Hiob 4
1 Tete Temanitɔ Elifaz ɖo eŋu na Hiob be,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite 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 essay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? 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 instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak 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 strengthened the 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 hath come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.
6 Ɖe wò Mawuvɔvɔ̃ manye wò dzideƒo eye wò blibodede nanye wò mɔkpɔkpɔ oa?
[Is] not [this] thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness 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 cut off;
8 Abe ale si mede dzesii ene la, ame siwo ŋlɔ vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi ƒe agble eye woƒã dzɔgbevɔ̃e lae ŋenɛ.
Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, 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.
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 stout lion's whelps are scattered abroad.
12 “Wotsɔ nya aɖe vɛ nam le adzame, nye towo see wotsɔe do dalĩ nam.
Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and my ear received a small sound of it.
13 Le drɔ̃ewo me le zã me, esi amewo dɔ alɔ̃ yi eme ʋĩi la,
In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men.
14 vɔvɔ̃ kple dzodzo nyanyanya lém eye wona nye ƒuwo katã dzo kpekpekpe.
Fear came upon me, and trembling, 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 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 discern its form: an image [was] before my eyes, [there was] silence, and I heard a voice, [saying],
17 ‘Ɖe ame kodzogbea anɔ dzɔdzɔe wu Mawua? Ɖe amegbetɔ anɔ dzadzɛe wu eƒe Wɔlaa?
Shall mortal man be more just than God? 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, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged 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] them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation [is] in the dust, [who] are crushed before the moth?
20 Wogbãa wo gudugudu le fɔŋli kple zã dome, ame aɖeke menyana gɔ̃ hã o, ale wotsrɔ̃na gbidii.
They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding [it].
21 Ɖe womehoa woƒe agbadɔkawo, ale be woaku numanyamanyae oa?’”
Doth not their excellence [which is] in them depart? they die, even without wisdom.
