Hiob 4
1 Tete Temanitɔ Elifaz ɖo eŋu na Hiob be,
Then spake Eliphaz the Temanite, 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 attempt a word with thee, wilt thou be offended? But who can refrain from speaking?
3 Bu ale si nèfia nu ame geɖewo kple ale si nèdo ŋusẽ asi beliwoe ŋuti.
Behold, thou hast admonished many; Thou hast strengthened feeble hands;
4 Wò nyawo lé ame siwo yina anyi dze ge la ɖe te eye nèdo ŋusẽ klo beliwo.
Thy words have upheld him that was falling, And thou hast given strength to feeble knees.
5 Ke azɔ la, dzɔgbevɔ̃e va dziwò, eye dzi ɖe le ƒo wò; eƒo wò ƒu anyi eye nèse veve.
But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; It toucheth thee, and thou art confounded!
6 Ɖe wò Mawuvɔvɔ̃ manye wò dzideƒo eye wò blibodede nanye wò mɔkpɔkpɔ oa?
Is not thy fear of God thy hope, And the uprightness of thy ways thy confidence?
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 have the righteous been cut off?
8 Abe ale si mede dzesii ene la, ame siwo ŋlɔ vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi ƒe agble eye woƒã dzɔgbevɔ̃e lae ŋenɛ.
According to what I have seen, they who plough iniquity, And sow mischief, reap the same.
9 Ne Mawu gbɔ ɖe wo dzi la woyrɔna eye ne eƒe dziku fla la wotsrɔ̃na.
By the blast of God they perish, And by the breath of his nostrils they are consumed.
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 fierce lion perisheth for lack of prey, And the whelps of the lioness are scattered abroad.
12 “Wotsɔ nya aɖe vɛ nam le adzame, nye towo see wotsɔe do dalĩ nam.
A word was once secretly brought to me, And mine ear caught a whisper thereof.
13 Le drɔ̃ewo me le zã me, esi amewo dɔ alɔ̃ yi eme ʋĩi la,
Amid thoughts from visions of the night, When deep sleep falleth upon men,
14 vɔvɔ̃ kple dzodzo nyanyanya lém eye wona nye ƒuwo katã dzo kpekpekpe.
A fear and a horror came upon me, Which made all my bones to shake.
15 Gbɔgbɔ aɖe ɖo asagba va to nye ŋkume yi eye ɖadoe ɖo to ɖe ŋunye.
Then a spirit passed before my face, The hair of my flesh rose on end;
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 its form I could not discern; An image was before mine eyes; There was silence, and I heard a voice:
17 ‘Ɖe ame kodzogbea anɔ dzɔdzɔe wu Mawua? Ɖe amegbetɔ anɔ dzadzɛe wu eƒe Wɔlaa?
“Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall 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, he putteth no trust in his ministering spirits, And his angels he chargeth with frailty.
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!
What then are they who dwell in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, Who crumble to pieces, as if moth-eaten!
20 Wogbãa wo gudugudu le fɔŋli kple zã dome, ame aɖeke menyana gɔ̃ hã o, ale wotsrɔ̃na gbidii.
Between morning and evening are they destroyed; They perish for ever, and none regardeth it.
21 Ɖe womehoa woƒe agbadɔkawo, ale be woaku numanyamanyae oa?’”
The excellency that is in them is torn away; They die before they have become wise.”
