Hiob 4
1 Tete Temanitɔ Elifaz ɖo eŋu na Hiob be,
And Eliphaz the Temanite made answer and said,
2 “Ne ame aɖe te kpɔ be yeaƒo nu kpli wò la, ɖe nàgbɔ dzi ɖi aseea? Ke ame kae ate ŋu azi ɖoɖoe le nu sia ŋuti?
If one says a word, will it be a weariness to you? but who is able to keep from saying what is in his mind?
3 Bu ale si nèfia nu ame geɖewo kple ale si nèdo ŋusẽ asi beliwoe ŋuti.
Truly, you have been a helper to others, and you have made feeble hands strong;
4 Wò nyawo lé ame siwo yina anyi dze ge la ɖe te eye nèdo ŋusẽ klo beliwo.
He who was near to falling has been lifted up by your words, and you have given strength to bent knees.
5 Ke azɔ la, dzɔgbevɔ̃e va dziwò, eye dzi ɖe le ƒo wò; eƒo wò ƒu anyi eye nèse veve.
But now it has come on you and it is a weariness to you; you are touched by it and your mind is troubled.
6 Ɖe wò Mawuvɔvɔ̃ manye wò dzideƒo eye wò blibodede nanye wò mɔkpɔkpɔ oa?
Is not your fear of God your support, and your upright way of life your hope?
7 “Azɔ bu eŋuti kpɔ. Ame maɖifɔ ka wohe to na kpɔ? Afi ka wogblẽ ame dzɔdzɔe dome le kpɔ?
Have you ever seen destruction come to an upright man? or when were the god-fearing ever cut off?
8 Abe ale si mede dzesii ene la, ame siwo ŋlɔ vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi ƒe agble eye woƒã dzɔgbevɔ̃e lae ŋenɛ.
What I have seen is that those by whom trouble has been ploughed, and evil planted, get the same for themselves.
9 Ne Mawu gbɔ ɖe wo dzi la woyrɔna eye ne eƒe dziku fla la wotsrɔ̃na.
By the breath of God destruction takes them, and by the wind of his wrath they are cut off.
10 Dzatawo aɖe gbe, axlɔ̃ sesĩe gake woate ŋu aŋe aɖu na dzataviwo.
Though the noise of the lion and the sounding of his voice, may be loud, the teeth of the young lions are broken.
11 Dzata kuna ne mekpɔ nu lé o eye dzatanɔwo kakana.
The old lion comes to his end for need of food, and the young of the she-lion go wandering in all directions.
12 “Wotsɔ nya aɖe vɛ nam le adzame, nye towo see wotsɔe do dalĩ nam.
A word was given to me secretly, and the low sound of it came to my ears.
13 Le drɔ̃ewo me le zã me, esi amewo dɔ alɔ̃ yi eme ʋĩi la,
In troubled thoughts from visions of the night, when deep sleep comes on men,
14 vɔvɔ̃ kple dzodzo nyanyanya lém eye wona nye ƒuwo katã dzo kpekpekpe.
Fear came on me and shaking, and my bones were full of trouble;
15 Gbɔgbɔ aɖe ɖo asagba va to nye ŋkume yi eye ɖadoe ɖo to ɖe ŋunye.
And a breath was moving over my face; the hair of my flesh became stiff:
16 Etɔ gake nyemate ŋu agblɔ nu si wònye o. Nɔnɔme aɖe va tsi tsitre ɖe ŋkunye me eye mese gbe bɔlɔe aɖe be,
Something was present before me, but I was not able to see it clearly; there was a form before my eyes: a quiet voice came to my ears, saying:
17 ‘Ɖe ame kodzogbea anɔ dzɔdzɔe wu Mawua? Ɖe amegbetɔ anɔ dzadzɛe wu eƒe Wɔlaa?
May a man be upright before God? or a man be clean before his Maker?
18 Ne Mawu meka ɖe eƒe dɔlawo dzi o eye wòbua fɔ eƒe dɔlawo be woda vo,
Truly, he puts no faith in his servants, and he sees error in his angels;
19 ʋuu keke, ke wòahanye ame siwo le anyixɔwo me, ame siwo gɔme woɖo anyi ɖe ke me eye wogbãa wo bɔbɔe abe ŋɔvi ene!
How much more those living in houses of earth, whose bases are in the dust! They are crushed more quickly than an insect;
20 Wogbãa wo gudugudu le fɔŋli kple zã dome, ame aɖeke menyana gɔ̃ hã o, ale wotsrɔ̃na gbidii.
Between morning and evening they are completely broken; they come to an end for ever, and no one takes note.
21 Ɖe womehoa woƒe agbadɔkawo, ale be woaku numanyamanyae oa?’”
If their tent-cord is pulled up, do they not come to an end, and without wisdom?
