Hopa 11

1 Ano ra ko Topara Naamati; i mea ia,

Then Sophar the Minaean answered and said,

2 Kaua ranei hei whakautua te tini o nga kupu? A e whakatikaia ranei te tangata ngutu hohoro?

He that speaks much, should also hear on the other side: or does the fluent speaker think himself to be righteous? blessed [is] the short lived offspring of woman.

3 Ma au kupu whakapehapeha ranei e nohopuku ai nga tangata? A, ina tawai koe, kaua ranei he tangata e mea i a koe kia whakama?

Be not a speaker of many words; for is there none to answer thee?

4 E mea ana hoki koe, He tino tika taku whakaako, a he ma ahau ki ou kanohi.

For say not, I am pure in my works, and blameless before him.

5 Aue, me i korero te Atua, me i puaki mai ona ngutu ki te whakahe i a koe!

But oh that the Lord would speak to thee, and open his lips to thee!

6 Me i whakaaturia mai e ia ki a koe nga mea ngaro o te matauranga, te huhua o nga ara o tana mahi! Na kia matau koe, he iti iho i ou he ta te Atua e tango nei i a koe.

Then shall he declare to thee the power of wisdom; for it shall be double of that which is with thee: and then shalt thou know, that a just recompence of thy sins has come to thee from the Lord.

7 Ina whakatakina e koe, e kitea ranei e koe te Atua? E tino kitea rawatia ranei e koe te Kaha Rawa?

Wilt thou find out the traces of the Lord? or hast thou come to the end [of that] which the Almighty has made?

8 Kei te rangi te tiketike; ka pehea koe? Hohonu iho i te reinga; ko te aha e mohiotia e koe? (Sheol h7585)

Heaven [is] high; and what wilt thou do? and there are deeper things than those in hell; what dost thou know? (Sheol h7585)

9 Ko tona takoto, roa atu i te whenua, whanui atu i te moana.

Or longer than the measure of the earth, or the breadth of the sea.

10 Ki te mea ka haukotia e ia, ka herehera ranei, ka whakawakia ranei, ma wai ia e arai?

And if he should overthrow all things, who will say to him, What hast thou done?

11 E mohio ana hoki ia ki nga tangata teka noa; a e kite ana ia i te he, ahakoa e kore e whakaaroa e ia.

For he knows the works of transgressors; and when he sees wickedness, he will not overlook [it].

12 Otiia ko te mea whakaarokore nei, ko te tangata kahore rawa ona hinengaro, ae ra, to te tangata rite i tona whanautanga kei te kuao kaihe mohoao.

But man vainly buoys himself up with words; and a mortal born of woman [is] like an ass in the desert.

13 Ki te whakatikaia e koe tou ngakau, a ka wherahia ou ringa ki a ia;

For if thou hast made thine heart pure, and liftest up [thine] hands towards him;

14 Ki te mea he he kei tou ringa, whakamataratia atu, kaua hoki te kino e noho ki ou tapenakara;

if there is any iniquity in thy hands, put if far from thee, and let not unrighteousness lodge in thy habitation.

15 He pono ko reira ara ai tou mata, te ai he ira; ae, ka u hoki koe, te ai he wehi:

For thus shall thy countenance shine again, as pure water; and thou shalt divest thyself of uncleanness, and shalt not fear.

16 Tera hoki koe e wareware ki tou mauiui; a e maharatia e koe ano ko nga wai kua rere atu.

And thou shalt forget trouble, as a wave that has passed by; and thou shalt not be scared.

17 A ko tou ora tera e marama ke atu i to te poutumarotanga o ate ra; a ahakoa e pouri ano, ka rite ki te ata.

And thy prayer [shall be] as the morning star, and life shall arise to thee [as] from the noonday.

18 Ka tatu ou whakaaro, no te mea ka whai tumanakohanga atu; ae, ka rapu koe i tetahi taha ou, i tetahi taha, a ka takoto marire koe.

And thou shalt be confident, because thou hast hope; and peace shall dawn to thee from out of anxiety and care.

19 E takoto iho ano koe, te ai he kaiwhakawehi; he tokomaha ano hoki e whai kia paingia e koe.

For thou shalt be at ease, and there shall be no one to fight against thee; and many shall charge, and make supplication to thee.

20 Ka poko ia nga kanohi o te hunga kino, kore ake he rerenga mo ratou; ko ta ratou e tumanako atu ai ko te hemonga.

But safety shall fail them; for their hope is destruction, and the eyes of the ungodly shall waste away.