Hiob 4
1 Tete Temanitɔ Elifaz ɖo eŋu na Hiob be,
Then answered Eliphaz the Themanite, 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 essay to address a word to thee, wilt thou be wearied? yet who is able to refrain from speaking?
3 Bu ale si nèfia nu ame geɖewo kple ale si nèdo ŋusẽ asi beliwoe ŋuti.
Behold, thou hast [ere this] corrected many, and weak hands thou wast wont to strengthen.
4 Wò nyawo lé ame siwo yina anyi dze ge la ɖe te eye nèdo ŋusẽ klo beliwo.
Him that stumbled thy words used to uphold, and to sinking knees thou gavest vigor.
5 Ke azɔ la, dzɔgbevɔ̃e va dziwò, eye dzi ɖe le ƒo wò; eƒo wò ƒu anyi eye nèse veve.
Yet now, when it cometh to thee, thou art wearied: it toucheth even thee, and thou art terrified.
6 Ɖe wò Mawuvɔvɔ̃ manye wò dzideƒo eye wò blibodede nanye wò mɔkpɔkpɔ oa?
Is not then thy fear of God still thy confidence, thy hope equal to the integrity 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 where were the righteous destroyed?
8 Abe ale si mede dzesii ene la, ame siwo ŋlɔ vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi ƒe agble eye woƒã dzɔgbevɔ̃e lae ŋenɛ.
Even as I have seen, that those who plough wrong-doing, and sow trouble, have to reap the same.
9 Ne Mawu gbɔ ɖe wo dzi la woyrɔna eye ne eƒe dziku fla la wotsrɔ̃na.
Before the breathing of God they perish, and before the breath of his nostrils they come to their end.
10 Dzatawo aɖe gbe, axlɔ̃ sesĩe gake woate ŋu aŋe aɖu na dzataviwo.
The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
11 Dzata kuna ne mekpɔ nu lé o eye dzatanɔwo kakana.
The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the whelps of the lioness have to scatter themselves abroad.
12 “Wotsɔ nya aɖe vɛ nam le adzame, nye towo see wotsɔe do dalĩ nam.
But to me a word came by stealth, and my ear took in a scarcely perceptible whisper thereof.
13 Le drɔ̃ewo me le zã me, esi amewo dɔ alɔ̃ yi eme ʋĩi la,
In intense thoughts out of visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men:
14 vɔvɔ̃ kple dzodzo nyanyanya lém eye wona nye ƒuwo katã dzo kpekpekpe.
Dread came over me, with trembling, and it caused all my bones to shudder.
15 Gbɔgbɔ aɖe ɖo asagba va to nye ŋkume yi eye ɖadoe ɖo to ɖe ŋunye.
Then flitted a spirit past before my face; the hair of my body 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,
It stood still, but I could not recognize its form; a figure was before my eyes, a slight whisper, then a [louder] voice I heard, saying,
17 ‘Ɖe ame kodzogbea anɔ dzɔdzɔe wu Mawua? Ɖe amegbetɔ anɔ dzadzɛe wu eƒe Wɔlaa?
Can a mortal be more righteous than God? or can 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, in his servants he putteth no trust, and his angels he chargeth with folly:
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 less in those that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed till they come to be eaten by the moth?
20 Wogbãa wo gudugudu le fɔŋli kple zã dome, ame aɖeke menyana gɔ̃ hã o, ale wotsrɔ̃na gbidii.
From morning to evening are they broken to pieces: without laying it [to heart] they perish for ever.
21 Ɖe womehoa woƒe agbadɔkawo, ale be woaku numanyamanyae oa?’”
Behold, their excellency which is in them is torn away: they die, and this without wisdom.
