Job 29

1 Job again took up his parable, and said,

Hiob yi eƒe nuƒoƒo dzi be,

2 “Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;

“O, ale si medi vevie be wòanɔ nam abe ale si wònɔ le ɣleti siwo va yi me la ene, le ŋkeke siwo me Mawu kpɔ tanye,

3 when his lamp shone on my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,

esi eƒe akaɖi klẽ ɖe nye ta dzi eye eƒe kekeli na mezɔ to blukɔ tsiɖitsiɖi me!

4 as I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was in my tent,

O, nenye ɖe wòanɔ nam abe nye lãmesẽŋkekewo me ene, esi kadodo kple Mawu kplikplikpli na wòyra nye aƒe,

5 when the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me,

esi Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la ganɔ kplim ko eye vinyewo ƒo xlãm,

6 when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil for me,

esi nye toƒe nye notsi kpeke ɖeɖe eye amitimi ɖuɖu bababa tso agakpe me nam.

7 when I went out to the city gate, when I prepared my seat in the street.

“Ne meyi dua ƒe agbo nu, henɔ anyi ɖe zikpui dzi gli, le dua ƒe ablɔme la,

8 The young men saw me and hid themselves. The aged rose up and stood.

ɖekakpuiawo kpɔam, heƒoa asa nam eye ame tsitsiwo tsona ɖe tsitrenu,

9 The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.

dumegãwo tɔna ne wole nu ƒom hetsɔa asi ɖoa nu.

10 The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.

Gbɔgblɔ buna ɖe ame ŋkutawo eye woƒe aɖe léna ɖe woƒe nu me.

11 For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it commended me,

Ame sia ame si ɖo tom la kafuam eye ame siwo kpɔm la ƒoa nu nyui tso ŋutinye

12 because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless also, who had no one to help him,

elabena mexɔna na hiãtɔ siwo le ɣli dom be woakpe ɖe yewo ŋu kple tsyɔ̃evi si si kpeɖeŋutɔ mele o.

13 the blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.

Ame si le kukum la ƒe yayra vaa dzinye eye menana ahosi ƒe dzi kpɔa dzidzɔ.

14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was as a robe and a diadem.

Metsɔ dzɔdzɔenyenye do abe awu ene eye nuteƒewɔwɔ nye nye awu ʋlaya kple tablanu.

15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.

Menye ŋku na ŋkuagbãtɔ kple afɔ na tekunɔ.

16 I was a father to the needy. I researched the cause of him whom I didn’t know.

Menye tɔ na hiãtɔwo eye mexɔa nya ɖe amedzrowo nu.

17 I broke the jaws of the unrighteous and plucked the prey out of his teeth.

Meŋea tsyo na ame vɔ̃ɖiwo eye meɖea nu si woda adzoe la le woƒe aɖutame.

18 Then I said, ‘I will die in my own house, I will count my days as the sand.

“Mebu be, ‘Maku ɖe nye ŋutɔ nye aƒe me, nye ŋkekewo asɔ gbɔ abe ke ene.

19 My root is spread out to the waters. The dew lies all night on my branch.

Nye kewo aƒo ɖe to, ade tsi gbɔ eye zãmu adza ɖe nye alɔwo dzi zã blibo la.

20 My glory is fresh in me. My bow is renewed in my hand.’

Nye ŋutikɔkɔe anɔ yeye zum ɣe sia ɣi le ŋunye eye dati anɔ yeye ɖaa le asinyeme.’

21 “Men listened to me, waited, and kept silence for my counsel.

“Amewo ɖoa tom henɔa nye asinu kpɔm, nɔa lalam na nye aɖaŋuɖoɖo le ɖoɖoezizi me.

22 After my words they didn’t speak again. My speech fell on them.

Ne meƒo nu la, womegaƒoa nu o eye nye nyawo gena ɖe woƒe towo me bɔlɔɔ.

23 They waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.

Wonɔa lalayem abe ale si wolalana na tsidzadza ene eye woxɔa nye nyawo dea wo ɖokui me abe ale si wonoa kelemetsi ene.

24 I smiled on them when they had no confidence. They didn’t reject the light of my face.

Womexɔnɛ sena ne meko nu na wo o, nye mo ƒe kekeli nye nu xɔasi na wo.

25 I chose out their way, and sat as chief. I lived as a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners.

Metiaa mɔ si woato la na wo, menɔa wo dome abe woƒe tatɔ ene eye menɔa wo dome abe woƒe fia le eƒe aʋakɔwo dome ene. Menɔna abe ame si faa akɔ na konyifalawo ene.