Job 8
1 Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:
Pea naʻe toki tali ʻe Pilitati mei Suaa, ʻo ne pehē,
2 “How long will you go on saying such things? The words of your mouth are a blustering wind.
ʻE fēfē hono fuoloa ʻo hoʻo lea pehē pe? Pea tatau mo e matangi mālohi ʻae ngaahi lea ʻa ho ngutu?
3 Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right?
He ʻoku fakahala ʻe he ʻOtua ʻae fakamaau? Pe fakahalaʻi ʻe he Māfimafi ʻae angatonu?
4 When your children sinned against Him, He gave them over to their rebellion.
Kapau kuo angahala ʻa hoʻo fānau kiate ia, pea kuo ne liʻaki ʻakinautolu ko e meʻa ʻi heʻenau fai hala;
5 But if you would earnestly seek God and ask the Almighty for mercy,
Kapau te ke kumi vave ki he ʻOtua, pea fai hoʻo faʻa hū tāumaʻu ki he Māfimafi;
6 if you are pure and upright, even now He will rouse Himself on your behalf and restore your righteous estate.
Kapau kuo ke maʻa mo angatonu ko e moʻoni ʻe ʻā hake ia maʻau, pea te ne ngaohi ke monūʻia ʻae nofoʻanga ʻo hoʻo māʻoniʻoni.
7 Though your beginnings were modest, your latter days will flourish.
Neongo ʻae siʻi ʻa ho kamataʻanga, ka ʻe fakalahi ʻaupito ho ikuʻanga.
8 Please inquire of past generations and consider the discoveries of their fathers.
“Ko eni, ʻoku ou kole kiate koe, ke ke fehuʻi ki he kuonga ʻi muʻa, pea ke teuʻi koe ke ke ʻeke ki heʻenau ngaahi tamai:
9 For we were born yesterday and know nothing; our days on earth are but a shadow.
(He ʻoku ʻoe ʻaneafi pe ʻakinautolu, pea taʻeʻilo ha meʻa, koeʻuhi ʻoku tatau hotau ngaahi ʻaho ʻi māmani mo e ʻata: )
10 Will they not teach you and tell you, and speak from their understanding?
ʻIkai ʻe akonakiʻi koe ʻekinautolu, ʻo tala kiate koe, pea hua ʻaki mai ʻae ngaahi lea mei honau loto?
11 Does papyrus grow where there is no marsh? Do reeds flourish without water?
“ʻE faʻa tupu ʻae mohuku ʻoe anovai ka ʻi he kelepulu pe? ʻE faʻa tupu ʻae kaho ka ʻi he vai pe?
12 While the shoots are still uncut, they dry up quicker than grass.
He ʻoku lolotonga ʻene kei mata, ʻo ʻikai tā, ʻoku tomuʻa mae ia ʻi he ʻakau kotoa pē.
13 Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so the hope of the godless will perish.
ʻOku pehē pe ʻae ʻaluʻanga ʻokinautolu ʻoku fakangaloʻi ʻae ʻOtua; pea ko e ʻamanaki ʻae mālualoi ʻe ʻauha ia:
14 His confidence is fragile; his security is in a spider’s web.
Ko ʻene ʻamanaki ʻe tuʻusi ia, pea ko ʻene falalaʻanga ko e matamata kupenga ʻoe hina.
15 He leans on his web, but it gives way; he holds fast, but it does not endure.
ʻE faʻaki ia ki hono fale, ka ʻe ʻikai tuʻu ia: ʻe puke maʻu ʻe ia ki ai, ka ʻe ʻikai te ne tolonga.”
16 He is a well-watered plant in the sunshine, spreading its shoots over the garden.
ʻOku maʻuiʻui ia ʻi he mata ʻoe laʻā, pea tupu hono vaʻa ʻi heʻene ngoue.
17 His roots wrap around the rock heap; he looks for a home among the stones.
Ko hono ngaahi aka ʻoku fefihifihitaki ʻi he tafungofunga, ʻo ʻiloʻi ʻae potu makamaka.
18 If he is uprooted from his place, it will disown him, saying, ‘I never saw you.’
Kapau te ne fakaʻauha ia mei hono potu, pea ʻe toki fakafisi ia, ʻo pehē, ‘naʻe ʻikai te u mamata kiate koe.’
19 Surely this is the joy of his way; yet others will spring from the dust.
Vakai, ko e fiefia eni ʻa hono hala, pea ʻe toe tupu ʻae niʻihi mei he kelekele.
20 Behold, God does not reject the blameless, nor will He strengthen the hand of evildoers.
“Vakai, ʻe ʻikai siʻaki ʻe he ʻOtua ha taha haohaoa, pea ʻe ʻikai tokoniʻi ʻe ia ʻae kau fai kovi:
21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with a shout of joy.
Kaeʻoua ke ne fakapito ho ngutu ʻi he kata, mo ho loungutu ʻi he fiefia.
22 Your enemies will be clothed in shame, and the tent of the wicked will be no more.”
Ko kinautolu ʻoku fehiʻa kiate koe ʻe fakakofuʻaki ʻae mā; pea ʻe fakaʻauha ʻae nofoʻanga ʻoe angahala.”
