Hopa 8
1 Na ka whakautu a Pirirara Huhi, ka mea,
Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,
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 will you speak these things? Shall the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?
3 E whakaparori ke ranei te Atua i te whakawa? E whakaparori ke ranei te Kaha Rawa i te tika?
Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert righteousness?
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 your children have sinned against him, he has delivered them into the hand of their disobedience.
5 Ki te rapu wawe koe i to Atua, a ka inoi ki te Kaha Rawa;
If you want to seek God diligently, make your 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 you were pure and upright, surely now he would awaken for you, and make the habitation of your righteousness prosperous.
7 Ahakoa i iti tou timatanga, e nui noa atu tou whakamutunga.
Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would greatly increase.
8 Tena ra, ui atu ki to mua whakatupuranga; anga atu hoki ki te mea kua rapua e o ratou matua.
“Please inquire of past generations. Find out about the learning 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, because our days on 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 they not teach you, tell you, 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?
“Can the papyrus grow up without mire? Can the rushes grow without water?
12 I te mea he kaiota tonu, a kihai i tapahia, kua maroke i mua ake i nga otaota katoa.
While it is yet in its greenness, not cut down, it withers before any other reed.
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 who forget God. The hope of the godless man will perish,
14 Ka motuhia atu tana i whakamanawa atu ai, ko te whare hoki o te pungawerewere hei tumanakohanga mona.
whose confidence will break apart, whose trust 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 will lean on his house, but it will not stand. He will cling to it, but it will not endure.
16 E matomato ana i te mea kahore nei te ra, a e wana ana ona peka i tana kari.
He is green before the sun. His shoots go out along his garden.
17 Kapi tonu te puranga i ona pakiaka, e kitea ana e ia te wahi kamaka.
His roots are wrapped around the rock pile. He sees 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 is destroyed from his place, then it will deny him, saying, ‘I have not seen you.’
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. Out of the earth, others will spring.
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 away a blameless man, neither will he uphold the evildoers.
21 Tera ano tou mangaika whakakiia e ia ki te kata, ou ngutu ki te hamama.
He will still fill your mouth with laughter, your 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.
Those who hate you will be clothed with shame. The tent of the wicked will be no more.”
