Hiob 31

1 “Mebla nu kple nye ŋku be megakpɔ ɖetugbi aɖeke ahiãdzetɔe o.

I reached an agreement with my eyes, that I would not so much as think about a virgin.

2 Elabena nu kae nye amegbetɔ tɔ gome tso Mawu si le dziƒo la gbɔ kple eƒe domenyinu tso Ŋusẽkatãtɔ si le dziƒo ʋĩi la gbɔ?

For what portion should God from above hold for me, and what inheritance should the Almighty from on high keep?

3 Ɖe menye gbegblẽ wònye na ame vɔ̃ɖiwo kple dzɔgbevɔ̃e na nu tovo wɔlawo oa?

Is not destruction held for the wicked and repudiation kept for those who work injustice?

4 Ɖe mekpɔ nye mɔwo eye wòxlẽ nye afɔɖeɖe ɖe sia ɖe oa?

Does he not examine my ways and number all my steps?

5 “Nenye be mezɔ le aʋatsokaka me alo nye afɔ ɖe abla ɖe amebeble ŋuti la,

If I have walked in vanity, or if my foot has hurried towards deceitfulness,

6 ekema Mawu nedam le nudanu nyuitɔ dzi eye wòanya be nyemeɖi fɔ o.

let him weigh me in a just balance, and let God know my simplicity.

7 Nenye be nye afɔ tra le mɔ la dzi, nenye be nye dzi kplɔ nu si nye ŋkuwo kpɔ la ɖo alo nye asiwo ƒo ɖi la,

If my steps have turned aside from the way, or if my heart has followed my eyes, or if a blemish has clung to my hands,

8 ekema ame bubuwo neɖu nu siwo meƒã eye woneho nye nukuwo le bo dzi.

then may I sow, and let another consume, and let my offspring be eradicated.

9 “Ne nyɔnu aɖe flu nye dzi alo mede xa ɖe nye aƒelika ƒe ʋɔtru nu la,

If my heart has been deceived over a woman, or if I have waited in ambush at my friend’s door,

10 ekema srɔ̃nye netu bli na ŋutsu bubu eye ŋutsu bubuwo nedɔ kplii.

then let my wife be the harlot of another, and let other men lean over her.

11 Elabena esia anye ŋukpenanu kple nu vɔ̃ si dze na ʋɔnudɔdrɔ̃.

For this is a crime and a very great injustice.

12 Enye dzo si bina hena gbegblẽ, eye wòaho nye nukuwo akɔ ɖi.

It is a fire devouring all the way to perdition, and it roots out all that springs forth.

13 “Ne nyemetso afia nyui na nye dɔlaŋutsuwo kple dɔlanyɔnuwo ne wotsɔ nya ɖe ŋunye o la,

If I have despised being subject to judgment with my servant or my maid, when they had any complaint against me,

14 nu ka mawɔ ne Mawu bia gbem? Ŋuɖoɖo ka mana ne eyɔm be mana akɔnta?

then what will I do when God rises to judge, and, when he inquires, how will I respond to him?

15 Ɖe menye ame si wɔm ɖe vidzidɔ me lae wɔ woawo hã oa? Ɖe menye eya koe wɔ mí ame evea katã ɖe mía dadawo ƒe dɔ me oa?

Is not he who created me in the womb, also he who labored to make him? And did not one and the same form me in the womb?

16 “Nenye be mete hiãtɔwo woƒe didiwo alo mena nu te ahosiwo ƒe ŋkuwo ŋu,

If I have denied the poor what they wanted and have made the eyes of the widow wait;

17 nenye be nye ɖeɖe meɖu nye abolo heku ŋɔ tsyɔ̃evi la, eya ko woagblɔ nya aɖe,

if I have eaten my morsel of food alone, while orphans have not eaten from it;

18 evɔ la tso nye ɖekakpuime ke, menyi tyɔẽviwo abe fofo ene eye tso nye ɖevime ke, mefia mɔ ahosiwo.

(for from my infancy mercy grew with me, and it came out with me from my mother’s womb; )

19 Ne mekpɔ ame aɖe wòle tsɔtsrɔ̃m le avɔmanɔamesi ta alo hiãtɔ si mekpɔ awu ne wòado o

if I have looked down on him who was perishing because he had no clothing and the poor without any covering,

20 eye eƒe dzi meyram be metsɔ avɔ si wowɔ kple nye alẽwo ƒe fu nɛ be wòade dzo lãme nɛ o,

if his sides have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

21 ne mekɔ nye asi dzi ɖe tsyɔ̃evi ŋu, evɔa menya be woxɔa nye nya le ʋɔnu la,

if I have lifted up my hand over an orphan, even when it might seem to me that I have the advantage over him at the gate;

22 ekema na be nye abɔ nage le abɔgba ŋu eye wòaŋe le ekpeƒe.

then may my shoulder fall from its joint, and may my arm, with all its bones, be broken.

23 Elabena gbegblẽ si tso Mawu gbɔ la le ŋɔ dzim nam, eye vɔvɔ̃ na eƒe atsyɔ̃ mana mawɔ nu mawo o.

For I have always feared God, like waves flowing over me, whose weight I was unable to bear.

24 “Nenye ɖe meɖo dzi ɖe sika ŋu alo megblɔ na sika nyuitɔ be, ‘Wòe nye nye sitsoƒe,’

If I have considered gold to be my strength, or if I have called purified gold ‘my Trust;’

25 nenye ɖe mekpɔ dzidzɔ le nye kesinɔnu gbogboawo ta, nu siwo nye alɔ wɔ dɔ kpɔ,

if I have rejoiced over my great success, and over the many things my hand has obtained;

26 nenye ɖe mede bubu ɣe ŋuti le ale si wòle keklẽm alo ɣleti le ale si wòle yiyim kple atsyɔ̃,

if I gazed upon the sun when it shined and the moon advancing brightly,

27 ale be woflu nye dzi le adzame eye metsɔ nye asi wɔ dzesi na wo be melɔ̃ wo, de bubu wo ŋu la,

so that my heart rejoiced in secret and I kissed my hand with my mouth,

28 ekema esiawo hã anye nu vɔ̃ siwo wòle be woahe ayi ʋɔnu, elabena adze ƒãa be nyemeto nyateƒe na Mawu le dziƒo o.

which is a very great iniquity and a denial against the most high God;

29 “Nenye ɖe mekpɔ dzidzɔ le nye futɔ ƒe dzɔgbevɔ̃e me dzedze ŋu alo dzɔ dzi le hiã siwo tui ta la, eya ko magblɔ nya aɖe.

if I have been glad at the ruin of him who hated me and have exulted that evil found him,

30 Gake nyemeɖe mɔ na nye nu be wòawɔ nu vɔ̃ to ɖiŋudodo na eƒe agbe me o.

for I have not been given my throat to sin by asking for a curse on his soul;

31 Nenye ɖe ame siwo le aƒenye me la se megblɔ kpɔ be, ‘Ame kae meɖu Hiob ƒe abolo ɖi ƒo kpɔ o?’ la, anye ne enye nya bubu

if the men around my tabernacle have not said: “He might give us some of his food, so that we will be filled,”

32 elabena mele na amedzro aɖeke be wòatsi mɔto adɔ o elabena nye ʋɔtru le ʋuʋu ɖi ɣe sia ɣi na mɔzɔlawo.

for the foreigner did not remain at the door, my door was open to the traveler;

33 Nenye ɖe meɣla nye nu vɔ̃ abe ale si amewo wɔna ene, be meɣla nye dzidada ɖe nye dzi me,

if, as man does, I have hidden my sin and have concealed my iniquity in my bosom;

34 elabena mevɔ̃ na ameha la ŋutɔ eye mevɔ̃ na dukɔ la ƒe vlododo ale gbegbe be, mezi ɖoɖoe hegbe gododo ɖe gota la, anye ne enye nya bubu kura.

if I became frightened by an excessive crowd, and the disrespect of close relatives alarmed me, so that I would much rather have remained silent or have gone out the door;

35 “O, ɖe ame aɖe le asinye aɖo tom ɖe! Kpɔ ɖa mede asi ɖokuinyetaʋlinyawo te, azɔ la, Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la neɖo eŋu nam, ame si le nunye tsom la hã neŋlɔ nunyetsonyawo ɖe agbalẽ dzi.

then, would he grant me a hearing, so that the Almighty would listen to my desire, and he who judges would himself write a book,

36 Vavã malée ɖe nye abɔta eye maɖɔe ɖe ta abe fiakuku ene.

which I would then carry on my shoulder and wrap around me like a crown?

37 Mana nutsotsoe tso nye afɔɖeɖe ɖe sia ɖe ŋuti eye mate ɖe eŋu abe fiavi ene.

With each of my steps, I would pronounce and offer it, as if to a prince.

38 “Nenye ɖe nye anyigba fa avi ɖe ŋutinye eye eƒe boliƒowo yɔ kple aɖatsi,

So, if my land cries out against me, and if its furrows weep with it,

39 nenye be meɖu eƒe kutsetsewo femaxee alo mena dɔwɔla siwo le agblea dzi la ƒe gbɔgbɔ gbã gudugudugudu la,

if I have used its fruits for nothing but money and have afflicted the souls of its tillers,

40 ekema aŋɔkawo nemie nam ɖe lu teƒe eye gbe wuwluiwo nemie ɖe ƒo teƒe.” Esiae nye Hiob ƒe nyawo ƒe nuwuwu.

then, may thistles spring forth for me instead of grain, and thorns instead of barley. (This ended the words of Job.)