Job 34
1 Then Elihu continued:
Pea naʻe fai pe ʻe Elihu ʻa ʻene lea, ʻo ne pehē,
2 “Hear my words, O wise men; give ear to me, O men of learning.
“ʻAe kau tangata poto, mou fanongo ki heʻeku ngaahi lea; pea tokanga kiate au ʻakimoutolu kuo maʻu ʻae ʻilo.
3 For the ear tests words as the mouth tastes food.
He ʻoku ʻahiʻahiʻi ʻe he telinga ʻae ngaahi lea, ʻo hangē ʻoku kamata ʻe he ngutu ʻae kai.
4 Let us choose for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good.
Ke tau fili kiate kitautolu ʻae fakamaau; ke tau ʻilo ʻiate kitautolu ʻaia ʻoku lelei.
5 For Job has declared, ‘I am righteous, yet God has deprived me of justice.
He naʻe pehē ʻe Siope, ‘ʻOku ou māʻoniʻoni: pea kuo toʻo atu ʻe he ʻOtua hoku fakamaau.
6 Would I lie about my case? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’
He te u lohiakiʻi ʻa ʻeku totonu? ʻOku taʻefaʻafakamoʻui ʻa hoku lavea ʻi he taʻetalangataʻa.’
7 What man is like Job, who drinks up derision like water?
Ko hai ha tangata ʻoku tatau mo Siope, ʻoku ne inumia ʻae manuki ʻo hangē ko e vai?
8 He keeps company with evildoers and walks with wicked men.
ʻAia ʻoku ne ʻalu fakataha mo e kau ngāue kovi, pea ʻeveʻeva mo e kau tangata angahala.
9 For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should delight in God.’
He naʻe pehē ʻe ia, ‘ʻOku ʻikai hano ʻaonga siʻi ki ha tangata ke ne fakafiefiaʻi ia ʻi he ʻOtua.’
10 Therefore listen to me, O men of understanding. Far be it from God to do wrong, and from the Almighty to act unjustly.
“Ko ia, fanongo mai kiate au, ʻakimoutolu ʻae kau tangata faʻa ʻilo: ko e kovi, ke mamaʻo ia mei he ʻOtua, pea mo e angahala mei he Māfimafi.
11 For according to a man’s deeds He repays him; according to a man’s ways He brings consequences.
He ko e ngāue ʻae tangata te ne totongi kiate ia, pea fakaʻilo ki he tangata kotoa pē ʻo fakatatau ki hono ngaahi hala.
12 Indeed, it is true that God does not act wickedly, and the Almighty does not pervert justice.
ʻIo, ko e moʻoni ʻe ʻikai fai kovi ʻae ʻOtua, pea ʻe ʻikai fakahalaʻi ʻae fakamaau ʻe he Māfimafi.
13 Who gave Him charge over the earth? Who appointed Him over the whole world?
Ko hai naʻa ne fakanofo ia ke pule ki māmani? Pea ko hai kuo ne ngaohi ʻa māmani kotoa pē?
14 If He were to set His heart to it and withdraw His Spirit and breath,
Kapau te ne fakatokangaʻi hono finangalo ki he tangata, te ne tānaki kiate ia hono laumālie mo ʻene mānava;
15 all flesh would perish together and mankind would return to the dust.
ʻE mate fakataha ʻae kakano kotoa pē, pea ʻe toe liliu ʻae tangata ko e efu.
16 If you have understanding, hear this; listen to my words.
“Kapau ʻoku ke maʻu ʻae faʻa ʻilo, fanongo eni: fakafanongo ki he leʻo ʻo ʻeku ngaahi lea.
17 Could one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One,
Te ne faʻa pule ʻaia ʻoku fehiʻa ki he totonu? Pea te ke faʻa fakahalaiaʻi ʻaia ʻoku mātuʻaki angatonu?
18 who says to kings, ‘You are worthless!’ and to nobles, ‘You are wicked,’
He ʻoku ngali ke pehē ki ha tuʻi, ʻOku ke kovi? Pe ki he houʻeiki, ʻOku mou fai kovi?
19 who is not partial to princes and does not favor rich over poor? For they are all the work of His hands.
Ka ʻe fēfē kiate ia ʻaia ʻoku ʻikai te ne filifilimānako ki he kakai houʻeiki, pea ʻoku ʻikai lahi hake ʻene tokanga ki he koloaʻia ʻi he masiva? He ko e ngāue ʻa hono nima ʻakinautolu kotoa pē.
20 They die in an instant, in the middle of the night. The people convulse and pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand.
Te nau mate fakafokifā pe, pea ʻe mamahi ʻae kakai ʻi he tuʻuapō mālie, pea nau mole atu: pea ʻe fetuku atu ʻae kau mālohi taʻehanima.
21 For His eyes are on the ways of a man, and He sees his every step.
“He ʻoku ʻi he ngaahi fale ʻoe tangata ʻa hono fofonga, pea ʻoku ne ʻafioʻi ʻa hono ʻalunga kotoa pē.
22 There is no darkness or deep shadow where the workers of iniquity can hide.
ʻOku ʻikai ha poʻuli, pe ha malumalu ʻoe mate, ʻe faʻa fakafufū ai ʻe he kau fai kovi ʻakinautolu.
23 For God need not examine a man further or have him approach for judgment.
Koeʻuhi ʻe [ʻi he meʻa ʻoku totonu]; koeʻuhi ke ne fie fakamaau ai mo e ʻOtua.
24 He shatters the mighty without inquiry and sets up others in their place.
Te ne lailaiki ʻae kau tangata mālohi tokolahi taʻefaʻalaua, pea fokotuʻu ʻae niʻihi moʻono totongi.
25 Therefore, He recognizes their deeds; He overthrows them in the night and they are crushed.
Ko ia ʻoku ne ʻilo ʻenau ngaahi ngāue, pea ʻoku ne fulihi ʻakinautolu ʻi he pō, pea ʻoku nau ʻauha ai.
26 He strikes them for their wickedness in full view,
ʻOku ne taaʻi ʻakinautolu ʻo hangē ko e kau tangata fai kovi, ʻi he ʻao ʻoe kakai.
27 because they turned aside from Him and had no regard for any of His ways.
Koeʻuhi naʻa nau tafoki kimui meiate ia, pea ʻikai fie tokanga ki hono ngaahi hala:
28 They caused the cry of the poor to come before Him, and He heard the outcry of the afflicted.
Ko ia ʻoku nau fakahoko ʻae tangi ʻae masiva ke aʻu atu kiate ia, pea ʻoku ne ongoʻi ʻae tangi ʻae mahaki.
29 But when He remains silent, who can condemn Him? When He hides His face, who can see Him? Yet He watches over both man and nation,
ʻOku foaki ʻe ia ʻae fiemālie, ko hai te ne faʻa fakamamahi? Pea ka fufū ʻe ia hono fofonga, ko hai ʻe faʻa mamata kiate ia? ʻO kapau te ne fai ki ha puleʻanga, pe ki ha tangata pe tokotaha:
30 that godless men should not rule or lay snares for the people.
Koeʻuhi ke ʻoua naʻa pule ʻae mālualoi, telia naʻa fasiaʻi ʻae kakai.
31 Suppose someone says to God, ‘I have endured my punishment; I will offend no more.
“ʻOku taau moʻoni mo e ʻOtua ʻae lea pehē ki ai, kuo u kātaki, ʻe ʻikai te u fakamamahi.
32 Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong, I will not do it again.’
Ko ia ʻoku ʻikai te u ʻilo ke ke ako ia kiate au: kapau kuo u fai angahala, ʻe ʻikai te u toe fai ia.
33 Should God repay you on your own terms when you have disavowed His? You must choose, not I; so tell me what you know.
ʻE fakatatau ia koā mo ho loto? Te ne totongi ia, ʻo kapau te ke ʻoua, pe te ke loto ki ai; kae ʻikai ko au: ko ia ke ke tala ʻaia ʻoku ke ʻilo.
34 Men of understanding will declare to me, and the wise men who hear me will say:
Ke tala kiate au ʻe he kau tangata faʻa ʻilo, pea ke fanongo kiate au ʻe ha tangata poto.
35 ‘Job speaks without knowledge; his words lack insight.’
‘Kuo lea ʻa Siope ʻi he taʻeʻilo, pea ʻoku taʻepoto ʻa ʻene ngaahi lea.
36 If only Job were tried to the utmost for answering like a wicked man.
Ko hoku loto ke fakamaauʻi ʻa Siope ʻo aʻu ki he ngataʻanga, koeʻuhi ko ʻene ngaahi tali ʻo hangē ko e kau tangata angahala.
37 For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God.”
He ʻoku ne fakahoko ʻae talangataʻa ki he angahala, ʻoku ne pasipasi hono nima ʻiate kitautolu, ʻo fakalahi ʻene ngaahi lea ki he ʻOtua.”
