Hiob 4
1 Tete Temanitɔ Elifaz ɖo eŋu na Hiob be,
Then responded 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 unto thee, wilt thou be impatient? But, to restrain speech, who, can endure?
3 Bu ale si nèfia nu ame geɖewo kple ale si nèdo ŋusẽ asi beliwoe ŋuti.
Lo! thou hast admonished many, and, slack hands, hast thou been wont to uphold:
4 Wò nyawo lé ame siwo yina anyi dze ge la ɖe te eye nèdo ŋusẽ klo beliwo.
Him that was stumbling, have thy words raised up, and, sinking knees, hast thou strengthened.
5 Ke azɔ la, dzɔgbevɔ̃e va dziwò, eye dzi ɖe le ƒo wò; eƒo wò ƒu anyi eye nèse veve.
But, now, it cometh upon thee, and thou despairest, It smiteth even thee, and thou art dismayed.
6 Ɖe wò Mawuvɔvɔ̃ manye wò dzideƒo eye wò blibodede nanye wò mɔkpɔkpɔ oa?
Is not, thy reverence, thy confidence? And is not, thy hope, the very 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, being innocent, hath perished, or when, the upright, have been cut off.
8 Abe ale si mede dzesii ene la, ame siwo ŋlɔ vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi ƒe agble eye woƒã dzɔgbevɔ̃e lae ŋenɛ.
So far as I have seen, They who plow for iniquity and sow misery, 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, are they consumed:
10 Dzatawo aɖe gbe, axlɔ̃ sesĩe gake woate ŋu aŋe aɖu na dzataviwo.
[Notwithstanding] the roaring of the lion, and the noise of the howling lion, yet, the teeth of the fierce lions, are broken:
11 Dzata kuna ne mekpɔ nu lé o eye dzatanɔwo kakana.
The strong lion perishing for lack of prey, Even the whelps of the lioness, are scattered.
12 “Wotsɔ nya aɖe vɛ nam le adzame, nye towo see wotsɔe do dalĩ nam.
But, unto me, something was brought by stealth, —and mine ear caught a whispering of the same:
13 Le drɔ̃ewo me le zã me, esi amewo dɔ alɔ̃ yi eme ʋĩi la,
When there were 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.
Dread, came upon me, and trembling, The multitude of my bones, it put in dread:
15 Gbɔgbɔ aɖe ɖo asagba va to nye ŋkume yi eye ɖadoe ɖo to ɖe ŋunye.
Then, a spirit, over my face, floated along, The hair of my flesh bristled-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 distinguish its appearance, I looked, but there was no form before mine eyes, —A whispering voice, I heard: —
17 ‘Ɖe ame kodzogbea anɔ dzɔdzɔe wu Mawua? Ɖe amegbetɔ anɔ dzadzɛe wu eƒe Wɔlaa?
Shall, mortal man, be more just than GOD? Or 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,
Lo! in his own servants, he trusteth not, and, his own messengers, he chargeth with error:
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 the dwellers in houses of clay, which, in the dust, have their foundation, which are crushed sooner than a moth:
20 Wogbãa wo gudugudu le fɔŋli kple zã dome, ame aɖeke menyana gɔ̃ hã o, ale wotsrɔ̃na gbidii.
Betwixt morning and evening, are they broken in pieces, With none to save, they utterly perish:
21 Ɖe womehoa woƒe agbadɔkawo, ale be woaku numanyamanyae oa?’”
Is not their tent-rope within them, torn away? They die, disrobed of wisdom!
