Hopa 8
1 Na ka whakautu a Pirirara Huhi, ka mea,
And Bildad the Shuhite answered and said,
2 Kia pehea ake te roa o tau korero i enei mea? Kia pehea ake te roa o nga kupu a tou mangai e rite ai ki te hau kaha?
How long wilt thou speak these things? and the words of thy mouth be a strong wind?
3 E whakaparori ke ranei te Atua i te whakawa? E whakaparori ke ranei te Kaha Rawa i te tika?
Doth God pervert judgment, and the Almighty pervert justice?
4 Ki te mea i hara au tamariki ki a ia, a kua maka atu ratou e ia hei utu mo to ratou he;
If thy children have sinned against him, he hath also given them over into the hand of their transgression.
5 Ki te rapu wawe koe i to Atua, a ka inoi ki te Kaha Rawa;
If thou seek earnestly unto God, and make thy supplication to the Almighty,
6 Ki te mea he ma koe, he tika, ina, ka ara ake ia ki a koe aianei, ka manaakitia ano e ia te nohoanga o tou tika.
If thou be pure and upright, surely now he will awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous;
7 Ahakoa i iti tou timatanga, e nui noa atu tou whakamutunga.
And though thy beginning was small, yet thine end shall be very great.
8 Tena ra, ui atu ki to mua whakatupuranga; anga atu hoki ki te mea kua rapua e o ratou matua.
For inquire, I pray thee, of the former generation, and attend to the researches of their fathers;
9 Nonanahi nei hoki tatou, kahore hoki e mohio; he atarangi nei hoki o tatou ra i runga i te whenua;
For we are [but] of yesterday, and know nothing, for our days upon earth are a shadow.
10 E kore ranei ratou e whakaako i a koe, e korero ki a koe, e puaki mai ranei he kupu i o ratou ngakau?
Shall not they teach thee, [and] tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?
11 E tupu ranei te wiwi i te mea kahore he repo? E nui ranei te raupo ki te kahore he wai?
Doth the papyrus shoot up without mire? doth the reed-grass grow without water?
12 I te mea he kaiota tonu, a kihai i tapahia, kua maroke i mua ake i nga otaota katoa.
Whilst it is yet in its greenness [and] not cut down, it withereth before any [other] grass.
13 Ka pera ano nga ara o te hunga katoa e wareware ana ki te Atua, a ka riro ki te kore ta te tangata whakaponokore i tumanako ai.
So are the paths of all that forget God; and the profane man's hope shall perish,
14 Ka motuhia atu tana i whakamanawa atu ai, ko te whare hoki o te pungawerewere hei tumanakohanga mona.
Whose confidence shall be cut off, and his reliance is a spider's web.
15 Ka okioki atu ia ki tona whare; heoi e kore e tu: u tonu tana pupuri atu, otiia e kore e mau.
He shall lean upon his house, and it shall not stand; he shall lay hold on it, but it shall not endure.
16 E matomato ana i te mea kahore nei te ra, a e wana ana ona peka i tana kari.
He is full of sap before the sun, and his sprout shooteth forth over his garden;
17 Kapi tonu te puranga i ona pakiaka, e kitea ana e ia te wahi kamaka.
His roots are entwined about the stoneheap; he seeth the place of stones.
18 Ki te whakamotitia iho ia i tona wahi, ka whakakahore taua wahi ki a ia, ka mea, Kahore ahau i kite i a koe.
If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him: I have not seen thee!
19 Nana, ko te hari tenei o tona ara, a ka tupu ake etahi atu i roto i te puehu.
Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the dust shall others grow.
20 Nana, e kore te Atua e whakakahore ki te tangata tika, e kore ano e puritia e ia te ringa o nga tangata kino.
Behold, God will not cast off a perfect man, neither will he take evil-doers by the hand.
21 Tera ano tou mangaika whakakiia e ia ki te kata, ou ngutu ki te hamama.
Whilst he would fill thy mouth with laughing and thy lips with shouting,
22 He whakama te kakahu mo te hunga e kino ana ki a koe, a ka kahore noa iho te tapenakara o te hunga kino.
They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame, and the tent of the wicked be no more.
