< 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.
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 [even] to his seat!
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 would know the words [which] 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 plead against me with [his] great power? No; but he would put [strength] in me.
7 ‌ʻE faʻa alea ai mo ia ʻae māʻoniʻoni; pea ʻe fakamoʻui taʻengata ai au mei hoku fakamaau.
There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I 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:
Behold, I go forward, but he [is] not [there]; and backward, 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:
On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold [him]: he hideth himself on the right hand, that 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 that I take: [when] he hath tried 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 his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.
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 esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary [food].
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, even [that] he doeth.
14 He te ne fakakakato hoku ʻinasi kuo tuʻutuʻuni: pea ʻoku lahi ʻae meʻa pehē ʻiate ia.
For he performeth [the thing that 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: 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 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 covered the darkness from my face.

< Siope 23 >