Hiob 29
1 Hiob yi eƒe nuƒoƒo dzi be,
Moreover Job continued his discourse, 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,
O that I were as in months past, In the days when God was my guardian;
3 esi eƒe akaɖi klẽ ɖe nye ta dzi eye eƒe kekeli na mezɔ to blukɔ tsiɖitsiɖi me!
When his lamp shined over my head, And 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 I was in the autumn of my days, When the friendship of God was over 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 I bathed my steps in milk, And the rock poured me out rivers of oil!
7 “Ne meyi dua ƒe agbo nu, henɔ anyi ɖe zikpui dzi gli, le dua ƒe ablɔme la,
When I went forth to the gate by the city, And took my seat in the market-place,
8 ɖekakpuiawo kpɔam, heƒoa asa nam eye ame tsitsiwo tsona ɖe tsitrenu,
The young men saw me and hid themselves, And the aged arose and stood.
9 dumegãwo tɔna ne wole nu ƒom hetsɔa asi ɖoa nu.
The princes refrained from speaking, And laid their hand upon their mouth.
10 Gbɔgblɔ buna ɖe ame ŋkutawo eye woƒe aɖe léna ɖe woƒe nu me.
The nobles held their peace, And their tongue cleaved 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
When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; And when the eye saw me, it gave witness 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 delivered the poor, when they cried; And the fatherless, who 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 I caused the heart of the widow to sing for joy.
14 Metsɔ dzɔdzɔenyenye do abe awu ene eye nuteƒewɔwɔ nye nye awu ʋlaya kple tablanu.
I clothed myself with righteousness, and it clothed itself with me; And justice was my robe and diadem.
15 Menye ŋku na ŋkuagbãtɔ kple afɔ na tekunɔ.
I was eyes to the blind, And feet was I to the lame;
16 Menye tɔ na hiãtɔwo eye mexɔa nya ɖe amedzrowo nu.
I was a father to the poor, And the cause of him I knew not I searched out;
17 Meŋea tsyo na ame vɔ̃ɖiwo eye meɖea nu si woda adzoe la le woƒe aɖutame.
And I broke the teeth of the wicked, And plucked the spoil from his jaws.
18 “Mebu be, ‘Maku ɖe nye ŋutɔ nye aƒe me, nye ŋkekewo asɔ gbɔ abe ke ene.
Then said I, “I shall die in my nest; I shall multiply 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 abroad to the waters, And the dew abideth on my branches.
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 gathereth strength in my hand.”
21 “Amewo ɖoa tom henɔa nye asinu kpɔm, nɔa lalam na nye aɖaŋuɖoɖo le ɖoɖoezizi me.
To me men gave ear, and waited, And kept silence for my counsel.
22 Ne meƒo nu la, womegaƒoa nu o eye nye nyawo gena ɖe woƒe towo me bɔlɔɔ.
To my words they made no reply, When my speech dropped down upon 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.
Yea, they waited for me as for the rain; They opened their mouths wide as for the latter rain.
24 Womexɔnɛ sena ne meko nu na wo o, nye mo ƒe kekeli nye nu xɔasi na wo.
If I smiled upon them, they believed it not; Nor did they cause the light of my countenance 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.
When I came among them, I sat as chief; I dwelt as a king in the midst of an army, As a comforter among mourners.
