Hiob 29
1 Hiob yi eƒe nuƒoƒo dzi be,
And Job addeth to lift up his simile, and saith: —
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 doth make 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 upon my tent.
5 esi Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la ganɔ kplim ko eye vinyewo ƒo xlãm,
When yet the Mighty One [is] with me. Round about 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 rivulets 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,
Seen me have youths, and they, 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 a hand they place on their mouth.
10 Gbɔgblɔ buna ɖe ame ŋkutawo eye woƒe aɖe léna ɖe woƒe nu me.
The voice of leaders hath been hidden, And their tongue to the palate hath cleaved.
11 Ame sia ame si ɖo tom la kafuam eye ame siwo kpɔm la ƒoa nu nyui tso ŋutinye
For the ear heard, and declareth me happy, And the eye hath seen, and testifieth [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 hath no helper.
13 Ame si le kukum la ƒe yayra vaa dzinye eye menana ahosi ƒe dzi kpɔa dzidzɔ.
The blessing of the perishing cometh on me, And the heart of the widow I cause to sing.
14 Metsɔ dzɔdzɔenyenye do abe awu ene eye nuteƒewɔwɔ nye nye awu ʋlaya kple tablanu.
Righteousness I have put on, and it clotheth me, As a robe and a diadem my justice.
15 Menye ŋku na ŋkuagbãtɔ kple afɔ na tekunɔ.
Eyes I have been to the blind, And feet to the lame [am] I.
16 Menye tɔ na hiãtɔwo eye mexɔa nya ɖe amedzrowo nu.
A father I [am] 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, 'With my nest I expire, And as the sand I multiply days.'
19 Nye kewo aƒo ɖe to, ade tsi gbɔ eye zãmu adza ɖe nye alɔwo dzi zã blibo la.
My root is open unto the waters, And dew doth lodge on my branch.
20 Nye ŋutikɔkɔe anɔ yeye zum ɣe sia ɣi le ŋunye eye dati anɔ yeye ɖaa le asinyeme.’
My honour [is] fresh with me, And my bow in my hand is renewed.
21 “Amewo ɖoa tom henɔa nye asinu kpɔm, nɔa lalam na nye aɖaŋuɖoɖo le ɖoɖoezizi me.
To me they have hearkened, Yea, 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 change not, And on them doth my speech drop,
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 as [for] rain for me, And their mouth they have opened wide [As] for the latter rain.
24 Womexɔnɛ sena ne meko nu na wo o, nye mo ƒe kekeli nye nu xɔasi na wo.
I laugh unto them — they give no credence, And the light of my face cause not 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 head, And I dwell as a king in a troop, When mourners he doth comfort.
