Siope 13

1 Vakai, kuo mamata ʻe hoku mata ʻa eni kotoa pē, kuo fanongo pea ʻilo ia ʻe hoku telinga.

“Behold, my eye has seen all this. My ear has heard and understood it.

2 Ko ia ʻoku mou ʻilo, ʻoku ou ʻilo foki ia: ʻoku ʻikai te u siʻi hifo au ʻiate kimoutolu.

What you know, I know also. I am not inferior to you.

3 “ʻAmusiaange ʻeau ke u lea ki he Māfimafi, pea ʻoku ou fie alea mo e ʻOtua.

“Surely I would speak to the Almighty. I desire to reason with God.

4 Ka ko e kau fakatupu loi ʻakimoutolu, ko e kau faitoʻo taʻeʻaonga ʻakimoutolu kotoa pē.

But you are forgers of lies. You are all physicians of no value.

5 Taumaiā ke mou mātuʻaki longo pē! Pea ko hoʻomou poto ia.

Oh that you would be completely silent! Then you would be wise.

6 Fanongo eni ki heʻeku fakamatala, pea fakafanongo ki he ngaahi lea ʻa hoku loungutu.

Hear now my reasoning. Listen to the pleadings of my lips.

7 He te mou lea kovi maʻae ʻOtua? Pea lea fakakākā maʻana?

Will you speak unrighteously for God, and talk deceitfully for him?

8 He te mou lavaʻi ia? Te mou fakakikihi maʻae ʻOtua?

Will you show partiality to him? Will you contend for God?

9 ‌ʻE lelei ke ne ʻekea ʻakimoutolu? Pe te mou kākaaʻi ia, ʻo hangē ko e kākaaʻi ʻe he tangata ʻe taha ʻae tokotaha?

Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one deceives a man, will you deceive him?

10 Ko e moʻoni ʻe valoki ʻe ia ʻakimoutolu, ʻo kapau te mou filifilimānako fufū pe ʻae kakai.

He will surely reprove you if you secretly show partiality.

11 ‌ʻE ʻikai fakamanavahēʻi ʻakimoutolu ʻe heʻene ʻafio? Pea tō kiate kimoutolu ʻene fakailifia?

Won’t his majesty make you afraid and his dread fall on you?

12 Ko hoʻomou ngaahi lea fakamanatu ʻoku tatau mo e efuefu, ko e fokotuʻu na ʻo hoʻomou ngaahi lea, ʻoku tatau mo e ngaahi ʻesi ʻumea.

Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes. Your defenses are defenses of clay.

13 “Tuku hoʻomou lau, pea tuku ai pe au, koeʻuhi, ke u lea, kae hoko kiate au ʻaia ʻe hoko.

“Be silent! Leave me alone, that I may speak. Let come on me what will.

14 Ko e hā ʻoku ou ʻūtaki ai hoku kakano, pea ʻai ʻeku moʻui ki hoku nima?

Why should I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand?

15 Neongo ʻene tāmateʻi au, te u falala pe kiate ia: ka te u fakamatala hoku ngaahi hala ʻi hono ʻao.

Behold, he will kill me. I have no hope. Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him.

16 ‌ʻE fakamoʻui au foki ʻe ia: ka ʻe ʻikai ha mālualoi ʻe haʻu ki hono ʻao.

This also will be my salvation, that a godless man will not come before him.

17 Fanongo lelei ki heʻeku lea, fanongo ʻaki homou telinga ʻa ʻeku fakamatala.

Listen carefully to my speech. Let my declaration be in your ears.

18 Vakai eni, kuo u teu ʻeku fakamatala; ʻoku ou ʻilo ʻe fakatonuhiaʻi au.

See now, I have set my cause in order. I know that I am righteous.

19 Ko hai ia te ne talatalaakiʻi au? He ko eni, kapau te u fakalongo pe, te u mate.

Who is he who will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the spirit.

20 “Ko e meʻa ʻe ua pe, ke ʻoua naʻa fai kiate au: ko ia ʻe ʻikai ai te u fufū au ʻiate koe.

“Only don’t do two things to me, then I will not hide myself from your face:

21 Ke toʻo atu ke mamaʻo ho nima ʻiate au: pea ʻoua naʻaku puputuʻu ʻi hoʻo fakailifia.

withdraw your hand far from me, and don’t let your terror make me afraid.

22 Pea ke toki folofola mai, pea te u talia; pea te u lea atu, ka ke talia au.

Then call, and I will answer, or let me speak, and you answer me.

23 ‌ʻOku fiha ʻeku ngaahi hia mo ʻeku angahala? Fakaʻilo mai kiate au ʻeku talangataʻa mo ʻeku angahala.

How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my disobedience and my sin.

24 Ko e hā ʻoku ke fufū ai ho fofonga, mo ke lau au ko ho fili?

Why do you hide your face, and consider me your enemy?

25 He te ke pakiʻi ʻae louʻakau kuo feʻaveʻaki? Pea te ke tuli ʻe koe ʻae mohuku mōmoa?

Will you harass a driven leaf? Will you pursue the dry stubble?

26 He ʻoku ke tohi ʻae ngaahi meʻa fakamamahi kiate au, pea ʻoku ke fakahoko kiate au ʻae ngaahi hia ʻo ʻeku kei siʻi.

For you write bitter things against me, and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.

27 ‌ʻOku ke ʻai hoku vaʻe ki he ʻakau fakamaʻu vaʻe, pea ke vakai pau hoku ʻalunga kotoa pē; ʻoku ke ʻai ʻae fakaʻilonga ki hoku muivaʻe.

You also put my feet in the stocks, and mark all my paths. You set a bound to the soles of my feet,

28 Pea ʻoku fakaʻaʻau ia ʻo hangē ha meʻa popo, pea tatau mo e kofu kuo kai ʻe he ane.

though I am decaying like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.