Waiata 12

1 Ki te tino kaiwhakatangi. Heminiti. He himene na Rawiri. Whakaorangia, e Ihowa; ka mutu hoki nga tangata tapu; ka taweke atu te hunga pono i roto i nga tama a te tangata.

For the choirmaster. According to Sheminith. A Psalm of David. Help, O LORD, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men.

2 E korero teka ana ratou tetahi ki tetahi; he ngutu patipati, he ngakau rua o ratou ina korero.

They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.

3 Ka hatepea e Ihowa nga ngutu patipati katoa, me te arero e korero whakapehapeha ana;

May the LORD cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue.

4 E mea nei, Ma o tatou arero tatou ka kake ai; no tatou ano o tatou ngutu, ko wai hei ariki mo tatou?

They say, “With our tongues we will prevail. We own our lips—who can be our master?”

5 Mo te tukinotanga i te hunga iti, mo te aue a te hunga rawakore, ka whakatika ahau aianei, e ai ta Ihowa, Ka whakanohoia ia e ahau ki te wahi e ora ai ia i nga tangata e whakatupereru ana ki a ia.

“For the cause of the oppressed and for the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will bring safety to him who yearns.”

6 He kupu parakore nga kupu a Ihowa: he hiriwa i whakakorea nei te para i roto i te oumu whenua, he mea tuku whitu.

The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace, like gold purified sevenfold.

7 Ka tiakina ratou e koe, e Ihowa, ka whakaorangia ratou i tenei whakatupuranga ake tonu atu.

You, O LORD, will keep us; You will forever guard us from this generation.

8 E haereere noa ana nga tangata kino i tetahi taha, i tetahi taha, i te mea e whakateiteitia ana te kino i roto i nga tama a te tangata.

The wicked wander freely, and vileness is exalted among men.