< Job 12 >

1 And Job answers and says:
Pea naʻe tali ʻe Siope, ʻo ne pehē,
2 “Truly—you [are] the people, and wisdom dies with you.
Ta ko kimoutolu pe ʻae kakai, pea ʻe mate mo kimoutolu ʻae poto.
3 I also have a heart like you, I am not fallen more than you, And with whom is there not like these?
Ka ʻoku ai hoku loto ʻo hangē pe ko kimoutolu; ʻoku ʻikai te u siʻi hifo au kiate kimoutolu: ʻio, ko hai ʻoku ʻikai ke ne ʻilo ki he ngaahi meʻa pehē ni?
4 I am a laughter to his friend: He calls to God, and He answers him, A laughter [is] the perfect righteous one.
‌ʻOku ou tatau mo ha taha ʻoku taukaea ʻe hono kaungāʻapi, ʻo pehē, ʻoku ne ui ki he ʻOtua, pea ʻoku ne talia ia: ʻoku kata manukia ʻae tonuhia mo e angatonu.
5 A torch—despised in the thoughts of the secure Is prepared for those sliding with the feet.
‌ʻO hangē ko e maama kuo fakatukutukuʻi, ʻoku pehē ʻaia ʻoku meimei hekea hono vaʻe ʻi he mahalo ʻo ia ʻoku fiemālie.
6 The tents of spoilers are at peace, And those provoking God have confidence, Into whose hand God has brought.
‌ʻOku monūʻia ʻae ngaahi fale ʻoe kau kaihaʻa, pea ʻoku nofo fiemālie pē ʻakinautolu ʻoku fakahouhau ki he ʻOtua; ʻoku ʻatu lahi ʻe he ʻOtua ki honau nima.
7 And yet, now ask [one of] the beasts, And it shows you, And a bird of the heavens, And it declares to you.
“Kae fehuʻi eni ki he fanga manu, pea te nau akoʻi koe; mo e fanga manu ʻoe ʻatā, pea te nau tala kiate koe:
8 Or talk to the earth, and it shows you, And fishes of the sea recount to you:
Pea lea ki he fonua, pea te ne akoʻi koe: pea ʻe fakahā kiate koe ʻe he ngaahi ika ʻoe tahi.
9 Who has not known in all these, That the hand of YHWH has done this?
Ko hai ʻoku ʻikai te ne ʻilo ʻi he meʻa ni kotoa pē, ko e nima ʻo Sihova kuo ne fai eni?
10 In whose hand [is] the breath of every living thing, And the spirit of all flesh of man.
‌ʻAia ʻoku ʻi hono nima ʻae moʻui ʻae meʻa moʻui fulipē, mo e mānava ʻoe kakai kotoa pē.
11 Does the ear not try words? And the palate taste food for itself?
‌ʻIkai ʻoku ʻahiʻahiʻi ʻe he telinga ʻae ngaahi lea? Pea kamata ʻe he ngutu hono kai?
12 With the very aged [is] wisdom, And [with] length of days [is] understanding.
Pea ʻoku ʻiate ia ʻoku talu mei muʻa ʻae poto; pea ko e ʻilo ʻi he ngaahi ʻaho lahi.
13 With Him [are] wisdom and might, To Him [are] counsel and understanding.
“ʻOku ʻiate ia ʻae poto mo e mālohi, ʻoku ʻiate ia ʻae fakakaukau mo e ʻilo.
14 Behold, He breaks down, and it is not built up, He shuts against a man, And it is not opened.
Vakai, ʻoku ne holoki hifo, pea ʻe ʻikai faʻa toe fokotuʻu ia: ʻoku ne tāpuni ki he tangata, pea ʻoku ʻikai ke faʻa matoʻo.
15 Behold, He keeps in the waters, and they are dried up, And He sends them forth, And they overturn the land.
Vakai, ʻoku ne taʻofi ki he ngaahi vai, pea matuʻu ia: ʻoku ne fekau atu foki ia, pea ʻoku fulihi ʻe ia ʻae fonua.
16 With Him [are] strength and wisdom, His the deceived and deceiver.
‌ʻOku ʻiate ia ʻae mālohi mo e poto, ʻoku ʻoʻona ʻae kākāʻia mo ia ʻoku kākā.
17 Causing counselors to go away [as] a spoil, Indeed, He makes fools of judges.
‌ʻOku ne taki pōpula ʻae kau fakakaukau, pea ne fakavaleʻi ʻae kau fakamaau.
18 He has opened the bands of kings, And He binds a girdle on their loins.
Ko e haʻi ʻoe ngaahi tuʻi kuo ne vete, ka ne haʻihaʻi honau noʻotanga vala ʻaki ʻae haʻi.
19 Causing ministers to go away [as] a spoil And strong ones He overthrows.
‌ʻOku ne taki pōpula ʻae ngaahi houʻeiki, pea ʻoku ne lī ki lalo ʻae mālohi.
20 Turning aside the lip of the steadfast, And the reason of the aged He takes away.
‌ʻOku ne toʻo atu ʻae lea ʻae kau poto, pea toʻo mo e ʻilo ʻae mātuʻa.
21 Pouring contempt on princes, And the girdle of the mighty He made feeble.
‌ʻOku ne lilingi ʻae manukia ki he ngaahi houʻeiki, pea ne vete ʻae noʻo ʻoe mālohi.
22 Removing deep things out of darkness, And He brings out to light death-shade.
‌ʻOku ne fakahā ʻae ngaahi meʻa lilo mei he fakapoʻuli, pea ne ʻomi ki he maama ʻae ʻata ʻoe mate.
23 Magnifying the nations, and He destroys them, Spreading out the nations, and He quiets them.
‌ʻOku ne fakatokolahi ʻakinautolu ʻoku ne fakalahi ʻae ngaahi puleʻanga, pea toe fakasiʻisiʻi ia.
24 Turning aside the heart Of the heads of the people of the land, And He causes them to wander In vacancy—no way!
‌ʻOku ne toʻo ʻo ʻave ʻae loto ʻoe ngaahi ʻeiki ʻoe kakai ʻo māmani, ʻo ne pule ke nau ʻalu fano ʻi ha toafa taʻehahala.
25 They feel darkness, and not light, He causes them to wander as a drunkard.”
‌ʻOku nau tautaufā ʻi he poʻuli taʻehamaama, pea ʻoku ne pule ke nau fehēaki fano ʻo hangē ha konā.

< Job 12 >