Hiob 4
1 Tete Temanitɔ Elifaz ɖo eŋu na Hiob be,
And Eliphaz the Temanite answers and says:
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?
“Has one tried a word with you? You are weary! And who is able to keep in words?
3 Bu ale si nèfia nu ame geɖewo kple ale si nèdo ŋusẽ asi beliwoe ŋuti.
Behold, you have instructed many, And feeble hands you make strong.
4 Wò nyawo lé ame siwo yina anyi dze ge la ɖe te eye nèdo ŋusẽ klo beliwo.
Your words raise up the stumbling one, And you strengthen bowing knees.
5 Ke azɔ la, dzɔgbevɔ̃e va dziwò, eye dzi ɖe le ƒo wò; eƒo wò ƒu anyi eye nèse veve.
But now, it comes to you, And you are weary; It strikes to you, and you are troubled.
6 Ɖe wò Mawuvɔvɔ̃ manye wò dzideƒo eye wò blibodede nanye wò mɔkpɔkpɔ oa?
Is your reverence not your confidence? Your hope—the perfection of your ways?
7 “Azɔ bu eŋuti kpɔ. Ame maɖifɔ ka wohe to na kpɔ? Afi ka wogblẽ ame dzɔdzɔe dome le kpɔ?
Now remember, Who, being innocent, has perished? And where have the upright been cut off?
8 Abe ale si mede dzesii ene la, ame siwo ŋlɔ vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi ƒe agble eye woƒã dzɔgbevɔ̃e lae ŋenɛ.
As I have seen—plowers of iniquity, And sowers of misery, reap it!
9 Ne Mawu gbɔ ɖe wo dzi la woyrɔna eye ne eƒe dziku fla la wotsrɔ̃na.
From the breath of God they perish, And from the spirit of His anger [are] consumed.
10 Dzatawo aɖe gbe, axlɔ̃ sesĩe gake woate ŋu aŋe aɖu na dzataviwo.
The roaring of a lion, And the voice of a fierce lion, And teeth of young lions have been broken.
11 Dzata kuna ne mekpɔ nu lé o eye dzatanɔwo kakana.
An old lion is perishing without prey, And the whelps of the lioness separate.
12 “Wotsɔ nya aɖe vɛ nam le adzame, nye towo see wotsɔe do dalĩ nam.
And a thing is secretly brought to me, And my ear receives a little of it.
13 Le drɔ̃ewo me le zã me, esi amewo dɔ alɔ̃ yi eme ʋĩi la,
In thoughts from visions of the night, In the falling of deep sleep on men,
14 vɔvɔ̃ kple dzodzo nyanyanya lém eye wona nye ƒuwo katã dzo kpekpekpe.
Fear has met me, and trembling, And the multitude of my bones caused to fear.
15 Gbɔgbɔ aɖe ɖo asagba va to nye ŋkume yi eye ɖadoe ɖo to ɖe ŋunye.
And a spirit passes before my face, The hair of my flesh stands 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 stands, and I do not discern its aspect, A likeness [is] before my eyes, Silence! And I hear a voice:
17 ‘Ɖe ame kodzogbea anɔ dzɔdzɔe wu Mawua? Ɖe amegbetɔ anɔ dzadzɛe wu eƒe Wɔlaa?
Is mortal man more righteous than God? Is a man cleaner than his Maker?
18 Ne Mawu meka ɖe eƒe dɔlawo dzi o eye wòbua fɔ eƒe dɔlawo be woda vo,
Behold, He puts no credence in His servants, Nor sets praise in His messengers.
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!
Also—the inhabitants of houses of clay (Whose foundation [is] in the dust, They bruise them before a moth).
20 Wogbãa wo gudugudu le fɔŋli kple zã dome, ame aɖeke menyana gɔ̃ hã o, ale wotsrɔ̃na gbidii.
From morning to evening are beaten down, Without any regarding, they perish forever.
21 Ɖe womehoa woƒe agbadɔkawo, ale be woaku numanyamanyae oa?’”
Has their excellence not been removed with them? They die, and not in wisdom!”
