Hiob 30
1 “Ke azɔ la, ame siwo menye xoxo na, ame siwo fofowo manyɔ ŋui be womade ha kple nye lãkplɔvuwo gɔ̃ hã o la ɖua fewu le ŋutinye.
“But now those who are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I considered unworthy to put with my sheep dogs.
2 Nu ka woƒe alɔkpa sesẽ la wɔ nam, esi ŋusẽ vɔ le wo ŋu?
Of what use is the strength of their hands to me, men in whom ripe age has perished?
3 Hiã kple dɔwuame na wowɔ ɖeƒomevie hele tsatsam le dzogbe kple kuɖiɖinyigbawo dzi le zã me.
They are gaunt from lack and famine. They gnaw the dry ground, in the gloom of waste and desolation.
4 Le gbe me woda amagbewo eye woƒe nuɖuɖue nye dɔli ƒe ke.
They pluck salt herbs by the bushes. The roots of the broom tree are their food.
5 Woɖe wo ɖa le wo nɔvi amegbetɔwo ƒe ha me eye wodo ɣli ɖe wo ta abe fiafitɔwo wonye ene.
They are driven out from amongst men. They cry after them as after a thief,
6 Wozi wo dzi be woanɔ tɔʋu siwo mie la me, agakpewo tome kple do siwo woɖe ɖe anyigba la me.
so that they live in frightful valleys, and in holes of the earth and of the rocks.
7 Wole xɔxlɔ̃m le gbe me eye woƒo ta kpli ɖe avekawo te.
They bray amongst the bushes. They are gathered together under the nettles.
8 Wonya wo le anyigba la dzi abe ame ɖigbɔ̃wo kple yakamewo ƒe dzidzimeviwo ene.
They are children of fools, yes, children of wicked men. They were flogged out of the land.
9 “Ke azɔ la, wo viŋutsuwo kpa ha dem, heɖu fewu le ŋunye le ha la me eye mezu lodonu le wo dome.
“Now I have become their song. Yes, I am a byword to them.
10 Wonyɔa ŋum, henɔa adzɔge nam eye woɖea ta ɖe mo nam faa.
They abhor me, they stand aloof from me, and don’t hesitate to spit in my face.
11 Esi azɔ Mawu lã nye datika, hewɔ fum la, wowɔa nu si dze wo ŋu la le ŋkunye me.
For he has untied his cord, and afflicted me; and they have thrown off restraint before me.
12 Wo detɔwo tso ɖe ŋutinye le nye ɖusime, woɖo mɔwo ɖi na nye afɔ eye woƒu woƒe aʋakpowo ɖe ŋunye.
On my right hand rise the rabble. They thrust aside my feet. They cast their ways of destruction up against me.
13 Wogbã nye mɔ, edze edzi na wo be wogblẽ donyeme eye ame aɖeke mekpe ɖe wo ŋu gɔ̃ hã o.
They mar my path. They promote my destruction without anyone’s help.
14 Wolũ ɖe dzinye abe gli gbagbã mee woto ene eye wozɔ to gbagbãƒewo va ƒo ɖe dzinye.
As through a wide breach they come. They roll themselves in amid the ruin.
15 Ŋɔdzidodowo nye tsyɔ dzinye, wonya nye bubu ɖe nu abe ale si ya lɔa nu ɖe nue ene eye nye dedinɔnɔ bu abe lilikpo ene.
Terrors have turned on me. They chase my honour as the wind. My welfare has passed away as a cloud.
16 “Azɔ nye agbe nu va le yiyim eye hiãŋkekewo lém.
“Now my soul is poured out within me. Days of affliction have taken hold of me.
17 Zã ŋɔa nye ƒuwo eye nye vevesese manyagblɔ nu metsona o.
In the night season my bones are pierced in me, and the pains that gnaw me take no rest.
18 Mawu tsyɔ eƒe ŋusẽ triakɔ la dzinye abe avɔ ene, eye wòle awu ɖe ve nam.
My garment is disfigured by great force. It binds me about as the collar of my tunic.
19 Ekɔm ƒu gbe ɖe ba me eye mezu ke kple dzofi.
He has cast me into the mire. I have become like dust and ashes.
20 “O Mawu, mefa avi yɔ wò gake mètɔ nam o, metsi tsitre gake ɖeko nèkpɔm dũu.
I cry to you, and you do not answer me. I stand up, and you gaze at me.
21 Ètrɔ dze dzinye nublanuimakpɔmakpɔtɔe eye nètsɔ wò alɔkpa sesẽ ɖu dzinyee.
You have turned to be cruel to me. With the might of your hand you persecute me.
22 ȃom tsa, hena ya lɔm ɖe nu eye nènyamam le ahom la me.
You lift me up to the wind, and drive me with it. You dissolve me in the storm.
23 Menya be àhem ayi ku me, teƒe si woɖo ɖi na kodzogbeawo katã.
For I know that you will bring me to death, to the house appointed for all living.
24 “Vavãe, ame aɖeke medoa asi ɖa léa ame si gbã gudugudu ne ele ɣli dom be woaxɔ na ye le eƒe xaxa me o.
“However doesn’t one stretch out a hand in his fall? Or in his calamity therefore cry for help?
25 Ɖe nyemefa avi ɖe ame siwo ɖo xaxa me la ŋu oa? Ɖe nye luʋɔ mexa nu ɖe ame dahewo ŋuti oa?
Didn’t I weep for him who was in trouble? Wasn’t my soul grieved for the needy?
26 Gake esi mekpɔ mɔ na nyui la, vɔ̃ tum, esi mekpɔ mɔ na kekeli la, viviti koe va nam.
When I looked for good, then evil came. When I waited for light, darkness came.
27 Dzoxɔxɔ si le edzi yim le menye la metɔna o, fukpekpeŋkekewo kpe akɔ kplim.
My heart is troubled, and doesn’t rest. Days of affliction have come on me.
28 Nye amea menyɔ tsiɖitsiɖitsiɖi le yiyim gake menye ɣee ɖum o, metsi tsitre ɖe ameha la titina hedo ɣli bia kpekpeɖeŋu.
I go mourning without the sun. I stand up in the assembly, and cry for help.
29 Meva zu nɔviŋutsu na amegãxiwo kple hati na golowo.
I am a brother to jackals, and a companion to ostriches.
30 Nye ŋutigbalẽ nyɔ tsiɖitsiɖitsiɖi hele fofom le ŋutinye eye asrã dze dzinye kple dzoxɔxɔ gã aɖe.
My skin grows black and peels from me. My bones are burnt with heat.
31 Nye kasaŋku do konyifagbe eye nye dze le avigbe dom.
Therefore my harp has turned to mourning, and my pipe into the voice of those who weep.
