Hopa 24
1 He aha nga wa te whakapurangatia ai e te Kaha Rawa? A he aha hoki te hunga e mohio ana ki a ia te kite ai i ona ra?
Why are times not stored up by the Ruler of all, and why do those who have knowledge of him not see his days?
2 Tera etahi e whakaneke atu ana i nga rohe; e kahakina ana e ratou nga kahui, whangaia iho e ratou.
The landmarks are changed by evil men, they violently take away flocks, together with their keepers.
3 E aia atu ana e ratou te kaihe a nga pani, e tangohia ana hei taunaha te kau a te pouaru.
They send away the ass of him who has no father, they take the widow's ox for debt.
4 Whakapekaia ketia ana e ratou nga rawakore i te ara: huihui ana nga ware o te whenua, piri ana.
The crushed are turned out of the way; all the poor of the earth go into a secret place together.
5 Nana, rite tonu ratou ki te kaihe mahoao i te koraha, haere atu ana ki ta ratou mahi, e whai ana ki te kai; hei kai te koraha ma ratou, ma a ratou tamariki.
Like asses in the waste land they go out to their work, looking for food with care; from the waste land they get bread for their children.
6 E kotia ana e ratou ta ratou witi i te mara; e kohia ana e ratou nga waina a te hunga tutu.
They get mixed grain from the field, and they take away the late fruit from the vines of those who have wealth.
7 E takoto tahanga ana ratou i te po roa, kahore he kakahu, kahore hoki he hipoki i te maeke.
They take their rest at night without clothing, and have no cover in the cold.
8 Maku iho ratou i te awha o nga maunga, a, ka kore he rerenga, ka awhi i te kamaka.
They are wet with the rain of the mountains, and get into the cracks of the rock for cover.
9 Tera te hunga, e tangohia mai ana e ratou te pani i te u, e tango ana i ta te rawakore taunaha:
The child without a father is forced from its mother's breast, and they take the young children of the poor for debt.
10 Koia ka haere tahanga ratou, kahore he kakahu, a, i te matekai ka hari i nga paihere witi;
Others go about without clothing, and though they have no food, they get in the grain from the fields.
11 E mahi nei i te hinu i roto i nga taiepa a aua tangata; e takahi nei i a ratou poka waina, me te mate i te wai.
Between the lines of olive-trees they make oil; though they have no drink, they are crushing out the grapes.
12 E aue ana nga tangata i roto i te pa, e karanga ana hoki te wairua o te hunga i patua: kahore ano ia a te Atua whakakuware ki a ratou.
From the town come sounds of pain from those who are near death, and the soul of the wounded is crying out for help; but God does not take note of their prayer.
13 No te hunga ratou e whakakeke ana ki te marama; kahore o ratou mohio ki ona ara, e kore ano ratou e noho ki ona huarahi.
Then there are those who are haters of the light, who have no knowledge of its ways, and do not go in them.
14 E maranga ana te kaikohuru i te mea ka marama, patua iho e ia te ware me te rawakore; a i te po ka pena ia i te tahae.
He who is purposing death gets up before day, so that he may put to death the poor and those in need.
15 E tatari ana te kanohi o te tangata puremu kia nehunehu iho, e mea ana, E kore te kanohi e kite i ahau: e huna ana ia i tona mata.
And the man whose desire is for the wife of another is waiting for the evening, saying, No eye will see me; and he puts a cover on his face. And in the night the thief goes about;
16 E keri ana ratou i nga whare i te pouri: i te awatea e pa ana ratou i a ratou: kahore ratou e mohio ki te marama.
In the dark he makes holes in the walls of houses: in the daytime they are shutting themselves up, they have no knowledge of the light.
17 Ki a ratou katoa hoki e rite ana te ata ki te atarangi o te mate; e matau ana hoki ratou ki nga whakamataku o te atarangi o te mate.
For the middle of the night is as morning to them, they are not troubled by the fear of the dark.
18 Tere tonu ia ki runga ki te mata o nga wai; he mea kanga to ratou wahi i runga i te whenua: e kore ia e anga mai ki te ara ki nga mara waina.
They go quickly on the face of the waters; their heritage is cursed in the earth; the steps of the crusher of grapes are not turned to their vine-garden.
19 Ka riro nga wai o te hukarere i te tauraki, i te wera: te hunga hara ano hoki i te reinga. (Sheol h7585)
Snow waters become dry with the heat: so do sinners go down into the underworld. (Sheol h7585)
20 Ka wareware te kopu ki a ia; he kai reka ia ma te iro; e kore ia e maharatia i muri iho; ka whati hoki te kino ano he rakau.
The public place of his town has no more knowledge of him, and his name has gone from the memory of men: he is rooted up like a dead tree.
21 E tukinotia ana e ia te pakoko kihai nei i whanau; kahore hoki ana mahi pai ki te pouaru.
He is not kind to the widow, and he has no pity for her child.
22 E kumea atu ana hoki e ia nga marohirohi ki tona kaha: ka whakatika ake ia, kahore he tangata e u ki te ora.
But God by his power gives long life to the strong; he gets up again, though he has no hope of life.
23 I homai ano e te Atua ki a ratou kia au te noho, a ka whakawhirinaki ratou ki reira; kei runga hoki i o ratou huarahi ona kanohi.
He takes away his fear of danger and gives him support; and his eyes are on his ways.
24 E whakanekehia ake ana ratou; otiia wahi iti nei, kua kahore noa iho ratou; ae ra, ka whakaitia ratou, ka whakawateatia atu pera i era atu katoa, a ka tapahia atu ano ko nga kauru o nga puku witi.
For a short time they are lifted up; then they are gone; they are made low, they are pulled off like fruit, and like the heads of grain they are cut off.
25 Ki te mea he teka tenei ko wai hei whakateka ki ahau, hei whakakahore i taku korero?
And if it is not so, now, who will make it clear that my words are false, and that what I say is of no value?
