Hiob 29
1 Hiob yi eƒe nuƒoƒo dzi be,
And Job adds to lift up his allegory and says:
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 makes me as [in] months past, As [in] the days of God’s preserving me?
3 esi eƒe akaɖi klẽ ɖe nye ta dzi eye eƒe kekeli na mezɔ to blukɔ tsiɖitsiɖi me!
In His causing His lamp to shine on my head, By His light I walk [through] darkness.
4 O, nenye ɖe wòanɔ nam abe nye lãmesẽŋkekewo me ene, esi kadodo kple Mawu kplikplikpli na wòyra nye aƒe,
As I have been in days of my maturity, And the counsel of God on my tent.
5 esi Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la ganɔ kplim ko eye vinyewo ƒo xlãm,
When yet the Mighty One [is] with me. Around me—my young ones,
6 esi nye toƒe nye notsi kpeke ɖeɖe eye amitimi ɖuɖu bababa tso agakpe me nam.
When washing my goings with butter, And the firm rock [is] with me—streams of oil.
7 “Ne meyi dua ƒe agbo nu, henɔ anyi ɖe zikpui dzi gli, le dua ƒe ablɔme la,
When I go out to the gate by the city, In a broad place I prepare my seat.
8 ɖekakpuiawo kpɔam, heƒoa asa nam eye ame tsitsiwo tsona ɖe tsitrenu,
Youths have seen me, and they have been hidden, And the aged have risen—they stood up.
9 dumegãwo tɔna ne wole nu ƒom hetsɔa asi ɖoa nu.
Princes have kept in words, And they place a hand on their mouth.
10 Gbɔgblɔ buna ɖe ame ŋkutawo eye woƒe aɖe léna ɖe woƒe nu me.
The voice of leaders has been hidden, And their tongue has cleaved to the palate.
11 Ame sia ame si ɖo tom la kafuam eye ame siwo kpɔm la ƒoa nu nyui tso ŋutinye
For the ear heard, and declares me blessed, And the eye has seen, and testifies [to] me.
12 elabena mexɔna na hiãtɔ siwo le ɣli dom be woakpe ɖe yewo ŋu kple tsyɔ̃evi si si kpeɖeŋutɔ mele o.
For I deliver the afflicted who is crying, And the fatherless who has no helper.
13 Ame si le kukum la ƒe yayra vaa dzinye eye menana ahosi ƒe dzi kpɔa dzidzɔ.
The blessing of the perishing comes on me, And I cause the heart of the widow to sing.
14 Metsɔ dzɔdzɔenyenye do abe awu ene eye nuteƒewɔwɔ nye nye awu ʋlaya kple tablanu.
I have put on righteousness, and it clothes me, My justice as a robe and a crown.
15 Menye ŋku na ŋkuagbãtɔ kple afɔ na tekunɔ.
I have been eyes to the blind, And I [am] feet to the lame.
16 Menye tɔ na hiãtɔwo eye mexɔa nya ɖe amedzrowo nu.
I [am] a father to the needy, And the cause I have not known I search out.
17 Meŋea tsyo na ame vɔ̃ɖiwo eye meɖea nu si woda adzoe la le woƒe aɖutame.
And I break the jaw-teeth of the perverse, And from his teeth I cast away prey.
18 “Mebu be, ‘Maku ɖe nye ŋutɔ nye aƒe me, nye ŋkekewo asɔ gbɔ abe ke ene.
And I say, I expire with my nest, And I multiply 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 open to the waters, And dew lodges 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 with me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.
21 “Amewo ɖoa tom henɔa nye asinu kpɔm, nɔa lalam na nye aɖaŋuɖoɖo le ɖoɖoezizi me.
They have listened to me, Indeed, they wait, and are silent for my counsel.
22 Ne meƒo nu la, womegaƒoa nu o eye nye nyawo gena ɖe woƒe towo me bɔlɔɔ.
After my word they do not change, And my speech drops 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.
And they wait for me as [for] rain, And they have opened wide their mouth [As] for the spring rain.
24 Womexɔnɛ sena ne meko nu na wo o, nye mo ƒe kekeli nye nu xɔasi na wo.
I laugh at them—they give no credence, And do not cause the light of my face to fall.
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 choose their way, and sit [as] head, And I dwell as a king in a troop, When he comforts mourners.”
