Job 8

1 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said:

Pea naʻe toki tali ʻe Pilitati mei Suaa, ʻo ne pehē,

2 How long wilt thou speak these things, seeing that the words of thy mouth are as a mighty wind?

‌ʻE fēfē hono fuoloa ʻo hoʻo lea pehē pe? Pea tatau mo e matangi mālohi ʻae ngaahi lea ʻa ho ngutu?

3 Doth God pervert judgment? Or doth the Almighty pervert justice?

He ʻoku fakahala ʻe he ʻOtua ʻae fakamaau? Pe fakahalaʻi ʻe he Māfimafi ʻae angatonu?

4 If thy children sinned against Him, He delivered them into the hand of their transgression.

Kapau kuo angahala ʻa hoʻo fānau kiate ia, pea kuo ne liʻaki ʻakinautolu ko e meʻa ʻi heʻenau fai hala;

5 If thou wouldest seek earnestly unto God, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;

Kapau te ke kumi vave ki he ʻOtua, pea fai hoʻo faʻa hū tāumaʻu ki he Māfimafi;

6 If thou wert pure and upright; surely now He would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

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 And though thy beginning was small, yet thy end should greatly increase.

Neongo ʻae siʻi ʻa ho kamataʻanga, ka ʻe fakalahi ʻaupito ho ikuʻanga.

8 For inquire, I pray thee, of the former generation, and apply thyself to that which their fathers have searched out —

“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 are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow —

(He ʻoku ʻoe ʻaneafi pe ʻakinautolu, pea taʻeʻilo ha meʻa, koeʻuhi ʻoku tatau hotau ngaahi ʻaho ʻi māmani mo e ʻata: )

10 Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?

‌ʻIkai ʻe akonakiʻi koe ʻekinautolu, ʻo tala kiate koe, pea hua ʻaki mai ʻae ngaahi lea mei honau loto?

11 Can the rush shoot up without mire? Can the reed-grass grow 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 Whilst it is yet in its greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb.

He ʻoku lolotonga ʻene kei mata, ʻo ʻikai tā, ʻoku tomuʻa mae ia ʻi he ʻakau kotoa pē.

13 So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hope of the godless man shall perish;

‌ʻOku pehē pe ʻae ʻaluʻanga ʻokinautolu ʻoku fakangaloʻi ʻae ʻOtua; pea ko e ʻamanaki ʻae mālualoi ʻe ʻauha ia:

14 Whose confidence is gossamer, and whose trust is a spider's web.

Ko ʻene ʻamanaki ʻe tuʻusi ia, pea ko ʻene falalaʻanga ko e matamata kupenga ʻoe hina.

15 He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand; he shall hold fast thereby, but it shall 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 green before the sun, and his shoots go forth over his garden.

‌ʻOku maʻuiʻui ia ʻi he mata ʻoe laʻā, pea tupu hono vaʻa ʻi heʻene ngoue.

17 His roots are wrapped about the heap, he beholdeth the place of stones.

Ko hono ngaahi aka ʻoku fefihifihitaki ʻi he tafungofunga, ʻo ʻiloʻi ʻae potu makamaka.

18 If he be destroyed from his place, then it shall deny him: 'I have not seen thee.'

Kapau te ne fakaʻauha ia mei hono potu, pea ʻe toki fakafisi ia, ʻo pehē, ‘naʻe ʻikai te u mamata kiate koe.’

19 Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others spring.

Vakai, ko e fiefia eni ʻa hono hala, pea ʻe toe tupu ʻae niʻihi mei he kelekele.

20 Behold, God will not cast away an innocent man, neither will He uphold the evil-doers;

“Vakai, ʻe ʻikai siʻaki ʻe he ʻOtua ha taha haohaoa, pea ʻe ʻikai tokoniʻi ʻe ia ʻae kau fai kovi:

21 Till He fill thy mouth with laughter, and thy lips with shouting.

Kaeʻoua ke ne fakapito ho ngutu ʻi he kata, mo ho loungutu ʻi he fiefia.

22 They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the tent of the wicked shall be no more.

Ko kinautolu ʻoku fehiʻa kiate koe ʻe fakakofuʻaki ʻae mā; pea ʻe fakaʻauha ʻae nofoʻanga ʻoe angahala.”