Hiob 4
1 Tete Temanitɔ Elifaz ɖo eŋu na Hiob be,
Then Eliphaz the Thaemanite answered 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?
Hast you been often spoken to in distress? but who shall endure the force of your words?
3 Bu ale si nèfia nu ame geɖewo kple ale si nèdo ŋusẽ asi beliwoe ŋuti.
For whereas you have instructed many, and have strengthened the hands of the weak one,
4 Wò nyawo lé ame siwo yina anyi dze ge la ɖe te eye nèdo ŋusẽ klo beliwo.
and have supported the failing with words, and have imparted courage to feeble knees.
5 Ke azɔ la, dzɔgbevɔ̃e va dziwò, eye dzi ɖe le ƒo wò; eƒo wò ƒu anyi eye nèse veve.
Yet now [that] pain has come upon you, and touched you, you are troubled.
6 Ɖe wò Mawuvɔvɔ̃ manye wò dzideƒo eye wò blibodede nanye wò mɔkpɔkpɔ oa?
Is not your fear [founded] in folly, your hope also, and the mischief of your way?
7 “Azɔ bu eŋuti kpɔ. Ame maɖifɔ ka wohe to na kpɔ? Afi ka wogblẽ ame dzɔdzɔe dome le kpɔ?
Remember then who has perished, being pure? or when were the true-hearted utterly destroyed?
8 Abe ale si mede dzesii ene la, ame siwo ŋlɔ vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi ƒe agble eye woƒã dzɔgbevɔ̃e lae ŋenɛ.
Accordingly as I have seen men ploughing barren places, and they that sow them will reap sorrows for themselves.
9 Ne Mawu gbɔ ɖe wo dzi la woyrɔna eye ne eƒe dziku fla la wotsrɔ̃na.
They shall perish by the command of the Lord, and shall be utterly consumed by the breath of his wrath.
10 Dzatawo aɖe gbe, axlɔ̃ sesĩe gake woate ŋu aŋe aɖu na dzataviwo.
The strength of the lion, and the voice of the lioness, and the exulting cry of serpents are quenched.
11 Dzata kuna ne mekpɔ nu lé o eye dzatanɔwo kakana.
The old lion has perished for lack of food, and the lions' whelps have forsaken one another.
12 “Wotsɔ nya aɖe vɛ nam le adzame, nye towo see wotsɔe do dalĩ nam.
But if there had been any truth in your words, none of these evils would have befallen you. Shall not mine ear receive excellent [revelations] from him?
13 Le drɔ̃ewo me le zã me, esi amewo dɔ alɔ̃ yi eme ʋĩi la,
But [as when] terror falls upon men, with dread and a sound in the night,
14 vɔvɔ̃ kple dzodzo nyanyanya lém eye wona nye ƒuwo katã dzo kpekpekpe.
horror and trembling seized me, and caused all my bones greatly to shake.
15 Gbɔgbɔ aɖe ɖo asagba va to nye ŋkume yi eye ɖadoe ɖo to ɖe ŋunye.
And a spirit came before my face; and my hair and flesh quivered.
16 Etɔ gake nyemate ŋu agblɔ nu si wònye o. Nɔnɔme aɖe va tsi tsitre ɖe ŋkunye me eye mese gbe bɔlɔe aɖe be,
I arose and perceived it not: I looked, and there, was no form before my eyes: but I only heard a breath and a voice, [saying],
17 ‘Ɖe ame kodzogbea anɔ dzɔdzɔe wu Mawua? Ɖe amegbetɔ anɔ dzadzɛe wu eƒe Wɔlaa?
What, shall a mortal be pure before the Lord? or a man be blameless in regard to his works?
18 Ne Mawu meka ɖe eƒe dɔlawo dzi o eye wòbua fɔ eƒe dɔlawo be woda vo,
Whereas he trust not in his servants, and perceives perverseness 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!
But [as for] them that dwell in houses of clay, of whom we also are formed of the same clay, he smites them like a moth.
20 Wogbãa wo gudugudu le fɔŋli kple zã dome, ame aɖeke menyana gɔ̃ hã o, ale wotsrɔ̃na gbidii.
And from the morning to evening they no longer exist: they have perished, because they can’t help themselves.
21 Ɖe womehoa woƒe agbadɔkawo, ale be woaku numanyamanyae oa?’”
For he blows upon them, and they are withered: they have perished for lack of wisdom.
