Hiob 31
1 “Mebla nu kple nye ŋku be megakpɔ ɖetugbi aɖeke ahiãdzetɔe o.
I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?
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 of God [is there] from above? and [what] inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
3 Ɖe menye gbegblẽ wònye na ame vɔ̃ɖiwo kple dzɔgbevɔ̃e na nu tovo wɔlawo oa?
[Is] not destruction to the wicked? and a strange [punishment] to the workers of iniquity?
4 Ɖe mekpɔ nye mɔwo eye wòxlẽ nye afɔɖeɖe ɖe sia ɖe oa?
Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?
5 “Nenye be mezɔ le aʋatsokaka me alo nye afɔ ɖe abla ɖe amebeble ŋuti la,
If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;
6 ekema Mawu nedam le nudanu nyuitɔ dzi eye wòanya be nyemeɖi fɔ o.
Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.
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 step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;
8 ekema ame bubuwo neɖu nu siwo meƒã eye woneho nye nukuwo le bo dzi.
[Then] let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.
9 “Ne nyɔnu aɖe flu nye dzi alo mede xa ɖe nye aƒelika ƒe ʋɔtru nu la,
If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or [if] I have laid wait at my neighbour’s door;
10 ekema srɔ̃nye netu bli na ŋutsu bubu eye ŋutsu bubuwo nedɔ kplii.
[Then] let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.
11 Elabena esia anye ŋukpenanu kple nu vɔ̃ si dze na ʋɔnudɔdrɔ̃.
For this [is] an heinous crime; yea, it [is] an iniquity [to be punished by] the judges.
12 Enye dzo si bina hena gbegblẽ, eye wòaho nye nukuwo akɔ ɖi.
For it [is] a fire [that] consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.
13 “Ne nyemetso afia nyui na nye dɔlaŋutsuwo kple dɔlanyɔnuwo ne wotsɔ nya ɖe ŋunye o la,
If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;
14 nu ka mawɔ ne Mawu bia gbem? Ŋuɖoɖo ka mana ne eyɔm be mana akɔnta?
What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer 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?
Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?
16 “Nenye be mete hiãtɔwo woƒe didiwo alo mena nu te ahosiwo ƒe ŋkuwo ŋu,
If I have withheld the poor from [their] desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
17 nenye be nye ɖeɖe meɖu nye abolo heku ŋɔ tsyɔ̃evi la, eya ko woagblɔ nya aɖe,
Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;
18 evɔ la tso nye ɖekakpuime ke, menyi tyɔẽviwo abe fofo ene eye tso nye ɖevime ke, mefia mɔ ahosiwo.
(For from my youth he was brought up with me, as [with] a father, and I have guided her 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 seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without 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 loins 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 against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:
22 ekema na be nye abɔ nage le abɔgba ŋu eye wòaŋe le ekpeƒe.
[Then] let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.
23 Elabena gbegblẽ si tso Mawu gbɔ la le ŋɔ dzim nam, eye vɔvɔ̃ na eƒe atsyɔ̃ mana mawɔ nu mawo o.
For destruction [from] God [was] a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.
24 “Nenye ɖe meɖo dzi ɖe sika ŋu alo megblɔ na sika nyuitɔ be, ‘Wòe nye nye sitsoƒe,’
If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, [Thou art] my confidence;
25 nenye ɖe mekpɔ dzidzɔ le nye kesinɔnu gbogboawo ta, nu siwo nye alɔ wɔ dɔ kpɔ,
If I rejoiced because my wealth [was] great, and because mine hand had gotten much;
26 nenye ɖe mede bubu ɣe ŋuti le ale si wòle keklẽm alo ɣleti le ale si wòle yiyim kple atsyɔ̃,
If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking [in] brightness;
27 ale be woflu nye dzi le adzame eye metsɔ nye asi wɔ dzesi na wo be melɔ̃ wo, de bubu wo ŋu la,
And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:
28 ekema esiawo hã anye nu vɔ̃ siwo wòle be woahe ayi ʋɔnu, elabena adze ƒãa be nyemeto nyateƒe na Mawu le dziƒo o.
This also [were] an iniquity [to be punished by] the judge: for I should have denied the God [that is] above.
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 rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:
30 Gake nyemeɖe mɔ na nye nu be wòawɔ nu vɔ̃ to ɖiŋudodo na eƒe agbe me o.
Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to 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 of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.
32 elabena mele na amedzro aɖeke be wòatsi mɔto adɔ o elabena nye ʋɔtru le ʋuʋu ɖi ɣe sia ɣi na mɔzɔlawo.
The stranger did not lodge in the street: [but] I opened my doors to the traveller.
33 Nenye ɖe meɣla nye nu vɔ̃ abe ale si amewo wɔna ene, be meɣla nye dzidada ɖe nye dzi me,
If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine 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.
Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, [and] went not out of 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.
Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire [is, that] the Almighty would answer me, and [that] mine adversary had written a book.
36 Vavã malée ɖe nye abɔta eye maɖɔe ɖe ta abe fiakuku ene.
Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, [and] bind it [as] a crown to me.
37 Mana nutsotsoe tso nye afɔɖeɖe ɖe sia ɖe ŋuti eye mate ɖe eŋu abe fiavi ene.
I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.
38 “Nenye ɖe nye anyigba fa avi ɖe ŋutinye eye eƒe boliƒowo yɔ kple aɖatsi,
If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;
39 nenye be meɖu eƒe kutsetsewo femaxee alo mena dɔwɔla siwo le agblea dzi la ƒe gbɔgbɔ gbã gudugudugudu la,
If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:
40 ekema aŋɔkawo nemie nam ɖe lu teƒe eye gbe wuwluiwo nemie ɖe ƒo teƒe.” Esiae nye Hiob ƒe nyawo ƒe nuwuwu.
Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
