Siope 23

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

Then 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.

Still is my complaint bitter; But my wound is deeper than my groaning.

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

O that I knew where I might find him! That I might go before his throne!

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

I would order my 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 should know what he would answer me, And understand what he would say to me.

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

Would he contend with me with his mighty power? No! he would have regard to me.

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

Then would an upright man contend with him, And I should be fully acquitted by 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:

But, behold, I go eastward, and he is not there; And westward, but I cannot 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:

To the north, where he worketh, but I cannot behold him; He hideth himself on the south, and I cannot see him.

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 which is in my heart; When 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 feet have trodden in his steps; His way I have kept, and have not turned aside from it.

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.

I have not neglected the precepts of his lips; Above my own law have I esteemed the words of his mouth.

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 of one mind, and who can turn him? And what he desireth, that he doeth.

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

He performeth that which is appointed for me; And many such things are in his mind!

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

Therefore I am in terror on account of him; When I consider, I am afraid of him.

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

For God maketh my heart faint; Yea, the Almighty terrifieth 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 taken away before darkness came, And he hath not hidden darkness from mine eyes.