tsyo na ame vɔ̃ɖiwo eye meɖea nu si woda adzoe la le woƒe aɖutame.
And I broke the cutting-teeth of the wrong-doer, and out of his teeth I cast down his prey.
18 “Mebu be, ‘Maku ɖe nye ŋutɔ nye aƒe me, nye ŋkekewo asɔ gbɔ abe ke ene.
And I said then, “In the midst of my nest shall I depart hence, and like the sand shall I have many days.
19 Nye kewo aƒo ɖe to, ade tsi gbɔ eye zãmu adza ɖe nye alɔwo dzi zã blibo la.
My root will stand open for the water, and the dew will lodge on my boughs.
20 Nye ŋutikɔkɔe anɔ yeye zum ɣe sia ɣi le ŋunye eye dati anɔ yeye ɖaa le asinyeme.’
My glory will ever be new with me, and my bow will acquire fresh strength in my hand.”
21 “Amewo ɖoa tom henɔa nye asinu kpɔm, nɔa lalam na nye aɖaŋuɖoɖo le ɖoɖoezizi me.
Unto me men listened, and waited, and watched in 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 made no reply, and my speech dropped on them [like dew].
23 Wonɔa lalayem abe ale si wolalana na tsidzadza ene eye woxɔa nye nyawo dea wo ɖokui me abe ale si wonoa kelemetsi ene.
And they waited for me as for the rain, and they opened wide their mouth as for the latter rain.
24 Womexɔnɛ sena ne meko nu na wo o, nye mo ƒe kekeli nye nu xɔasi na wo.
I smiled on those that had lost their confidence; and the light of my countenance they never cast down.
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 their way for them, and I sat as chief, and dwelt as king in his army, as one that comforteth mourners.
