Siope 23

1 Pea naʻe toki tali ʻe Siope, ʻo ne pehē,

And Job answered and said,

2 “ʻOku kona ʻaupito ʻa ʻeku mamahi, ʻio, ʻi he ʻaho ni: pea mamafa lahi hoku tā ʻi heʻeku faʻa toʻe.

Even to-day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning.

3 Taumaiā ke u ʻilo ʻae potu te u maʻu ai ia! Ke u aʻu atu ki hono nofoʻanga!

Oh that I knew where I might find him, that I might come to his seat!

4 Te u fakamatala ʻeku meʻa ʻi hono ʻao, ʻo fakafonu hoku ngutu ʻaki ʻae ngaahi lea fakamamafa.

I would order the cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments;

5 Te u ʻilo ai ʻae ngaahi lea te ne tali ʻaki au, pea u faʻa ʻilo ʻaia te ne lea ʻaki mai kiate au.

I would know the words he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me.

6 He te ne fai mo au ʻaki hono mālohi lahi? ʻIkai: ka te ne ʻai ʻae mālohi kiate au.

Would he plead against me with [his] great power? Nay; but he would give heed unto me.

7 ‌ʻE faʻa alea ai mo ia ʻae māʻoniʻoni; pea ʻe fakamoʻui taʻengata ai au mei hoku fakamaau.

There would an upright man reason with him; and I should be delivered for ever from my judge.

8 “Vakai, ʻoku ou ʻalu atu, ka ʻoku ʻikai ʻi ai ia; pea ʻoku ou foki mai, kae ʻikai te u ʻiloʻi ia:

Lo, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I do not perceive him;

9 Ki he toʻohema, ʻoku ne ngāue ai, kae ʻikai te u sio ki ai: pea ʻoku ne fufū ia ʻi he toʻomataʻu, ke ʻoua naʻaku ʻilo ia:

On the left hand, where he doth work, but I behold [him] not; he hideth himself on the right hand, and I see [him] not.

10 Ka ʻoku ne ʻilo ʻae hala ʻoku ou ʻalu ai: pea ka ʻosi ʻene ʻahiʻahiʻi au, te u hao mai ʻo hangē ko e koula.

But he knoweth the way that I take; he trieth me, I shall come forth as gold.

11 Kuo puke maʻu ʻe hoku vaʻe ki hono lakaʻanga, pea kuo u ʻalu ʻi hono hala, ʻo ʻikai afe.

My foot hath held to his steps; his way have I kept, and not turned aside.

12 Pea naʻe ʻikai te u foki mai mei he fekau ʻa hono fofonga: kuo u fufū ʻi hoku loto ʻae ngaahi lea ʻa hono fofonga.

Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have laid up the words of his mouth more than the purpose of my own heart.

13 Ka ʻoku pehē ai pe ia pea ko hai te ne liliu ia? Pea ko ia ʻoku tokanga ki ai hono finangalo, ʻe fai pē ʻe ia.

But he is in one [mind], and who can turn him? And what his soul desireth, that will he do.

14 He te ne fakakakato hoku ʻinasi kuo tuʻutuʻuni: pea ʻoku lahi ʻae meʻa pehē ʻiate ia.

For he will perform [what] is appointed for me; and many such things are with him.

15 Ko ia ʻoku ou manavahē ai ʻi hono ʻao: pea kau ka fakakaukau, ʻoku ou ilifia kiate ia.

Therefore am I troubled at his presence; I consider, and I am afraid of him.

16 He ʻoku fakamolū hoku loto ʻe he ʻOtua, pea ʻoku fakamamahiʻi au ʻe he Māfimafi:

For God hath made my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me;

17 Koeʻuhi naʻe ʻikai tuʻusi au ʻi he teʻeki hoko ʻae fakapoʻuli, ʻo ʻikai ʻufiʻufi ʻe ia ʻae poʻuli mei hoku mata.

Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither hath he hidden the gloom from me.