Hiob 31
1 “Mebla nu kple nye ŋku be megakpɔ ɖetugbi aɖeke ahiãdzetɔe o.
A covenant had I made with my eyes: how then should I fix my look on 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?
And what then would have been my portion of God from above? and what lot of the Almighty from on high?
3 Ɖe menye gbegblẽ wònye na ame vɔ̃ɖiwo kple dzɔgbevɔ̃e na nu tovo wɔlawo oa?
Is not calamity [ready] for the unjust? and misfortune for the wrong-doers?
4 Ɖe mekpɔ nye mɔwo eye wòxlẽ nye afɔɖeɖe ɖe sia ɖe oa?
Behold, he truly seeth my ways, and numbereth all my steps;
5 “Nenye be mezɔ le aʋatsokaka me alo nye afɔ ɖe abla ɖe amebeble ŋuti la,
[And knoweth] whether I have walked with vain desires, or if my foot hath hastened after deceit.
6 ekema Mawu nedam le nudanu nyuitɔ dzi eye wòanya be nyemeɖi fɔ o.
Let him weigh me then in a righteous balance, and let God acknowledge my 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 have turned aside from the [proper] way, and my heart have walked after my eyes, and if any blemish have cleaved to my hands:
8 ekema ame bubuwo neɖu nu siwo meƒã eye woneho nye nukuwo le bo dzi.
Then let me sow, and let another eat; and let what I have growing be rooted out.
9 “Ne nyɔnu aɖe flu nye dzi alo mede xa ɖe nye aƒelika ƒe ʋɔtru nu la,
If my heart have been beguiled toward a woman, or if I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door:
10 ekema srɔ̃nye netu bli na ŋutsu bubu eye ŋutsu bubuwo nedɔ kplii.
Then may my wife labor at the mill for another, and may strangers ill-use her;
11 Elabena esia anye ŋukpenanu kple nu vɔ̃ si dze na ʋɔnudɔdrɔ̃.
For this would be incest; yea, it would be an iniquity [to be punished by] the judges;
12 Enye dzo si bina hena gbegblẽ, eye wòaho nye nukuwo akɔ ɖi.
For it would be a fire that consumeth down to the place of corruption, and would root out all my products.
13 “Ne nyemetso afia nyui na nye dɔlaŋutsuwo kple dɔlanyɔnuwo ne wotsɔ nya ɖe ŋunye o la,
If ever I cast aside the justice due to my man-servant and my maid-servant, when they contended with me:
14 nu ka mawɔ ne Mawu bia gbem? Ŋuɖoɖo ka mana ne eyɔm be mana akɔnta?
What then could I do when God should rise up? and when he should investigate, what could 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 make him born or a woman? and did not the same one fashion us in the womb?
16 “Nenye be mete hiãtɔwo woƒe didiwo alo mena nu te ahosiwo ƒe ŋkuwo ŋu,
If ever I denied the wish of the indigent, or ever allowed the eyes of the widow to fall [in vain hopes];
17 nenye be nye ɖeɖe meɖu nye abolo heku ŋɔ tsyɔ̃evi la, eya ko woagblɔ nya aɖe,
Or if ever I ate my bread by myself alone, and the fatherless did not eat 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 though we were of one father, and I have guided her [as though she was sprung] from my mother's womb; )
19 Ne mekpɔ ame aɖe wòle tsɔtsrɔ̃m le avɔmanɔamesi ta alo hiãtɔ si mekpɔ awu ne wòado o
If ever I saw any one perishing for want of clothing, or the needy 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 have not been 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 swung my hand against the fatherless, because I saw in the gate those that would help me:
22 ekema na be nye abɔ nage le abɔgba ŋu eye wòaŋe le ekpeƒe.
Then may my shoulder fall from my shoulder-blade, and my arm be broken from the channel-bone;
23 Elabena gbegblẽ si tso Mawu gbɔ la le ŋɔ dzim nam, eye vɔvɔ̃ na eƒe atsyɔ̃ mana mawɔ nu mawo o.
For dreaded by me was the calamitous punishment of God, and against his highness I can accomplish nothing.
24 “Nenye ɖe meɖo dzi ɖe sika ŋu alo megblɔ na sika nyuitɔ be, ‘Wòe nye nye sitsoƒe,’
If I have made gold my confidence, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my trust:
25 nenye ɖe mekpɔ dzidzɔ le nye kesinɔnu gbogboawo ta, nu siwo nye alɔ wɔ dɔ kpɔ,
If ever I rejoiced because my wealth was abundant, and because my 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 ever I looked at the light [of the sun] when he shone brightly and on the moon walking in splendor:
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 became misled in secret, and my hand kissed 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.
This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge; for thus would I 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 ever I rejoiced at the downfall of him that hated me, or was elated when evil befell him; —
30 Gake nyemeɖe mɔ na nye nu be wòawɔ nu vɔ̃ to ɖiŋudodo na eƒe agbe me o.
But I suffered not my mouth to sin by denouncing with a curse 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 tent said not, Oh is there one that is not satisfied of his flesh; —
32 elabena mele na amedzro aɖeke be wòatsi mɔto adɔ o elabena nye ʋɔtru le ʋuʋu ɖi ɣe sia ɣi na mɔzɔlawo.
In the street a stranger had not to lodge; my doors I held open to the roadside;
33 Nenye ɖe meɣla nye nu vɔ̃ abe ale si amewo wɔna ene, be meɣla nye dzidada ɖe nye dzi me,
If I covered up my transgressions like a common man, by hiding in my bosom my iniquity;
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.
Because I dreaded the great multitude, or because the contempt of families did terrify me, so that I kept silence, and dared not to go 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 who will bring me one that would hear me! behold, here is my plea; may the Almighty answer me; and any record which my opponent may have written, —
36 Vavã malée ɖe nye abɔta eye maɖɔe ɖe ta abe fiakuku ene.
Surely upon my shoulder would I carry it: I would bind it as a crown unto me.
37 Mana nutsotsoe tso nye afɔɖeɖe ɖe sia ɖe ŋuti eye mate ɖe eŋu abe fiavi ene.
The number of my steps would I tell him: as [to] 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 ever cried out because of me, or if its furrows wept together;
39 nenye be meɖu eƒe kutsetsewo femaxee alo mena dɔwɔla siwo le agblea dzi la ƒe gbɔgbɔ gbã gudugudugudu la,
If I ever consumed its strength without payment, or caused the soul of its owners to grieve:
40 ekema aŋɔkawo nemie nam ɖe lu teƒe eye gbe wuwluiwo nemie ɖe ƒo teƒe.” Esiae nye Hiob ƒe nyawo ƒe nuwuwu.
Then may instead of wheat, thorns come forth, and instead of barley, cockle. (Here end the words of Job.)
