Job 21
1 Then answered Job, and said,
Ka naʻe tali ʻe Siope, ʻo ne pehē,
2 Hear, O hear my speech, and let this be wherewith you give consolations.
“Fakafanongo lelei ki heʻeku lea, pea ko hoʻomou fakafiemālie eni.
3 Bear with me that I may indeed speak: and after my speaking, then canst thou mock.
Mou kātaki, kau lea atu; pea hili ʻeku lea, fai pe hoʻomou manuki.
4 As for me, —is against man my complaint? and if this be so, why should my spirit not be impatient?
ʻOiauē, he ʻoku ou liunga ki he tangata? Pea ka ne ko ia, ko e hā nai ʻe ʻikai mamahi ai hoku laumālie?
5 Turn yourselves unto me, and be astounded, and lay your hand upon your mouth.
Tokanga mai, pea mou ofo, pea ʻai homou nima ki homou ngutu.
6 Yea, when I think of it, I am terrified, and shuddering seizeth hold of my flesh.
ʻIo, ʻi heʻeku fakamanatu ʻoku ou manavahē ʻaupito, pea ʻoku puke ʻa hoku kakano ʻe he tetetete.
7 Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, grow strong in power?
“Ko e hā ʻoku moʻui ai ʻae angakovi, ʻo hoko ʻo motuʻa, ʻio, pea lahi ʻi he mālohi?
8 Their seed is firmly established in their presence with them. their offspring are before their eyes.
Kuo fakatuʻumaʻu honau hako fakataha mo kinautolu, pea mo ʻenau fānau ʻi honau ʻao.
9 Their houses are at peace without any dread, and no rod of God [cometh] over them.
ʻOku malu honau fale mei he manavahē, pea ʻoku ʻikai ʻiate kinautolu ʻae meʻa tā ʻae ʻOtua.
10 The bull of each one gendereth, and disappointeth not: the cow of each one calveth, and casteth not her young.
ʻOku fakatauʻi ʻe heʻenau pulu tangata ʻo touʻia taʻehala; ʻoku fānau ʻenau pulu fefine ʻo taʻetōhonoʻuhiki.
11 They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children skip about [with joy].
ʻOku nau tuku atu ʻenau fānau ʻo hangē ko e fanga sipi, pea ʻoku meʻe hopohopo ʻenau fānau.
12 They sing to the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
ʻOku nau toʻo hake ʻae kihiʻi lali mo e haʻape, pea nau fiefia ʻi he leʻo ʻoe meʻa ifi.
13 They wear out their days in happiness, and in a moment they go down to the nether world. (Sheol h7585)
ʻOku nau fakaʻosi honau ngaahi ʻaho ʻi he fakafiemālie, pea fakafokifā pe ʻoku nau ʻalu hifo ki he faʻitoka. (Sheol h7585)
14 And yet they say unto God, “Depart from us; and the knowledge of thy ways we desire not.
Ko ia ʻoku nau pehē ai ki he ʻOtua, ‘ʻAlu ʻiate kimautolu, he ʻoku ʻikai te mau holi ke ʻilo ho ngaahi hala.
15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit shall we have, if we entreat him urgently?”
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 Lo, not in their hand doth their happiness rest! The counsel of the wicked be [still] far from me.
Vakai, ʻoku ʻikai ʻi honau nima ʻenau monūʻia: ʻoku mamaʻo ʻiate au ʻae fakakaukau ʻoe angahala.
17 How often is the lamp of the wicked quenched? and how often cometh over them their calamity? and doth [God] distribute their lot in his anger?
“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 Are they as straw before the wind, and as chaff which the stealeth away?
ʻOku nau tatau mo e tefitoʻi kaho ʻi he mata ʻoe matangi, pea hangē ko e kafukafu ʻoku ʻave ʻe he afi.
19 Should God lay up for his children his wrong-doing? it were better that he reward him, that he might know it himself.
‘ʻOku hili ʻe he ʻOtua ʻa ʻene angahala ki heʻene fānau:’ ʻoku ne totongi kiate ia, pea te ne ʻilo ia.
20 His own eyes ought to see his downfall, and from the wrath of the Almighty ought he to drink.
ʻE mamata ʻe hono mata ki hono fakaʻauha, pea ʻe inu ia ʻi he houhau ʻoe Māfimafi.
21 For what care hath he for his household after him, when the number of his months is all apportioned to him?
He ko e hā ʻene fiemālie ʻi hono fale ʻamui ʻiate ia, ʻoka tuʻu ua mālie ʻae lau ʻo hono ngaahi māhina?
22 Is this fitting God, who teacheth knowledge? him who judgeth those that are highest?
“ʻE akonakiʻi ʻe ha taha ʻae ʻOtua ke ʻilo? He ʻoku ne fakamaau ʻe ia ʻakinautolu ʻoku māʻolunga.
23 That this one dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet;
ʻOku mate ha tokotaha lolotonga ʻene mālohi lahi, mo ʻene nofo tofu pe mo fiemālie.
24 His vessels being full of healthy fluid, and the marrow of his bones being well moistened:
ʻOku fonu hono sino ʻi he ngako, pea lolololo hono ngaahi hui ʻi he uho.
25 While this other dieth with an embittered soul, and hath never partaken of any happiness;
Pea ʻoku mate ha tokotaha ʻi he mamahi lahi ʻo hono laumālie, pea ʻikai ʻaupito haʻane kai ʻe fiemālie ai.
26 [And yet] together they must lie down in the dust, and the worms will cover them?
Te na tokoto tatau pe ʻi he efu, pea ʻe ʻuʻufi ʻakinaua ʻe he fanga kelemutu.
27 Behold, I know your thoughts, and the opinions which ye wrongfully devise against me.
“Vakai, ʻoku ou ʻilo hoʻomou ngaahi mahalo, mo e ngaahi filioʻi kovi ʻoku mou mahalo ʻaki kiate au.
28 For ye say, Where is the house of the noble-minded? and where is the tent of the dwelling-places of the wicked?
He ʻoku mou pehē, ‘Kofaʻā ʻae fale ʻoe ʻeiki? Pea kofaʻā ʻae ngaahi nofoʻanga ʻoe kakai angahala?’
29 Have ye not asked the wayfarers? surely their token ye cannot disregard,
ʻIkai kuo mou ʻeke kiate kinautolu ʻoku feʻaluʻaki ʻi he hala? Pea ʻikai ʻoku mou ʻilo ʻenau ngaahi tala,
30 That the bad man is reserved for the day of calamity, [that the wicked] are carried forward 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 [But] who will tell him to his face of his way? and who will repay him what he hath done?
Ko hai te ne fakahā hono hala ki hono mata? Pea ʻe totongi ʻe hai kiate ia ʻae meʻa kuo ne fai?
32 Yea he will indeed be carried to the grave, and men will quickly think of his monument:
Ka ʻe ʻomi ia ki he faʻitoka, ʻe nofomaʻu ia ʻi he fonualoto.
33 Sweet are to him the clods of the valley; and after him succeedeth every man, as those that were before him are without number.
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 How then will ye comfort me with vanity? and of your answers there remaineth only deception.
Pea ka kuo pehē, pea ko e hā ʻoku mou fakafiemālie taʻeʻaonga kiate au, kae vakai ʻoku ai ʻae loi ʻi hoʻomou ngaahi lea?”
