Job 21
1 Then Job responded by saying:
Ka naʻe tali ʻe Siope, ʻo ne pehē,
2 I beseech you to hear my words and to do penance.
“Fakafanongo lelei ki heʻeku lea, pea ko hoʻomou fakafiemālie eni.
3 Permit me, and I will speak, and afterwards, if you see fit, you can laugh at my words.
Mou kātaki, kau lea atu; pea hili ʻeku lea, fai pe hoʻomou manuki.
4 Is my dispute against man, so that I would have no reason to be discouraged?
ʻOiauē, he ʻoku ou liunga ki he tangata? Pea ka ne ko ia, ko e hā nai ʻe ʻikai mamahi ai hoku laumālie?
5 Listen to me and be astonished, and place a finger over your mouth.
Tokanga mai, pea mou ofo, pea ʻai homou nima ki homou ngutu.
6 As for me, when I think it over, I am afraid, and trembling convulses my body.
ʻIo, ʻi heʻeku fakamanatu ʻoku ou manavahē ʻaupito, pea ʻoku puke ʻa hoku kakano ʻe he tetetete.
7 Why then do the impious live, having been lifted up and strengthened with riches?
“Ko e hā ʻoku moʻui ai ʻae angakovi, ʻo hoko ʻo motuʻa, ʻio, pea lahi ʻi he mālohi?
8 They see their offspring continue before them: a commotion of close relatives and of children’s children in their sight.
Kuo fakatuʻumaʻu honau hako fakataha mo kinautolu, pea mo ʻenau fānau ʻi honau ʻao.
9 Their houses have been secure and peaceable, and there is no staff of God over them.
ʻOku malu honau fale mei he manavahē, pea ʻoku ʻikai ʻiate kinautolu ʻae meʻa tā ʻae ʻOtua.
10 Their cattle have conceived and have not miscarried; their cow has given birth and is not deprived of her newborn.
ʻOku fakatauʻi ʻe heʻenau pulu tangata ʻo touʻia taʻehala; ʻoku fānau ʻenau pulu fefine ʻo taʻetōhonoʻuhiki.
11 Their little ones go out like a flock, and their children jump around playfully.
ʻOku nau tuku atu ʻenau fānau ʻo hangē ko e fanga sipi, pea ʻoku meʻe hopohopo ʻenau fānau.
12 They take up the timbrel and the lyre, and they rejoice at the sound of the organ.
ʻOku nau toʻo hake ʻae kihiʻi lali mo e haʻape, pea nau fiefia ʻi he leʻo ʻoe meʻa ifi.
ʻOku nau fakaʻosi honau ngaahi ʻaho ʻi he fakafiemālie, pea fakafokifā pe ʻoku nau ʻalu hifo ki he faʻitoka. (Sheol h7585)
14 Who has said to God, “Depart from us, for we do not want the knowledge of your ways.
Ko ia ʻoku nau pehē ai ki he ʻOtua, ‘ʻAlu ʻiate kimautolu, he ʻoku ʻikai te mau holi ke ʻilo ho ngaahi hala.
15 Who is the Almighty that we should serve him? And how is it helpful to us if we pray to him?”
Ko hai ʻae Māfimafi, ke pehē ke mau tauhi ia? Pea ko e hā ʻae totongi te mau maʻu, ʻo kapau te mau lotu ki ai?’
16 It is true that their good things are not in their power. May the counsel of the impious be far from me!
Vakai, ʻoku ʻikai ʻi honau nima ʻenau monūʻia: ʻoku mamaʻo ʻiate au ʻae fakakaukau ʻoe angahala.
17 How often will the lamp of the wicked be extinguished, and a deluge overtake them, and how often will he distribute the afflictions of his wrath?
“ʻOku liunga fiha ʻae tāmateʻi ʻoe maama ʻae angahala? Mo e hoko ʻenau fakaʻauha kiate kinautolu? ʻoku tufaki ʻe he ʻOtua ʻae ngaahi mamahi ʻi hono houhau.
18 They will be like chaff before the face of the wind, and like ashes that the whirlwind scatters.
ʻOku nau tatau mo e tefitoʻi kaho ʻi he mata ʻoe matangi, pea hangē ko e kafukafu ʻoku ʻave ʻe he afi.
19 God will preserve the grief of the father for his sons, and, when he repays, then he will understand.
‘ʻOku hili ʻe he ʻOtua ʻa ʻene angahala ki heʻene fānau:’ ʻoku ne totongi kiate ia, pea te ne ʻilo ia.
20 His eyes will see his own destruction, and he will drink from the wrath of the Almighty.
ʻE mamata ʻe hono mata ki hono fakaʻauha, pea ʻe inu ia ʻi he houhau ʻoe Māfimafi.
21 For what does he care what happens to his house after him, or if the number of its months are reduced by half?
He ko e hā ʻene fiemālie ʻi hono fale ʻamui ʻiate ia, ʻoka tuʻu ua mālie ʻae lau ʻo hono ngaahi māhina?
22 Can anyone teach holy knowledge to God, who judges the exalted?
“ʻE akonakiʻi ʻe ha taha ʻae ʻOtua ke ʻilo? He ʻoku ne fakamaau ʻe ia ʻakinautolu ʻoku māʻolunga.
23 This one dies strong and healthy, rich and happy.
ʻOku mate ha tokotaha lolotonga ʻene mālohi lahi, mo ʻene nofo tofu pe mo fiemālie.
24 His gut is full of fat and his bones are moistened with marrow.
ʻOku fonu hono sino ʻi he ngako, pea lolololo hono ngaahi hui ʻi he uho.
25 In truth, another dies in bitterness of soul, without any resources.
Pea ʻoku mate ha tokotaha ʻi he mamahi lahi ʻo hono laumālie, pea ʻikai ʻaupito haʻane kai ʻe fiemālie ai.
26 And yet they will sleep together in the dust, and worms will cover them.
Te na tokoto tatau pe ʻi he efu, pea ʻe ʻuʻufi ʻakinaua ʻe he fanga kelemutu.
27 Surely, I know your thoughts and your sinful judgments against me.
“Vakai, ʻoku ou ʻilo hoʻomou ngaahi mahalo, mo e ngaahi filioʻi kovi ʻoku mou mahalo ʻaki kiate au.
28 For you say, “Where is the house of the ruler, and where are the tabernacles of the impious?”
He ʻoku mou pehē, ‘Kofaʻā ʻae fale ʻoe ʻeiki? Pea kofaʻā ʻae ngaahi nofoʻanga ʻoe kakai angahala?’
29 Ask any passerby whom you wish, and you will realize that he understands these same things:
ʻIkai kuo mou ʻeke kiate kinautolu ʻoku feʻaluʻaki ʻi he hala? Pea ʻikai ʻoku mou ʻilo ʻenau ngaahi tala,
30 that the evil-doer is reserved for the day of destruction, and he will be led to the day of wrath.
ʻAia kuo tuku tolonga ʻae angahala ki he ʻaho ʻoe fakaʻauha? ʻE taki atu ʻakinautolu ki he ʻaho ʻoe houhau.
31 Who will reprove his way to his face, and who will repay him for what he has done?
Ko hai te ne fakahā hono hala ki hono mata? Pea ʻe totongi ʻe hai kiate ia ʻae meʻa kuo ne fai?
32 He will be led to the tomb, and he will remain awake in the chaos of the dead.
Ka ʻe ʻomi ia ki he faʻitoka, ʻe nofomaʻu ia ʻi he fonualoto.
33 He has been found acceptable to the banks of the River of Lamentation, and he will draw any man towards him, and there are countless before him.
ʻE melie kiate ia ʻae ngaahi tutuʻanga kelekele ʻoe luo, pea ʻe fusi kiate ia ʻae kakai kotoa pē, ʻo hangē ko e taʻefaʻalaua ʻae kakai naʻe muʻa ʻiate ia.
34 Therefore, how long will you console me in vain, when your answer is shown to be repugnant to truth?
Pea ka kuo pehē, pea ko e hā ʻoku mou fakafiemālie taʻeʻaonga kiate au, kae vakai ʻoku ai ʻae loi ʻi hoʻomou ngaahi lea?”
