Psalms 12

1 For the music director. To the Sheminith. A psalm of David. Help, Lord, for all the good people have gone! Those who trust in you have disappeared from among the people on earth.

Ki te tino kaiwhakatangi. Heminiti. He himene na Rawiri. Whakaorangia, e Ihowa; ka mutu hoki nga tangata tapu; ka taweke atu te hunga pono i roto i nga tama a te tangata.

2 Everyone lies to their neighbors. They flatter with nice talk, but they don't mean what they say.

E korero teka ana ratou tetahi ki tetahi; he ngutu patipati, he ngakau rua o ratou ina korero.

3 Stop their flattery, Lord, and silence their boasts—

Ka hatepea e Ihowa nga ngutu patipati katoa, me te arero e korero whakapehapeha ana;

4 these people who say, “We will succeed through what we say; our mouths belong to us. We don't take orders from anyone!”

E mea nei, Ma o tatou arero tatou ka kake ai; no tatou ano o tatou ngutu, ko wai hei ariki mo tatou?

5 “Because of the violence the helpless have suffered, and because of the groans of the poor, I will rise up to defend them,” says the Lord. “I will give them the protection they have been longing for.”

Mo te tukinotanga i te hunga iti, mo te aue a te hunga rawakore, ka whakatika ahau aianei, e ai ta Ihowa, Ka whakanohoia ia e ahau ki te wahi e ora ai ia i nga tangata e whakatupereru ana ki a ia.

6 What the Lord says is trustworthy, as pure as silver refined seven times in a furnace.

He kupu parakore nga kupu a Ihowa: he hiriwa i whakakorea nei te para i roto i te oumu whenua, he mea tuku whitu.

7 You, Lord will keep the oppressed safe; you will protect us from these kinds of people forever;

Ka tiakina ratou e koe, e Ihowa, ka whakaorangia ratou i tenei whakatupuranga ake tonu atu.

8 even though the wicked are all around us, and evil is being promoted everywhere.

E haereere noa ana nga tangata kino i tetahi taha, i tetahi taha, i te mea e whakateiteitia ana te kino i roto i nga tama a te tangata.