Job 34
1 Then Elihu continued,
Pea naʻe fai pe ʻe Elihu ʻa ʻene lea, ʻo ne pehē,
2 “Listen to my words, you men who say you are wise; pay attention to what I'm saying you who think you know.
“ʻAe kau tangata poto, mou fanongo ki heʻeku ngaahi lea; pea tokanga kiate au ʻakimoutolu kuo maʻu ʻae ʻilo.
3 The ear distinguishes words just as the palate distinguishes foods.
He ʻoku ʻahiʻahiʻi ʻe he telinga ʻae ngaahi lea, ʻo hangē ʻoku kamata ʻe he ngutu ʻae kai.
4 Let us discern for ourselves what is right: let us decide among ourselves what is good.
Ke tau fili kiate kitautolu ʻae fakamaau; ke tau ʻilo ʻiate kitautolu ʻaia ʻoku lelei.
5 Job said, ‘I am innocent, and God has denied me justice.
He naʻe pehē ʻe Siope, ‘ʻOku ou māʻoniʻoni: pea kuo toʻo atu ʻe he ʻOtua hoku fakamaau.
6 Even though I'm right, I'm treated like a liar; I am dying from my wounds, even though I've done nothing wrong.’
He te u lohiakiʻi ʻa ʻeku totonu? ʻOku taʻefaʻafakamoʻui ʻa hoku lavea ʻi he taʻetalangataʻa.’
7 Has there ever been a man like Job with such a thirst for ridiculing others?
Ko hai ha tangata ʻoku tatau mo Siope, ʻoku ne inumia ʻae manuki ʻo hangē ko e vai?
8 He keeps company with wicked people; he associates with those who do evil.
ʻAia ʻoku ne ʻalu fakataha mo e kau ngāue kovi, pea ʻeveʻeva mo e kau tangata angahala.
9 He's even said, ‘What benefit is there in being God's friend?’
He naʻe pehē ʻe ia, ‘ʻOku ʻikai hano ʻaonga siʻi ki ha tangata ke ne fakafiefiaʻi ia ʻi he ʻOtua.’
10 So listen to me, you men of understanding! It's impossible for God to do evil and the Almighty to do wrong.
“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 He pays people back for what they've done, and treats them as they deserve.
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 It's absolutely sure that God doesn't act wickedly; the Almighty would never pervert justice.
ʻIo, ko e moʻoni ʻe ʻikai fai kovi ʻae ʻOtua, pea ʻe ʻikai fakahalaʻi ʻae fakamaau ʻe he Māfimafi.
13 Who put him in charge of the earth? Who gave him the responsibility for all the 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 withdraw his spirit, if he were to take back his breath,
Kapau te ne fakatokangaʻi hono finangalo ki he tangata, te ne tānaki kiate ia hono laumālie mo ʻene mānava;
15 all living things would immediately die and human beings would return to dust.
ʻE mate fakataha ʻae kakano kotoa pē, pea ʻe toe liliu ʻae tangata ko e efu.
16 If you have understanding then hear this; pay attention to what I'm saying.
“Kapau ʻoku ke maʻu ʻae faʻa ʻilo, fanongo eni: fakafanongo ki he leʻo ʻo ʻeku ngaahi lea.
17 Do you really think someone who hated justice could govern? Are you going to condemn Almighty God who always does what is right?
Te ne faʻa pule ʻaia ʻoku fehiʻa ki he totonu? Pea te ke faʻa fakahalaiaʻi ʻaia ʻoku mātuʻaki angatonu?
18 He's the one who tells kings, ‘You're useless!’ or says to nobles, ‘You're wicked!’
He ʻoku ngali ke pehē ki ha tuʻi, ʻOku ke kovi? Pe ki he houʻeiki, ʻOku mou fai kovi?
19 He doesn't think more of the rich than the poor, for they are all people he himself made.
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 a moment; at midnight they shudder and pass away; the mighty are gone without effort.
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 he watches what they're doing and sees everywhere they go.
“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 so deep where people who do evil can hide themselves from him.
ʻOku ʻikai ha poʻuli, pe ha malumalu ʻoe mate, ʻe faʻa fakafufū ai ʻe he kau fai kovi ʻakinautolu.
23 God doesn't need to examine anyone in any greater detail that they should come before him for judgment.
Koeʻuhi ʻe [ʻi he meʻa ʻoku totonu]; koeʻuhi ke ne fie fakamaau ai mo e ʻOtua.
24 He brings down the mighty without needing an investigation; he sets up others in their place.
Te ne lailaiki ʻae kau tangata mālohi tokolahi taʻefaʻalaua, pea fokotuʻu ʻae niʻihi moʻono totongi.
25 Knowing what they've done he overthrows them in a night and destroys them.
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 down for their wickedness in public where they can be seen
ʻOku ne taaʻi ʻakinautolu ʻo hangē ko e kau tangata fai kovi, ʻi he ʻao ʻoe kakai.
27 because they turned away from following him, disregarding all his ways.
Koeʻuhi naʻa nau tafoki kimui meiate ia, pea ʻikai fie tokanga ki hono ngaahi hala:
28 They made the poor call out to him, and he heard the cries of the oppressed.
Ko ia ʻoku nau fakahoko ʻae tangi ʻae masiva ke aʻu atu kiate ia, pea ʻoku ne ongoʻi ʻae tangi ʻae mahaki.
29 Yet if God wants to remain silent, who can condemn him? If he chooses to hide his face, who can see him? Whether it concerns a nation or an individual,
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 a person who rejects God should not rule so they don't mislead people.
Koeʻuhi ke ʻoua naʻa pule ʻae mālualoi, telia naʻa fasiaʻi ʻae kakai.
31 If you were to say to God, ‘I have sinned, but I won't do bad things any more.
“ʻOku taau moʻoni mo e ʻOtua ʻae lea pehē ki ai, kuo u kātaki, ʻe ʻikai te u fakamamahi.
32 Show me what I cannot see. If I have done wrong, I won't 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 then should God reward you for following your own opinions since you have rejected his? You're the one who has to choose, not me! Tell us what you think.
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 For people who understand—those who are wise who have heard what I said—will tell me,
Ke tala kiate au ʻe he kau tangata faʻa ʻilo, pea ke fanongo kiate au ʻe ha tangata poto.
35 ‘Job doesn't know what he's talking about. What he says doesn't make any sense.’
‘Kuo lea ʻa Siope ʻi he taʻeʻilo, pea ʻoku taʻepoto ʻa ʻene ngaahi lea.
36 If only Job were thoroughly condemned because he speaks like evil people do.
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 Now he has added rebellion to his sins; he claps his hands at us, making long speeches full of accusations 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.”
