Hiob 31

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

I made a covenant with mine eyes, and I will not think upon 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?

Now what portion has God given from above? and is there an inheritance [given] of the Mighty One from the highest?

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

Alas! destruction to the unrighteous, and rejection to them that do iniquity.

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

Will he not see my way, and number all my steps?

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

But if I had gone with scorners, and if too my foot has hasted to deceit:

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

(for I am weighed in a just balance, and the Lord knows my innocence: )

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 foot has turned aside out of the way, or if mine heart has followed mine eye, and if too I have touched gifts with my hands;

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

then let me sow, and let others eat; and let me be uprooted on the earth.

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

If my heart has gone forth after another man's wife, and if I laid wait at her doors;

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

then let my wife also please another, and let my children be brought low.

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

For the rage of anger is not to be controlled, [in the case] of defiling [another] man's wife.

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

For it is a fire burning on every side, and whoever it attacks, it utterly destroys.

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

And if too I despised the judgment of my servant or [my] handmaid, when they pleaded with me;

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

what then shall I do if the Lord should try me? and if also he should at all visit me, can I make an answer?

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?

Were not they too formed as I also was formed in the womb? yes, we were formed in the same womb.

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

But the helpless missed not whatever need they had, and I did not cause the eye of the widow to fail.

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

And if too I ate my morsel alone, and did not impart [of it] to the orphan;

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

(for I nourished [them] as a father from my youth and guided [them] from my mother's womb.)

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

And if too I overlooked the naked as he was perishing, and did not clothe him;

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

and if the poor did not bless me, and their shoulders were [not] warmed with the fleece of my lambs;

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

if I lifted my hand against an orphan, trusting that my strength was far superior [to his]:

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

let them my shoulder start from the blade-bone, and my arm be crushed off from the elbow.

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

For the fear of the Lord constrained me, and I can’t bear up by reason of his burden.

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

If I made gold my treasure, and if too I trusted the precious stone;

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

and if too I rejoiced when my wealth was abundant, and if too I laid my hand on innumerable [treasures]:

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

(do we not see the shining sun eclipsed, and the moon waning? for they have not [power to continue]: )

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 if my heart was secretly deceived, and if I have laid my hand upon my mouth and kissed it:

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

let this also then be reckoned to me as the greatest iniquity: for I [should] have lied against the Lord Most High.

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.

And if too I was glad at the fall of mine enemies, and mine heart said, Aha!

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

let then mine ear hear my curse, and let me be a byword among my people in my affliction.

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

And if too my handmaids have often said, Oh that we might be satisfied with his flesh; (whereas I was very kind:

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

for the stranger did not lodge without, and my door was opened to every one that came: )

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

or if too having sinned unintentionally, I hid my sin;

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.

(for I did not stand in awe of a great multitude, so as not to declare boldly before them: ) and if too I permitted a poor man to go out of my door with an empty bosom:

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 I had a hearer, ) and if I had not feared the hand of the Lord; and [as to] the written charge which I had against any one,

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

I would place [it] as a chaplet on my shoulders, and read it.

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

And if I did not read it and return it, having taken nothing from the debtor:

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

If at any time the land groaned against me, and if its furrows mourned together;

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

and if I ate its strength alone without price, and if I too grieved the heart of the owner of the soil, by taking [anything] from [him]:

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

then let the nettle come up to me instead of wheat, and a bramble instead of barley. And Job ceased speaking.