Hiob 4
1 Tete Temanitɔ Elifaz ɖo eŋu na Hiob be,
Then Eliphaz the Themanite 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?
If we begin to speak to thee, perhaps thou wilt take it ill, but who can withhold the words he hath conceived?
3 Bu ale si nèfia nu ame geɖewo kple ale si nèdo ŋusẽ asi beliwoe ŋuti.
Behold thou hast taught many, and thou hast strengthened the weary hands:
4 Wò nyawo lé ame siwo yina anyi dze ge la ɖe te eye nèdo ŋusẽ klo beliwo.
Thy words have confirmed them that were staggering, and thou hast strengthened the trembling knees:
5 Ke azɔ la, dzɔgbevɔ̃e va dziwò, eye dzi ɖe le ƒo wò; eƒo wò ƒu anyi eye nèse veve.
But now the scourge is come upon thee, and thou faintest: it hath touched thee, and thou art troubled.
6 Ɖe wò Mawuvɔvɔ̃ manye wò dzideƒo eye wò blibodede nanye wò mɔkpɔkpɔ oa?
Where is thy fear, thy fortitude, thy patience, and the perfection of thy ways?
7 “Azɔ bu eŋuti kpɔ. Ame maɖifɔ ka wohe to na kpɔ? Afi ka wogblẽ ame dzɔdzɔe dome le kpɔ?
Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished being innocent? or when were the just destroyed?
8 Abe ale si mede dzesii ene la, ame siwo ŋlɔ vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi ƒe agble eye woƒã dzɔgbevɔ̃e lae ŋenɛ.
On the contrary I have seen those who work iniquity, and sow sorrows, and reap them,
9 Ne Mawu gbɔ ɖe wo dzi la woyrɔna eye ne eƒe dziku fla la wotsrɔ̃na.
Perishing by the blast of God, and consumed by the spirit of his wrath.
10 Dzatawo aɖe gbe, axlɔ̃ sesĩe gake woate ŋu aŋe aɖu na dzataviwo.
The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the lioness, and the teeth of the whelps of lions are broken:
11 Dzata kuna ne mekpɔ nu lé o eye dzatanɔwo kakana.
The tiger hath perished for want of prey, and the young lions are scattered abroad.
12 “Wotsɔ nya aɖe vɛ nam le adzame, nye towo see wotsɔe do dalĩ nam.
Now there was a word spoken to me in private, and my ears by stealth as it were received the veins of its whisper.
13 Le drɔ̃ewo me le zã me, esi amewo dɔ alɔ̃ yi eme ʋĩi la,
In the horror of a vision by night, when deep sleep is wont to hold men,
14 vɔvɔ̃ kple dzodzo nyanyanya lém eye wona nye ƒuwo katã dzo kpekpekpe.
Fear seized upon me, and trembling, and all my bones were affrighted:
15 Gbɔgbɔ aɖe ɖo asagba va to nye ŋkume yi eye ɖadoe ɖo to ɖe ŋunye.
And when a spirit passed before me, the hair of my flesh stood up.
16 Etɔ gake nyemate ŋu agblɔ nu si wònye o. Nɔnɔme aɖe va tsi tsitre ɖe ŋkunye me eye mese gbe bɔlɔe aɖe be,
There stood one whose countenance I knew not, an image before my eyes, and I heard the voice as it were of a gentle wind:
17 ‘Ɖe ame kodzogbea anɔ dzɔdzɔe wu Mawua? Ɖe amegbetɔ anɔ dzadzɛe wu eƒe Wɔlaa?
Shall man be justified in comparison of God, or shall a man be more pure than his maker?
18 Ne Mawu meka ɖe eƒe dɔlawo dzi o eye wòbua fɔ eƒe dɔlawo be woda vo,
Behold they that serve him are not steadfast, and in his angels he found wickedness:
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 shall they that dwell in houses of clay, who have an earthly foundation, be consumed as with the moth?
20 Wogbãa wo gudugudu le fɔŋli kple zã dome, ame aɖeke menyana gɔ̃ hã o, ale wotsrɔ̃na gbidii.
From morning till evening they shall be cut down: and because no one understandeth, they shall perish for ever.
21 Ɖe womehoa woƒe agbadɔkawo, ale be woaku numanyamanyae oa?’”
And they that shall be left, shall be taken away from them: they shall die, and not in wisdom.
