Waiata 17
1 He inoi na Rawiri. Whakarongo ki te tika, e Ihowa, tahuri mai ki taku karanga, kia titaha mai tou taringa ki taku inoi, ara ki ta te ngutu tinihangakore.
A Prayer of David. Hear, O Yahweh, the right, Attend to my loud cry, Give ear unto my prayer, on lips that would not deceive:
2 Kia puta mai te whakaritenga o taku whakawa i tou aroaro; tirohia mai e ou kanohi te mea rite.
From before thee, let my sentence come forth, Thine eyes, behold with equity.
3 Kua whakamatauria e koe toku ngakau; kua tirotirohia iho ahau e koe i te po; kua whakamatau koe i ahau, a kahore he mea i kitea e koe; e mea ana ahau kia kaua e hara toku mangai.
Thou hast tested my heart, hast made inspection by night, hast refined me until thou couldst find nothing, Had I devised evil, my mouth should not have transgressed:
4 Ko nga mahi ia a te tangata, ko nga kupu a tou mangai taku mea hei pa mai i ahau i nga ara o te kaiwhakangaro.
As for the workings of men, By the word of thy lips, have, I, taken heed of the paths of the violent one.
5 I whakaukia oku hikoinga ki au ara, kihai i paheke oku waewae.
Thou hast held fast my goings on to thy ways, My footsteps have not been shaken:
6 Kua karanga nei ahau ki a koe, no te mea ka whakahoki kupu mai koe, e te Atua, ki ahau: whakatitahatia mai tou taringa ki ahau, whakarongo ki taku kupu.
I, have called upon thee, for thou wilt answer me, O GOD, —Incline thine ear unto me, Hear thou my speech:
7 Whakaaturia tou aroha whakamiharo, ko koe hoki, ko tou matau, te kaiwhakaora mo te hunga e whakawhirinaki ana ki a koe, i te hunga e whakatika mai ana.
Let thy lovingkindness be distinguished, thou Saviour of such as seek refuge from them who lift themselves up against thy right hand.
8 Tiakina ahau, ano ko te whatu o te kanohi, huna ahau ki raro i te taumarumarutanga o ou pakau,
Guard me, as the pupil of the eye, —Under the shadow of thy wings, wilt thou hide me:
9 I te hunga kino e tukino nei i ahau, i oku hoariri whakamate e karapoti nei i ahau.
From the face of lawless ones who have treated me with violence, the foes of my soul, who come round against me:
10 E kopakia ana ratou e o ratou ngako: e korero whakapehapeha ana o ratou mangai.
Their own fat [heart], have they shut up, —With their mouth, have they spoken proudly.
11 Tenei o matou hikoinga te karapotia nei e ratou: matatau tonu iho o ratou kanohi ki te tuku iho i a matou ki te whenua.
As for our own goings, now, have they surrounded us, —Their eyes, they fix, bending to the earth:
12 Kei te raiona e hiahia ana ki te hopu kai te rite, kei te kuao raiona e piri ana i nga wahi ngaro.
His likeness, is as a lion, that longeth to rend, and as a young lion, lurking in secret places.
13 E ara, e Ihowa, haukotia tona aroaro, turakina ia ki raro; whakaorangia toku wairua ki tau hoari i te tangata kino;
Rise, Yahweh! Confront his face, Bring him down, Deliver my soul from the lawless one [who is] thy sword:
14 I nga tangata, ma tou ringa, e Ihowa, i nga tangata o te ao: kei tenei ora nei to ratou wahi, a e whakakiia ana o ratou kopu e koe ki tau taonga. E kiki ana ratou i te tamariki, whakarerea iho nga toenga o a ratou taonga ki a ratou kohungahunga.
From men [who are] thy hand, O Yahweh, From the men of this age, whose portion, is among the living, and, with thy treasure, thou fillest their bosom, —They must be satisfied with sons, And must leave their abundance to their children: —
15 Ko ahau, e kite ahau i tou mata i runga i te tika, a ka tatu toku ngakau, ina oho ake ahau, kia kite i tou ahua.
I, in righteousness, shall behold thy face, Shall be satisfied when awakened by a vision of thee.
