Waiata 124

1 He waiata; he pikitanga. Na Rawiri. Me kaua a Ihowa i a tatou, he ki tenei ma Iharaira:

A Song of Degrees. If it had not been that the Lord was among us, let Israel now say;

2 Me kaua a Ihowa i a tatou, i te whakatikanga mai o te tangata ki a tatou;

if it had not been that the Lord was among us, when men rose up against us;

3 Penei kua horomia oratia tatou e ratou, i te muranga o to ratou riri ki a tatou.

verily they would have swallowed us up alive, when their wrath was kindled against us:

4 Kua ngaro tatou i nga wai, kua taupokina o tatou wairua e te ia.

verily the water would have drowned us, our soul would have gone under the torrent.

5 Penei kua taupokina o tatou wairua e nga wai whakakake.

Yes, our soul would have gone under the overwhelming water.

6 Kia whakapaingia a Ihowa, kihai nei i tuku i a tatou hei ngaunga ma o ratou niho.

Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us for a prey to their teeth.

7 Kua mawhiti o tatou wairua, me he manu i roto i te mahanga a nga kaihopu; kua motu te mahanga, a mawhiti ana tatou.

Our soul has been delivered as a sparrow from the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are delivered.

8 Kei te ingoa o Ihowa he awhina mo tatou, kei te kaihanga i te rangi, i te whenua.

Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.