Hiob 8
1 Tete Suhitɔ, Bildad ɖo nya ŋu na Hiob be,
Then Bildad the Shuhite spoke up and said,
2 “Va se ɖe ɣe ka ɣie nànɔ nya siawo gblɔm? Wò nyawo nye yaƒoƒo sesẽ ɖeɖe ko.
“How much longer will you go on talking like this? The words coming out of your mouth are a lot of hot air!
3 Ɖe Mawu atso afia ŋkunɔa? Ɖe Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la atrɔ nya dzɔdzɔe abua?
Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right?
4 Esi viwòwo wɔ nu vɔ̃ ɖe eŋu la, etsɔ wo de asi na tohehe si woƒe nu vɔ̃ dze na.
Your children must have sinned against him, and so they deserved the punishment he inflicted on them.
5 Gake ne àkpɔ Mawu dzi ɖa, aƒo koko na Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la,
But if you pray to God and ask for his help,
6 ekema ne èle dzadzɛe, le dzɔdzɔe, fifia gɔ̃ hã la, atso le tawò eye wòagaɖo wò te, ada wò ɖe teƒe si wòle be nànɔ.
if you live a clean life and do what is right, then he would act to make things right for you in your home.
7 Wò gɔmedzedze anɔ sue gake emegbe àdzi asɔ gbɔ ɖe edzi.
Though you began with next to nothing, you will end up with so much!
8 “Bia dzidzime siwo do ŋgɔ, eye nàkpɔe ɖa be nu ka wo fofowo srɔ̃ mahã,
Why don't you ask what previous generations discovered, examine what our ancestors found out? We were born yesterday and don't know anything!
9 elabena míawo la, etsɔviwo míenye, míenya naneke o eye míaƒe ŋkekewo le anyigba dzi le abe vɔvɔli ko ene.
Our days on earth fade as quickly as a passing shadow.
10 Ɖe womafia nu wò, agblɔe na wò oa? Ɖe womagblɔ nya na wò tso woƒe gɔmesese me oa?
Won't they teach you and explain what they know?
11 Ɖe keti miena, tsina ƒlaluu ɖe teƒe si sii mele oa? Ɖe aƒla awɔ nyuie ne mekpɔ tsi oa?
Can papyrus grow where there is no marsh? Can reeds grow without water?
12 Esi wogale mumu ko eye womeɖo sisi me haɖe o la, woyrɔna kaba wu gbe si le gbedzi.
Even without being cut, while they are still flowering, they wither faster than grass.
13 Aleae wòvaa emee na ame siwo katã ŋlɔ Mawu be eye nenemae Mawumavɔ̃lawo ƒe mɔkpɔkpɔ tsrɔ̃nae.
This is what happens to everyone who forgets God. The hopes of those who live without God come to nothing.
14 Nu si ŋu wòɖo dzi ɖo la meɖo ŋusẽ o eye nu si wòde mee la nye yiyiɖɔ.
Their confidence is like holding on to a flimsy spider's web.
15 Ede me eƒe ɖɔ eye wòlã, eku ɖe eŋu, gake etso ɖe eƒe asi me.
They look to their home to provide security, but it provides no support. They try to hang onto it, but it doesn't last.
16 Ɖeko wòle abe ati si wode tsii nyuie le ŋdɔgbe ene ekekea eƒe alɔwo ɖe abɔa me,
Those who live without God are like a luxuriant plant growing in the sun, spreading its shoots all over the garden.
17 eƒe kewo blana ɖe agakpe geɖewo ŋu eye wodia teƒe le kpewo dome.
It twists its roots down through the stones, and holds on to rock.
18 Gake ne wohoe le enɔƒe la, teƒe la gbea nu le egbɔ eye wògblɔna be, ‘Nyemekpɔ wò kpɔ o.’
But when it's cut down, the place where it was disowns it, saying, ‘I never even saw you.’
19 Vavã eƒe agbe yrɔna eye atiku bubuwo miena ɖe eteƒe.
Its life is over, and others spring up from the earth to take its place.
20 “Enye nyateƒe be Mawu megbea ame si ŋu fɔɖiɖi mele o alo doa ŋusẽ nu vɔ̃ɖi wɔlawo ƒe asi o.
Look, God doesn't reject someone who is innocent, and he doesn't support those who are guilty.
21 Ke hã la, agana nukoko nayɔ wò nu me fũu, eye wòatsɔ dzidzɔɣli ayɔ wò nuyiwo nu.
He can make you laugh with happiness again and shout for joy.
22 Ŋukpe alé wò futɔwo eye ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe agbadɔwo maganɔ anyi o.”
Those who hate you will be put to shame, and the place where the wicked live will be destroyed.”
